The Carnival has run continuously since 1968, with a break in 2002 and 2006 when the Board was restructured and more recently 2012. It has grown to become nationally recognised and now attracts over 100,000 people each year. The carnival involves over a thousand participants including sound systems, children from the local primary schools, artists, local sports events, circus, visiting groups, parents and officials, which makes it a vibrant carnival event.

Run as a not-for-profit organisation and became a registered charity in 2010, which oversees the planning, and delivery of this loved carnival it is a glittering pageant of costumes, cultures and floats, each reflecting powerful cultural traditions from around the world. Alongside the famous street parade there are a host of sound systems playing different styles of music, live stages featuring local and international artists, spoken word corner co-ordinated by local poets, stalls offering a taste of foods from different continents, a creative environment for families located in St. Agnes Park and pre carnival events including Mas camps where local people can gather to create their own costumes.