This year’s NOTTINGHAM CARNIVAL was launched in true style on Thursday 2nd August with an exclusive pre-party at The Corner on Stoney Street in Nottingham.
As a warm up and taster of what is come at the main event at the Forest Recreation Ground on Sat 17th – Sun 18th August, the evening was a celebration of culinary delights, colourful make up and live music which included Soca, Samba and Reggae. All aimed at bringing the carnival spirit to the city.
Whistles were distributed upon entry to blast throughout the night and what was already a scorcher of an evening proceeded to get even hotter as we tucked in to complimentary spicy Jerk chicken and rice, the gorgeous aroma of which permeated the warm summer air. The tasty authentic Caribbean food, prepared and served it front of us, was washed down with chilled refreshing Red Bull thanks to the drinks company whose Music Academy is bringing its own sound system to this year’s event.
The ‘Big Parade’, which promises hundreds of spectacular colourful costumes and dancing in the street, will take place on Sunday 18th August leaving the City Centre at 2pm and arriving at the carnival site for approximately 4pm when the stage performance will begin.
The event kicks off at 12 noon on Saturday 17th with a public open air Zumba session followed by live music featuring local and national musicians plus the Red Bull Music Academy Sound System stage as well as workshops, a fun fair, a bar and stalls selling Jamaican street food.
The musical line-up is headlined by Ben Westbeech, aka Breach whose music is described as ‘futuristic suburban soul, fuzzy-edged funk, un-pretentious pop and freshly-laced hip hop’, joining him is one of the UK’s leading dub reggae sound systems, Channel One (who performed at the party) as well as Congo Natty featuring Topcat and duo Jus Now alongside a whole host of other acts including Red Bull Academy graduate T.Williams and Nottingham production outfit Elementz.
Alongside the musical line up, the Red Bull Music Academy will also treat visitors to the site to work from the city’s leading young designers and artists from Creative Culture and Notts Property.
Not only is the event a great way to spend the weekend, but with something for the whole family it is also a fantastic celebration of the vibrant Caribbean culture which can be shared by people across all communities.
The Carnival has been running since 1994 and has drawn crowds of up to 80,000 people in previous years. We can’t promise the Caribbean sunshine, but judging by the warm up party, fun and a fantastic atmosphere are most definitely guaranteed.
Tanya Raybould
