Yorkshire is all set for a tropical summer as Leeds West Indian Carnival announces a series of Pop-Up Carnivals.
Europe’s longest running authentic Caribbean Carnival parade brings the wow factor to unexpected places throughout July & August. Thirty special costumes have been designed by a unique collaboration of some of the UK’s most renowned Carnival costume designers who are all Yorkshire based. Set to lively carnival rhythms the spectacular costumes are designed around a Peace, Love & Unity theme.
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The design team is working around the clock with feathers, gems, beads and sequins to construct the glittering King, Queen, Prince, Princess and troupe creations which will also be showcased at the Pop-Up Carnival.
The LWIC have been inundated with requests for the carnival and confirmed dates so far are as follows: 5th July at the Grand Départ, Leeds City Centre, July 26th at Scarborough Seafest, and on August 16th on Briggate in Leeds City Centre. New dates and locations are being added all the time on the LWIC website (see address at the end), so if you are unlucky enough to miss any of the earlier ones, please keep checking to see where else the carnival will be ‘popping up’!
Carnival Founder and Chairman Arthur France said;
“We are delighted that Pop-Up Carnival will showcase Yorkshire as Europe’s first Caribbean Carnival to the Scarborough Seafest visitors. This is an amazing opportunity for Leeds Carnival to bring the wow factor and a touch of the Caribbean to what is already a beautiful part of our county. With the sea as a backdrop we’re looking forward to a spectacular display of costumes, colour and calypso”.
Pop-Up Princess costume designer Sheila Howarth added;
“Pop-Up Carnival will take the sights and the sounds of the Caribbean to audiences who may not be familiar with the joy that Carnival brings to the streets of Leeds every August Bank Holiday. This is their chance to get Carnival Happy!”
The Annual Leeds West Indian Carnival
Leeds West Indian Carnival was founded in 1967 by Arthur France as a remedy for the homesickness for his native St Kitts & Nevis. With no funding, and amidst much curiosity and accusations that he was “a crazy man”, Arthur somehow managed to stage Europe’s very first authentic Caribbean carnival parade. Today thousands flock to Leeds every year for the glittering costumes, rhythmic steel pan and soca music together with the arts, crafts and cuisine of the Caribbean – the biggest carnival outside London. Arthur was awarded an M.B.E. in 1997 for services to the community and Carnival arts.
Every year, the organisers stage a range of events to complement the spectacular August Bank Holiday Monday parade which last year attracted record crowds of over 150,000 from across the UK and overseas. From a children’s Prince and Princess costume contest to the lyrical battle of a Calypso Monarch Show and a showcase of phenomenal costume creations, they are proud that the events provide something for everyone.
Amazingly, the Carnival has been run for 48 years on volunteerism, goodwill and above all passion. Crucial to the success of the Carnival has been the dedication of a voluntary organising committee and the hands on support of partners as well as artists and communities.
LWIC has exciting and ambitious plans in the run up to its 50th anniversary in 2017 supported by great strategic and artistic partners. The plans range from children’s educational programmes and community workshops to unique large scale costume productions including Pop-Up Carnival.
More updates and information on Pop Up Carnival are available on www.leedscarnival.co.uk and on Twitter @CarnivalLeeds using #PopUpCarnival.
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