2021–2022: Gradual Return to In-Person Celebration

With health restrictions easing, 2021 saw the Butetown Carnival cautiously return to the streets, reuniting the community in person. That summer, instead of the usual large-scale festival, organizers put on a scaled-back Carnival event focusing on local performers and community gathering. A notable highlight was the appearance of Asheber and the Afrikan Revolution, a popular Afro-reggae band that had played in earlier years, who returned to perform in Canal Park in 2021 . Their lively set (to a distanced crowd) symbolized a resurgence of live music for the Carnival. The 2021 carnival parade was more of a marching band processional and community walk than a full-blown carnival parade, but it still brought residents out on the streets, waving flags and wearing bright colors as they walked through Butetown. Echoing the previous year’s improvisation, some elements of a community picnic remained – families brought their own food and sat in household groups on the grass to enjoy performances. It was a humble restart, but full of hope. “The event a year before had been affected by Covid-19 and resulted in a community picnic,” one band noted, “so seeing a stage up again in 2021 was emotional for everyone” . The gradual approach prioritized safety while rekindling the Carnival atmosphere.

By 2022, the Carnival was able to rebound much closer to full strength. That year, Cardiff’s summer events returned citywide, and Butetown Carnival once again hosted a full parade and outdoor festival over the August bank holiday. The parade in 2022 was especially meaningful – it was one of the first to follow the route from Loudoun Square all the way to the Senedd, truly uniting Butetown with Cardiff Bay’s public space. Spectators cheered as the Carnival procession – complete with costumes, drummers, and the beloved Butetown Dragon – “arrived at the Senedd” to cap off the route (as captured on a live feed by local media) . This moment marked the Carnival’s symbolic reclaiming of the city. The 2022 event featured multiple stages including one outside the WMC, showcasing the diversity of Cardiff talent that had been waiting two years to perform again. From Somali dance groups to Welsh-language rappers, performers relished the chance to be back. Attendance in 2022 bounced back as well, with thousands coming out – many first-timers drawn by curiosity after missing public events during the pandemic. COVID-19 had taught everyone not to take gatherings for granted, and there was a special celebratory mood. Sanitizer stations and some precautions remained, but overall, the Carnival’s vibrant normalcy was restored. “It’s our time to come together, enjoy and express ourselves,” as Catherine Kouyaté said about carnival’s essence – and in 2022 that felt especially true . The successful return in 2022 paved the way for an even bigger, unrestricted celebration in 2023, with organizers confident and lessons learned on how to integrate community safety with carnival revelry.