News / Arts
Reduced hours proposed for St Pauls Carnival
St Paul’s Carnival could be held with reduced hours in the future.
The Afro-Caribbean street celebration was cancelled this year amid event management difficulties.
But discussions are thought to have taken place with proposals to bring the the finish time more in line with Notting Hill Carnival.
Street sound systems at Bristol’s carnival can finish as late as midnight, while the capital’s carnival has a strict cut-off time of 8.30pm.
St Paul’s Carnival, which will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2018, has refused to comment on whether or not the event could be scaled back.
However, city mayor George Ferguson told Bristol24/7: “We have got to have a look at the reasons for the failure to deliver the carnival this year and see if there are any fundamentals.
“It’s a great daytime event. But it tends to be something different in the evenings. Proposals to take it until 6pm or 7pm is one we should look at.”
He added that it was “a shame” for the city to lose the event this year: “I hope the lessons have been learned this year to sort out next year.”
The carnival is organised by St Paul’s Afrikan Caribbean Carnival Ltd and is funded by Arts Council England and Bristol City Council.
Cleo Lake, the festival’s director, said in June that the carnival had not been able to find an appropriate event management team to run the 100,000-people street party.
“Funding is not the issue here,” she said. “It is the management element of organising a massive, unticketed event on the street.”
A prominent Bristol music promoter, who asked not to be named, told Bristol24/7 that the carnival faces a “reality check”.
“This is an incredibly difficult event to put on,” he said. “The funding is not an issue. But you need a serious event management team behind you and as it such a vast and porous event. The Notting Hill model of an earlier finish is an option.”
This year’s St Paul’s Carnival was postponed at first and later cancelled. The event has been replaced by a contained event at the Malcom X Centre this weekend.
is needed now More than ever
Grass Roots Journey and Legacy: A Community Showcase takes place on Saturday, September 5, and will be divided into a free family day from midday to 6pm and a variety show from 10pm until late, with a £10 entry fee.
St Paul’s Carnival’s organising committee has recently put out its £20,000-a-year event management contract out to tender.
“Following a difficult year and set backs, we are determined to get the show back in the road next year,” a statement said.
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