Carnival time at Magna

Science centre Magna has announced it is putting on a Caribbean Carnival next summer — potentially the biggest event the venue has ever hosted and seen as the region’s answer to the Notting Hill Carnival.

News of the fortnight-long South Yorkshire Carnival Arts Regional Festival comes just a few months after Rotherham arts groups revealed their own plans for a carnival in the town centre.

The SYCARF from July 15 to 30 is being organised in collaboration with Trinidad and Tobago born creative consultant Debora Alleyne De Gazon, the creative director of the award winning arts company Creative Learning Circuit and director of London Notting Hill Carnival.

The festival is targeted at local schools, community groups, dance groups, musicians, designers, culinary artistes and others, and Magna is urging local businesses to get involved, in what will become an annual event.

Its unique blend of South Yorkshire and Caribbean heritage will promote a range of creative talents and skills for all age groups and cultures, organisers said.

The festival will include a carnival fashion show, an international calypso concert, comedy festival and food festival among the planned events, as well as theatre shows, exhibitions, workshops, a jazz evening and a DJ youth festival.

Debora said: “It’s a brilliant approach to foster community cohesion using carnival arts ideas as a medium to plan such a wide variety of events, and bring a Caribbean carnival spirit, to South Yorkshire via Magna.

“It will provide the opportunity for the diverse community to explore the profound meaning of carnivals and its creative elements and why they're so popular in promoting the heritage and identity of cultures around the world. We're really looking forward to getting the whole community involved.”

John Silker, chief executive of the Magna Trust, said: “It's set to be a great two weeks and we're really excited about having an educational focus as well as an entertaining one which will bring a benefit to the entire region.

“The plan is to make this an annual event on the calendar, just like Notting Hill Carnival.”

The town centre carnival, organised by several arts groups including Rotherham Open Arts Renaissance and Open Minds Theatre Company, is expected to be held just before Easter.