Preparations are well underway for the 82nd Aldeburgh Carnival, one of the longest-running and most loved Carnivals in East Anglia.

This amazing event could not take place without the support of the public, volunteers, sponsors, public services, stallholders, local organisations, and everyone who joins us across the Carnival weekend. Whether you give your time as a volunteer or come along to enjoy the festivities, your support helps make Aldeburgh Carnival such a successful, fun and much-loved community event.

So, from all of us — a huge thank you!

We are delighted to announce that our 2026 Carnival Queen has been chosen.

This year’s Carnival Queen is Izzie Buzzard.

Izzie is from Aldeburgh, is 20 years old, and currently attends York University, where she is studying for a degree in Sociology. She was a Carnival attendant in 2015 and has been a huge supporter of Aldeburgh Carnival for many years, volunteering at the event and helping to keep the Carnival spirit alive.

Izzie said: “I am absolutely thrilled and honoured to be chosen as this year’s Carnival Queen. Aldeburgh Carnival is such a wonderful tradition and such an important part of community life.”

Izzie will be joined by her attendants, Mabel and Delilah, who are both very excited to have been chosen and are enjoying preparations for Carnival.

We are thrilled that Izzie has accepted this honour and look forward to celebrating with her at the 82nd Aldeburgh Carnival.

Many of the popular entertainment events from previous years will return for 2026, with more details to be confirmed as bookings are secured.

We are delighted that the ever-popular Samba Band has committed to joining us once again — thank you, ladies!

The much-loved kites are also expected to return, alongside local musical talent on the beach on Saturday.

There will also be country music and line dancing in the High Street on Carnival Monday, helping everyone get into the spirit of this year’s theme.

We are also excited to introduce some big changes to the Duck Race, thanks to the enthusiasm and ideas of new committee member Jane Simpson.

The Carnival will conclude with the evening lantern parade and spectacular fireworks display on Aldeburgh beach.

The theme for the 82nd Aldeburgh Carnival will be “Country & Eastern – Aldeburgh Ho Down”, with plenty of country and western inspiration.

Carnival floats will be encouraged to embrace the country theme, and we would love visitors to join in too. So dust off your Stetsons, cowboy hats, cowboy boots and cowgirl boots, and get ready to be part of the Aldeburgh Ho Down.

Volunteers are absolutely vital to the success and safety of Aldeburgh Carnival.

The iVolunteer system is now open, so you can add your name and choose the role you would be interested in supporting. Every hour you can spare is invaluable.

Last year, there was a last-minute concern that there may not be enough volunteers available to safely support the Carnival, so we are encouraging people to sign up as early as possible this year.

To be crystal clear: without the generous support of hundreds of volunteers, the Carnival simply could not happen.

How to Volunteer?

You can start right now:

A wide variety of stalls across the four-day Carnival weekend plays a huge part in creating the atmosphere—offering great food, entertainment, and a bit of retail therapy for everyone to enjoy.

Are you a stallholder? Apply for a pitch below.

The Carnival organising committee is also looking for new members.

The committee meets just once a month for around two hours, so it is not a huge commitment, but it makes a huge difference to the running of the Carnival.

Current committee vacancies include:

Traffic Management Deputy

Deputy Steward

Car Park Co-ordinator

Collection Co-ordinator

If you would like to get involved, please contact us through the Aldeburgh Carnival website.

We are incredibly excited to be planning another successful Aldeburgh Carnival. Thanks to the support of volunteers, sponsors, public services, and everyone who attends—both locally and from further afield—the Carnival continues to raise vital funds for local charities.

More Carnival updates will follow as we move through 2026 

Stay tuned—and get ready for the Aldeburgh Ho Down!