Norwich’s biggest FREE festival event of the year - the Lord Mayor’s Weekend – will take place this year on Saturday and Sunday, 13 and 14 July.
The weekend includes the historic Lord Mayor’s Procession, which takes place on the first day (Saturday 13 July) of the weekend-long celebrations.
This year it will feature a new parade route, starting out from Norwich Cathedral and heading along St Andrews Street and up Exchange Street to Gentleman’s Walk, before turning towards Chapelfield Gardens where a full programme of family-friendly activities will be in flow.
Come join the carnival – applications open for the Lord Mayor’s Procession
Applications to take part in the procession are now open as the call goes out for as many local groups and organisations as possible to join in the parade as walking or non-motorised float entries. Norwich City Council has removed all participation fees for schools, community groups, charities and businesses taking part, and participants are encouraged to come dressed for carnival fun.
To join in the procession, please fill in the application form.
Participating groups who would like help with their preparations for their entries should contact the council’s Events Team for support with workshops, training or ideas for music, movement, puppets and costumes, plus details of how to engage in the three principle aims of noise, height and interaction. Email events@norwich.gov.uk
The overall theme for this year’s huge civic celebration is ‘Norwich Loves You’, drawing on the city’s renown as a place where all feel safe and welcomed, whichever community they come from.
The weekend includes a full celebration in Chapelfield Gardens throughout the day on Saturday, where there will be live music and dance acts, lots of great activities for small children, a carousel and big wheel, a bar area and a food arena with delicious food and drinks treats from across Norfolk, performances from The Garage and Young Norfolk Arts, carnival headdress-making fun, dance workshops, comedy shows, a range of stalls from local organisations and much more.
Plus, there will be a flashmob performance which members of the public can learn in advance of the event or on the day at workshops.
The day’s events will be followed by live music in the evening headlined by the UK Foo Fighters, Britain’s biggest Foo Fighters tribute act; while Voodoo Daddy’s Showroom, the pizza and live music venue in London Street, will be showcasing some of the best bands from Norwich’s thriving music scene.
The weekend’s activities will be wrapped up on the Sunday afternoon from 2.30pm with the ever-popular Great Norwich Duck Race which annually draws huge crowds to Riverside to watch ducks racing from Lady Julian Bridge down the Wensum. The event is organised by the 1st Norwich Sea Scouts in association with Norwich City Council, and fundraises for participating scout groups and projects, as well as the Mayor’s chosen Civic Charity and East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH). A total of £1000 is offered in prizes to the winning duck owners.
Please keep an eye on our social media channels and the news section of the website for further updates and more announcements on additional exciting activities currently being planned for the event.
