Exeter Carnival is returning

People are being encouraged to make a day of it

Exeter Carnival is returning for the first time in 24 years.

The procession, which has been revived by InExeter, the business improvement district for the city, will take place on Saturday 26 November.

Those planning on watching the carnival are being encouraged to make a day of it and come early to avoid congestion.

Business improvement district manager Ann Hunter says: “The carnival will be a fantastic way to kick start the festivities in the city. We invite you all to come in well ahead of the main event to enjoy the city, make the most of what is going on and experience and explore all Exeter has to offer. A number of businesses across the city are putting on special Carnival Day activities.”

A range of events will take place to celebrate the event, with family friendly craft, story telling and games to fermentation workshops at a new vegan eatery and music at the Monkey Suit and Eat the Bird on Sidwell Street.

InExeter's Pop Up Emporium will also be in the piazza of the Guildhall Shopping Centre on carnival day where shoppers wil find a mix of small businesses and traders.

The roads the carnival will parade through will close at 5pm with the procession beginning at 6pm from the bottom of South Street. It will then make its way up South Street, onto the High Street and Sidwell Street, before turning around the roundabout at the bottom of Old Tiverton Road and back down Sidwell Street to Paris Street.

Radio Exe is leading the procession with carnival sponsors Stagecoach, which includes the likes of Harlequin Carnival Club, who attended the first carnival in 1977 and local chour Big Noise Chorus will be performing on a bus provided by the travel sponsor.

This year's carnival is supporting the charity Young Lives vs. Cancer, who support families to face everything cancer throws at them. Last year, they supported 49 families in Devon and gave out grants totalling over £17,000.