PRESTWICH Carnival 2005 is almost here!

And that means organisers are working busily away behind the scenes to make sure it is a day to remember.

The fun-filled event takes place on Sunday, June 19 - Father's Day - in St Mary's Park and souvenir brochures produced by carnival sponsors the Prestwich and Whitefield Guide are now on sale in and around the village.

Carnival programmes are priced £1 and can be purchased from the Longfield Suite, local Scout groups, carnival committee members and from outside Tesco in Prestwich.

Prestwich's own carnival queens will be selling the programmes outside the supermarket each Saturday and Sunday leading up to the big day itself.

The girls will be dressed in their finery so they will be hard to miss and all funds raised go straight back into the carnival pot to be distributed among local good causes.

The colourful brochure features everything needed for carnival day, including a route of the carnival procession, details of the junior football tournament which starts at 10am in the park with the Under 7s teams. The tournament will feature Bury Amateurs (formerly Drinkwater Warriors) and Marauders, both based in Prestwich, battling it out for the Longfield Shield.

The competition finishes with the Under 13s who kick off at 1.30pm and the winner's presentation takes place on stage at 2.30pm.

Also on the pitch this year will be a novelty soccer match between Cops and Robbers and refereed by Bury South MP Ivan Lewis.

The Cops will be played by Bury Amateurs AFC and local police officers will take on a role reversal as the Robbers team.

This kicks off at 3pm and should not be missed.

Entertainment will continue throughout the day with attractions old and new to watch out for.

A new addition to this year's carnival will be a circus skills workshop, by Skylight Circus Arts, who will give youngsters the chance to try their hand at tightrope walking, juggling and unicycling.

A traditional feature will be the glamorous Court of Queens, where Prestwich Carnival Queens will welcome visiting queens from all over the region.

All the fun kicks off in St Mary's Park at noon and the carnival procession sets off at 1pm from Rectory Lane.

Entertainment will continue in the park until 5pm.