St Pauls Carnival 2021 cancelled
It's the second year in a row the event has been called off due to the pandemic
Organisers of Bristol's St Pauls Carnival have confirmed the event will not be going ahead in 2021.
Traditionally taking place on the first Saturday in July, the event celebrates African-Caribbean culture in Bristol.
The cancellation comes despite the government's announcement of a roadmap out of lockdown suggesting mass attendance events are likely to be allowed to go ahead from 21 June.
The team behind the event say too much artistic planning is required and they will instead focus on 2022's event.
It's the second year in a row the carnival, usually attended by over 100,000 people, has been cancelled. Following the cancellation last year, organisers put on the first-ever digital carnival which was attended by over 250,000 people from across the world.
Executive director of St Pauls Carnival LaToyah McAllister-Jones said: “Like most events, it has been a challenging year though we have also seen some fantastic and creative collaborations throughout. We are tremendously proud of launching the UK’s first digital carnival in 2020. However, it was really concerning when a 3rd lockdown was announced on 4th January 2021. We knew this would have serious repercussions on the event calendar for 2021.
“Large open access events like Carnival are not able to control the numbers that attend and without selling tickets, no way of knowing where those people come from or travel back to. Despite the fantastic rollout of the vaccination programme, there are still public health risks that we have to take into consideration.” “We are working with Bristol City Council and the wider events sector to understand what may be possible later in the year. However, against a backdrop of considerable uncertainty, it is difficult to plan at the moment and we are very sorry that this will no doubt be a big disappointment for the community. As soon as we have clarity, we will update everyone again. “Rest assured Carnival will return! Once restrictions have eased and we can be confident and secure in delivering carnival day alongside the community and schools’ programme we will start planning for what will be a much-needed celebration for everyone.”
Deputy lord mayor, councillor Carole Johnson, interim chair of St Pauls Carnival said: “We are hopeful that we will continue to find ways to celebrate African Caribbean culture and the significant contributions our communities have made to this city and the UK. Our focus at this time is to keep everyone safe particularly given the significant impact of COVID-19 on African Caribbean people. We will announce a date soon for a virtual community meeting where we can update people on our plans for 2021 and find out how people want to be involved.”
Jon Finch, Head of Culture and Creative Industries, Bristol Culture with said: “The St Pauls carnival is an important event in Bristol’s calendar each year, promoting the city’s culture and diversity. It is unfortunate that we aren’t able to hold this year’s full event, which will impact the lives of many across the city from the event organisers through to the community and children that take part. We support the decision that has been made, which was a difficult one, and hope for a brighter future next year.”