Manchester Carnival 2026: Parade route, timings, and everything to know as jubilant event returns

A sea of energy and jubilation will take over Manchester this weekend as one of the UK’s longest-running Caribbean carnivals returns for another year.The Manchester Carnival, which was first held in 1971, will take place at Alexandra Park in Whalley Range on Saturday and Sunday (August 8 and 9) and is expected to be attended by around 60,000 people across the two days.Alongside a massive parade through the streets featuring hundreds of performers, the event will also feature live entertainment, food stalls, pageants, funfairs and more throughout the weekend, with organisers saying there has never been a bigger need for the event to take place than now.Click here for the latest on Manchester's food & drink scene, gigs and more in our CityLife newsletter‌Marking the fifth year the event has