Govanhill International Festival and Carnival

Check out and download this year’s full programme here.

Our print programme specifies that many events need to be pre-booked in advance. This is now no longer the case. Events do not need to be pre-booked online unless otherwise specified here. However we will still be following government guidelines on social distancing and audiences will be capped at full capacity, so please arrive early to avoid disappointment. 

The Govanhill International Festival and Carnival is back: bigger, brighter and bolder than ever before!

Now in its fifth year, the festival began in 2016 as an antidote to racism towards migrant communities from Eastern Europe in Govanhill. It started as a carnival, parade and weekend of music, aiming to celebrate the diversity of the area and combat division and hate. It has since grown into a beautiful, two week extravaganza, embodying the richness and diversity of the flourishing arts and culture scene in Govanhill. This programme features over fifty events – including talks, music, workshops, film, exhibitions, theatre, heritage events and guided walks. We’re also overjoyed to welcome back our Carnival and Parade after its hiatus in 2020, and thrilled to bring back our Street Music Festival after its resounding popularity last year.

Safety is still paramount, and all events will adhere to Covid-19 government guidelines. Social distancing will be put in place and all events being held indoors, or confined outdoor spaces, will be limited to manageable numbers. It is important that our festival is as inclusive, accessible and family friendly as possible, so all events are free unless otherwise stated.

At its heart, the Govanhill International Festival and Carnival is, and will always be, an anti-racist festival: celebrating the contributions immigrants have made to a community that is home to people of 40+ nationalities speaking 60+ languages. We are proud to live here, proud of our diversity, heritage and history, and the GIFC is a declaration of that. So join us this year to celebrate five years of the GIFC, and to celebrate Govanhill!

You can find this year’s event listings in the Festival sub-menu on the left. Keep an eye on our Facebook and Twitter pages for information and news.