Cambridge Carnival International
About
Cambridge Carnival International produces a city-wide festival rooted in African traditions and held in the style of Caribbean carnivals. It marked its 30th year in 2024 and is regarded as a Cambridge institution, attracting more than 150,000 spectators. The high point is a costume parade, where masqueraders in elaborate handmade costumes dance through the streets of Cambridge to the beat of steel bands and drummers.
Beyond the parade, the festival features a KidsFest for children, live music stages and food from many cultures, along with vendors selling multicultural arts and crafts. Music spans soca, reggae, steel pan and Brazilian styles, reflecting traditions from Trinidad, Jamaica, Barbados, Brazil and beyond. The organization also presents Pan in the Park, a steel pan showcase held before the main parade day, and a Carnival Jamboree in Lafayette Square.
What to Know
- Nicola Williams serves as president of the Cambridge Carnival board.
- Carnival today is celebrated as a festival of emancipation, freedom and expression.
- Applications open each year for vendors, volunteers, parade participants and Pan in the Park.
- A recent parade and festival featured performer Alison Hinds.
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