THOUSANDS of visitors and locals have enjoyed a community festival in the sunshine.

The 2022 Woodingdean Carnival, which took place on Saturday, July 2, had more than 40 stalls and a range of activities for all ages.

The annual event began in 1967 and has only been cancelled twice – in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid-19 restrictions.

The carnival chairwoman Alix Macfarlane said the organisers, locals and visitors were “amazingly happy” to be back after the two-year hiatus.

“People were smiling, children laughing, and everyone was celebrating the great community we live in,” she said.

“Woodingdean Carnival is only possible thanks to a small, dedicated team of volunteers, including one of our committee who has been volunteering with carnival since it began in 1967.

“The team worked very hard to bring the event back after the lockdown years and we couldn’t have done it without the generous support of our local businesses.

“Many businesses have been hit hard by the pandemic but still dug deep to help bring Woodingdean Carnival back for 2022. We’re already planning next year’s event.”

More than 200 walkers took part in a parade alongside T.S. Zealous NTC marching band, Peacehaven Dragon Dance and the Marta Scott Dance Company.

The winner of the carnival parade was Rudyard Kipling School.