This year’s event is not a full carnival, but there’s still plenty to enjoyThe beautiful, bright colours of St Pauls Carnival 2023The beautiful, bright colours of St Pauls Carnival 2023(Image: Sophie Grubb/BristolLive)

St Pauls Carnival’s 2025 celebrations are less than two weeks away.

Following news earlier in the year that this year’s event would be another ‘scaled back’ version of the iconic carnival, organisers have unveiled the full list of plans you can expect to enjoy.

They’ve also announced headline acts in the way of General Levy, as well as local talent such as Lawrence Hoo.

The first event in the programme, a ‘Human Library’, kicked off celebrations at the Trinity Centre last weekend, where talented local storytellers such as Hoo shared personal anecdotes, family memories and more.

Here’s everything planned for the 2025 St Pauls celebrations, which is all part of the theme ‘Roots of Resistance’.

Promised to be another ‘dynamic and culturally rich experience for all’, with a ‘line-up that spans generations, genres, and communities’, this year’s Carnival honours the 60th anniversary of the Race Relations Act 1965 and the legacy of the Windrush generation, while “spotlighting the role of music and culture in protest, identity and joy”, organisers say.

On Carnival Day, July 5, there will be a Community Celebration Day event at Circomedia, promising a blend of arts, music, food, and community spirit that aims to capture the essence of what makes the St Pauls Carnival so special.

It will take place between 1pm and 6.15pm and will be an interactive family day designed for kids and parents to enjoy together.

Crowds seen at St Pauls Carnival 2023 as event makes triumphant return after three years Crowds seen at St Pauls Carnival 2023 as event makes triumphant return after three years (Image: Sophie Grubb/BristolLive)

Attendees can expect performances from local African-Caribbean talent, including Da Fuchaman, 1Relation Sound, Vierz Collective, Tan Teddy, Elijah A.M, and more.

In addition to the Community Celebration on carnival day itself, there will also be a series of party events across venues such as Lost Horizon, Lakota and Circomedia.

General Levy heads up the line-up. The legendary Jungle MC is a household name across the UK and will headline the Lakota Night Takeover on July 5, alongside DJ Krust, Anything But Becky, and more. It’s described as a ‘night that celebrates the deep roots of sound system culture and its evolution into UK bass and more’.

Booty Bass will be bringing ‘radical joy and afro-diasporic bass’ to Circomedia for a Carnival Day party that’s part fundraiser, part cultural statement.

Meanwhile Lakota will host a Roots & Rhythms Yard with heavyweight dub and reggae, and Lost Horizon will headline the Roots Yard Day Party on June 29.

Following the announcement of this year’s full programme producer 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.

St Pauls Carnival 2023St Pauls Carnival 2023(Image: Sophie Grubb)

“This is about holding space for connection, joy and shared experience, and we’re excited to celebrate with everyone.”

Tickets for the Back A Yard event series can be purchased here, and to donate to the St Pauls Carnival, follow this link.

This year’s event was set to be one of those full-scale Carnival celebrations, which would usually draw in around 120,000 people to the streets of St Pauls, and contribute some £9.2 million to Bristol and the wider region’s economy.

But, back in February, organisers decided to scale down this year’s event programme again, due to the ‘ongoing challenging environment the events sector has experienced since Covid‘.

At the time, executive director LaToyah McAllister-Jones said: “Like many other cultural organisations right now, particularly events, St Pauls Carnival has had to make some difficult decisions, driven by financial pressures and the need to ensure the organisation is sustainable for the long-term.

“As a recipient of public-funding, there is an obligation to ensure that we are being responsible and financially prudent.

“We are really excited with our plans for 2025, which will bring carnival arts and culture to the city and continue to celebrate the roots of Caribbean heritage.”