Hundreds line streets to enjoy sights, sounds and flavours of the Caribbean

CARNIVAL ATTRACTS REVELLERS FROM ALL AROUND THE WORLD

MANCHESTER Caribbean Carnival may have got off to a drizzly start, but it wasn’t long before sunshine, music and dancing was unleashed on Alexandra Park.

The vibrant event kicked off with the J’ouvert morning party and procession at 7.45am on Saturday, before the main parade wove its way through the streets of Moss Side.

Despite the rain, dancers wowed onlookers while songs blasted from the soundsystems. One Plus Soca Band, Africa Diversity Manchester and Lethal Batty were among the groups taking part in the parade this year, which did have a visible police presence and tighter security – following the murder of 18-year-old Sait Mboob last week.

People from across Manchester flocked to the celebration of Caribbean culture, among them 51-year-old Tracey, who comes to watch the parade every year.

“Even though I live right on the other side of Cheshire I still make the special trip to come over,” she said.

“It reminds me of Jamaica – because my dad’s Jamaican – the food, the whole atmosphere. I just feel at home with everybody here.

“People do even travel from Jamaica, Trinidad and the Caribbean islands to come over here and spend time with family over this period. It’s the whole fun-loving Caribbean atmosphere.”

And when the parade finished, the party carried on in Alexandra Park, where the smell of jerk chicken and freshly-grilled fish was met by glorious sunshine, as the clouds finally lifted from the south Manchester event. The sounds of soca, calypso and reggae blasted from competing stages, as each DJ rallied for the attention of the crowd.

Twenty-seven-year-old Fabian is a local musician and has been coming to the event for years. Speaking about the cultural importance of the festival, he said: “It brings flavour, like everything else brings. It’s not a festival that’s about money – it’s about the community.”