The Open Road Carnival
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IW Mardi Gras 2026 Launch - Wednesday 28th January
Celebrating Island Stories, Myths and Legends
New Carnival officially launched IW Mardi Gras 2026 on Wednesday 28th January at Quay Arts, Newport. Welcoming representatives from local schools, community groups and youth organisations to the Minghella Theatre for an inspiring evening of film, folklore and future plans.
The launch began with the world premiere screening of Folktastic Isle – The Wheel of the Year, the spirited music video created as part of last year’s IW Mardi Gras. The film celebrates the 24 schools and community groups that took part in the 2025 event, representing the Island’s seasonal traditions and is now available to watch on New Carnival’s YouTube channel and across its social media platforms. Watch it via the link below.
Following the screening, the New Carnival team delivered a detailed and engaging presentation unveiling the 2026 theme: Folktastic Isle – Stories, Myths and Legends. The theme will be explored through three creative strands: Creatures, People and Places, drawing on both historical and contemporary Island folklore. Stories highlighted included The Gooseberry Wife, The Brighstone Dragon tree, Hobson – Hero of the Navy, Chuffle, the Lost Village of Wolverton and the Legend of Puckaster, among many more – offering rich inspiration for schools, artists and community groups taking part.
2026 is the National year of Reading and so even more fitting to be exploring stories, myths and legends. New Carnival Director Hannah Ray states:
‘Stories matter because they are part of what makes us human. They help us understand the world and our place in it. Carnival is a powerful storytelling space, a way to explore history, identity, and ideas with creativity and humour’
Guest speaker, expert local folklorist Paul Cowdell, shared his experiences creating the group Folklore Without Borders, which is a research network that aims to understand how to embed greater equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) within UK folklore. This sentiment rings true to New Carnivals values. Paul also spoke about some of the Islands folklore stories such as the Pied Piper of Newtown and the upcoming ratification of UNESCO’s ‘Intangible cultural heritage’ something which will celebrate ‘living heritage’ practises such as carnival.
New Carnival outlined the wide range of support available for anyone wishing to take part in IW Mardi Gras 2026, it is open to everyone, just get in touch. The grand parade will be through Ryde on Saturday 4th July 2026. Thanks to New Carnival’s Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation funding, there is a substantial programme of free support available to schools, community groups and individuals. In addition, New Carnival’s experienced team of artists and educators can be booked to deliver further in-school workshops, after-school clubs and bespoke creative sessions in the lead-up to the parade.
A highlight of the launch event was a live demonstration from the New Carnival Dance Troupe leaders, giving attendees a taste of the choreography and energy that will feature in this year’s celebrations. The trio will also be offering dance workshops and after-school clubs in the run-up to IW Mardi Gras, you can book a free taster session to try it out by emailing dance@newcarnival.co.uk
For those unable to attend the launch event, full information on how to get involved, sign up and access support is available by emailing Gemma@newcarnival.co.uk.
The IW Mardi Gras continues to be one of the Isle of Wight’s most joyful and inclusive cultural events, bringing together creativity, community and celebration in the heart of Ryde.