Judy, Lucas and Cara Valvona
Island Carnival Memories.
Judy moved to the Island when she was sixteen, at seventeen she met Rikki Valvona.
She soon got drawn into the Carnival way of life with Rik and his elder siblings Loris and Margot who constructed a float for the family entry into Ryde Carnival each year.
Rikki Valvona (born 1957) as Davy Crocket with brother Loris and Sister Margot.
Photograph belonging to Cara Valvona.
Rikki Valvona (born 1957) 'A Little Bit of Bull'.
Photograph belonging to Cara Valvona.
Valvona's 'Review of the Fleet' 1977.
Photograph belonging to Judy Valvona.
Judy remembers what great fun they had thinking up ideas and slogans for the float that would make people laugh which she said Rik was particularly good at. The Carnival fun continued as the family grew - Luc’s first Carnival took place when he was in the womb as a pregnant Judy drove the Pink Panther car for the Valvona entry that year.
Cara appeared in her first Carnival in her buggy dressed as an egg. At age eight Luc took over the creation of the Carnival costumes for the family, making costumes and props in the family garden during the summer holidays - his first Carnival entry being Dinosaurs (the one where his sister was an egg!).
As the years went on Luc’s creations got more sophisticated – one year making a float out of a wheelbarrow and another year building the ‘world’s longest cardboard canoe’ and wearing it dressed as a gorilla! Luc, like his Dad Rik before him, also had a passion for coming up with the slogans and puns which made the crowd laugh – a part of our Island Carnival tradition from the very early days.
Judy, Luc and Cara share together their fond memories of family time through the fun and laughter of Carnival.
King Carnival newspaper article featuring Valvona family.
Photograph belonging to Cara Valvona.
1984 newspaper article featuring Valvona family.
Photograph belonging to Cara Valvona.
Judy explains her connection to the Valvona family through her husband Rik and dressing up for her first Carnival aged seventeen.
Luc takes part in his first Carnival when he was in with womb as Judy drove the Pink Panther car in 1985.
Judy and Luc talk about the atmosphere, crowds and procession at Ryde and collecting pennies.
Judy remembers the Valvona float having a band on it and Luc recalls the introduction of the Samba bands into Carnival.
'Fish' float. Photograph belonging to Judy Valvona.
'Doctor Dot'. Photograph belonging to Judy Valvona.
'Fish' Luc as Hammerhead Shark. Photographs belonging to Judy Valvona.
'Fish'. Photograph belonging to Judy Valvona.
'Rub a Dub Dub' Yarmouth Carnival 1987. Photographs belonging to Judy Valvona.
101 Dalmations 1995. Photograph belonging to Judy Valvona.
101 Dalmations again 1995. Photograph belonging to Judy Valvona.
101 Dalmations float 1995. Photograph belonging to Judy Valvona.
Chicken or Egg 'which came first?' Photograph belonging to Judy Valvona.
Chicken or Egg. Photograph belonging to Judy Valvona.
Chicken or Egg, 1996. Photograph belonging to Judy Valvona.
Greenmount Primary School 1991 Luc wearing large pink heart. Photograph belonging to Judy Valvona.
Greenmount Primary School 1991. Photograph belonging to Judy Valvona.
Judy, 'Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds'. Ryde Carnival, 1983. Photograph belonging to Judy Valvona.
Luc (in buggy) with Maddy and Steph. Three Musketeers. 1986. Ryde Carnival. Photograph belonging to Judy Valvona.
Luc as a Musketeer, 1986, Ryde Carnival. Photograph belonging to Judy Valvona.
Musketeers, Elephant and Bear. Photograph belonging to Judy Valvona.
Rave From The Grave entry. Photograph belonging to Judy Valvona.
Rave From The Grave float. Photograph belonging to Judy Valvona.
Rave From The Grave Valvonas. Photograph belonging to Judy Valvona.
Rave From The Grave, Valvonas. Photograph belonging to Judy Valvona.
Rikki Valvona? Photograph belonging to Judy Valvona.
Shanklin Carnival 1983. Photograph belonging to Judy Valvona.
Valvona Rave From The Grave 1992. Photograph belonging to Judy Valvona.
Valvona float Ryde 1992. Photograph belonging to Judy Valvona.
Valvona's 'Beau' Judy is far right as a belly dancer. Photograph belonging to Judy Valvona.