Thousands gather for Moonlight Parade show

BBC A brightly lit parade float decorated with flowers and lights, featuring a house, carousel, and costumed participants, travels along a street at night while spectators watch from the roadside.BBC
Crowds enjoyed the cooler temperatures at the Moonlight Parade

Crowds of islanders and visitors packed Jersey's Victoria Avenue for the Battle of Flowers Moonlight Parade to view more than 20 illuminated floral floats.

The award for best illuminated float at the Moonlight Parade on Saturday went to the Parish of Grouvillle which also won the moonlight carnival atmosphere prize.

This year's festival saw a return to the original route along Victoria Avenue in St Helier after the parade went through town on the Esplanade last year.

The fireworks display finale was cancelled after safety concerns. Officials decided the display could pose a fire risk because of the hot and dry weather in Jersey.

The crowds lining the road are five deep. Spectators are watching a float to the right of the picture. It is dark but there are street lamps.
The free event attracted huge crowds

Battle chairman Martin Maguire said he was delighted with the turnout and the atmosphere that the carnival parade created.

The junior award for the best illumination was won by Northern Parishes Juniors and the Parish of Grouville Juniors won the junior award for Moonlight Carnival Atmosphere.

Nick Bouchard, from the Optimists Club, which won the Prix D'Honneur for its float in the daytime parade, said it was a "technical challenge" to transform the float from a daytime to a night-time illuminated display for the parade.

He said the team enjoyed being part of the spectacle with their entry based on the Pixar film Brave.

"It's one of the reasons why we do the Battle of the Flowers, to put on a show," he said.

"We all absolutely love it."

Bouchard said the moonlight parade went well.

"The amount of people that were there and the crowd were fantastic," he said.

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