Our insider’s guide to carnival
Carnival 2023 - We’re back!
St Pauls Carnival 2023 – everything you need to know.
Whether you’re a seasoned jump up Carnival goer or if this year will be your first ever St Pauls Carnival, here’s our insider’s guide for having a great day.
St Pauls Carnival returns to Bristol’s streets after four years on Saturday 1st July from 12.00pm to 10.00pm
Get prepared!
Getting your carnival off to a great start is all in the planning – decide your outfit – at carnival we are loud, proud and full of colour! Feathers, glitter, sequins and lycra – be as creative as you want and don’t forget your whistle!
Check the forecast - although we celebrate Caribbean culture that does not always extend to the UK weather.
Wear the right shoes. You will definitely get your steps in on carnival day so make sure you are comfortable and wear something you can get down in.
Take the basics – move light. Take a refillable water bottle, some cash and your contactless card, maybe a phone charger, sun cream or umbrella (see above). And please no glass.
You can download the St Pauls Carnival map here. And programmes will also be available to buy from our official merchandise stalls.
‘Must do’ St Pauls Carnival experiences
Food and drink
We have many food stalls and traders who will be selling authentic Caribbean food and drink – enjoy sugar cane, Jerk Chicken, Curry Goat, Ackee and Saltfish, Ital (vegan/vegetarian Rastafarian cuisine).
You will also be able to sample a range of drinks Rum Punch, Guinness Punch and soft drinks will all be on offer.
See the procession
One of the biggest highlights of the day is the street procession which includes community dance troupes, drumming groups and our local schools who take part. They will all be competing to be crowned the winners of the procession and will have been practicing dance routines for months. Each group will have their own handmade themed costumes and they will wind their way through the streets of St Pauls from 12.30pm in Portland Square ending around 2.30pm in [location].
Find a place to stand along the route which is marked on our map – soak up the sights and sounds and cheer the troupes on!
Wine Your waist (dance, carnival style)
The bass beat of carnival is like no other and you cannot go to carnival and not dance. Music will pulsate throughout the streets of St Pauls, find a spot and jump up and get down to experience true Caribbean carnival culture:
Check out the sound systems
A traditional element of carnival where you we see huge speaker stacks on the side of the road with DJs and performers playing everything from Soca, Reggae and Bashment to Calypso, Hip Hop and Samba (among many others).
Visit the stages
We have four stages which will feature many artists throughout the day. The Roy Hackett Memorial Stage will be this year’s main stage located in St Pauls Learning Centre Green. See the full line ups and stage information here.
You will be able to experience live reggae bands alongside emerging artists, spoken word, dance and much more.
For families – visit Mandela’s Hideaway
Carnival is for every generation from the very young to our elders. We have a dedicated children’s area called Mandela’s Hideaway at [location]. There will be activities to keep children of all ages entertained, grass for you to sit down and chill out or eat (bring a picnic blanket with you).
This area will be open from 12.00pm to 6.00pm.
If you are with young children please visit the children's area or one of the merchandise stalls to get a wristband for your child/ren to write your number on in case they get lost. For very young children you might choose to bring ear defenders.
Be safe, responsible and have fun
It’s a long day – 12.00pm until 10.00pm if you are planning on spending the whole day with us – so pace yourself and take time to chill out and soak up the atmosphere. Portland Square, Brunswick Square and St Agnes Park all have grassy areas where you can take the weight off.
As with any social event there can be a tendency to overindulge – and rum punch can be stronger than you think! Take in your water and go steady.
If you need help please speak to our stewards and volunteers. Take note of the Lost Children areas, First Aid Points, water refill points and of course the toilets.
Please dispose of your rubbish in the bins provided or take it home – St Pauls is home to many residents and businesses after carnival and we strive to leave no trace.
Stay safe and make sure you and your friends family get home after. The official carnival finishes at 10.00pm and we ask everyone to move away from the area so we can begin the clean up! We have several official after parties if you want to carry on the celebrations, for full details see here.
Donate to St Pauls Carnival
St Pauls Carnival is a not-for-profit Community Interest Company (CIC). We rely on donations from supports, sponsors and the public put this event on as official funding is only half of what’s needed to run the event. Make sure St Pauls Carnival returns in the future please donate what you can here: https://www.stpaulscarnival.net/donate
For answers to many other questions and full information see our FAQs.