Announcing Our 2025 Celebration Plans
St Pauls Carnival is back this July, and we’re excited to share our plans with you!
After a hugely successful return to the streets in 2023, we adopted a biennial model to make sure we can keep Carnival going strong for years to come. While 2025 was originally set to be a full-scale Carnival year, we’ve made the decision to deliver a scaled-down programme in response to the ongoing challenges in the events sector.
Like many cultural organisations, we’re facing financial pressures, and we have to make responsible choices to ensure we’re here for the long haul. That means doing things a little differently this year, but we’re still committed to celebrating and sharing our culture with you.
As our Executive Director, LaToyah McAllister-Jones, explains: “Like many other cultural organisations right now, particularly events, St Pauls Carnival has had to make some difficult decisions, driven by financial pressures and the need to ensure the organisation is sustainable for the long-term. As a recipient of public funding, we have a responsibility to be financially prudent.
“We are really excited about our plans for 2025, which will bring Carnival arts and culture to the city and continue to celebrate the roots of Caribbean heritage.”
This year’s programme will still bring that epic Carnival energy to Bristol, with a range of events including:
The Elders’ Brunch – Held on Carnival morning, the brunch is an opportunity for us to honour our community’s elders.
The Schools Programme – Engaging young people through costume-making, drumming, and dance workshops, ensuring the next generation is immersed in the cultural traditions of Carnival.
Celebrations of Music, Food, and Performance – A series of events that highlight the sounds, flavours, and creativity of African Caribbean culture. More details on this soon!
Our new Chair, Dr. Michele Curtis, says: “We are focused on ensuring we can continue to protect the legacy of Caribbean culture and the St Pauls Carnival. Sustainability is our focus, which means careful financial planning and developing ways to generate income throughout the year.
“What’s equally important is that our communities, both locally and across the city, understand the huge social and economic impact of Carnival. If we want to protect its legacy, everyone has a role to play – whether through volunteering, donating, or sponsorship.”
We know this isn’t the full-scale Carnival many of us were looking forward to, but we want to assure you that we’re doing everything we can to keep the spirit of Carnival alive. Since its beginnings in 1968, St Pauls Carnival has grown into an internationally recognised cultural asset, attracting over 120,000 people at its peak and contributing over £9.2 million to the regional economy. We are determined to see it continue for generations to come.
If you would like to support St Pauls Carnival and help ensure its future, you can donate here.
Stay tuned for further announcements as we reveal more details about this year’s events! We can’t wait to celebrate with you…