boats to burn, and because a number of good boats were thrown onto the fire and burnt by over-enthusiastic revellers. Effigies or "guys" representing the gunpowder plot instigators were added to the fire by local groups of people known as gangs. It would seem it was these gangs who started the trend towards a procession, as they paraded their guys towards the bonfire. As years passed by, the tradition was continued and the annual celebration became more and more elaborate, involving costumes, and music, until the key feature of the event was a large carnival procession. The local people who dressed up and took part in the event were known as Masqueraders or Features - terms still used today to describe the parade participants. There were no parades during the Second World War, but a local carnival enthusiast William Henry Edwin Lockyer also known as "Nosey" walked the carnival route for six years with a group known as The Kilties, to keep the tradition alive. In 2020 and 2021, the procession was cancelled due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, to replace the 2020 Bridgwater procession a live stream was held on carnival night showing some of the best carnival carts over the years. Squibbing In addition to the carnival procession, the tradition of "squibbing" still occurs after the procession ends. A squib locally is a firework which is held aloft by a person known as a "squibber" on the end of a long wooden handle called a "cosh". One hundred squibbers stand in line in Bridgwater town centre making an unusual but impressive sight for visitors who crowd the High Street. Originally the squibs were made specially for the carnival and were known as the Bridgwater Squib, and culminated with a large bang as each squib extinguished. With modern Health and Safety concerns it has become difficult to purchase such squibs, and owing to the rising cost of insurance the present-day squibs have no bang. Lines of flammable liquid are also run along the ground by the squibbers and lit to add to the spectacle. Visitors often think the whole sight looks a little dangerous, but the event is well organised and nobody has been hurt to date. Modern times The Bridgwater carnival first modernised in 1881 and was originally lit by lamps; electric lights were first introduced in 1913. Bridgwater carnival now consists of a display of over 40 large