Lyme Regis is gearing up for a vibrant and colourful Easter weekend featuring its famous bonnet parade and a friendly duck race.
Townsfolk of all ages will be showing off their fancy headgear in a parade through the town on Easter Sunday, with prizes going to the most creative hat makers.
Organisers said: “Grab the glue and get your creative juices flowing – you have until 2.15pm on Easter Sunday to produce your masterpiece.
“Entrants are invited to assemble in Lyme Regis Baptist Church for 2.15pm for judging with the parade commencing outside the church at 3pm.”
Led by the Lyme Regis Mayor and its Majorettes, entrants will make their way down Broad Street to Cobb Gate then proceed along Cart Road and Marine Parade to the Jubilee Pavilion.
There will be charity buckets along the way where people can donate to local good causes.
The town’s traditional duck race will take place at noon on Easter Monday at Higher Mills Flats in Windsor Terrace.
An event spokesperson said: “Everyone goes a bit quackers at midday on Easter Monday as hundreds of individually numbered bright yellow toy ducks are released into the river Lim at Higher Mill Flats where they hurtle downstream in a mad paddle towards the finish line at Jordan Flats.
“The bath time companions initially negotiate the relatively calm waters by Windsor Terrace before the fearless racers gather pace after descending the potentially treacherous weir at Woodmead Road bridge. They wind their way around the bend at Lymbrook Cottages, before riding out the bumps and dips along the stretch by Jericho with some final jostling for position with the finish line in sight.”
Lyme Regis town crier Alan Vian will officially start the duck race while supporters can cheer on their competitor from the river banks.
The first duck across the line will win £50, with prizes also going to second, third and last place.
Organisers added: “We take our environmental responsibilities seriously, as volunteers ensure all plastic ducks are captured in a giant net just after the finish line and stored until they race again.”