Preston's Windrush Festival is back - event bigger and better than before with fairground, DJ & Caribbean food
This years’ Windrush Festival promises to be the biggest and best yet - celebrating the North West’s African- Caribbean and mixed-race communities.
The free family event, taking place in Preston’s Avenham Park on June 22, will bring colour, Soca and Reggae, live music and DJ sets, dancing, a selection of non-food stalls, children's fairground and a wide selection of international cuisines - including tastes of the Caribbean.
The festival, now known as the Windrush North West Festival was set up in 2013 by Adrian Murell, Mellisa Hatch and Carol Harris as a family-oriented, multi-generational, cross-cultural festival. It reaffirms Caribbean identity, history, and culture for the descendants of people from the Caribbean and the wider community.
Now in its 12th year it regularly draws crowds of 5,000 plus.
Adrian, CEO of Windrush North West CIC said: “The Windrush North West Festival is the first event in the county to pay tribute to the first West Indians who settled here. It's also the only event that hosts Prestonians from different backgrounds. It is truly is a multicultural and multi-racial community event showcasing the countys best talent.
“We are united in acknowledging and respecting the generation of West Indians who were brave enough to take the first step in coming to England. This generation faced open racism no Irish, no dogs, no blacks. They saw the walls painted Keep Britain White, No Blacks Allowed and yet they still hung in there. If they hadn’t, we wouldn't be here now with our children, grandchildren and in some cases great-grandchildren.”
He added: “This event is about showing they do matter, and everyone comes to celebrate it with us. It's the only event where you have young and old and black and white. and people from the Asian community.”
HMT Empire Windrush is best remembered for bringing one of the first large groups of post-war West Indians to the UK.
The free event runs from 12pm to 7pm on June 22 at Avenham Park, Preston. There will be no parking on site so those attending are asked to use city centre car parks.