THE streets of Bishopstoke were recently painted with colour as brightly decorated floats weaved their way from the Bishopstoke Community Centre to Portal Road.

Just 24 hours later and the fun continued when beautifully crafted river floats sailed at Bishopstoke Beach.

The Daily Echo takes this opportunity to show off pictures from a past event - when the parade and river floats proudly moved through the village on September 11 and 12, 1999.

The event had only been put back on the calendar in 1997 after a break of nearly 40 years.

Fun in the sun was the order of the day as local broke new grounds by choosing to turn their backs on the traditional selection of a carnival queen in favour of a carnival president.

The change was seen as being a step to modernise the event - the role was open to both sexes.

That year, Monica Wickes took on the presidential role and rode at the head of the carnival precession in a shrub-decked float dressed as Britannia.

Led by the 14th Eastleigh Scout and Guide Band, The Spitfires, the procession also gave deputy Eastleigh mayor Peter Humphreys the chance to tour the streets of the village in a horse-drawn carriage.

The day before the procession saw the carnival go back to its roots when decorated rafts formed a vibrant flotilla on the river with side shows in Glebe Meadow.