Sittingbourne’s annual carnival parade takes to the streets today.

About 18 floats are due to assemble on Milton Rec before the procession sets off from Vicarage Road at 3pm.

It is due to reach Sittingbourne High Street by 3.30pm to 3.45pm, going via Milton High Street, Crown Road, Chalkwell Road, London Road, and West Street, ending in East Street.

A number of groups have signed up to take part, including the town’s Sea Cadets band and the Wonder Girls Pom Pom Troupe, a group of 50 youngsters from Bognor Regis.

The town’s Carnival Court will be joined by eight visiting courts as well as a number of groups and businesses including the Sittingbourne greyhound limousine, Mecca Bingo, the Artistic Twirlers, Scouts, Sittingbourne and Kemsley Light Railway and The Net Church.

The carnival association will be collecting donations in its new purple buckets that will be carried by those walking in the parade, all of which goes towards covering the cost of future parades.

There will be a pre-carnival event in the town starting at 11am, organised by Retail Association, featuring rides, stalls and food, and the sixth annual Festival of Food takes place at St Michael’s Church in the town between 9.30am and 3.30pm.