WITH almost every carnival postponed this year, the Daily Echo takes a look back at one that hasn’t taken place for many years – Southampton’s.

The date was July 14, 1990, when these pictures were snapped along the snaking procession as it made its way through the sun-drenched city.

In the baking heat, some 50 floats made up an exotic carnival parade with the mad antics of clowns of all shapes and sizes drawing huge rounds of applause from spectators lining city streets.

From West Quay Road to the Common, bands struck up and collecting tins were noisily shaken.

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The theme of that year’s Southampton Carnival procession was That’s Entertainment.

Video of Southampton carnival in 1961

Amid the excitement some of the most original floats ever to wind their way slowly along the route proved to be a feast of fun and mad cap capers.