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Colourful procession kicks off St Paul’s Carnival 2018
The St Paul’s Carnival procession could be heard before it was seen, the rhythmic beat of samba drums coming from one corner of Portland Square.
‘We love Bristol’ read the scrolling writing on the front of the red Bristol Insight bus towards the front of the parade as it slowly spluttered into life soon at around 12.45pm.
Beginning from Wilson Street, the parade passed through crowds up to a dozen deep, drums drumming, whistles blowing and headdresses shaking.
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Crowds lined the route of the procession
Vantage points came high and low, including from the top of the spire of St Paul’s Church – now home to Circomedia – overlooking Portland Square.
Beneath the church, the Arcadia bug – half armoured truck, half giant insect – opened up to reveal a DJ and a dancer inside. Its destination today will be the Malcolm X Centre.
Balanced by four poles about 12 feet in the air from a woman’s head, a white ship with two black funnels led the procession.
This year is not just the 50th anniversary of St Paul’s Carnival but also the 70th anniversary of the Windrush, and one truck was made to look like the famous ship on which were sitting some of the St Paul’s elders.
A photo of Roy Hackett – instrumental in the 1963 Bristol bus boycott and one of the original founders of St Paul’s Carnival – was pride of place on one extravagant headdress with another carnival founder, Barbara Dettering, on another.
On trucks sat children drumming, clapping and waving flags – followed by people with bells, whistles, straw hats and umbrellas, dancing in spite of the stop-start nature of the parade as the music kept playing.
St Paul’s Nursery School & Children’s Centre were towards the front of the procession, little tots with handmade hats balanced on the shoulders of their mums and dads waving to the crowds.
Members of Scorpion Karate were even sparring on the tarmac, soundtracked by a variety of musical styles as the parade slowly snaked its way through St Paul’s.
The Arcadia bug
Getting ready for the start of the procession
Two St Paul’s elders at the front of the Bristol Insight bus
Enthusiastic crowds lined the route of the procession
All photos by Jon Craig
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