Manchester’s vibrant Caribbean Carnival over the years

After four decades, Manchester’s Caribbean Carnival has evolved into one of the areas biggest highlights of summer calendar.

The largest celebration of Caribbean culture in the region, the first Caribbean Carnival took place on the streets of Moss Side in the early 1970s.

The vibrant colours and costumes of carnival day in Moss Side have been enjoyed by thousands across the generations and is held every August in and around Alexandra Park. Revellers enjoy the sights and sounds of the Caribbean as processions wind through the streets to the sound of steel bands to celebrate community, heritage and music.

The Loved and lost 80s music show that saw Madonna at the Hacienda

The Manchester Caribbean Carnival returns to the city this weekend to celebrate its 50th anniversary. The event, an annual fixture across Moss Side and Hulme since 1972, has mostly missed the last two years due to the pandemic.

Not only will it be celebrating its half-century this year, but the carnival will also coincide with 60 years of Jamaican independence. The hub of the carnival will as ever be Alexandra Park from Saturday (August 13) to Sunday (August 14), coming together to celebrate the city’s Caribbean culture, music, food and heritage.

From its early days to now, here’s all the photos of the vibrant event through the years. See a selction from the Seventies below…