From Elvis to Mr Bean: Village Carnival Brings Characters, Cars, and Cheer to Cynwyl Elfed

On Saturday 9 August 2025, Ysgol Cynwyl Elfed School hosted the Cynwyl Elfed Carnival & Sports. The event brought together local residents for a relaxed morning of fun, friendly competition, and creative costumes.

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The village carnival was a feast for the senses — a bright, bustling tapestry of colour, laughter, and music. The programme brimmed with a variety of carnival classes, drawing entries from every generation. The judges certainly had their work cut out, faced with the daunting challenge of selecting winners from such a joyous kaleidoscope of characters.

Familiar faces from stage and screen paraded the schoolground — or at least their uncanny lookalikes — as Ozzy Osbourne shuffled by in dark glasses, Elvis Presley dazzled with his trademark swagger, and the Flintstones rolled in straight from Bedrock on their decorated barrow.

Mrs Doubtfire and Postman Pat made appearances too, delighting children and sparking fond smiles from the adults.

Even the vehicles joined in the fun. A bright red MG Midget was cleverly transformed into the “rockmobile” for the King himself, while a hardy, crimson red 4×4 Jeep Wrangler was decked out with Jurassic Park logos, complete with netting that looked ready to capture a stray velociraptor.

But it was Mr Bean who stole the show — or rather, his unmistakable lime-green Mini. Perched atop the roof, the famous armchair steering contraption was recreated in perfect, whimsical detail, earning a well-deserved first place and plenty of belly laughs from the crowd.

Yet beyond the costumes and competition, it was the atmosphere that lingered in the heart — a celebration of community spirit on the warmest, most human scale. Friends greeted friends, and the air hummed with the kind of cheer that only happens when everyone is in it together.

Every laugh, every cheer, and every clap of applause helped raise funds for Parc Cynwyl Elfed Park, ensuring the joy of the day would leave a lasting mark.

As the sun began its slow descent, the village gathered one last time by the river for the beloved duck race. Little ones leaned over the bridge, shouting encouragement to their bobbing, brightly coloured ducks, while parents and grandparents watched with excitement as the ducks reached the finish line.

The afternoon faded into evening with the rippling sound of the river and the chatter of a community that had spent a day not just celebrating, but truly coming together.