Hey samba! The West End Carnival is back on Saturday 26 August with fun-tastic family entertainment in Frankfort Gate and the streets surrounding Plymouth Market. There’ll be lots to see and do, so don your brightest outfits, practice those parade dance moves and join in!

Here’s a rundown of what to expect.

Carnival Parade

Get ready for a riot of colour and music as the West End Carnival Parade winds its way through the streets of Plymouth! The parade will depart from Frankfort Gate at 11am, swishing up New George Street and twirling down Cornwall Street before returning to Frankfort Gate at 12pm. The Crooked Tempo Samba Band will be leading the way for the colourful performers, including The Barbican Theatre’s giant Fisherman puppet, Jellyfish and Exim Dance group.

Circus Acts

Juggler, magician, unicyclist, fire performer, hoop-tastic gymnasts, towering stilt walkers and a whole host of entertainers will be joining us on the day. You can catch their performances on the Frankfort Gate stage or find them roaming around Market Avenue, Cornwall Street and New George Street. Don’t miss a thing and check the timings. If you feel inspired by our entertainers, Higher Beings will be running Circus Workshops from 1pm to 3.30pm so you can learn a trick or two and see if you got what it takes to join the troupe.

Music

Put on your dancing shoes and enjoy the live music performances on our 2 stages! The main stage in Frankfort Gate will see performances from Samba Kernow, Mayflower Chorus and Manuka - an acoustic duo playing all your favourite sing-alongs. New addition for this year will be The Heday Stage, outside the Moments Cafe in New George Street, where local musicians will be Busking for Jeremiah’s Journey. And if this isn’t enough for all you movers and shakers, we’ll have P-Town Radio on the decks in Frankfort gate as well as street performances outside Wan Thai and Powerplant Cafe. Check out the music timings.

Family Activities

Pick up a pen and get creative with Scott Walker’s ‘Up Again The Wall’. The giant colouring wall will be located in Market Avenue, so be sure to swing by and leave your mark. The popular Punch n Judy is also back this year with performances at 12pm and 2.30pm. Little explorers are sure to enjoy our new Carnival Trail, kindly sponsored by Plymouth Citybus. Simply pick up a trail map at the Carnival and follow the clues to get a sweet treat at the end.

There’ll also be lots to see and do inside Plymouth Market, so don't forget to step inside and meet the princesses, have your face painted or sit down for a portrait session with a caricaturist.

Stalls and Special Offers

Many Plymouth Market traders will be holding stalls around Market Avenue and Cornwall Street to showcase their wares and serve delicious food. You can see the full list. Lots of nearby businesses will also be giving away freebies, offering discounts and doing something special on the day. From money off breakfast to free face painting, hair braiding and even temporary tattoos!  See all the special offers we have so far here and don’t forget to check back later for the updated list.

That's just a little taste of what to expect at this year's West End Carnival! So come along and join in the fun on Saturday 26 August, 11am to 4pm. It's a day not to be missed. For more information, visit the West End Carnival webpage.