Carnival of Wales hopes for Cardiff's Butetown event

Many had spent weeks preparing for the carnival, which added lots of colour to the streets

It is hoped an event can reinvigorate a community and become a carnival of Wales.

Over the Bank Holiday weekend, thousands of people are expected in Cardiff for the Butetown Carnival.

Organisers believe people are increasingly shunning huge events such as the Notting Hill Carnival - also taking place this weekend - for smaller gatherings.

They also think the event in Butetown can help change the area's image.

Colourful costumes and performers flooded on to the streets on Sunday as the parade took over the area.

"Over the years the Butetown community has been viewed in various lights - by producing carnival we're reintroducing ourselves into Welsh public life," said organiser Keith Murrell.

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"As a result of being excluded, we create something inclusive."

Commonly known as Tiger Bay in the past, one of Wales' most multi-cultural areas developed in the early 1900s, with people from more than 50 countries making the area their home.

Many of these worked in the docks area, which later became Cardiff Bay.

Thousands of people were at the carnival enjoying the atmosphere

More recently, it has become one of the poorest areas in the city.

However, Mr Murrell believes a vibrant annual event could give it a new lease of life, outlining his hopes to make it the "carnival of Wales".

"There are so many people in Notting Hill they can afford to lose a few and not notice, so there is no impact on that," he said.

"Here, they can come and have a bit of carnival, more of a bitesize carnival, and they can manage it and enjoy it and still talk to people.

"It's not a criticism at all, but I think Notting Hill Carnival has kind of outgrown what it was originally - the scale has taken over."

This year the Butetown carnival will mark the 75th anniversary of the Empire Windrush arriving in the UK carrying passengers from the Caribbean.

The event has been running since the 1960s and has been advertised all over the world, including in Ghana, Nigeria and Jamaica.

Now it consists of two separate but nearby events in Butetown and Cardiff Bay.

Colourful costumes were seen on the streets of Cardiff Bay

It began as a hybrid of Cardiff Mardi Gras, then in the 1970s Caribbean themed floats were introduced before youth workers began their own carnival in Canal Park in Butetown attracting 25,000 people.

Organiser Hilary Brown said carnivals flourished when the Windrush generation arrived in the UK.

"Who brought carnival to the UK? It was the Windrush generation," she said.

"What's the legacy they leave? They leave behind an opportunity and a fun environment to understand that carnival is just one of many many amazing things brought to the UK by the Windrush generation."

Carnival-making workshops and dance rehearsals have been taking place across Cardiff, with a parade from Loudon Square, Bute Street down to Cardiff Bay taking place on Sunday.

Lewis Dedas, 29 and Harold Barbar, 30, have travelled from Ghana to support the reggae artist, Capone, who now lives in Wales and makes his music here.

Harold said: "We've received a very warm welcome in Wales.

"This has created an opportunity for other people to exhibit their talent, it will make Wales a better place.

He believes everyone in Ghana will now hear about the carnival, and Hilary added: "I think it's putting Wales on the map, and rightly so."