THE Mayor of Dudley will officially launch the borough's St George's day carnival on Saturday April 20 at 10.45pm.

The ceremony will follow a parade featuring representatives fro a wide variety of organisations including Sedgley Morris Men, The Black Country Living Museum, Dudley Zoo, Quarry Bank Royal British Legion, Cradley Royal British Legion, Worcesters and Sherwood Forresters, Halesowen and District Beaver Scouts and the RAF Association.

The parade will start at 10.30am at the Dudley Council House on Priory Road which will head to Market Place where the mayor will start the celebrations.

Councillor Melvyn Mottram, Mayor of Dudley, said: “Dudley Council’s 2013 St George’s Day Celebrations are our biggest and most ambitious yet. I’m really looking forward to working with all the community groups, organisations and businesses who have so generously donated their time and prizes."

Performers at the carnival will include the Sedgley Morris Men, Time Step Dance Studio, Daniel Salt acoustic ukulele, Jayne and Shelley’s Dance Depo, Adam Martin acoustic, Ren Shin Kan Aikido Club and Devil’s Advocate Rock Band.

Stone Street Square will be playing host to free small fairground rides and face painting, stands by Dudley Zoological Gardens, Dudley Canal Trust and Limestone Mines and Brierley Hill Musical Theatre.

There will also be a barrel organ and the Great Dudley Bake-Off competition which will be judged at 12.30pm with the cakes sold in aid of the mayor’s charities from 1pm.

Dudley Museum will host a free princess and knight badge making sessions from 10.30am to 3.30pm for youngsters while Dudley Town Hall will host a free tea dance from 1pm to 3pm.

Dudley Library will be busy with Punch and Judy shows at 10.15am, 1.15pm and 3.15pm, glitter tattoos from 10.30am to 11.30am and 2.30 to 3.30pm, a Dragon Egg Hunt and craft activity from 11am to 12noon and a professional storyteller from noon to 1pm and 2pm to 3pm.

There will also be a display by Oldbury Squadron Air Training Corps on St James’s Road at 1.15pm.

The deputy mayor will be judging the best dressed shop and market stall competition from 1pm.

Pay and display parking will available on Priory Road, Flood Street, Stafford Street and the Trident Shopping Centre on Wolverhampton Street. Although Priory Road will be closed in the morning the car park will be open.

There will be a series of road closures throughout the day. For more infomation visit www.dudley.gov.uk/see-and-do