Butetown Carnival is returning to the capital with a bang this bank holiday weekend. The historic event, which dates back to 1967, earned its spot as the biggest cultural event in Cardiff throughout the 1970s and 1980s, with more than 25,000 people attending daily, despite a local population of 4,000. Live music and extravagant costumes have filled the air as people celebrate the area's notable past and the bright future of its multicultural community.
The carnival has consisted of a fun run and parade in the past. In recent editions, these same activities have remained alongside unique food stalls, face-painting, henna tattoo stalls and community dances. The carnival is being brought this year once again by Butetown Arts and Culture Association (BACA), as well as local artists and communities, in partnership with the Wales Millennium Centre. Get the latest news from Butetown and across Cardiff sent straight to your inbox by signing up to our newsletters.
The event is also being supported by the Arts Council of Wales, The Senedd and a host of others. Lead organiser Keith Murrell estimates there will be about 2000 carnival goers in attendance - with others visiting Cardiff Bay for the bank holiday also expected to be attracted to the celebration. Here is everything you need to know.
Read more: Butetown Carnival: A look back at the event and what it means to the community
When is it?
The carnival will take place on Sunday, August 28, and Monday, August 29. On Sunday, it begins at 12pm and ends at 8pm and on Monday it's from 1pm to 11pm.
What can you expect at this year's carnival?
Attendees will be treated to two days of free Carnival activities at the Cardiff Bay's waterfront, with live music on two stages - the 'Ffresh Stage' between the Wales Millennium Centre and Pierhead Building and the 'Senedd Stage' on the steps of the Senedd building. On Sunday , a carnival parade will kick off the festivities, starting at 12pm from Loudoun Square on Bute Street and ending at the Senedd building.
The Ffresh Stage on the first day will see performances from Luchia and Jukebox Juniors, a debut appearance from local newcomer E1even, and the return of Eadyth, among other artists. This stage will be hosted by Glamma Lexus and Blankface. Meanwhile, Oasis One World Choir, Leighton Jones, BlackElvis and Sun-I Tafari are among the other local artists who will appear on the Senedd Stage.
The fun will continue off-stage too, with plenty of activities for youngsters, including face-painting, games and performances of multilingual dance theatre work Whimsy, which tells a children's story through British Sign Language, Welsh and English.
On Monday , attendees should head straight to the waterfront for 1pm, where there will be more free activities for children including an animation workshop at the Senedd, circus skills workshops, and a mime performance. The second day will also see more up and coming artists - including Mercy Rose and Konshuss_One - perform on the Ffresh Stage.
The line-up for the the Senedd Stage includes Zion Road, Pepper Seeds and Drumtan Ward, as well as a debut carnival performance from Matuki, a 12-piece Afro-funk band from Bristol. Troupe Djeliguinet from Guinea, West Africa, will headline and close the show on the Senedd Stage.
The majority of the carnival is open-air and free to the public, but at 8pm on Monday it will move indoors for a ticketed three-hour finale performance in the WMC's main Donald Gordon Theatre, featuring sets two Reggae greats, Johnny Clarke and Horace Andy from Jamaica, with Dub Asante Band.
Do you need tickets?
All the open-air events are free to the public to attend and don't require tickets. Tickets are only needed for the finale performance are the WMC's box office. They cost £15, with further discounts available for Carnival regulars - contact BACA for more details.
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