Festivals / News
St Paul’s Carnival announce full lineup for 2025
Although St Paul’s Carnival will be scaled-back this year, due to financial pressures, there will still be a range of events on offer as part of the festival’s bespoke 2025 ‘Back A Yard’ programme.
On Friday, organisers published full details for the ‘Back A Yard’ programme, promising a “lineup that spans generations, genres and communities” while spotlighting the “role of music and culture in protest”.
Festivities will kick off on Sunday, Windrush Day, at the Trinity Centre.
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There, between 1.30-2.30pm, organisers will host a ‘Human Library’ where local storytellers will share personal anecdotes and family memories connected to Caribbean migration. Storytellers include poet Lawrence Hoo and Curiosity UnLtd founder Julz Davis.
The next major St Paul’s Carnival events will take place on Carnival Day, July 5.
From 10am-12pm, organisers will host the traditional Elders’ Brunch at Circomedia, celebrating community elders.
Then, in the afternoon, there will be a community celebration event at Circomedia in Portland Square – featuring music from local talent like Ayahuasca and 1 Relation Sound – before a youth club parade and talent show take place later that afternoon.
At the same time, partygoers can head to Lakota or Lost Horizon for day parties and later on can head to afterparties featuring, among others, Booty Bass, at Circomedia, and General Levy at Lakota.
The last full-scale St Paul’s Carnival was in 2023 – photo: St Paul’s Carnival
Following the full programme announcement, St Paul’s Carnival event coordinator Jamell Ackford said: “We’re incredibly proud to reveal this year’s Back A Yard programme, a true celebration of the strength, creativity and culture embedded within our community.
“Guided by the theme Roots of Resistance, the line-up honours our heritage while creating vital platforms for local artists and voices to shine.
“From music and storytelling to food, family activities and more, each part of the programme reflects the richness of African Caribbean culture.
“This is about holding space for connection, joy and shared experience, and we’re excited to celebrate with everyone.”
Organisers say that funds raised as part of this series of events will help ensure St Paul’s Carnival can run a full-scale series of events next year.
For tickets to this year’s events, visit www.stpaulscarnival.net/backayard2025
To donate to St Paul’s Carnival, visit www.stpaulscarnival.net/donate
Main photo: Adrian Strong
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