The future of much-loved Cowley Road Carnival is uncertain as organizers decide to cancel this year’s festivities because of concerns over sponsorship and a lack of volunteers.
Cowley Road Works, organisers of the carnival, announced on Wednesday that there will be no festivities in 2012, but hoped to return the following year provided they could galvanise the support of the local business community.
A busy year of local events surrounding the Olympics and Diamond Jubilee were also blamed for organisers' decision not to go ahead with the annual event, which has become a fixture on Oxford's calendar since it was first held in 2001.
Karen David, Cowley Road Works spokesperson, said: “Funding is always an issue and it is part of the decision to delay the carnival. We are really sorry to disappoint. We understand that there will be many people who will be sorely disappointed and we are as sorely disappointed as anyone.
“We want to make sure the we can deliver in 2013 rather than struggle to pull together something this year, and not be able to quite make it or for it not to be what we planned it to be.
"We would rather say, ‘let's not take that risk and let's take 18 months and build to something spectacular'. We are confident that we will return in 2013 but we do rely on support from the community and businesses.”
Organisers estimate that the carnival will cost £40,000 to put on Cowley Road. Due to a shortfall in funding last year, the carnival was held only in South Parks after not enough cash could be drummed up to pay for closing the road.
“We hope to put it on Cowley Road next year, but we need resources to put it back there which we are working towards pulling together," said Karen David. "It costs money to place the event on Cowley Road, you need road signs, you need to give notice to residents, transport notices and facilities for the public such as security.”
The carnival attracted 20,000 people to South Park in 2011, with the festivities also including a headlining performance from UK hop hop star Roots Manuva.
Organisers hope to attract a crowd of between 25,000 and 30,000 to next year’s event. Karen said: “With a long lead-in we are managing an appeal for the community to help us, we offer so many opportunities for local businesses and organizations to get involved and have a presence reaching a huge audience in the community.
“It’s a great opportunity for businesses to engage with the community. Anybody involved is seen to be very community-lead and community-focused organization. For firms with a a market in east Oxford who want to make contact with their customers in that market, the carnival gives them ready access to them and is a great way to get the commercial message across to the community.”
