Leeds West Indian Carnival

Biggest Caribbean jamboree in the north of England, Leeds West Indian Carnival lights up the August bank holiday Monday. Second only in size to Notting Hill – and coming up for 50 years old – the carnival sees over 100,000 people turning up for the city's most eagerly awaited summer festival. Events and concerts spread over three days, starting on Friday and Saturday of the bank holiday weekend with the crowning of the Carnival King and Queen, and of the Calypso Monarch, but the biggest day is always bank holiday Monday which sees the main carnival procession, centred on the Chapeltown district of Leeds. People have been busy for a year, sewing sequins, putting together "Mas" (masquerade) bands and practising dance moves, and things begin in Potternewton Park in the morning with a Carnival warm-up before the main parade kicks off after 2pm, featuring superbly decorated floats, costumed dancers and steel bands playing calypso and soca sounds. The usual route sees the parade go down Harehills Avenue, Roundhay Road, Barrack Road and Chapeltown Road back to the park, where booming sound systems, jerk chicken, and rice and peas await the immaculately dressed partygoers.