Tens of thousands of revellers basked in the heat as Southend was gripped by carnival fever in one of the most spectacular events the town has ever seen.
With temperatures during the day reaching a high of nearly 28 degrees, the seafront was a kaleidoscope of colour and deafening noise as the 2002 Southend Carnival reached a memorable climax.
Crowds lined the whole length of the seafront from Chalkwell Shelter, where the procession started, to the Kursaal, where people were entertained by the Essex FM roadshow.
The finale saw the seafront illuminations burst into life and a breathtaking firework display light up the night sky over the pier.
The only people to have a relatively quiet night were the emergency services, who reported no major problems from the event.
For full story and pictures see Monday's Evening Echo.
Published Sunday August 18, 2002
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