Full Scale St Pauls Carnival Cancelled For 2026

The hugely popular event will not run in Bristol this year

There will sadly not be a return to a full-scale St Pauls Carnival this year. Organisers have said it will “not be possible” to deliver the event “safely” at the scale and size Bristol has come to expect. The event attracts around 150,000 people each year.

St Paul’s Carnival CIC says it has worked with Bristol City Council, Avon and Somerset Police as well as the Carnival’s strategic partners to look at different options for this year, including reducing the size of the area it takes place in and its programmed events.

Organisers said they had looked at reworking costs and “reshaping” the model of the event.

However, like other cultural and live events taking place across the UK, St Pauls Carnival has found itself facing “increasing financial pressure.”

A statement from the St Pauls Carnival CIC Board said: “This has been an incredibly difficult decision and one that we know will be disappointing for the community and the wider public. St Pauls Carnival is a unique and deeply valued celebration of African Caribbean culture, heritage and community, and we fully recognise the disappointment many people will feel.”