After a long wait, the Bath Carnival will be back in the city centre this summer! Bath’s biggest, brightest and most vibrant annual event is set for a triumphant comeback on Saturday 10^th July 2021.

Sadly, last year’s event was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, but organisers have put together an extra-special carnival event for summer 2021. It won’t be quite the same as you remember it though, as adjustments have had to be made for safety reasons.

So, if you’re planning to visit Bath for the carnival, here’s everything you need to know…

What’s on, when and where

The Bath Carnival 2021 will be a one-day event on Saturday 10^th July, although other related arts activities have been taking place throughout May and June – with the support of Arts Council England.

The theme for this year is ‘Mother Earth’, where the mediums of carnival arts and costume design will be used to explore the fabulous diversity of species on our planet. And importantly, our role in conserving wildlife and the environment.

The Bath Carnival 2021 will feature a fabulous live show, including live music, community stage performances and a surprise special guest headliner.

The organisers of the carnival took an early decision to host the event over multiple indoor venues, rather than outdoors as usual. This is due to changing government rules on large outdoor gatherings, and to avoid a last-minute cancellation if restrictions change.

This year’s venue will be The Forum, as recently confirmed by the Bath Carnival team on their social channels. The after party was originally planned for multi-arts and comedy venue Komedia, but it’s still to be confirmed (following the recent government announcement) whether this will go ahead.

What about the Bath Carnival procession?

The Bath Carnival is usually an explosion of colour, diversity and culture across Bath’s city centre streets, but unfortunately there will be no procession this year.

All events will take place at The Forum instead, at a COVID-safe event with a limited capacity audience in attendance.

Can’t attend? The event will be live streamed for the first time ever

Excitingly, this year’s Bath Carnival will be professionally filmed and live streamed for the very first time.

This means you can watch all the live performances in exceptional quality from wherever you are in Bath or the UK.

How to get involved

There will only be very limited tickets available to watch the Bath Carnival in person, but the good news is that they’re completely free. So, if you want a front row seat, keep a close eye on the Bath Carnival Facebook page as they’ll be posting the ticket link very soon!

And whether or not you’re lucky enough to snag some tickets, why not make a weekend of it in Bath?

We have a choice of beautiful self-catering apartments in Bath within walking distance of The Forum and the attractions of the city centre. Better still, many have widescreen and smart TVs – perfect for live streaming the Bath Carnival if you aren’t able to go in person.