IT'S just over a week until the 2014 Malvern Carnival and Hat Festival and already excitement is building around the

town as final preparations are being made for an afternoon of fun and colour.

And organisers have just issued the definitive timetable for events next Saturday (July 12) to let everyone know when and where it's all happening in the town centre and Barnards Green.

The fun kicks off at the top of the town centre at 1pm, when the carnival floats will line up near the town's historic Abbey Gateway and Dancefest will be performing their Sightseers’ dance routine in Rose Bank Gardens.

Entertainers Event Excellence will be doing theior thing in Church Street, while town councillors judge the first part of the hat competition.

And at 1.30pm, hat-wearers are asked to gather below the Elgar statue on Belle Vue Terrace for an amazing mass millinery photo organised by Beacon Camera Club.

At 2pm the carnival procession itself begins with mayor Julian Roskams leading the floats and the walking parade. There will be floats from Malvern Rotary Club, Event Excellence, BBC Hereford and Worcester, the Red Cross and many more together with Walking Hatters from Malvern Festival Theatre Players, Malvern Community Forest Group, Drumlove and The Tribe, to name just a few.

The procession will make its way down Church Street and Avenue Road and will end in Barnards Green where the second judging of the hats will continue and the prizes will be awarded.

There will be musical carnival capers which will include a children’s magic show, a jitterbug dance-along and crazy golf until 4pm.

And all the fun is for a good cause as well, with proceeds going towards the Sunshine Children's Centre at Poolbrook, run by Action for Children.

Jim Richardson of the carnival committee said: "We are hoping to raise enough to give these vulnerable children a wonderful day out, so please come out and support your local Carnival and Hat Festival next Saturday."