
Carnival 2016 through historic Jamestown, St Helena, raising funds for local charity, Cancer Support and Awareness. This year’s theme, ‘Taking Flight’ brought out wings of all shapes and sizes.
GIVE ME WINGS | Darrin Henry
There was string at St Helena Carnival 2016; sellotape, masking tape, safety pins, cable ties, wire, bendy plastic water piping; there were feathers, silky fabric, net curtains, cardboard, crepe paper, painted bed sheets and tin foil; and there was music and people and dogs and one float cum mobile band – but best of all, there was sunshine!

St Helena Carnival 2016 through historic Jamestown, raising funds for local charity, Cancer Support and Awareness. This year’s theme, ‘Taking Flight’ brought out wings of all shapes and sizes.
Here Comes The Sun
Welcome to St Helena Carnival 2016, fluttering through Jamestown on wings of all shapes and sizes following the theme of ‘Taking Flight.’ Colourful, happy and noisy.
We’ve just endured about two months or so of dreariness, otherwise known as a St Helena winter. Ok, not winter as some of my friends in UK keep reminding me they experience, but all the same, it’s not been fun.
But yesterday, the day before Carnival 2016 the sun finally made a sustained appearance and today it was back again! It seemed to raise everyone’s spirits and the mood was positively happy.

Carnival 2016 through historic Jamestown, St Helena. This year’s theme, ‘Taking Flight’ brought out wings of all shapes and sizes.
St Helena Carnival is a biennial event, organised to raise funds for a local charity, Cancer Support and Awareness.
St Helena Carnival Dancing Down The Street
This year organisers had made ‘Taking Flight’ the theme, after all, this was supposed to be the year (2016) that air travel came to St Helena. Although that’s not quite worked out as expected, still, ‘wings’ had been chosen and today that’s what we got. All shapes, sizes and colours.

Carnival 2016 through historic Jamestown, St Helena, raising funds for local charity, Cancer Support and Awareness. This year’s theme, ‘Taking Flight’ brought out wings of all shapes and sizes.
Jamestown street parades are very much a part of St Helena culture; ‘dancing down the street’ as it’s often referred to. They take the mile long route beginning at the hospital and finishing on the sea front. There are the regulars; St Helena Day parade is in May and the traditional Christmas parades in December are always popular, especially the Festival of Lights, the only night parade. Then there are the one-off fund raisers and special events that also bring the colourful costumes onto the streets.
Today’s carnival brought the sun out. It was fantastic.
Here are a few pictures – enjoy!

Carnival 2016 through historic Jamestown, St Helena, raising funds for local charity, Cancer Support and Awareness. This year’s theme, ‘Taking Flight’ brought out wings of all shapes and sizes.

Carnival 2016 through historic Jamestown, St Helena. This year’s theme, ‘Taking Flight’ brought out wings of all shapes and sizes.

Miss St Helena 2016, Kimley Yon (centre) taking part in the carnival with first and second runners up, Kaylee Young and Jodie Scipio-Constantine. St Helena Carnival 2016 through historic Jamestown. This year’s theme, ‘Taking Flight’ brought out wings of all shapes and sizes.

St Helena Carnival 2016 through historic Jamestown, raising funds for local charity, Cancer Support and Awareness. This year’s theme, ‘Taking Flight’ brought out wings of all shapes and sizes.

St Helena Carnival 2016 through historic Jamestown. This year’s theme, ‘Taking Flight.’

Carnival 2016 through historic Jamestown, St Helena. This year’s theme, ‘Taking Flight’ brought out wings of all shapes and sizes.

Carnival 2016 through historic Jamestown, St Helena, raising funds for local charity, Cancer Support and Awareness. This year’s theme, ‘Taking Flight’ brought out wings of all shapes and sizes.

Carnival 2016 through historic Jamestown, St Helena. This year’s theme, ‘Taking Flight’ brought out wings of all shapes and sizes.

Photographers were everywhere capturing the fun of Carnival 2016 through historic Jamestown, St Helena, raising funds for local charity, Cancer Support and Awareness.

Carnival 2016 through historic Jamestown, St Helena, raising funds for local charity, Cancer Support and Awareness. This year’s theme, ‘Taking Flight’ brought out wings of all shapes and sizes.

St Helena’s Governor, Lisa Phillips (centre) spreading her wings joining in the Cancer Support and Awareness Carnival 2016. This year’s theme, ‘Taking Flight.’

Carnival 2016 through historic Jamestown, St Helena. This year’s theme, ‘Taking Flight’ brought out wings of all shapes and sizes.

Carnival 2016 through historic Jamestown, St Helena, raising funds for local charity, Cancer Support and Awareness. This year’s theme, ‘Taking Flight’ brought out wings of all shapes and sizes.

Carnival 2016 through historic Jamestown, St Helena, raising funds for local charity, Cancer Support and Awareness. This year’s theme, ‘Taking Flight’ brought out wings of all shapes and sizes.

Carnival 2016 through historic Jamestown, St Helena, raising funds for local charity, Cancer Support and Awareness. This year’s theme, ‘Taking Flight’ brought out wings of all shapes and sizes.

Carnival 2016 through historic Jamestown, St Helena, raising funds for local charity, Cancer Support and Awareness. This year’s theme, ‘Taking Flight’ brought out wings of all shapes and sizes.

