FAIRFORD Festival will have an Indian theme this year with two Dhol drummers playing in the parade, which starts at noon on Saturday, June 3.

Starting from the town car park, the parade will wend its way through the town back to Fairford Cricket Club, where the majority of the festival events are taking place.

The festival will be holding a ‘Where’s Ernest?’ hunt for children to find a toy elephant, while cooking enthusiasts can watch demonstrations on how to cook Indian food.

Andrew Butler Butchers has also created a Bombay Banger especially for the festival, made of chicken and Indian spices.

With some activities still to be finalised, the plan is for Swindon Indian Association to bring along Bhangra musicians and Bollywood dancers, as well as put on Indian dance workshops.

New for this year is the Fairford Festival of Fiction, organised by writer Paul Cornell and featuring Steven Moffat.

The festival started life as The Carnival in 1894 to raise money for Fairford’s Cottage Hospital – back then it was known as “the greatest show in the West”.

In 1937, the parade procession was so long that the head met the tail after going round the town.

Visit facebook.com/FairfordFestival for the full details of the festival, which takes place from June 1-4.