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One Day In... Leeds West Indian Carnival

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BBC Radio 4 Extra - One Day In... Leeds West Indian Carnival

Dancers, designers, police and parade-goers experience the Leeds West Indian Carnival.

4 Extra Debut. First celebrated in 1967, dancers, designers, police and parade-goers experience the Leeds West Indian Carnival. From 2014.

The Leeds West Indian Carnival began in 1967 as one man's cure for his homesickness. 

It now attracts up to 150,000 visitors every year, generating an estimated £10,000,000 for the local economy.

Listen in as dancers, designers, chefs, police and carnival-goers all tell their stories as we follow them from sunrise to sunset on the streets of Chapeltown in Leeds.

Costume designer Hughbon Condor trained as an engineer, and it shows. One of his creations consists of giant bat wings which, when unfurled, release lots of tiny bats all dancing around the "parent." 

Meanwhile, his son Sephbon is busy constructing his own creation, hoping to outdo his father and be crowned Carnival King.

As the last minute preparations and costume repairs are executed, stall holders are getting ready to sell succulent jerk chicken for eight hours non-stop.
 
And, as the carnival beat begins to rise, Chief Inspector Matt Davison is briefing his officers on how to safely and successfully police the heady mix of spices, soca, drum and bass, and alcohol.

Recorded on August 25th 2014.

Producer: John Byrne

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in October 2014.

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