Get Ready for the NYE Winter Carnival

December 27, 2013 by Rachel Kershaw in Days Out 0

For the last three or four years my boyfriend James and I have wrapped up in our winter woollies and taken to the streets of Newcastle city centre on the last day of the year for the amazing carnival organised by NewcastleGateshead Initiative.

The first time we experienced this awe-inspiring event we were blown away by the outrageous costumes, the lively music and the spectacular firework display that lit up the skies above Newcastle Civic centre.

Since then, friends and family from all across the country have joined us at the event and allowed us to proudly show off our city in style.

This year’s New Years Eve Winter Carnival promises to be as exciting and creative as ever with a Nordic theme and host of mythical creatures! Once again James and I will be heading in to town for the festivities but this year will be very different for us… We won’t be vying for the best view on Northumberland Street and I won’t be messing around with my camera settings in an attempt to get a great pic of the fireworks… because this year we are actually going to be IN the carnival!

As soon as I saw the advert on NGI’s Twitter account, I jumped at the chance to be involved and signed us up to be part of a team of 100 torchbearers who will join the procession! We’ll start off near Grey’s Monument at about 5pm and will follow the funky drummers and fire breathing ship along the route to the Civic Centre will the fireworks will start about 6pm.

That’s one of the things I love most about this event, it’s a New Year’s Eve celebration that you don’t have to wait up till midnight for! However, if you are more of nightowl than me then there will still be the traditional fireworks as the clock strikes 12 down on the Quayside.

You can get full details of all the Winter Festival events HERE and if you are planning on going along to the carnival then be sure to keep an eye out for me and give me a wave!

Photos used in this post were kindly supplied by NewcastleGateshead Initiative

By Rachel Kershaw