Schools, artists, community groups and city historians are being invited to take part in two local projects based on carnivals.

A Carnival Roadshow will take place in the city centre on Saturday to outline the schemes, organised by the UK Centre for Carnival Arts, Norwich and Norfolk Community Arts and Norwich City Council.

The Carnival Crossroad project, funded by the Legacy Trust and Arts Council East of England, is taking place in five towns and cities across the country over the next two years.

It has been developed to encourage community groups to get involved with carnivals and experience the parades, costumes and culture.

It will see five local artists give workshops in dance, music, float building and costume making to members of five different community groups in the city.

All of those involved will come together to make one Carnival Supergroup and perform in parades around the region before going on to join the groups from the four other towns and cities involved to take part in the biggest one-day carnival in Europe in Luton in 2012.

The second scheme is the Regional Carnival Archive Project, supported by Heritage Lottery Fund and East of England Development Agency, which will see local people document the history of local events such as the Lord Mayor's Carnival.

Paul Anderson, chief executive of the UK Centre for Carnival Arts, said: 'Carnival offers an unrivalled wealth of possibilities for participation, learning, enjoyment, and both personal and community growth and development.

'The UKCCA exists to provide education, enterprise, advocacy, training, and outreach activities that promote the value, reach and powerful impact of Carnivals and Carnival Arts regionally and to document the history of the growth of Carnival and Carnival Arts in the UK.'

The Carnival Roadshow takes place on Saturday at Chantry Hall on Chantry Road in the city centre from noon to 2pm.

t Are you taking part in an unusual event? Call reporter Matthew Sparkes on 01603 772439 or email matthew.sparkes@archant.co.uk