The annual carnival celebrating African and Caribbean culture has remained a part the Bristol calendar for over forty years, giving local dwellers the well earned opportunity to relax with free music, jerk chicken and good vibrations and this year’s event was no exception, ensuring many more to come.

The streets of St. Paul’s were packed full of happy faces and gyrating booties honouring the Rastafarian culture with glee. The theme for the day was ‘culture, identity and unity’ and the atmosphere of laid back enjoyment was infectious despite the ever present threat of rain. Carnival goers partied on until late Sunday morning and the music carried across Bristol enticing people to venture into St. Paul’s and succumb to the everyday forgotten art of letting go and having a good time. The air was permeated by authentic reggae music mingling with the smell of jerk chicken, intoxicating the bobbing heads of Bristol inhabitants taking advantage of the free party.

The main stage played to a throng of people eagerly absorbing Jamaican culture, with socially and politically conscious rhymes touching on feminism, vegetarianism and gun culture, delivering simple but effective rhymes, with puns such as ‘te-lie-vision’ and the classic ‘legalise, don’t criticise it’ sung to a back drop of sway inducing reggae.

The carnival was well worth a visit for the swell of positive energy it graciously delivered to both the young and old, eager to appreciate and enjoy cultural diversity in the community.

www.stpaulscarnival.co.uk

Emma Rhys
Photos: www.crushimages.co.uk