In 2022 and 2023, the Climate Carnival was an ambitious free cultural programme.

It formed part of Weston Presents programme over Summer 2022, a series of events that showcased the best of Weston’s culture and creativity through a plethora of things to see, do and experience alongside SEE MONSTER.

The programme was powered by the knowledge, imagination and passion of local residents to through a series of community think tanks in which local communities and artists co-designed events together. The Climate Carnival was one such event.

The Climate Carnival was a collective call for action on the climate crisis by the community. The carnival shone a light on the role of creativity in climate action and the things we can all do to make a difference. It involved more than 400 participants through a summer long workshop programme. Participants learnt new skills, such as sewing, printing, making, mending and creating new life in throwaway materials.

Over 500 joined in the parade and 3,000 people on the High Street and Italian Gardens enjoyed the spectacle.

In 2023, the community came together once again at Weston’s Climate Carnival to show solidarity for climate action and shine a light on how collectively we can spread a positive message for a sustainable and hopeful future world. 

Throughout the summer, we held Climate Carnival arts workshops all over town, and on September 9, we celebrated what connects us and how we can work together to make change. The community-led procession parades down the seafront with a kaleidoscopic display of environmentally-themed carnival arts.

Spectacles included carnival outfits, music, protest posters, sea creatures, bugs and more – all created out of reused materials and made at Climate Workshops led by local artists throughout the summer, with the theme of Climate Justice at the forefront of everyone’s mind.

The Climate Carnival was produced by Culture Weston and funded by Arts Council England, Esmee Fairbairn and Burnham & Weston Energy.