The Winter Droving will be passing through the streets of Carlisle this year as Eden Arts takes the event from Penrith to form part of the new Carlisle Carnivale that Eden Arts have said will brings live music, circus, street performance, markets and a brand new twilight procession to the city centre.
The countdown to Saturday 24 October has begun, when performers from Cumbria and beyond will appear alongside local acts, community groups and members of the public, with performances and activity taking place across Carlisle throughout the day.
Created by Eden Arts, the team behind Winter Droving, Carlisle Carnivale brings some of the spirit and traditions of the long-running Penrith event into this new celebration.
The programme includes Mr Wilson's Second Liners, LUXE, Dulce Duca, Logy Logan, Nula Hula, Paper Doll Militia, Good Mojo and Stephen Dunn.
At the heart of Carnivale will be Absolutely Barking, bringing together an extraordinary ensemble of 20 performers, musicians, circus artists, makers and mischief-makers from the UK, Ireland and Sweden centred around a performance space known as the Biscuit Tin.
Alongside the performance programme will be markets, a funfair, games and participatory events, before the day builds to a procession through the heart of Carlisle and the Carnivale finale.
Individuals, families, community groups, workplaces and clubs can sign up to join the procession - carrying torches or helping to bring parade creations through the streets.
Teams can enter the Carnivale Cup, including the tug-of-war, while Carlisle's four-legged residents are invited to Fancy Dress for Dogs.
Eden Arts Director Adrian Lochhead said:
"What we've learned from Winter Droving is that a great atmosphere doesn't come from simply booking a programme and asking people to watch it. It comes when brilliant professional artists, local performers, community groups and the public all share the same streets and everyone feels they have a part in the day.
"We want people to come expecting to be entertained, but also to find opportunities to get involved and become part of the spectacle themselves.
"And just like at Winter Droving, we want people to dress up, wear a mask, bring some colour and make the streets their own. Show yourselves off - and show the Great Border City at its best.
"By the time the procession sets off, we want the whole city to feel like it has joined in. That's what Carnivale is about - celebrating the creativity, character and people of Cumbria and having a fantastic day together."
Make a day - or a weekend - of Carlisle
Carlisle Carnivale is supported by the Great Border City BID as part of its programme of activity for Carlisle city centre, and it will also be part of a packed day and evening across the city.
Visitors can experience Luke Jerram's Museum of the Moon at Carlisle Cathedral, enjoy West Walls Oktoberfest, and continue into the evening with Antarctic Monkeys at the Old Fire Station or The Legends: Vegas – After Hours at the Sands Centre.
Together with Carlisle's shops, cafés, pubs, restaurants and bars, there will be plenty of reasons to spend the whole day in the city, while visitors from further afield are being encouraged to make a weekend of it and stay in one of Carlisle's hotels or other accommodation.
Chandra Pollock, of the Great Border City BID, said:
"Carlisle Carnivale is exactly the kind of event we want to support as part of our programme for the city centre, bringing people into Carlisle, giving them reasons to stay longer and helping businesses across the city benefit."
Carlisle Carnivale takes place across Carlisle city centre from noon on Saturday 24 October 2026 and is free to attend.
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