# St Pauls Carnival

A Bristol celebration of African Caribbean culture, powered by music, dance, carnival arts and community spirit.

- **Last held:** 4 July 2026
- **Next edition:** 2027 dates not yet announced
- **Venue:** In and around, St Pauls, Bristol, BS2 9LL
- **Category:** Arts & Culture
- **Cost:** Free
- **Official website:** https://www.stpaulscarnival.net/
- **Instagram:** https://www.instagram.com/stpaulscarnivalbristol

## About

St Pauls Carnival is Bristol's biggest free community celebration and one of the oldest street carnivals in the UK. First held in 1968, it takes place each July in the streets of St Pauls, filling the neighbourhood with sound systems, costumed processions, live music, food traders and the kind of collective energy that defines the best of Bristol's community spirit.

The carnival is rooted in African Caribbean culture and shaped by the St Pauls community itself. It is not a commercial event. It is an expression of identity, heritage and neighbourhood pride that has survived and evolved across more than five decades. Attending St Pauls Carnival is one of the most distinctive experiences Bristol offers, and one that is genuinely unlike anything else in the city's festival calendar.

Beyond the main July event, the St Pauls Carnival organisation runs year-round community and education programmes, including work focused on heritage, activism and the cultural legacy of carnival. The carnival is as much about the community behind it as the day itself.

St Pauls Carnival is free to attend. It is one of the few events in Bristol's festival calendar where scale, history and community spirit come together without a ticket price attached.

## FAQs

### What is St Pauls Carnival?

A Bristol celebration of African Caribbean culture, powered by music, dance, carnival arts and community spirit.

### What type of festival is St Pauls Carnival?

St Pauls Carnival is a Bristol arts & culture festival.

### When is St Pauls Carnival 2027?

Dates for St Pauls Carnival 2027 haven't been announced yet. The last edition took place on 4 July 2026 in St Pauls, Bristol. We'll add the new dates as soon as the organisers confirm them.

### Where is St Pauls Carnival held?

St Pauls Carnival takes place in In and around, St Pauls, Bristol (BS2 9LL).

### Is St Pauls Carnival free?

Yes, St Pauls Carnival is free to attend.

---
Source: https://bristolfestivals.co.uk/festivals/st-pauls-carnival/ (Bristol Festivals, the festival listings site for bristol)