IT'S an annual event that brings the whole of Newport together to celebrate diversity and community.

But now the future of Pill Carnival is in doubt after the team behind the event decided to step down.

The colourful event has been held on August Bank Holiday Monday for generations.

This year's event was the biggest in 15 years, with an estimated 4,000 people attending to welcome the first parade since the pandemic.

However, the dedicated team of volunteers who organise the carnival each year have now decided to step down.

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This years Pill carnival parade with lions leading the way. 

Ali Boksh, chairman of the Pill Carnival Committee, said increasing costs made the event harder to organise and run.

He said: “It was a very hard decision and a shame, I think for different reasons everyone has come to a point in their life with the carnival.

“This year was my 20th year of running the carnival. I started when I was 23 and now I am 43, and after I made the announcement, some of the others decided to step down.

“I have taken the carnival as far as I can, the organisation thinks they have also.

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The winning float in this year's event, the Apple float dedicated to Ryan O'Connor.

The committee is made up of just five members - Ann Barton, Ali Boksh, Gina Ravencroft, Lisa Marshall, and Rebecca Roberts, who spend a whole year, every year, planning the big day.

Another dedicated member of the team was Sean Healey, who died suddenly in 2015. Newport councillor Ron Jones was also a long-standing member and chairman until his death in 2013.

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Pill Carnival back in the 1980s

Mr Boksh added: “It wasn’t an easy decision, but we thought it was the right time to give another team time to plan the next one.

“There are a couple of people who are interested, for me it should be a creative organisation like the Tin Shed Theatre Company or a team of creatives who can help with designing floats and costumes."

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Pictured are Sean Healy, Lisa Marshall, Rebecca Roberts with daughter Olivia and Ali Boksh

The parade passing Newport Central Police station.

He added: “It's the end of an era for us, as it has a massive history and I remember it as I grew up in Pill from the age of eight or nine and I have always loved the carnival.”

After the decision to step down, Mr Boksh said he wanted to thank all volunteers, committee members - as well as the Argus - for helping and being involved in the carnival.

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The late Cllr Ron Jones, former Pill councillor

“I take my hat off to all who have helped over the years in whatever they have done," he said.

“It’s a people's carnival in the truest sense, and they make that carnival - without their support and dedication it wouldn’t happen.”

The carnival committee announced their decision early to make sure there is enough time for planning another team and a new committee to be formed.

Ann Barton, owner of the AB florist shop on Commercial Street, served as a member of the committee for the past 22 years, and allowed her shop to be used as the event headquarters.

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AB Florists on Commercial Street acted as Pill Carnival Committee headquarters for years. Picture: Google Maps

She said: "It was always hard work with sweat and tears, but it was worth it to see the parade through Pill.

“Hearing the clapping and cheering this year was emotional, I cried most of the route as I knew for personal reasons this was my last carnival.

“I sincerely hope someone will carry on with carnival and wish them all the best."

The Pill carnival committee are looking for volunteers to take their place, to carry on the tradition of the Pill Carnival and to keep it going for the foreseeable future.

Anyone interested in securing the future of the carnival should contact the former committee for more information through their Facebook page facebook.com/pillcarnival/