Exeter Carnival back after 24 years

An entire generation won't have seen one!

After a short break (24 years - it's not like one of those puny covid-related gaps), Exeter Carnival is to make a returns.

The city centre marketing organisation InExeter are the brains behind the comeback.

And like New Persil, New Coke, New Labour, it's already being dubbed new carnival.

It's on Saturday 26 November, starting with an illuminated parade from 6 p.m. 

InExeter manager Ann Hunter said: "After the isolation of the pandemic, our aim for Christmas 2022 was to make this a community focused event and what better way to deliver this than to bring back the Exeter Carnival?

"This event will celebrate and showcase Exeter as a creative and vibrant city."

The last Exeter Carnival was held in 1998 and billed as Devon’s biggest annual street party of the year.

It's turned out not to be quite as annual since then.

Arthur Dyke, an original member of the Exeter Carnival Committee who produced the carnival for its full run 1977 to 1998, along with being its chairman for 15 years has been an incredible support in delivering the 2022 event.

Now the secretary for the South Devon Carnival Association, which runs a summer carnival circuit based around nine towns, Arthur is well-known  in carnival circles,

He said: "It was a massive surprise when I first heard from InExeter and their plans to bring the carnival back to Exeter. It is fantastic it is being revived after all these years and will be a key event for the people of Exeter."

The new Exeter Carnival will parade up South Street, onto the High Street, up Sidwell Street to the Odeon roundabout and back down to finish on the junction to Paris Street. It is being billed as a celebration of Exeter, with performers, floats and bands and carts, and will be an occasion also to celebrate the Christmas lights and festivities in the city.

InExeter is asking groups and societies to get in touch if they want to take part in the carnival. There are 14 classes including awards for floats to walking entries for both adult and youths, and prizes for most colourful, most entertaining and most festive entries.