Greetings from Hereford River Carnival HQ! Hereford’s biggest free community event came back once

again. 2023 was all about celebrating our Grass Roots, with home grown (and further afield) fun for all

the family. With 4 stages filled with live music & amp; performances, all the fun of the fair, fabulous food

and drink, the street carnival, river floats and more besides there was something for everyone.

AT A GLANCE - WHAT HAPPENED

FRIDAY 25 th

Launch party! Bishops Meadow 5pm - Midinght

Performances, DJ’s, Torch Lit Parade, Fun Fair, Live Music, Food, Drink, Bar and More!

5:30pm Rainbow Stage opens with DJ’s Will-O-Bee, Ken Easy and Andy’s Disco

6:30pm Love Earth performance from the Aspire Drama Group

7:15pm Torch Lit Procession

7:30pm Live music kicks off with Hereford Soul Choir & Stripped Down Blues!!

9:15pm Watch the Illuminated River display

9:30pm Sensational sounds from The Hey Yahs Big Band!

11:30pm Last Orders

SATURDAY 26 th

Carnival day! Bishops Meadow 11am – 5pm

Live music throughout the day, fun and games, food and drink, craft market, and more!

10am Dog Show registration

10am Event Opens! Market stalls, workshops, food and drink, fun fair, live music

11am Fun dog show

11am-2pm Rooted Forest School - Free play and exploration for children of all ages who like to get messy.

12:45pm Gather at Trinity Square

1pm Street Carnival sets off!

1:45pm-2pm Carnival arrives at Bishops Meadow

2pm River Floats. Line the banks and wave as they go by!

5pm Finish

AFTER PARTIES!

The Spread Eagle, King Street

7pm-late

£5 on the door

Keep the carnival fun going into the night with live music from;

Venus Fly Kings & The Rayguns.

BBQ, pizza & pub menu

Babar Café, Union Street

7pm-late

Free entry

Sailor’s Ruin– the afterparty!

Queer Sister brings an outrageous evening

of drag performances, live music and DJ’s

AND HEREFORD INDIE FOOD FESTIVAL

OUR MAP

CLICK ON MAP TO DOWN LOAD PDF VERSION AND A3 FOLD-OUT

Saturday 26th (10am-5pm)

Wye Valley Makers Marquee - A fine selection of makers all under one roof as well as a fantastic café.

Fun Dog Show - A highlight in the local canine calendar. Bring your pooch to the party.

Eco village - Local environmental groups, campaigns and causes and sustainable green initiatives. Save the Wye, green crafts and more

Fun and Games - Enjoy the thrills of the fun fair, try something new with Herefordshire Board Gamers, and if it all gets a bit much have a go at the crock smash

Make and Take workshops - Get street carnival ready and make something to wave or something to wear. Lots of creative making will be happening throughout the day

Music and Dance - Live music, D.J’s and dance performances to entertain you all day & into the night

Food & Drink - Enjoy a fine selection of local food and drink from local producers and sellers. Wet your whistle at the bars.

Groups, clubs and charities - Find out about local groups, good causes and initiatives.

4 Stages!

Grass Roots Stage

Friday & Saturday. Legendary live bands & special guest D.J’s throughout the day (and its near the beer tent)

Rainbow Stage

Friday & Saturday. Our community showcase stage features a colour palette of local talent, fun, games with a family disco finish.

Weirdshire Stage

Saturday only. A fine selection of home grown (and beyond) innovative folk, drone, & psychedelia sounds to get you fully in on your weird.

Buskers Stage

Saturday only. Acoustic performances will set the soundscape as you wander the river side path

STREET CARNIVAL

Want to take part? Get yourselves ready in advance or just join in on the day!

12:45pm Gather at Trinity Square, Maylord Orchard

1pm Street carnival sets off

Procession route: through High Town, Broad Street, King St Bridge Street, Wye Street and onto Bishops Meadow

2pm arrive on Bishops Meadow for a triumphant finish!

RIVER PROCESSION

Carnival floats, boats and assorted craft fill the wonderful River Wye with colour and creativity.

2pm River Carnival floats launch from the Hereford Rowing Club

2.15pm Floats will cruise under Hunderton Bridge, and sail downriver to the Victoria Bridge. Give them all a wave and a cheer as they float past!

Carnival FAQ’s (and answers)

Do I need to book?

Hereford River Carnival is proud to be Hereford’s largest free and un-ticketed event, so no need to book for the Friday night or Saturday carnival. Advanced booking can be made for the Carnival after party

Can I bring my own alcohol?

Please don’t bring your own alcohol, we’re not licensed for this. But don’t worry they’ll be plenty of tasty beverages to wet your whistles at our festival bars.

Is there a cash machine on site?

There are no cash machines on site The nearest cash machines to the event are at Asda (south city) or Broad Steet / High Town. It is at Traders and vendors discretion to accept cash and /or card payments – bring both to avoid disappointment.

Will free drinking water be available?

Yes! Bring your bottle to the info point or the main festival bar (opposite the Grass Roots Stage) for a free refill

Where do I get a program from?

Head to one of the two info points

Are there toilets at the event?

Toilets are located near the Victoria Bridge (south side)

Can I bring my dog?

Absolutely, four legged friends are most welcome. You can even enter them into the dog show if you come early!

Why are there no recycling bins?

All of our event waste is sorted offsite by our friends at Quick Skip. Nothing goes into landfill, recyclable materials are separated out and the remaining waste is incinerated too.

If there’s anything else you’d like to know ahead of the event then let us know!

The good to know stuff

Getting there

Please come by foot, cycle or on public transport or lift share if you can. Or if that’s not possible please bear in mind parking is limited around the carnival site so consider parking at one of the larger city center car parks and walking in.

Bus Take advantage of Herefordshire’s free bus travel at weekends!

There are many bus routes from around Hereford that will bring you to the Carnival visit www.herefordshire.gov.uk/public-transport-1/bus-travel for more information and timetables.

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Train: It’s a short walk from Hereford railway station if you come by train.

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Beryl Bike & e-scooter hire: With over twenty miles of traffic free paths accessible to bikes around the city you’re never far from a Beryl bike or e-scooter in Hereford. Simply download the app and find your ride from over 25 locations across the city.

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Disabled parking St Martin’s Street car park has eight extra-wide designated spaces specifically for disabled parking.

There is a huge variety of delicious food and drink outlets throughout the Carnival site and plenty of great eateries catering to all taste’s cuisine in Hereford city itself.

Toilets: There are toilets (including accessible toilets) on Bishops Meadow and inside facilities at the Leisure Pool and Left Bank village and Asda.

Some Carnival Do’s and don’ts

Please do….

Supervise your children at all times, especially when near the riverbanks.

Pease don’t……..

Bring your own alcohol – we have plenty of tasty beverages at the event bars.

Please do….

Keep it tidy. Use bins provided for all rubbish and recycling to keep the event and the beautiful river clean.

Pease don’t……..

Bring BBQ’s, have fires, or bring firecrackers.

Please do….

Look out for one another. If you see someone that looks like they may need some help please alert one of our volunteers.

Pease don’t……..

Set up camp, we’re not quite there yet, but maybe one day!

Please do….

Bring ID if you’re fresh faced enough to look under 25 and want to be served at the bars.

Pease don’t……..

Ignore something that doesn’t seem ok. If something or someone seems off, or you see something broken, damaged or where it shouldn’t be please tell one of our volunteers.