Excitement builds for St Paul's Carnival

Huge crowds are expected to turn out for the 42nd St Paul's Carnival tomorrow.

The popular celebration of Afro-Caribbean arts and culture is due to kick off with music on the Green Stage in Grosvenor Green at 11am.

This year's theme is Leaders of Tomorrow, and youngsters are involved with many of the carnival events.

The procession of floats will start at 1pm and run until 3.30pm, with judging from 3.30pm to 5.30pm.

There will also be a Poetry Corner in St Paul's Park from 2-6pm, and a children's area called Mandela Hideaway in St Agnes Park.

Groups on the floats include Cabot Primary, Fairfield School, the Lockleaze Afrikan Sambistas, Cotham School, the Bristol School of Samba, St Nicholas of Tolentine Primary, Ashley Down Juniors and the City Academy Steel Band.

In preparation for their part in the colourful procession, children from St Paul's Nursery School and Children's Centre have been getting their costumes ready.

The activities have formed part of the centre's Race Equality Conference, where children and parents have been celebrating cultural diversity and talking about issues surrounding racism.

Headteacher Lucy Driver said: "St Paul's Carnival is a wonderful community occasion – the children have been working with practitioners to make costumes and instruments and they are all really excited. Our children, families and staff will be joining the procession on Saturday – its a fantastic opportunity to all be together.

"We do our race equality conference week every year – it is a very important part of our curriculum and supports our whole school vision and aims.

"We work with children and their families to understand the feelings associated with racism and the impact racism can have on peoples lives. This can help to remove so many barrier to achievement.

"Being involved in the carnival at the end of this work is a real celebration, a celebration of the wonderfully diverse community in which we live and work and of individuality."