World famous carnival to return to Bristol after three-year break
One of the South West’s biggest events is to return after a three-year break.
The organisers of St Pauls Carnival have announced the event will return later this year for the first time since 2019.
The event, which was first held in 1968, has established itself as one of the biggest events to be held in the city and attracts thousands of visitors from across the UK.
This year’s festival will start with a series of events from June 22nd to mark the 75th arrival of the Windrush generation in the UK.
The event will culminate in the street festival which is taking place on Saturday, July 1st.
Executive Director of St Pauls Carnival, LaToyah McAllister-Jones said: “We are well underway with our planning for the return of Carnival after a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic.
“This year was always going to be a big one but is all the more important as we celebrate the lives and contributions so many people have made to carnival.
“Since it began Carnival has played a central and active role in challenging the status quo and this year’s celebration will be an important one for us all to acknowledge the challenges those who have gone before us have faced in blazing a trail to ensure African Caribbean culture is preserved and celebrated.”
Businessman Levi Roots was appointed chair in 2022 and this will be his first full carnival.
He said: “I am really excited about seeing carnival back in full technicolour on the streets of Bristol.
“While we have continued our work in the last few years through smaller-scale events, I am looking forward to seeing Carnival come to life under the Learning from Legends theme to mark such a historic year in so many ways.”
Organisers say the carnival will cost around £450,000 to run excluding core costs. Just under £220,000 has been secured from Arts Council England.
