York Carnival Preview
From Woodstock to Fusion, Langwith Arts Festival to the Battle of the Bands, there are opportunities throughout the year for the University’s performers to showcase their talents on campus. On Sunday May 4th, however, York Carnival will descend upon the streets of York offering the chance to enjoy University groups, alongside local ones, in the surroundings of the city’s historic centre.
Established in 2004, the carnival is the brainchild of Jess Brand, a Music MA student, and has become one of the city’s flagship events. Beginning with opera and ending with tango, this year’s carnival, the highlight of the council’s ‘Fiesta’ weekend, promises to be the most ambitious yet, taking over the streets of York for a colourful day of parades, performances and a general celebration of North Yorkshire’s arts scene.
Current Carnival Chairman, Duncan Piper, tells me ‘The primary aims of the event are to provide a platform for creative talent and to build bridges between the University and the City’. Piper initially describes York Carnival as an ‘independent organisation in collaboration with the City of York Council and the University’ but it soon becomes clear that an impressively wide array of groups have been involved in funding and supporting the project in its evolution.
Aside from this year’s main sponsors (York Community Pride Challenge Fund, York and North Yorkshire Community Foundation and the Vice-Chancellor, Brian Cantor), it was originally Active York and the philanthropic Shepherd Group that supported it in its pilot year. Even more remarkable is the range of performers that the twelve-strong committee, made up entirely of University of York students, have managed to attract to the event.
Perhaps the most ‘carnivalesque’ feature of the day, an ‘Around the World’ themed parade, will snake through the city from the Minster Gardens at 1 pm, incorporating samba drums and stilts and bringing a splash of colour to the city centre. In addition, the stage on Parliament Street and a marquee on St Samson’s square from 10.30am will play host to a variety of events. Groups such as Revelation Gospel Choir, DramaSoc, Capoeira and Footnotes, familiar to anyone who has enjoyed campus arts events, are interspersed with diverse performances from local groups displaying talents such as belly dancing, morris dancing and hand drumming.
King’s Square will also be a hub of activity, where face painting and henna tattoos will be on offer – as well as a spot of Shakespeare! The day will finish with a ceilidh, for anyone wishing to indulge in traditional barn dancing (from 6.30 pm).
Piper is determined not to let the threat of rain dampen his spirits, assuring me that all event spaces are undercover. York Carnival is entirely student run and, if the chairman’s enthusiasm is anything to go by, is going to be a terrific day. So, go on, get out of bed, head into town and enjoy a Sunday of free and exciting entertainment.
Find out more at www.yorkcarnival.org.
Fancy being a steward for the event? Please contact manager@yorkcarnival.org.
