Crowds from far and wide gather to enjoy spectacle of the carnival
THOUSANDS OF people gathered in West Yorkshire to celebrate Caribbean culture in the biggest parade of its kind outside of London.
The 51st Leeds West Indian Carnival proved it is as popular as ever in yesterday’s culmination of a four-day party.
Spectators from far and wide came to line the two mile route between Potternewton Park, Harehills Lane, Roundhay Road and Chapeltown Road in Leeds.
Rachel Stuteley lives in Durham but still comes back home to Leeds each year for the carnival weekend and watches with her sister Shannon Hoyte of Belle Isle and their children.
They said: “It is about our culture, our heritage and our background. We totally support it and want our children to see it. They love to come.”
Phillip Marshall, 35, of Little London also makes the day a family affair as his relatives join him from Bramley with their families and a picnic.
He said: “For us it is about getting together, enjoying the music, seeing the cultures and teaching the kids different cultures. “It is a good day out if the weather holds.” And it did with many choosing to start the carnival party early. Hours before the parade started people lined the route to get a good vantage and Potternewton Park was packed with people having picnics and stalls selling Caribbean style food, and rum punch as well as clothes and accessories. The event is one of the highlights in the city’s calendar and a huge factor in its annual economy.
Coun Judith Blake, leader of Leeds City Council, said: “Once again the Leeds West Indian Carnival has been a memorable occasion which has encapsulated the vibrancy of our city and its communities.
“For more than 50 years now, Carnival has been part of the heartbeat of Leeds showcasing the city’s cultural offering to the world and making us proud to live in a place which embraces and celebrates diversity.”