1970s: Youth Protest Spurs a Community Carnival

By the 1970s, Butetown’s youth carried the carnival spirit forward by joining Cardiff’s annual Lord Mayor’s Parade with Caribbean-themed floats. During one parade in the mid-70s, onlookers subjected the Butetown Youth Club to racist jeers – an incident that led to an altercation . Instead of disciplining the harassers, officials banned the youth group from future parades. In response, Butetown’s young people and community elders decided to create their own carnival. Recognizing the cultural significance, the elders deliberately chose the carnival format to celebrate their heritage and resist racism . This was part of a broader wave in the UK at the time: Black British communities were establishing vibrant carnivals (Notting Hill in London, St. Paul’s in Bristol, etc.) that gained momentum in the 1970s . In 1976, some Butetown residents traveled to Notting Hill Carnival (after rain cancelled local plans) and witnessed the unrest and “riots” there that year . This solidified the resolve of Butetown’s community – they realized they shouldn’t have to leave home to find their culture. Thus, by the late 1970s, plans were in motion for a permanent, homegrown carnival in Cardiff’s docklands. The exclusion from the Mayor’s Parade had ignited a new tradition: “Our response to being excluded… was to put on the most inclusive cultural event in Cardiff” remembered Keith Murrell – a Carnival for Butetown, by Butetown.