Chinewrde Carnival Collective Profiles: Craig

The Travelling Carnivale, circa 1932. 2009

As a child growing up in small town Southam, the annual local Carnival was a big deal. My sister Rebecca and I would attend each year as spectators and would look on the floats congregated in Pendicke Street. Accompanied by our neighbour Mrs Morgan, we sat on the grassy banks from where we would eagerly throw pennies and tuppences to the passing procession. We would pick dropped coins off the road before throwing some more.

The Carnival atmosphere remains a vivid memory from my early childhood years, and I remember clearly the excitement and expectation on Carnival day. We’d always catch the procession a second time on its route to the recreation ground before heading on to play on the fairground rides and throw darts at goldfish.

In 1990, I entered a schools competition to design the front cover for the annual Southam Town Carnival brochure. I was 12 years old at the time. Inspired by the theme of music, my design featured a whole host of musical instruments which spouted notes and details of that year’s event. I was delighted when my design was announced as the winner and that feeling has never left me. In fact, I credit the experience as one of the formative moments of my growing up, and a building block for my chosen career working in the arts.

The Southam Town Carnival still happens today, although it is a shadow of what it once was, with fewer floats and fewer crowds.

Having moved to Kenilworth, my then girlfriend Louise (now my wife) invited me to join in with the Kenilworth carnival. After years without involvement she was keen to enter a float again, in part to support her Mum Carole’s return to good health following a heart bypass, and partly to satisfy her own urge to have another go! This was 2009 and I was familiar already with Kenilworth Carnival having spectated alongside Louise and her Nan for each of the preceding few years. But I’d never participated. I duly took up the role of Thomasina in the Travelling Carnivale, and sported half a beard among other things as the resident but indecisive transvestite (see picture). Cross dressing has become a bit of a recurring motif ever since and I’m rarely shy to don a dress in aid of a good cause and to share a wonderful day with my family and friends. In 2010 my youngest sister Abigail joined the collective, followed by my Mum in 2011. So the carnival has become a truly family affair! It’s a wonderfully special occasion and I’m very happy to be involved through the Chinewrde Carnival Collective.