Carnival scaled back amid cost and safety concerns

A full-scale St Paul's Carnival will not take place in Bristol this year after organisers said it could not be delivered safely or sustainably due to rising costs.

St Pauls Carnival CIC Board said the procession and street event, which attracts about 150,000 people annually, will be scaled back to avoid "unnecessary" risks.

Instead, a smaller programme of community events, workshops and family activities will be held while planning continues for a possible return in 2027.

The organisation described the decision as "incredibly difficult", but assured: "This is not the end of Carnival. It is a necessary reset to help ensure its long-term future".

Organisers said they had spent months exploring alternative options for staging the event, including reducing the size of the festival footprint and revising programmes.

However, the board said rising costs linked to infrastructure, safety management, staffing and financial resources had created a "significant funding gap".

"Despite considerable work to reduce costs and reshape the model, as a board we have ultimately reached the conclusion that delivering a full-scale carnival in 2026 is not viable," they said.

"Our responsibility must always be to protect the safety of the public, volunteers, artists, traders, staff and everyone involved in bringing Carnival to life."

The board said that despite the break, the event "remains committed to celebrating African Caribbean culture, creativity and community" in Bristol.

They also plan to develop a training programme aimed at helping local people become more involved in the future of running the carnival.

The scheme is expected to include opportunities in event management, stewarding, site operations and creative planning.

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