Carnival fun on its way to Lisburn with Mayor's parade

Mayor Thomas Beckett with little Riley and characters from the parade.

The Mayor’s Carnival Parade and Family Fun Day, titled ‘Crowns & Coronets’, takes place on Saturday 14 May.

The Carnival Parade is the City’s most famous street party and this year’s Mayor’s Carnival Parade has a rather regal theme as we celebrate Her Majesty the Queen’s 90th birthday.

Speaking at the Launch The Mayor, Councillor Thomas Beckett said: “The Mayor’s Carnival Parade & Family Fun Day is a much-loved feature in the Northern Ireland events calendar and it has become one of the largest events of its kind in Northern Ireland.

“It is a vibrant showcase of culture that brings the city to life and I would invite you and your family to take part in the city’s greatest street party.”

The Carnival is Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council’s largest community arts street party with a host of international carnival performers, fairy-tale royalty, musicians and carnival floats combined with local school and community group participants who will create an enchanting make-believe spectacle.

Hundreds of school children and community groups will proudly display their carnival costumes, which they designed themselves, throughout the Parade.

The colourful masqueraders have been busy making carnival costumes for the celebrations through ISLAND Arts Centre Carnival Workshops in association with the award winning ArtsEkta and StreetWise Community Circus.

This year’s Family Fun Day returns to Wallace Park where even more family fun filled entertainment will take place from 12.30pm until 5.30pm.

Following in the theme of the Parade six magical Princes & Princesses will meet and greet the public as the royal couples meander through Wallace Park.

Attractions include a Fun Fair, Punch and Judy Magic Show, Crafts, Face painting, Bouncy Castle, arena acts by Trialstar, Boxing and the ever popular Dog Show. Traditional craft demonstrations of woodturning and blacksmithing as well as craft workshops for the younger audience members will be available throughout the afternoon.

Wheelworks will be on hand with their ArtCart a unique dedicated mobile arts vehicle.

Carnival begins at 1pm at Lagan Valley ISLAND and flows through Lisburn City Centre via Queen’s Road, Linenhall Street, Market Street, Market Place, Railway Street, Magheralave Road, Wallace Park, Belfast Road and Seymour Street before returning to Lagan Valley ISLAND via Queen’s Road.