About Cambridge Carnival International

Celebrating 16 Years of Fun & Diversity

Cambridge Carnival International is a colorful and festive celebration that is rooted in African traditions. Carnival secretly allowed public communication and cultural bonding for the Afro-Caribbean cultures from as far back as the 1600s.

The festival, now a Cambridge institution, is embarking on its 16th year. The highlight of the festival is a grand costume parade accompanied by rich rhythmic musicality promoting all types of cultures can be seen as revelers masquerade through the streets of Cambridge in dazzling handmade costumes dancing to the beat of Carnival.

Cambridge Carnival is the most unique event in the City of Cambridge. It is planned entirely by the community for the community. The organizing committee works hard year-round to plan an event that is inclusive, engaging, and reflective of the City’s diversity. The event is organized by a non-profit volunteer community organization made up of a diverse group of individuals who live and work in Cambridge as well as local businesses who desire to promote, preserve and share the history and culture of the Caribbean and Carnival traditions based on the models of Trinidad and Tobago and Brazil. The festival is a vehicle to bring together Cambridge's diverse community for a spectacular annual costume parade and celebration.

The Cambridge Carnival has come a long way since 1992 from a small street fair at University Park, to now one of the most spectacular events in the Greater Boston area. Today, Cambridge Carnival is one of the largest outdoor multicultural festivals in New England and is now the largest festival in Cambridge. After twelve years of growth, in 2004, Cambridge Carnival, which takes place in August every year, outgrew its Central Square location and found a home in Kendall Square.
Cambridge Carnival is one of twenty-four North American Caribbean-style carnivals that combine wire-bending, costumes, masks, music, steel pan, street-parades, dancing, and food and craft exhibits, to display the diverse cultures of all the countries and Caribbean islands.

2008 BOARD OF DIRECTORS                     
Nicola A. Williams, President                      
Natalie Syrion, Treasurer                                      
Owen Howell                    
Dorothy E. Hudson                       

STAFF                                               
Emerson Kington, Production Manager
         
2008 PLANNING COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Pam Curtis
Debra Davis
Patty Deschineau
Drucilla Edwards
Owen Howell
Dorothy E. Hudson
Rocky Jeanty
Kathy King
Ellis Mendes
Gregory O'Bannon
Wayne Robinson
Maxine Samuels
Natalie Syrion
Cecile Williams
Nicola A. Williams