CARNIVAL fever is set to hit Cowley Road on Sunday as Oxford's biggest street party returns.
Around 50,000 people are expected to descend on the East Oxford road for the explosion of music and colour.
The event will be split into zones, catering to all tastes and ages with music stages and venues for performers along the road and side streets.
Food from around the world will also be available, with Manzil Way hosting street food stalls, as well as Cowley Road's collection of independent eateries feeding the hungry crowds.
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Getting there
If walking or cycling isn't an option then getting a bus near to Cowley Road is likely the best way to enjoy the event, which kicks off at 11am and will keep going outside until around 5pm.
Cowley Road itself will be closed from The Plain to the junction with Magdalen Road from 7am until 9pm on the day.
Stagecoach services 1, 10 and 12 will be diverted between Cowley centre and The Plain via Church Cowley Road and Iffley Road, with stops along the latter the best place to get off.
Site map
PARADE
The main event is without a doubt the spectacular procession which will start from The Plain at 12.30pm.
Performers set to dance their way down the road include 30-piece Rio-style samba band UDM Samba, high stilt walking by The Extreme Ramblers and Palestinian traditional folk dance group Dabke.
This year's theme is 'Icons of art' and surfing the crowds will be a colourful recreation of the Headington Shark, famously embedded in the roof of a home in New High Street.
Students at Chilworth House Upper School near Wheatley have crafted their own version of the Oxford landmark, with hundreds of children from local schools also set to unveil their own showstopping creations at the parade.
Line up
Performances will be taking place throughout Cowley Road with some of the main stages below.
The Carnival Music Stage
Seby Ntege will be headlining the Carnival Music Stage at Manzil Gardens from 4.15 pm with the Mizike choir.
Before that The Deadbeat Apostles will be on 12pm-1pm and playing at the carnival for the first time London-based band Back to the Planet are on from 2.15pm-3pm.
Oxford-duo Roguey Roads will also be performing at 3pm.
Threshold Stage
Back after last year’s success this stage will bring diverse sounds from the North West to Jeune Street.
Rising singer-songwriter Conan Mac will perform his pop synth music.
He will be joined by Americana band Downtown Roundabout ft Daisy Phillip and four-piece alternative dream pop group King Kuda.
ROAR stage (Temple Street)
The ROAR Stage will feature music and spoken word performances from inclusive disability arts projects with the Ark T Centre.
420 Skates (Marston Street)
Music from Oxford’s leading hip-hop artists and DJ’s will play throughout the day
Global Dance Stage:
The Asian Cultural Centre at the end of Manzil Way hosts a programme from Dancin’ Oxford.
Kampung Indonesia:
Indonesian culture, cuisine, craft, music and dance.
Oxford Brookes zone:
Find a juggling unicyclist, stalls, competitions and free blood pressure tests. And with a line-up as packed as this, you may need it!
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