0161 Festival follows a long traditional of working class activism. Working to bring communities, trade unions and political activist together to fight racism and fascism.
Dubbed ‘the day it became cool to be anti-racist’, the Carnival galvanised North West communities against racist groups, including the National Front. We reflect on what can be described as the largest community based mobilisation against racism and fascism in the North West of England.
The Northern Carnival against the Nazis, a rally and concert held on 15 July 1978 in Moss Side, Manchester, was a defining moment in establishing anti-racism in the city and beyond. A rally of 15,000 working class people marched all the way from Strangeways prison in Salford to Alexandra Park in Moss Side Manchester, joining a further 25,000 for an afternoon of music, dancing and unity.
