Carnival time for Liverpool

Liverpool hopes to mimic Rio's colourful carnival

Liverpool hopes to rival the Rio and Notting Hill carnivals by finding the world's best street artists.

Liverpool City Council has announced a £10,000 top prize for the best performance during next year's International Street Carnival.

The announcement comes six weeks after the city was named the 2008 European Capital of Culture, and two days before the city's first ever carnival this weekend.

Artists from 19 countries, including Costa Rica, Brazil, Uruguay, Nigeria, Turkey and Italy, are travelling to the city for the two-day event, which starts on Saturday.

The carnival culminates in a colourful parade on Sunday, which will have more than 700 participants.

This will be a weekend of entertainment not to be missed Councillor Warren Bradley

Sue Woodward, Liverpool's creative director said: ''Liverpool has a fantastic reputation for festivals and audience participation, which is growing ever year.

"By 2008 we want to be hosting a world class carnival.

"As European Capital of Culture we need to be aiming to be the very best.''

Councillor Warren Bradley added: ''This is the first year we have attempted this carnival and the interest around the world has been huge.

Public vote

"This will be a weekend of entertainment not to be missed."

On Saturday, the city will be bouncing to more than 14 hours of street music, dance and theatre from acrobats and jugglers to Samba and hip-hop artists across nine venues.

The public is being invited to vote for their favourite performance.

More than 10,000 voting slips have been issued at hotels, museums, bars and tourist information centres to find the best act and the best costume.