Come and join us on Monday 31st August, 2026

Carnival Theme Announced

Once Upon a Time

‘Once upon a time’ has been used in plays, poetry and storytelling for over 4,000 years

‘Once upon a time’ was used in Ancient Egypt, in Aesop’s Greek fables, the Sanskrit of India, Roman storytellers, Caxton’s first printing (1481) of Reynard the Fox, and in Shakespeare’s plays.

More recently, Once upon a time appears in the works of James Joyce; in a comedy play by A. A. Milne, Philip Pullman’s (“Once upon a time in the North”) and Isacc Asimov (a sci-fi story, “Once upon a time” about a robot designed to entertain children.)

So, it’s not just about fairy tales!

“Once upon a time” or its shorter form of “Once”, … gives scope for almost any tale from history or from our great local storyteller and poet, John Masefield in “The Midnight Folk”, “The Box of Delights”, or “Saltwater Ballads”.

Mal Hughes, Chair of Ledbury Carnival Association said:

I am delighted to be able to announce the theme for the Ledbury Carnival 2026: ‘Once upon a time’.

This theme gives families, schools, organisations and traders huge scope for a variety of ideas for our procession, shop window displays and all the other ways in which we can decorate and promote our town for our big carnival day.

If anybody would like to get involved this year, click on contact us, or send an e-mail to: procession@ledbury-carnival.co.uk.