It is the 52nd anniversary of the longest-running West Indian Carnival in Europe, climaxing
in the Carnival Day Procession on Monday.
The first Leeds West Indian Carnival happened in 1967.
It helped to enable West Indian settlers who had arrived in Britain after the Second World War t
o assert their own cultural identities in a society that often seemed less welcoming at the time.
The Masquerade or ‘Mas’ bands compete to show who has the most elaborate costumes and the best dance choreography, to win the titles of ‘Best Mas Band’ and ‘Best Individual Costume’.
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