Nottingham will come together this weekend to celebrate the annual Caribbean Carnival on Victoria Embankment and everybody is invited. The fun gets underway at 12noon with the parade starting at 2pm and DJ sets and live music until 8pm.
There is a small charge to enter the Carnival Village – Adults: £3, Children under 12: £1, with toddlers free. The parade is free to watch along the route.
The Parade leaves the Embankment, goes up Wilford Grove and then works its way back to the Embankment at Bunbury Street. There is a judging point at the memorial which is an excellent spot to catch all the action. The parade culminates in amazing performances on the Parade Stage within the Carnival Village.
Thousands are expected to line the route as the city’s liveliest parade winds its way around in a celebration of Nottingham’s Caribbean heritage, featuring hundreds of colourful costumes made just for the parade and energetically displayed to music from moving sound systems and the beat of Samba drums.
Many of the groups in the parade are local but the event also sees groups travelling from around the country to take part from London, Luton, Leeds, Derby, Leicester, and Huddersfield.
One of the highlights includes the Inspire Urself troupe which presents Pure Imagination – The Nottingham Queen. This year includes a beautiful costume based on the unforgettable film Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory.
In June 1948 the Empire Windrush arrived at Tilbury Docks, Essex carrying; hundreds of people from the Caribbean. Over 70 years on, this legacy will be explored and recognised by many of the troupes performing, with all the eye-popping embellished costumes designed and handmade by volunteers.
Troupes taking part in the parade with their event themes (Nottingham unless otherwise stated):
- Majestic UK (London) – Granada Shortknee
- Origin Moko Jumbies (UK and Trinidad) – Protesting Nationalism and Brexitism
- ABC Dance School and Nottingham School of Samba – MaraCAN-CANtu
- Flying Free with CAN Samba – Dancing Mobiles
- Ancestors Troupe – Masquerades and Clowns
- UK Trini – Revellers and Nostalgia Steelband – Pan around de neck
- Cultural Roots Carnival Troupe (Derby) – Inspirational journeys – space and time
- St Kitts and Nevis and Friends (Luton) – Hats off to Windrush Generation
- Empire Rush (Leicester) – Windrush Movement
- Sensational Vibes (Leicester) – Celebrating Windrush
- Xtreme Mas (Leicester) – Windrush and its colourful legacy
- Anonymas (Leeds) – Carnival fever
- Nottingham African Community – Celebrating our culture
- Pure Elegance (Huddersfield) – Heaven Sent
- Zodiac Allstars – Flight of the Bahamas
- Tuntum and Yasmin Long – Ingnite the masquerades
- Rampage (Luton) – Egyptian Dynasty.
The Carnival Village will comprise five music zones (charges apply) with a traditional mix of over 30 DJs and live bands alongside numerous cultural and information stalls – including a heritage zone, bars, funfair and some of the region’s best street food including the famous jerk chicken.
The stage areas are themed to offer different music styles. Some of the musical highlights include a live appearance from soca (derived from Calypso music) champions Kollision Band, homegrown reggae talent from Mellonie Page Music and Nottingham born singer/songwriter Lisa Hendricks who started her music career when she joined a local gospel choir at the age of 15. She later spent a decade touring with a reggae band “Brio” throughout the Midlands.
Carnival Stages and Music Zone Artists
Rudes Sound
- DJ Rudes
- Gamrock (Esco-Bar and Stuffy Brown)
- DJ Dibz
- D Dot and Krugger
- DJ Kyse
- KB
- Live performance – Dred One and Friends
D9 Village
- One step
- Fever
- BFG
- Dialtone
Roots* and Culture (Bandstand)
- Success (revival set)
- Sugar (MC)
- Undertaker
- Daddy Russell
- General Sharpatone
- Plus; special guests
Soca Village
- Kollision Band
- Mellonie Page Band
- Lisa Hendricks and Project-US Band
- Roxxies Sound
- Sensation Sounds
- Bhinasha
- KaideCoolKid
Afrobeat
- DJ Wallexy
- DJ Finzy
- DJ Hijay
- DJ Super
Event organiser Richard Renwick MBE said: “On behalf of the organisers of Nottingham Carnival 2019, I am looking forward another fantastic day of carnival entertainment featuring colourful costumes, lively music, energetic dancing and some great food.”
“A big thank you to our many volunteers and sponsors without whom there would not be a Nottingham Carnival. In particular, the hundreds of carnival masquerades who work through many late evenings and weekends making the spectacular costumes you will be seeing in the parade.”
Cllr Dave Trimble, Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Culture at Nottingham City Council said: “Carnival is one of the highlights of the city’s cultural events calendar that help celebrate our communities, we hope as many people as possible can come down to Victoria Embankment to experience the amazing costumes, infectious beats and tasty foods that are synonymous with the Carnival spirit form around the word whether you are in Rio, Notting Hill or Nottingham.”
Further information – Nottingham Carnival is organised by volunteers, with support from Tuntum Housing Association.
Parking
Available on Victoria Park (NG2 2AA), price £5 for all-day parking.
Public Transport
By train: Take a train to Nottingham Railway Station, then take a tram to the Carnival site.
By tram: From the city centre, take the “Clifton South” tram Southbound and get off at Meadows Embankment
By bus: There are plenty of regular buses serving the area, please see https://www.nctx.co.uk/ for full details.
Security
You may be searched on entry.
Strictly no food, drink or alcohol to be brought on site.
#NottinghamCarnival