Finchley Carnival hits its centenary year in style this weekend with its usual mix of fun and frolics at Victoria Park, Long Lane. Special events to mark the occasion include the chance to ride in a coronation coach and more music, laughter and entertainment than ever before. HUGH CHRISTOPHER looks at what's on

Thursday

Put on your best stetson and chaps for an evening filled with country music from 5.30pm.

Featuring Paul Bailey, Finchley's answer to the Dixie Chicks The Country Girls and line-dancing courtesy of The Texan Dudes, it's near guaranteed that the phrase "yee-ha" will be part of your vocabulary before the evening is through.

Friday

Do you have a beautiful baby, a radiant rugrat, or a talented toddler?

If so, then why not enter them for the carnival's baby show, with entries allowed from 11.45am onwards, any baby aged between six and 30 months can take part and win prizes worth more than £200. In a sillier vein, the knockout challenge, starting at 5.30pm, pits local primary and secondary schools against each other in wacky It's A Knockout-style challenges. Laughs aplenty are promised for contestants and audience alike.

There will be free admission for children aged 12 and under from 1.30pm until 7.30pm, and they can participate in face painting, enjoy a snappy crocodile slide and lark about in the mini-gym throughout the day.

Saturday

A colourful array of floats will head the carnival procession, beginning at The Queen's Head pub, Regents Park Road, at 1.30pm and touring Finchley, before finally being accompanied by carnival queen Jackie Young and princesses Abbey and Laura, to Victoria Park, arriving at around 3.15pm.

Attractions for the day include a motorcycle display team (6.30pm), a trapeze workshop, a New Orleans jazz band (5.30pm), and a dog show (entries in by 12noon). You can also witness tribute band ABBALIKE (7pm onwards) and the brilliantly named Cyril the Squirrel and his racing terriers (4.55pm) if you so wish. To finish the day off, a grand fireworks display will light up the skies of Finchley at 9.45pm.

Sunday

Think the fun is over? Not a chance. Egyptian dance group Rakasa Jamila perform some traditional Egyptian dancing at 3pm.

A Ugandan cultural dance group will also be on stage an hour later.

A selection of other bands will be performing throughout the day, from 2pm to 8.30pm.

July 4, 2002 11:00