Hailed as one of the highlights in Oxford's calendar, the Cowley
Road Carnival offers tourists the perfect reason to head off on a
short break to this cultural city and discover what it has to
offer. There's so much happening at this excellent July event that
you may end up wondering how you're going to squeeze it all in. On
the 2nd of July there is the Fiesta in the Park, a fundraising
musical concert where attendees buy tickets that will go towards
funding the Cowley Road Carnival itself, which begins the next day.
At the Fiesta, you can expect to see top acts such as Roots Manuva,
Brassroots, Kanda Bongo Man and DJ Count Skylarkin as well as much
more.
As for the proper Cowley Road Carnival, the 3rd of the July is
the day to be in Oxford - as well as the twenty thousand other
visitors who will be in attendance with you, meaning you know it's
going to be a great day! Taking place on Cowley Road and in South
Park, the festival runs from ten in the morning until eight at
night - and it's all free. And there's so much happening that you
might find yourself spending the entire day there and loving every
minute! There'll be plenty of excellent live music of all styles,
from rock and roll to jazz and blues, young performers wowing
crowds with their impressive talents, a Magnificent Machines
Parade, where carnival guests are encouraged to make a human-driven
machine beforehand - the wackiest, craziest contraption they can
come up with - and join the parade to show off their inventions to
others. This parade will also be led by Sol Samba and Horns of
Plenty, so excellent music will be joining the procession.
A Big Dance Stage will make room for everybody to get up and
enjoy themselves during the copious performances of live music, and
another Carnival procession, this time made up by the students of
fifteen schools, will take place in the park at 3pm and include the
appearance of a Chinese dragon! This latter event in particular
will be ideal for families, as the sight of a majestic and
mysterious Chinese dragon is always an amazing experience for young
children and adults alike.
If you're interested in attending the popular Cowley Road
Carnival, Oxford hotels can be booked in advance to ensure you've
got a place to base your stay - meaning all you have to think about
is getting out there and having fun!
