The first details of this year’s Stowmarket Carnival have been unveiled.

The annual event, running from Friday, July 17 through to Sunday, July 19, at the town’s recreation ground on Recreation Road, will allow visitors to enjoy ‘Milk and Alcohol’ as Essex trio Dr Feelgood headline the Friday night, supported by Ipswich bands the Colourblind Hedgehogs and the Shaboogamoo Shufflers.

The event is also returning to three days, which carnival vice-chairman Tim Brame said was a result of the success of the two previous years.

Mr Brame said Dr Feelgood were interrupting their performances in Europe to perform in Stowmarket.

“I feel pleased about that really. I made initial contact with them as I’m a bit of a Feelgood fan myself and told them what the carnival was about.

“I got a call back from Kevin Morris (the drummer), and they were keen to come to Stowmarket and support our event and get the weekend started in a feelgood way, in the words he used.

“To get them to take a break from Europe is a bit of an honour really.

“We’re only a small town event.

“The committee is all excited about it and we want to share that excitement with the public.”

He added: “Another big introduction this year is Jazznic, which sees jazz on the Sunday afternoon, with an invitation to those attending to bring their own picnics to enjoy on the grass.”

Scheduled to perform as part of the Jazznic are Nick Raison, Olivia Stone and Natasha and The Jazz Bizarre.

Mr Brame said: “It’s looking good. It’s looking to be the biggest event in the 54 years it’s been running.”

The organisers are also looking to try and build some surplus funds that can be provided in the form of grants for groups within the community.

Mr Brame said: “The chairman, Paul Morris, is also quite keen to have a charitable aspect.”

On the Saturday local bands will be showcased, and the Jazznic will begin after the carnival procession, the theme of which is sport.

“Hopefully the Jazznic will pull people in from out of the area, just for the jazz,” he added.

“Sport is such a wide and varied subject. It could be sports from the past and sports from far off shores.

“Last year was such a positive atmosphere, and the numbers through the gates were through the roof.

“We had about 13,000 over both days.

“This year hopefully we can crack that.”

The organisers are also looking for a sponsor for the stage this year. Mr Brame said because Dr Feelgood were playing, organisers had opted for a stage as opposed to a lorry trailer, which had been used in previous years.

To sponsor the stage, email vicechair@stowmarketcarnival.org.uk

For more information, visit www.stowmarketcarnival.org.uk/