A newly-formed community street band is set to have its first gig as part of the Cowley Road Carnival.

The 30-strong band, called Horns of Plenty, promises a squawking and honking mixture of brass-heavy jazz, reggae and New Orleans and African street music.

It will be taking to the streets as part of the carnival on Sunday, July 1.

The band will be part of a host of street theatre activities during the carnival, which this year has three themes: fire, Oxfordshire's 1,000th anniversary and the 200th anniversary of the abolition of slavery.

Simon Chatterton, who is producing the street theatre programme, has been organising the events at Cowley Road Carnival for the last two years.

This year he has been working to get more people involved in making street performances themselves.

He said: "Oxford's really lucky to have the carnival. I love the spontaneity that street theatre brings to the space where it happens.

"Suddenly a street will become a stage and often the audience are as much a part of the action as the performers."

In SS Mary and John Churchyard will be the Gaiety Engine and Strangelings. A host of human oddities including Hairy Harry, Terence the Mermaid and Shrimp Boy, will be on show in what is described as the last remaining Victorian freakshow.

In Jeune Street, the Chipolatas will be performing quick-fire vegetable juggling routines, quirky acrobatics and musical comedy.

Upswing Aerial will be presenting Voices, a show inspired by ancient proverbs, from Manzil Gardens.

And on walkabout during the event will be giant bicycle-powered bugs made by volun- teers.

Ian Nolan, one of the carnival organisers, said: "Everyone remembers some of the crazy street acts that were around in previous years and I think you will be pleasantly surprised with some of the acts this year too."

Last year's event, a food festival withouit the popular parade, attracted an estimated 20,000 people, and organisers East Oxford Action are expecting more people than ever to turn up.

Cowley Road will be closed to traffic for the whole day, and the carnival runs from noon to 6pm.

Anyone wanting to join in the parade should send an email to carnival@eastoxford.com