Northampton Carnival

The Northampton Carnival has had strong traditions in the town from the 1960s through the Midsummer Meadow times in the 1980s, to its short break in the late 1990s, until its revival in 2005.

[1] The current carnival spans two days from a Friday to Saturday in June and includes concerts, events, community stalls and a fair ground in Delapre Park, a carnival procession through the town centre, including the Abington Street pedestrianised area, which taplace on the Saturday, and a series of events featuring performers, dancers and workshops from community groups from Northampton and other towns that take place in the Market Square on the final day, Sunday.

[2] In the 1970s and early 1980s the carnival parade took place during the week and started in the evening after tea time but was afterwards switched to Sunday afternoons.

In 1997 the Northamptonshire 'Roots and Culture Fest' multicultural festival was established and was held in the summer until 2004 after which it merged with the revived carnival.

[10][11] The 2009 carnival took place on Saturday, 13 June 2009, with the main procession setting off from Delapre park at 2pm, winding through the town centre and returning at 4.30pm.