Lighting up Newcastle with music, colour and dance, Winter Carnival fuses traditional North East celebrations with a vibrant carnival parade culminating in an early evening firework display.
The Newcastle Ice Queen hails from the North and represents our traditions of Yuletide misrule. Casting an icy atmosphere into the streets, in contrast to the traditional "hot" carnival queens, her icy breath and snowy blasts may freeze you... but she also has a fiery surprise to warm you through.
Ice Queen will be joined by PachaMama, a goddess revered by the indigenous people of the Andes, celebrates Latin America, its diversity, sensuality, passion and extremes and the South East Asian Peacock Queen and her huge golden tiger prowl the streets of Newcastle accompanied by costumed dancers and drummers.
The Carnival queens and their entourage will congregate at Grey's Monument during the afternoon before parading up Northumberland Street in the early evening for a carnival fireworks finale outside Newcastle Civic Centre.
St Thomas' Church will be open for a New Year's Eve coffee morning from 10am. The church will also serve tea and coffee and have public toilets available to use during the New Year's Eve celebrations at Civic Centre – donations are welcomed. For details of services visit www.newcastle.anglican.org.
Join us at the Tyneside Cinema in the 3rd Floor Tyneside Bar, and ease your way into New Year's Eve with 10% off a pre-parade drink of your choice. One per customer per visit.
The festive atmosphere continues though the night as the Carnival Queens leave the twin cities and its revelers to celebrate the beginning of 2010.
Approximate performance times:
| 2pm | Carnival Queens, Kinetika Tiger and drummers performing on Grey St, Grainger St and Old Eldon Square |
| 4pm | Carnival queens arrive at Monument |
| 5pm | Parade moves up Northumberland Street to Civic Centre |
| 5.15pm | Steel Pan Band play in front of Memorial at Civic Centre |
| 6pm | Fireworks display at Civic Centre |
For public transport advice on New Year's Eve call Traveline on 0871 200 22 33 or www.nexus.org.uk
Winter Carnival is presented in association with Walk the Plank.