Carnival 2016 through historic Jamestown, St Helena, raising funds for local charity, Cancer Support and Awareness. This year’s theme, ‘Taking Flight’ brought out wings of all shapes and sizes.

Carnival 2016 through historic Jamestown, St Helena, raising funds for local charity, Cancer Support and Awareness. This year’s theme, ‘Taking Flight’ brought out wings of all shapes and sizes.

Spectators lining the route through Jamestown to see Carnival 2016, raising funds for St Helena charity, Cancer Support and Awareness.

Carnival 2016 through historic Jamestown, St Helena, raising funds for local charity, Cancer Support and Awareness. This year’s theme, ‘Taking Flight’ brought out wings of all shapes and sizes.

Carnival 2016 through historic Jamestown, St Helena, raising funds for local charity, Cancer Support and Awareness. This year’s theme, ‘Taking Flight’ brought out wings of all shapes and sizes.

A great turnout for Carnival 2016 through historic Jamestown, St Helena, raising funds for local charity, Cancer Support and Awareness. This year’s theme, ‘Taking Flight’ brought out wings of all shapes and sizes.

A great turnout for St Helena Carnival 2016 through historic Jamestown, raising funds for local charity, Cancer Support and Awareness. This year’s theme, ‘Taking Flight’ brought out wings of all shapes and sizes. Moving on to Main Street and past the Consulate Hotel.

Carnival 2016 through historic Jamestown, St Helena, raising funds for local charity, Cancer Support and Awareness. This year’s theme, ‘Taking Flight’ brought out wings of all shapes and sizes.

One of the many refreshment stalls on the sea front where the carnival parade finished. Carnival 2016 through historic Jamestown, St Helena, raising funds for local charity, Cancer Support and Awareness.

Carnival 2016 through historic Jamestown, St Helena, raising funds for local charity, Cancer Support and Awareness. This year’s theme, ‘Taking Flight’ brought out wings of all shapes and sizes.

Carnival 2016, St Helena Island, raising funds for the local charity ‘Cancer Support and Awareness.’ This year’s theme, ‘Taking Flight.’
Reblogged this on msamba.
A great event and a good advert for St Helena . Wish we were there to see the pageant
Thanks guys, great to hear from you again. Maybe next time it will be easier to come and see it, or better still, take part 🙂
what brilliant day enjoy by all pictures where great thanks for sharing !!!! i sure would have play a part if i was home
Haha, we know you would have been in there Pammy! Next time, start planning your costume 🙂 Thanks for the comment.
Well done on another great carnival. Amazing photos too! Wish I was home to take part as well.
You will need to start planning your leave for the next one in two years time 🙂 Thanks for the comment, always good to hear from you.
Brilliant photos – they made me wish I were there. There was also a very noticeable difference for me personally….originality. Often with “events” on the island I am left with the feeling I’ve seen this before, something being copied…but the photographs portrayed freshness and really well done creativity. The carnival too looked bigger, more vibrant and fun. Well done to all those who made this happen, who joined in the community spirit which is so important to St Helena’s way of life. Really enjoyed looking at these photographs….thank you.
Hey Nigel, you’re not wrong, there was a lovely buzz to the carnival as everyone embraced this year’s theme. The parade really is a vital part of the island’s community traditions. Thanks for the comment. Hope to have plenty more from you 🙂
Wow! Brilliant photos once again Sharon & Darrin! Everyone looks absolutely beautiful 🙂
Thanks Andrea 🙂
So beautiful and so spectacular
Agreed Patsy, what a super Carnival parade 🙂
Awesome pictures as always, St Helena sure does have the most beautiful people, amazing talent and a strong community x
Everyone certainly was beautiful for the carnival and the effort with all the wings made it special. Thanks for your comment, always lovely to see your name pop up on here 🙂
Hi Darrin – from a Jersey that’s just beginning it’s long winter… We’re just back from the Deep South in the USA – your excellent blog earlier was helpful!
Tell me: how is Eric Benjamin these days? I didn’t get a reply to my last email some time ago and knowing that he’d been poorly, I was concerned. Is he still going strong? If so, I will try again.
We still get the Wirebird and generally try to keep abreast of what is happening out there. And we look forward very much to finding out What the Saints Do Next!
Best wishes
Rod
Rod Amy rodamy46@gmail.com
>
We had a great time in the US south, so many good memories, glad the blogs were helpful. Haha, no fun at the start of winter, eh!
Eric and Heather are doing great, we went to their 60th wedding anniversary last month. His email is still the same.
Brilliant to hear from you again, always appreciate your comments on the blog. Cheers 🙂
Awesome pics. Darren … Nice to sit and look and admire all those beautiful wings, as you don’t get to see all on the day xxx
That’s so true Debbie, when you’re in the parade you tend to only see those costumes immediately close by, never considered that before! Everyone made such a great effort. Good job as MC by you too 🙂 always getting the party started. Thanks for the comment.
Brilliant photo’s looks like you had a great day.
It certainly was Judy, thanks for the comment. Cheers 🙂
Thanks for the wonderful photos! They ooze sunshine and vitality.
Cheers Ceri, nice of you to say. The sunshine definitely made photography easy 🙂
Beautiful pictures Darren! There were lots of excellent wings, talent for you!!! Well done to all who made this happen, an awesome sight to watch for such a worthy cause! Brilliant!
Agreed, some excellent wings on display, so much creativity. Such a pleasure to be a part of it. Thanks for the comment Patricia 🙂