Cambridge, MA (July 22, 2009) Cambridge Carnival International, a colorful and festive celebration that is rooted in African traditions has a new date for the annual Caribbean and Mardi Gras style festival and parade. The new date is September 13, 2009 in Kendall Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts and the annual event will now be held the weekend after Labor Day. Take MBTA stop to Central Square for the parade and MBTA stop Kendall Square for the festival site.

The Cambridge Carnival, now a Cambridge institution, is embarking on its 17th year and the largest festival in Cambridge, attracting more than 150,000 spectators to this free annual event. The highlight of the festival is a grand costume parade accompanied by rich rhythmic musicality promoting all types of cultures. Revelers masquerade through the streets of Cambridge in dazzling handmade costumes dancing to the international beat and flavor of Carnival Cambridge style.

We are excited to introduce three new categories for the parade this year: The King and Queen Competition (Individual Category) the Community Group, and the Carnival Corporate Challenge. Performers, dancers, community groups, and corporate groups from all ethnic backgrounds are invited to showcase their culture. These new categories will allow us to enhance the parade and increase participation from local residents and area businesses. 

The parade, which has a new route that spans 1.3 miles starts at 1pm and begins near the Charles River at River Street and Blackstone Street, passes through Central Square along Massachusetts Avenue, continues up Main Street and ends in Kendall Square near MIT, Cambridge.

Costume participants are judged on five categories: Craftsmanship; Creativity, Visual Impact, Presentation; and Choreography. To participate in the parade, groups can register by completing an application. 

Please note the various categories of registration fees for participation in the parade as well as prizes. All these are posted on the website. Rules and guidelines of the procession and are guidelines of the Cambridge Carnival International parade can be downloaded from our website at www.cambridgecarnival.org/registration, email cambridgecarnival@gmail.org, or call 617-492-2518.

About Cambridge Carnival International

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. 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.

2009 major partners include Metro Newspaper and Cambridge Community Television (CCTV) and other sponsors include Boston Healthnet, and Wainwright Bank. Cambridge Carnival International free and open to the public and can be accessed via public transportation via the red line.

For vendor, sponsor and general information, call 617-492-2518, email cambridgecarnival@gmail.com, or go to www.cambridgecarnival.org