CHILDREN across the LS29 district are once again being encouraged to put on their thinking caps and get creative for the Ilkley Carnival Cover Competition.

Celebrating this year’s theme of ‘At The Movies’, the annual competition encourages children (five to 16) to create the design that will feature on the front cover of the carnival programme which is handed to visitors before and on the day of the May Day bank holiday event.

Judged by the Ilkley Carnival committee and competition sponsors Bettys Café Tea Rooms, local children are invited to paint, draw or digitally design an image to reflect the carnival theme.

Last year, the carnival committee received hundreds of entries inspired by the ‘Best of British’ theme. The winning artwork was created by eight-year-old Eleanor Tolch, from All Saints Primary School, whose design featured cricket bats, the Queen and the Yorkshire pudding.

“The cover competition is such a great part of the carnival countdown and gives local children a chance to get involved from the start by brainstorming ideas for their own parade costumes,” said Ilkley Carnival chairman, Andrew Stacey.

“‘At the Movies’ is such an exciting and broad theme, there should be some really fun, inspired entries and we can’t wait to see the designs!”

With support from Bettys Café Tea Rooms for the fifth consecutive year, the three entry categories are ages five to eight, nine to 11 and 12-16. The committee will choose one winner for the cover of the programme and select category winners who will be invited on stage to receive a goodie bag from Bettys and their framed artwork to take home on carnival day.

Samantha Lawton, branch manager at Bettys Café Tea Rooms, said: “We’re always impressed by the standard of entries submitted by the local children, their creativity and imaginations run wild! It’s always a privilege to be so involved with such a loved community event and we can’t wait to see what winning ‘At The Movies’ picture makes the front cover of this year’s carnival programme.”

All entries must be received by Friday, March 3, 2016 and delivered in an envelope marked ‘Ilkley Carnival Cover Competition’ to Approach PR, 32-34 The Grove, Ilkley, LS29 9EE. Please ensure your name, age, entry category, address and contact number or email is clearly written on the back of each entry.

For more information about the Ilkley Carnival Cover Competition, beneficiary applications or Ilkley Carnival go to www.ilkleycarnival.org