THE CARNIVAL spirit is set to spread across Dorchester this weekend as the community comes together for its annual celebration.

Organisers, heartened by fantastic levels of community support, are confident of a successful event this year and are urging people in the town to turn out in force and show their support.

The Dorchester Carnival fun all gets underway tomorrow evening with the arrival of the Wynn's Fun Fair in the market car park.

There will be plenty more on Friday with children with special needs having a go on the rides before the Party in the Park at the Borough Gardens from 6pm to 10pm and the traditional four legged race around the town from 7pm, starting at the gardens.

The main day on the Saturday will see a whole host of entertainment, staring with the street fair in South Street in the morning.

Renowned junk band Weapons of Sound will be running a workshop in New Street from 2pm and there will be a display of vintage vehicles in Brewery Square.

The vehicles will head off around the town at 5.30pm, ahead of the main event - the carnival procession that will head out from the market along Maumbury Road and Cornwall Road and up to the Top O'Town before heading down High West Street and up South Street then back to the market.

Procession organiser Chris Davies said that there had been plenty of interest in the procession this year, which has a theme of Around the World.

He said: "I'm really pleased, we have got just over 30 entries now and there will always be a few last minute ones as people can sign up on the day."

The procession will be accompanied by music from the Dorchester Carnival Band and the Weapons of Sound with youngsters who have taken part in the earlier workshop.

Mr Davies added: "It will be a really nice procession and there will be plenty of other musical floats as well."

This year's carnival has been organised by a dedicated committee that has included the three Rotary clubs in Dorchester.

Carnival chairman Les Fry, from the Casterbridge Rotary Club, said the organisers had also received a huge amount of support from the local community and businesses such as main sponsor David Upshall Insurance.

He said: "We have been really impressed and very pleased with the response from the community and in particular the local businesses who have really stepped forward and supported this years event."

Mr Fry added that this year's carnival offered something for everyone and urged people to come and join in the celebrations.

For more information about the carnival visit dorchestercarnival.org