Now in its second year, the event welcomed families and visitors from across the town to enjoy performances, traditional Goan and Indian cuisine, market stalls and entertainment throughout the afternoon.
Organised by UK Visionary Events, the carnival has quickly become one of Swindon’s growing community events, with organisers keen to make it a celebration for everyone.
Imtiyaz Shaikh, one of the organisers, said:
“Swindon Carnival is an event that is bringing a music festival back to Swindon that we’ve been waiting for a long time.”
He added:
“We’re expecting everything, all happiness. We’re expecting a diverse community coming and enjoying the Swindon Carnival event. A lot of questions come to us, ‘Is this only a Goan event?’ No, it’s not. It’s for everybody.
“We want people in Swindon to come and have a great time and make memories when they leave.”
Live music was at the centre of the event, with Mark Revlon and his full band among those performing to the crowds.
Speaking before going on stage, Mark Revlon said:
“It’s beautiful. The people are amazing, the response is good, the sound is good, everything is good.”
He said: “It keeps a community together, brings out good harmony and a good vibe among the people. After working for so long, they get something to enjoy that they can relate to.”
He added:
“We have Portuguese culture in Goa, we have Indian culture, and it’s a blend of Indian and Western culture. That is what we can showcase today.”
Away from the stage, visitors sampled a range of traditional dishes, browsed local business stalls and enjoyed activities for all ages.
Among the traders was SV Caterers, which served a selection of Goan favourites including curries, seafood and barbecue dishes.
Representative Shanice said: “I would recommend the chicken shawarma and especially the barbecue.”
UK Visionaries member Canute Fernandes said the carnival was held during the summer to allow more people to take part in a tradition that is usually celebrated in Goa earlier in the year.
He said:
“Carnival is one of the most important festivals in Goa. We usually celebrate it in February or March, but because that’s the cold season here, we hold it in summer so the Goan community and other communities can come and enjoy the day.”
He added: “Come and enjoy the music. We have lovely food stalls, face painting, T-shirts and plenty for families to enjoy.”
Local business owner Pearl Fernandes said the event reflected the town’s diverse community.
She said:
“I think it’s really important because it brings different communities together. It showcases our culture as well. We’ve got lots of different foods, different stalls and music performances.”
Asked what visitors should not miss, she replied:
“Definitely the music and the food.”
With another strong turnout and a packed programme of entertainment, Swindon Carnival continues to grow as a community event, bringing together people from different backgrounds to celebrate culture, music and food.
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