Walsall carnival to brighten streets

Music, costumes and dance will all be a part of the Caldmore Carnival, which takes place this Saturday.

The carnival is raising its head again this year after having been postponed in June due to severe weather conditions.

This year's procession will set off from Caldmore Community Garden, in Carless Street, at 2pm.

It will pass through a number of Caldmore streets before returning to the garden at 3pm, where there will be performances from a range of acts.

It is the sixth year for the event, which attracts thousands of people.

Anna Rogozinska, chairman of Caldmore Village Festival group, said: "Acts so far confirmed include musicians and dancers from Blue Coat School and a performance by Caldmore Community Garden's very own writer in residence David Calcutt.

"There will be a spectacular Asian dance from Jamal Mistry dancers as well as music from a range of special guests including Suki Sher Gill and Good Traditions."

In the build up to the carnival, community workshops have been held allowing people to work with artist Sam Hale to make their own costumes and props to wear and carry in the procession.

This year's event has been funded by Near Neighbours, a group which aims to bring people together who are neighbours in communities that are religiously and ethnically diverse.

The route for this year's procession will include St Michael Street, Buckle Close, Hope Street, Bath Road, Newhall Street, Sandwell Street, West Bromwich Road and Little London.

The festival group was set up in March 2009 and organises the annual festival.

It also organised the Walsall Mela event last month at Palfrey Park which was attended by thousands of people who enjoyed activities from sports to music and rides. The event showcased the best in Asian arts, sport and culture.

There were traditional field sports such as Kabbadi and stone-lifting along with some athletics, football and volleyball tournaments.