Edinburgh Festival Carnival is Edinburgh's largest multicultural celebration. Taking place every year on the first Sunday of the Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival, Edinburgh Festival Carnival transforms Edinburgh’s West Princes Street Gardens into a kaleidoscope of colour, sound, and movement. Our carnival brings together local and international artists for an awe-inspiring display of costumes, dance, music - the perfect FREE day out for all ages. Every year, carnival teams work with communities across Edinburgh, encourages those who have little or no access to the arts the chance to learn a new skill and join in the carnival atmosphere.
Edinburgh Festival Carnival is produced by Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival, with a dedicated Carnival team headed up by Giles Agis, Carnival & Communities Manager. This year's Edinburgh Festival Carnival takes place on Sunday 14 July.
In 2023, over 800 performers took to Edinburgh’s City centre with a celebration of music, dance, costumes, puppets, circus and acrobatics. Check out some of the highlights programme below and keep your eyes on the website for updates on the 2024 Carnival.
Edinburgh Festival Carnival 2023
Experience the 2023 Edinburgh Festival Carnival and go behind the scenes with the team who made it happen!
Edinburgh Festival Carnival Workshop Programme
The EFC Workshop Programme, running from April to July, is our flagship participation project, with over 500 workshops and engaging 6,400 participants. Facilitated by a blend of Scottish creatives, UK practitioners, and international artists in residence, the programme offers a diverse array of workshops spanning music, dance, and costume making.
We collaborate with a broad spectrum of individuals, organisations, and communities, ensuring equitable access to high-quality arts initiatives, with a particular focus on those typically underrepresented in the arts. Our approach empowers local communities to actively shape activities, placing people at the forefront of cultural decision-making processes. Through our engagement initiatives, we foster connections across diverse backgrounds, enriching arts education citywide and fostering a sense of inclusivity, enabling the citizens of Edinburgh to fully embrace the carnival as both participants and audiences.
Some of our arts engagement partners include:
Arts in the Afternoon, Dance Ihayami, Edinburgh Gambian Association, Edinburgh Caribbean Association, Edinburgh Palestinian Association, Edinburgh Chinese Arts Association, Fantanka Diaspora, Goodtrees Neighbourhood Centre, Latin American Association of Edinburgh, Latin Inclusive Disability Youth Dance Group, Passion4Fusion, Multicultural Family Base, Nepal Scotland, St Augustine High School, Vally Park Community Centre.
