Community spirit was high on the agenda as the Newcastle Unity Carnival spread its positive messages in the city centre on a sunny Saturday.
First a multi-cultural parade, aimed at bringing the community together, gathered at 11am in the west end of the city then it made its way from The Beacon centre down through Chinatown to the Monument.
And there, from 12.30pm, the first of the afternoon's entertainment got under way in the sunshine with all-female samba drumming band Bangshees setting the mood.
The Newcastle Unites Carnival is a community celebration of diversity, with a united front against hatred, and supporters were asked to wear national customs and carry flags.
Among those entering into the spirit of the day was Theresa Easton from Newburn, Newcastle, who had joined the parade from the start.
Having just watched last year's event, she had been keen to get involved this time and said: "It's lovely getting people together to celebrate and to raise awareness of the races out there in the world."
And she welcomed the chance for everyone to come together as a community, saying it's an opportunity for people to see a show of support than can outdo any racists.
Gathered spectators clapped during the afternoon's music and speeches, which included rallying words from trade unions and from Newcastle Central MP Chi Onwurah.
Among the entertainment was a poetry performance from Tahmina who read a powerful piece about a child growing up without freedom and then made people smile with a light-hearted poem about the silly questions people tend to ask about the wearing of a hijab.
Away from the focus of the attention, she was also offering henna tattoos to visitors.
Also on the line-up of those signed up to support the event were folk group The Pastures; dancers from Tyneside Irish Centre; 10-piece cross-cultural band The Crossings; The Stellas and the 'rubadub reggae' Common Unity Sound System.
The event is hosted by musicians Bethany Elen Coyle and Ron Brown and organised by the anti-racist coalition Newcastle Unites.
Ricky Chowdhry, one of its organisers who worked hard to bring about the event, said of it: "The community is coming together in anti-racist collaboration.
"We want to stop dividing communities and to bring people together."
He was pleased at the support given to the "grass roots" event, adding: "And the sun is shining!"
