Thousands of people poured into Kemp Town in Brighton on Saturday for its annual community celebration.

Organisers could not have wished for better weather as the baking sun brought out the crowds for the annual Kemp Town Carnival.

The free event is now in its ninth year and continues to go from strength to strength as entertainments keep hundreds of visitors busy throughout the day.

It may not have been Rio but the sunshine helped a group of Brazilian dancers get in the mood as they danced their way along St George's Road as part of the festival parade.

Crowds of people lined the streets to make way for the parade, which was led by a giant mammoth created by pupils from the Brighton Steiner School.

Music and dance was the order of the day with a samba parade performance going on throughout the afternoon and into the night.

Two stages provided the base for bands with one outside The Dragon pub manned by Brighton Institute of Modern Music students and the other outside the Golden Cannon, featuring local bands playing swing, jazz and contemporary music.

Headliners were the International Band of Mystery, who are regular performers at the Joogleberry Playhouse in Brighton.

Other acts included Crescent Jazz, the Silver Sounds samba band, Under the Gun, the Robin Watts Quartet and Busted Sofa.

DJ Mr Eugene was on hand to compere during the day and play a range of tunes in between bands.

The Max Miller Appreciation Society also staged a few performances with John Ripley taking on cheeky chappie role and 20-year-old Mark Walsh performing on the ukelele.

Traders had a whole host of stalls out on the street offering trinkets, home-made furniture, clothes, toys, massage and therapy treatments and tattoos.

Charities and fund-raising groups were also out in force, including a team from Coastway Hospital Radio, which is marking its 20th anniversary this year.

Other stalls featured the Friends of Brighton and Hove Hospitals, the Sussex Cancer Centre, the Friends of Sheepcote Valley and the 15th Brighton Scouts group including Cubs and Beavers.

The younger visitors enjoyed face-painting along with a bouncy castle and a special area was set aside for them in the grounds of Sussex House in Abbey Road.

A giant roll of plain paper was pinned to the floor in one part of the street and crayons and felt tips were provided for passers-by to draw and add their own messages and designs.

Pictures included smiling faces, dogs and flowers and little messages including "Brighton Rocks" and "Best Greetings from Germany".

There was a chance to look around a fire engine, watch a magician doing tricks or even pick up a new fancy dress outfit.

Plenty of food was available with the emphasis on home-made with cakes, freshly-pressed apple juice and cooked mackerel.

The Brighton Morris Men also drew large crowds and they were joined by youngsters from Telscombe Cliffs Primary School.

The children, who go to an afterschool club and call themselves the Telscombe Morris Minors, drew some of the loudest cheers of the afternoon. Visitors were out to have a good time.

Shelley Carpenter, 28, from Sackville Gardens, Hove, came along with her daughter Milly, six, who was having her face painted.

She said: "We've been coming here for the last couple of years and it is absolutely fantastic. There is such a great community atmosphere and so much to look around and see.

"Having all the shops and bars and cafes open and extending outside really adds to the whole atmosphere as well. Being such a glorious day really helps as well. Mark Hepburn, 38, has lived in Kemp Town for ten months.

He said: "People told me this was a fun carnival and they weren't wrong. Having it on your doorstep like this is great.

"It's nice to see so many people just chilling out and having a good time. It is a good atmosphere."

Stallholder Simone Barton was selling a collection of home-made jewellery.

She said: "I go to quite a few carnivals but this is my first one here.

"It has been really good and I've sold quite a few things. It is really relaxed.

"I'll be closing up later this afternoon but I'll stay around to listen to some of the bands."

The carnival coincided with Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust family fun weekend which included a marquee in the grounds of Sussex House and music provided by the band All Jigged Out and a ceilidh featuring Reel-Divo.