IT IS not too late to enter your own float in this year's Hereford River Carnival which runs during the first May Bank Holiday weekend.

Although the free community event is just a few weeks away there is still time to buy a float base for £50 and decorate it in your own style to join in the river carnival parade from the rowing club down to Victoria bridge.

It is the fifth year since the carnival returned to the city and last year 15,000 visited the event during the Saturday.

The organisers have received Arts Council funding of around £15,000 for the Friday night festivities on May 4 which will see a return of the Mappa Mundi theme.

Last year the animals of the historic map were brought alive by actors, dancers and musicians and they paraded through the streets.

This year the performance, which starts at 8.30pm, will see the animals go on an adventure around the globe to find out what life is like in 2018.

It starts at 8.30pm from Hereford Cathedral's North Door and processes to Bishop's Meadow, where there will be a fire-lit procession on the river. Then there will be food, music and dancing until 11.30pm.

On Saturday, May 5 activities start at 10am with a dog show on Castle Green, where there will also be the Indie Food Village all day, and other activities.

There is also a Nozstock festival preview stage from 12.30pm and at 12.45pm the street carnival starts from Castle Green and parades down to Bishop's Meadow. Anyone can join in, either in fancy dress or not.

At Bishop's Meadow from 10am there will be stalls, Danters Children's Funfair, the Kindle Centre Community Hub, The City Council Roadshow and h.Energy Village.

For the first year Hereford Lions is involved and will host an old fashioned village green with welly wanging and many more traditional favourites. There will also be a Music Pool stage and a Dance Central Stage. There will also be a separate carnival from Villa Street in Hunderton along the banks of the River Wye.

There is a Carnival of Sport on King George V Playing fields all day.

The River Carnival starts at 2.15pm. At 1pm there is the CHAR Sprint Raft Race, at 3pm the Coracle Regatta, and at 3.30pm the Hereford Rotary Club Charity Duck Race.

At Left Bank Village there is an opening ceremony at 10am, an acoustic stage and a Etsy Makers Market.

Organiser Stuart Fox said: "This is all about the river and reconnecting Hereford with the river. That is what it is for. We need to do more with it as a community and city."

Rebecca Huggett, artistic director, added: "It is all about celebrating the really great stuff people are doing in Hereford. People can come and showcase their talents and achievements. It is a fun day."

It is all run by volunteers and they are still looking for more volunteers. For full details go to www.rivercarnival.org

In partnership with the Hereford Times, souvenir programmes for the carnival are now available from Hereford Leisure Centre, Hereford Leisure Pool, Oakchurch, Hereford Cathedral, TIC Leominster, TIC Ledbury, TIC Hereford (Rural Conciege), Radway Bridge Garden Centre, Pengethley Garden Centre, Left Bank, Fodder, Wyevale Garden Centre, Bromyard Leisure Centre / Library, Hereford Times Office, The Nest, Miro Café, Beefy Boys, Costa Cafés in Hereford. There will be 1,000 available on the day.