Win a chance to head up the most important event in the Wisbech calendar by entering our competition to be the Rose Queen.

The search has begun to find this year’s Queen to head up the popular Rose Fair carnival parades.

Now into its 54th year the event attracts visitors from across the country.

The competition has officially opened and anybody over the age of 14 who lives in the Wisbech district can enter.

• To be in with a chance of winning send a picture of yourself and why you think you deserve to be Rose Queen, along with your address and contact details to sarah.cliss@archant.co.uk.

• The contest is being run by the Wisbech Standard along with the Wisbech Round Table, which organises the Rose Fair parade.

• Entry will close at 5pm on Thursday June 15. The lucky winner will be contacted by Wisbech Round Table.

The Rose Queen will be taken for a dress fitting, have her hair styled, her nails painted and enjoy a photography session. They will also win a cash prize.

In keeping with tradition there will be two Rose Fair parades on Saturday July 1 – one at 11am and one 2pm – which bring a carnival atmosphere to the town and attracts visitors from across the region to enjoy the spectacle.

The Rose Fair is regarded as one of the region’s finest flower festivals ad this year has the theme “For the Love of Books.”

This year’s festival runs from June 28 to July 1 and centres around St Peter & St Paul’s Church.

Three other town centre churches will also hold festivals, each carrying their own theme.

During Rose Fair the whole town takes on a festive atmosphere, celebrating its horticultural heritage.

The jewel in the crown is the church of St Peter and St Paul which celebrated it’s 900th anniversary in 2011. Rose Fair began in 1963 when local rose growers sold rose buds in the church gardens to raise funds for the restoration of the church, which dates back to Norman times.

Rose growing is still a speciality of this area and the flower festival continues to raise money to maintain the fabric of the church.

WISBECH ROUND TABLE