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Northampton Carnival, UK

La Isla de Wight se viste de colores y la gente desfila entre las calles de Ryde durante el Mardi Gras
Isle of Wight Carnival, UK
Las bandas de la ciudad desfilan el último día de carnaval de Aldeburgh
Aldeburgh Carnival, UK

 

What is Northampton Carnival?

The Northampton Carnival is an event that takes place every year in the city of Northampton and has been constantly growing and developing. Year after year, the Northampton Carnival attracts a large audience, as it is one of the largest summer events in the city. The carnival takes as its purpose to transmit the different cultures and lifestyles found in Northampton, providing spaces for every citizen and visitor to be part of the festivities. To this end, the organization has worked to include local schools, organizations, charities and small businesses.

The carnival is made up of two stages, one of which is the carnival parade, which takes place throughout the city with carriages, dancers, bands and the stagings. Each year, the carnival integrates a different theme, which is applied to the parades and gives people the opportunity to create presentations unique to the festivities. The other stage is a series of events such as performances, dances, workshops and crafts and art sales.



The parades feature around30 floats and dozens of groups and associations that are part of the festivities. In addition, different workshops for costume and costume making are put into practice.

 

Northampton streets fill with Caribbean and Afro Descendant music and tradition during carnivals

Northampton streets fill with Caribbean and Afro Descendant music and tradition during carnivals

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When is Northampton Carnival

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Despite having no specific date at this time,Northampton’s carnivals are held regularly during the month of June, as they form part of the town’s summer events.

 

 

History of Northampton Carnivals

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Northampton Carnivals have had a bit of intermittency over the years, as there were times when the days of the celebration changed or years where the carnival was simply not held.

The earliest records of the Northampton carnival date back to 1914, when it had a few floats. In the 1970s and 1980s, the carnival was held during the week and in the evening hours. However, it then shifted to being held on Sunday afternoons. At the end of the century, they began to establish common places for the celebration of the festivities, as was the case of Midsummer Meadow and Abington Park..



The carnival did not take place from 1993 to 2004, as the carnival granted the space for other types of events in the city. However, in 2004 a group of volunteers took on the challenge of reintroducing the carnival to the streets of Northampton bringing a multicultural flavor to the new event. Thus it was that in 2005 the first carnival was held after the break, turning the festivities into a celebration that included the different sectors of the city and with a more multicultural policy, especially with Caribbean and afro-descendant features.

 

Where is the Northampton Carnival

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The carnivals are held in thecommercial town of Northampton, England, United Kingdom. The parade starts and ends at Kettering Road, crossing the different points of the city.

 

People take to the streets to celebrate Northampton's carnivals

People take to the streets to celebrate Northampton’s carnivals

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How is the Northampton Carnival celebrated

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The Northampton Carnival is celebrated in two stages: one where different events are held such as performances of dances, sale of crafts, art and souvenirs. At this stage you can find a variety of Caribbean food stands, clothing, jewelry, promotional booths for charitable organizations, candy and sweet treats and alcoholic beverages. In addition, there is always a variety of entertainment, such as soloists, bands, dance groups and choirs.

The second stage or part of the carnival is, of course, the parade which is made up of carriages, music, scenery and the dancers. The parade travels through the main points of the city and rocks the streets of Northampton with Caribbean music, dancing, bright colors and carriages. When the parade ends, some groups perform dancing competitions among themselves.

 

Tips for going to the Northampton Carnivals

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In order to properly celebrate these carnivals, we recommend planning your carnival travel in advance, creating your travel itinerary and reserving your room in the type of accommodation of your choice. Also, come in costume or comfortable clothing so you can enjoy, dance and be part of the Northampton carnivals.

If you want to know more about tourism in this country, I recommend this guide:

 

Events at Northampton Carnival

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During the Carnival festivities, you can enjoy a host of events and shows. You can choose from music and dance performances by groupings, well-known artists or choirs. You can also go to the fairs where you can find different souvenirs, handicrafts and food shops.

Finally, the most anticipated event is the parade Carnival, accompanied by imposing and colorful floats, dancers who perform in the streets, fun costumes and authentic and colorful costumes, bands playing Caribbean music throughout the city and the variety of participants from all parts of the country.

 

Dancers take to the streets of the city during carnivals

Dancers take to the streets of the city during carnivals

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Northampton Carnival Parades

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The main parade takes place during the main streets and avenues of the city. Starting at Kettering Road at 2 pm, passing through Abington Square and finally returning to Kettering Road. The parade is full of Caribbean flavor, people take to the streets in their costumes and unique and colorful dresses. Caribbean music echoes from every corner of the city and the party in Northampton is ignited.

