Hereford River Carnival 2017 gets afloat with Nozstock: The Hidden Valley

Hereford and the River Wye will once again be alive with fun and watery festivities as the city’s River Carnival comes to town on Friday 28th and Saturday 29th April.

And this year the Carnival will receive a marvellous musical boost as the award-winning team behind the boutique family festival, Nozstock The Hidden Valley will join in the celebrations bringing its own brand of family-orientated festivity to Castle Green.

Both Hereford River Carnival and Nozstock were winners in the events category at the Visit Herefordshire Awards 2016 which is where River Carnival organisers Becca Huggett and Jo Henshaw met with Rob Nosworthy  of Nozstock and first began to hatch a scheme to work together.

“It seemed like the perfect match,” said Rebecca Huggett, “Nozstock is known for its down to earth, family-focused atmosphere and that is exactly what you get at the River Carnival.  We were delighted when Rob, Toki, and Ella said that they would like to run the music tent on Castle Green.   This will add to the brilliant music we already have from the Music Pool on Bishop’s Meadow plus our fantastic resident DJs Reggae Pie and Wild Hare Club to offer something for everyone.”

Toki Allison added, “Nozstock’s ethos is about bringing play to everyone, in whatever form it can. We strongly believe in the value of not only entertaining, but in participation and contribution.  These values are shared 100 per cent by the River Carnival, so to become a part of it seemed an obvious thing to do.  We’re thrilled to be involved, and as well as some fantastic festival favourites in our live music programme, we will be organising some fun family activities and bringing some of Nozstock’s 2017 surrealism theme to play in the Street Carnival on the day.”

The Hereford River Carnival was revived in 2014 and is a day of fun for everyone, celebrating the beauty and vitality of the River Wye and the life and opportunities that it brings to the city and people of Hereford.  In 2016, around 12,000 people joined the fun despite the chilly spring weather and organisers are hoping for a bigger turn out in 2017 following last year’s success. 

It is run entirely by volunteers and because it is run by the people of Hereford for the people of Hereford, it remains an extraordinary and exciting event, unique in the Hereford calendar.

This year, as well as the main event on Saturday daytime, the Carnival will have the added attraction of an amazing torch-lit performance on the Friday night (28^th April).  The performance will feature a range of mythical beasts inspired by the creatures on the city’s Mappa Mundi and is part of a major three-year project to celebrate this most important Hereford cultural icon.  Entitled Mappa Mundi: out of the museum and into the streets, it is a joint venture between the River Carnival and Hereford Cathedral and will feature performers from the Courtyard Youth Theatre, DanceFest and local musicians – more details to follow soon.

Rebecca Huggett continued, “River Carnival 2017 will feature the Street Carnival, and all the music, dance, great food, the h.Energy village that people have told us they love, and of course the afternoon will be rounded off in style by the City of Hereford Rotary Club duck race.  But as well as Nozstock, there are a number of other exciting new additions this year like the Friday night Mappa Mundi performance and the people of Hereford should watch out for more details coming soon.”

For more information on how to get involved, build a raft, volunteer or simply come along on the day, contact the Carnival on info@rivercarnival.org like us on Facebook Hereford River Carnival, follow us on Twitter @WyeCarnival or visit our website at www.rivercarnival.org.