ST. CLAIR CARNIVAL

Evening Star, Issue 19790, 14 February 1928, Page 4

ST. CLAIR CARNIVAL

COMMENCING THURSDAY HIGH!

“ Come to St. Clair! ” should be the slogan this week of all Dunedin residents who take a healthy prfde in the progress and beautification their city. There are few places which can boast that so close at hand they have such a splendid beach, with its stretch of w'hite, clean sand, its clear and clean waters breaking on the shore in curling, white-topped hollers, its picturesque setting, and its many other attractive features. In the fine weather of the past two months Dunedin people have realised more than ever what a great asset they possess in the beach at St. Clair. Despite its attractiveness, St. Clair has many needs, which have been neglected. The greatest of these has been the insufficiency of dressing accommodation for bathers. Under the auspices of the recently-revived St. Clair improvement Association, a big carnival is to be held at St. Clair on Thursday and Friday evenings, and on Saturday afternoon and evening to raise funds to assist the City Council in improving and increasing the accommodation so urgently needed for bathers, who come from all parts of the city to share the delights of the beach." If a comparatively small place like Timaru is able to raise thousands of pounds a year to improve its waterfront, surely Dunedin can do something even greater. It should be regarded as a matter of civic pride. The City Council has wisely given its support to the carnival, which will be opened by the deputy-mayor at 8 o’clock on Thursday evening. The esplanade will bo closed to vehicular traffic, and the purchase of a badge will give visitors the “freedom of the esplanade.’’ There will be found all the features of an up-to-date lair, and some which will be found to bo entirely new. In the cool of the summer evenings, in the pleasant seaside air, patrons are promised a thoroughly enjoyable time. The Band of the Ist Battalion, Otago Regiment, will be present each evening, and will render a programme of varied items, and a special orchestra will also supply musical items. There will be dancing round the esplanade, with prizes for “lucky dances.” Refreshments, ices, iced drinks, sweets, etc., will be on sale, and there will be games of all kinds for young and old. Special lighting effects, arranged by the E.P. and L. department of the corporation, will turn the esplanade and its surroundings into a veritable fairyland, in which fancy costumes of varied colors will give the carnival a real gala touch. Fancy hats, masks, streamers, etc., will be on sal© for those wffio wish to share in the fun.

On the Saturday afternoon special features will be a baby show and a bathing beauty competition, for both of which handsome prizes have been donated. On the same afternoon there will be races for children, a sand modelling competition, and a treasure hunt. The annual life saving competition for the Sagar Cup will be held in the surf, and an exhibition will be given by a ladies’ life saving team. A meeting of the committee of the carnival was held last night, and great enthusiasm was shown. It was reported by tli© various sub-committees that all arrangements were practically completed.