 

 

The streets are filled with features from all over the world; from the Caribbean, from Europe and from Africa, to bring joy to the city once again during the carnival.

 

Parade route

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Northampton's most anticipated carnival parade rolls through the city

Northampton’s most anticipated carnival parade rolls through the city

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The parade leaves Ketterin Road at 2:00 pm, then crosses onto York Road, heading towards St. Giles Street and Abington Street. The parade climbs once more until it reaches Wellingborough Road, crosses into Abington Avenue, continues along Abington Grove and finally arrives at Kettening Road.

 

Earl Barton Leek Pie is a city tradition dish

Earl Barton Leek Pie is a city tradition dish

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What to eat at Northampton Carnival

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One of the typical dishes of the region are the Clangers, a kind of flour dough roll with savory filling that may contain sausage, meat or other classic filling of the region. There’s also the Earl Barton leek pie, a wheat flour pie filled with layers of meat and leek.

The city also offers you some gastronomic recommendations in the following places: The Old Crown, The Lamplighter or The Stuffed Olive.

 

Clangers are typical of the region. They are meat rolls.

Clangers are typical of the region. They are meat rolls

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Travel Insurance

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From Carnavalesdelmundo.org we recommend to hire a good insurance to visit this carnival and to know the rest of the country. For being our readers we offer a 5% discount on all IATI insurance. Read more information about all insurance offers here:

 

 

What to see and do inside Northampton Carnival

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Inside the carnival you can take a stroll around the fairground, buy some souvenirs or crafts from the various shops that are on the grounds or just buy some food and drink. You can also watch the dancing competitions, live concerts, music bands and singers..

In the most important attraction, the parade, you can observe the different dancers, floats, music bands and the different participants dressed in costumes with Caribbean features full of colors and bright.

If you don’t want to complicate things, here you can book interesting excursions in Spanish in this city:.

Guided tours in Spanish around the world

 

What to see and do outside Northampton Carnivals

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The city of Northampton offers you different tourist attractions rich in culture and art.

Coton Manor Gardens

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It consists of different gardens dating back to the 1920s. The gardens were established by the grandparents of the current owner of the house and features a variety of plant and flower displays.

 

78 Derngate

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It is a Georgian style house built in 1815 and was designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh. The house has a boutique restaurant, galleries and designer stores.

 

Althorp House

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This is where Diana, Princess of Wales is buried on the island in the lake. There is also a memorial and the building was opened for exhibitions dedicated to her memory.

Also if you want to visit museums and important buildings in this city we recommend that you book your ticket in advance through Tiquets: .

Book tickets in the city you are visiting

 

Safety at Northampton Carnivals

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Northampton is a safe city, like the rest of the UK cities, such as London or Manchester. We recommend you use your common sense, be aware of your surroundings and contact the authorities if you notice any unusual activity.

Also, remember to keep your personal belongings and valuables in a safe place to avoid losing them. Also, we recommend the following products to keep your belongings safe:

 

 

Weather at Northampton Carnival

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The weather during Northampton Carnival is pleasant, with a temperature between 14 and 20 degrees Celsius.

 

Everyone participates in Northampton Carnival regardless of age or ethnicity

Everyone participates in Northampton Carnival regardless of age or ethnicity

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How to get to Northampton Carnivals

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How to get there by plane

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The nearest airport to Northampton is Birmingham Airport. From here, you can use the various means to transport yourself to Northampton.

We recommend buying airline tickets through Kiwi.com or Skyscanner where they are usually cheaper. More information on this link to review Kiwi.com..

 

How to get there by train

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Take the train from the airport via West Midlands. You’ll arrive in Northampton in about an hour.

 

How to get there by bus

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From the airport take the National Express bus which will take you to Northampton in one hour and twenty minutes.

 

How to get there by car

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From the airport take the A45 freeway and you will reach Northampton in one hour.

 

Where to stay at Northampton Carnival

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Booking.com

 

Holiday Inn Northampton

4-star hotel 2.9 km from the center. Facilities offer fitness center, bar, restaurant with international menu, pool and spa.

 

Campanile Hotel Northampton

3-star hotel 5 km from the city center. Rooms have TV and 24-hour reception. The hotel has wifi, bar, restaurant and free parking.

 

Hilton Northampton Hotel

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4-star hotel 5 km from the city. Restaurant offers international menu. Facilities offer spa, gym, pool and spa.

We recommend you use Booking.com to book hotels at a good price, check more information here:.



 

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