1991 - Cleopatra's Barge
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The Stag Carnival Club's first float, with music from the
opera Aida, won Best In Class. Effectively, though not
strictly, a tableau it was built in the shape of a boat
painted black and gold. Many of the construction techniques
that were to be used in future floats were debuted here (as
well as some that were never tried again.)
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1992 - Rocky Horror Show
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A controversial choice of theme at the time, this float won
Best In Class in Hastings Old Town Carnival and also took
second prize in The Staplecross Bonfire Parade. The trailer
had been given a smaller set of wheels and new steering gear
earlier in the year thus enabling a taller structure to be
built in the form of castle turret with a high platform clad
in stone effect moulding. The theme brought with it some of
the strong choreography that was set to become a feat
ure of later floats.
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1993 - Jubilee Jazz Band
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The float this year was moved into the open air - a rather
exposed field at Fairlight Place Farm. This
unfortunately coincided with some of the worst spring and
summer weather for years. 1993 was the twenty fifth
Hastings Old Town Carnival and the theme was therefore fairly
predictable. The structure from the previous year was
largely retained with the cladding removed. An
innovation was the creation of stilt walkers, actually sat on
bicycle seats attached to the rear towers. The float
did not meet the expectations that had been built in previous
years: gaining Second in Class.
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1994 - The Blues Brothers
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This year marked the first of the Old Town Carnival's "free
themes". The design for the float was somewhat of a
compromise - the cylindrical constructions were originally
intended to be drums and the theme "Puppet on a string",
however the club members were enthusiastic to recapture
the success of the "Rocky Horror Show" and the strong music
and visuals that came with the "Blues Brothers" theme were
seen to be the clue. The simple design of stepped
cylinders painted with a cityscape provided a platform for
some eye catching choreography. The float won Best in
Class in Hastings Old Town Carnival and was also taken to
Staplecross bonfire procession on a particularly wet November
night where it won a
Second.
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1995 - Space Raiders
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There have always been some striking SciFi floats in the West
Country circuit and this float was largely inspired by those.
The well known music from Jeff Wayne's War of the
Worlds provided a starting point for this startling float.
The colour scheme was entirely black and red with all
of the crew in identical costumes. The float marked a turning
point in the use of technology: a remotely controlled smoke
generator provided the exhaust for two animated spaceships
(which unfortunately broke soon after setting out from the
Stade ) and a rotating aerial. Unfortunately there was
some controversy regarding the judging of the float and
despite the wide acclaim no prize was won.
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1996 - A Pirates Life
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Another winning boat and with the strong music from the film
Pirates this float is perhaps the greatest technical
achievment thus far. The massive clinker built ship
with masts and rigging won Best in Class in Hastings Old Town
Carnival and on invitation to Rye won Best in Show carrying
hundreds of light bulbs. The clinker built construction
was achieved with precut strips of hardboard attached with
impact adhesive and pins.
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1997 - The Inter-Galactic Circus of Wonders
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Last years float won best in show with this colourful display
inspired by the Las Vegas show E/FX. The bright
costumes and animated choreography brought a spectacle to
Hastings Seafront on a particularly sunny Carnival Day.
The structure of the float itself was largely adapted
from that of the previous year but adorned with colourful
shooting stars and circus big tent motif.
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The first rigidly themed Old Town Carnival for a number of
years ("Thirty Years of Carnival - Past Present and Future").
This bright and deceptively simple float won Best in Show.
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