It made a real difference to have Cowley Rd closed and loads more people came to watch the procession. The bad news is that it cost around £10K just to close the road ! The police and council demanded a high level of stewarding for what was a very peaceful and wonderful day out. We hope this aspect will cost less next year.

So much work had gone into the displays from the turquoise mermaid at the head of the march to the toddlers in prams dressed as little birds with a Noah's Ark too. Samba dancers and other music systems carried us along. The road closure also took the pressure off other areas making space for Carnival, this wonderful celebration of community and diversity, to expand in the future.

Having the venues all reasonably near Manzil Way made seeing what was on offer easier and though it is never possible to see everything there certainly was something for everyone. From skateboarding and a merry go round to Rock music and the Hammer and Tongue Slam. From Irish girl dancers to the equally energetic Sikh drum and dance group. Wandering round the stalls displaying materials from many of the local groups showed how much is happening in this very special area of Oxford. These included the wonderful Restore garden and the astounding Textiles for Peace Tent both involving many local people in their work. Having a stall for our local Indymedia at Carnival was a first and may lead to more engagement with a wider range of local people in future.