Businesses are being urged to support the first Mayor’s Community Parade and fun day.

The event, being put together by Mansfield District Council, Mansfield Rotary Club and the Sister Cities Association, is on 10th June.

The parade around Mansfield town centre will be followed by live music, fairground rides, charity stalls and more on the recreational ground next to the Civic Centre.

Businesses with sign-written vehicles can join the parade and are being urged to hand out sweets to children along the route – an idea Mansfield mayor Kate Allsop saw during a visit to Mansfield, Pennsylvania in the USA.

Businesses can also showcase themselves alongside community groups and charities at the fun day and take part in the mayor’s second charity lunch in the Civic Quarter inside the Civic Centre.
The lunch is one of the events that raises money for the Mayor’s charity fund – and cheques will be presented to local organisations during the lunch.

The Mayor’s Community Parade will start close to the Civic Centre on Chesterfield Road South and head into the town centre via St Peters Way, Clumber Street and Leeming Street.

It will then go along West Gate and head back on Chesterfield Road South and on to Rosemary Street, before finishing next to the Civic Centre.

The day’s entertainment will then continue with small fairground rides and live music tribute acts, featuring songs from the likes of Abba and Madonna, on a showground area on the recreational ground next to the Civic Centre.

There are plans for a classic car meet in the Civic Centre car park.

The mayor said she was looking forward to leading the parade and hoped it would be as successful as the one she took part in during the visit to Pennsylvania.

“I want to see a parade like the old Mansfield Carnival that ceased in the early 80s, with groups like Girl Guides, cadets groups, heritage groups, Neighbourhood Watch, youth groups, WIs, sports clubs, colliery and marching bands, classic cars, bikes and other vintage vehicles, emergency services, the Royal British Legion, the Armed Forces and local churches,” she said.

The parade, which is expected to feature around 80 groups, will start at 11am and finish around 12.30pm.

The showground area will be open from 10am to 6pm. It will feature small fairground rides, bouncy castles, food and live music. There will also be charity stalls.

Nicky Tomlinson-Murphy, the president of Mansfield Rotary Club, said: “The Rotary motto is service above self and all our members play a role in supporting our local community in a variety of ways, whether through fundraising on the Christmas Sleigh or supporting local groups.

“This community parade fits perfectly into our objectives of helping others and we are delighted to be a co-organiser of this event with the Sister Cities Association.”

How to get involved

Any group, charity or organisation is allowed to join the parade.

Around 80 groups are expected to take part on a first-come, first-served basis.

Businesses will be charged £27.48 but charities can enter free.

Groups can reserve their space at www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/mayors-community-parade-tickets-41642926113