St Denys Carnival returns for 2026 as the St Denys Carnival & Arts Festival.

As well as the return of the highly successful Carnival, St Denys Crew are delighted to announce the addition of the Arts Festival to the Carnival family, running from 22nd -30th May 2026.

The Festival of arts and performance will include art exhibitions featuring local artists, workshops, creative spaces, dance, music and more, bringing a whole 9 days of celebration, colour and culture to Southampton.

The Carnival itself will take place on Saturday 23rd May 2026, taking in the streets of St Denys, uniting our community spaces and culminating in after parties at our beloved pubs.

After the joy of last year’s Carnival, we are thrilled to announce that the theme of the 2026 St Denys Carnival is Pirates of the River Itchen. The theme pays homage to the river which gives St Denys peace, rest, activity and fun. Check out the 2026 information page for more!