Celebrating Carnival @ Home on 4th July
Theme: Mother Earth

Oxford’s Cowley Road Carnival spirit is undimmed as celebrations go ahead on 4 July.

Virtual Carnival @ Home

Everyone can join the Carnival celebrations online.

Pax Nindi is hosting the event. He says: “The advantage of having Carnival online and that is anyone can join in, no matter where they are. People can come to the Cowley Road Carnival from all over the globe!”

Virtual Carnival will stream music and performances live from noon to 6pm featuring a special Carnival performance filmed along the Cowley Road route of the procession by 1AfroFusion African Rhythm and Dance.

There will be music from Carnival regulars Horns of Plenty alongside amazing Oxford bands: Roguey Roads with their new single, Little Brother Eli, The Jerichos, Waterfahl, Sarah Derrick, Scott Gordon Band, Doctor Steevo and from Cacophony Arkestra.

Join the Carnival on the website at www.cowleyroadworks.org, Facebook and YouTube.

The party will continue with DJ sets on Mixcloud throughout the evening.

Carnival Get-Togethers

Planned Street Parties will be down-sized to smaller-scale neighbourhood get togethers to be kept within Government guidelines.

Malcom Atkins, who usually organises the Confluence World Music programme on Carnival Day will open his garden. He says: “I open my garden as a community art gallery on Sundays from 2-4pm and on Carnival Day I am having the neighbours round.”

House Floats

Using the 2021 theme 'Mother Earth’, Oxford residents are decorating homes and premises in the form of the UK’s first Carnival floats.

Staff and pupils at St Frideswide Primary School have used recycled materials to make decorations for their own Carnival festivities.

Lauren Arbour, teacher at the school says: “The whole school is really excited. We used Earth Day as a starting point for our designs and the younger pupils have looked at what the planet will look like if we don’t do anything - with smoggy skies and polluted beaches. Our decorations on the Mother Earth theme have been made from recycled materials brought in by parents and pupils.”

Alex Singleton has created a House of Sunflowers at his home with painted murals. And a sunflower wall.

For more information go to the website www.cowleyroadworks.org