Liverpool’s annual Halloween parade through the city centre will return for 2021 later this month.
The North West’s largest drum ensemble, with more than 100 drummers, Katumba, has led a huge Halloween parade through the city centre for the last several years, though 2020's event was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Katumba Halloween Carnival will return as part of Routes & Roots - Festival of the African Diaspora, a new community event.
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Routes & Roots will see two weeks of free family-friendly cultural, arts and wellbeing activities and events across Liverpool, created to celebrate Black History Month and to include the iconic annual carnival.
This year, Katumba is partnering with other organisations from the newly-formed BlaST network of Black and Brown Social Traders, including Cycle of Life and Centre of Development.
The festival is set to transform the city centre into a “playground of imagination”, with pop up performances of big, bold, visual shows and performances with drums, fire, lights, dance, theatre and more.
Routes & Roots - Festival of the African Diaspora is also part of the official Liverpool City Council Black History Month programme of activities.
Juliana Pinheiro Landim, Katumba’s co-founder, said: "We are thrilled to bring back the Katumba Halloween Carnival after having to cancel last year’s event.
“This year will be even more special with us being now part of BlaST-Black & Brown Social Traders Network-and devising a whole two weeks of activities with our ‘Routes & Roots Festival of the African Diaspora’.
“Being part of that diasporic history myself, I hope this festival will help connect, share, and discover our shared history whilst celebrating our diversity’’.
Ibe Hayter, Cycle of Life director, added: "I am really excited to be part of this pioneering collective in the Liverpool city region - the Black & Brown Social Traders Newtork - BlaST.
“Our Routes & Roots Festival is a great opportunity to bring together and showcase the fantastic and diverse talent within Liverpool’s black business community.
“The festival will also give the wider business community a chance to take a look at the STO’s on show and create avenues for collaboration and new partnerships within the region.”
The Katumba Halloween Carnival will take place on Sunday, October 31 from 5pm-9pm at the Bombed Out Church, Church Street and Liverpool ONE.
All activities will be free, but pre-booking is essential.
For information on all upcoming events and activities, please visit www.katumba.co.uk/routes-and-roots .
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