A WHITE sandy beach will whisk revellers off to paradise for the first time during the county’s biggest street festival.

Witney’s Wychwood Brewery has revealed it will sponsor the Hobgoblin Car Park stage at next week’s Cowley Road Carnival.

It will see the company transform an East Oxford car park into ‘Cowleyfornia’, complete with beach, during the annual festivities.

Brand manager Luke Hearn said: “Hobgoblin is delighted to be sponsoring the Cowley Road Carnival for the first time this year.

“It is a fantastic community occasion which perfectly celebrates the diversity of the Cowley Road and Oxford as a whole.

“Being such a vibrant event means that it’s a great fit for our brand and we can’t wait to welcome people to the Hobgoblin Car Park.”

The car park behind Cowley Road’s Tesco store, between Union Street and Chapel Street, will be turned into a seaside spot for the July 5 carnival.

It is the second time the Hobgoblin Car Park stage has featured during the event, with festival-goers enjoying a mix of funk, soul, hip hop, grime, electro swing and reggae.

But never before have revellers been able to relax on the festival’s Cowleyfornia beach, complete with deck chairs.

The area will also include a Vans skate ramp, sponsored by Cowley Road’s skate and snowboarding store SS20, with skaters demonstrating their skills during the afternoon.

Danielle Battigelli, executive director of festival organising group Cowley Road Works, said: “A huge thank you to Hobgoblin for sponsoring the Car Park at Carnival.”

Musicians will take to the car park stage between noon and 5pm, including groups Move Somethin’, Deep Cover Oxford, Temple Funk Collective and Dutty Moonshine, as well as Rhymeskeemz and Friends.

Band Leader, who will steal the spotlight at 1.15pm, are playing at the free festival for the first time.

Lead singer Ben Edginton said: “We are looking forward to it. It will be a new experience for all of us and being an Oxfordshire band, it is great to be performing at a local event.”

Visitors will also have the chance to enjoy a host of food stalls at the car park stage, as well as a bar, rides and covered outdoor seating.

Cowley’s Mini Plant, Oxford Brookes University and charity The Patsy Wood Trust have also pledged to sponsor the carnival.

Organisers have raised more than £88,000 of their £120,000 target but launched their Quid for Carnival campaign earlier this month to gather more support.

They are hoping residents will donate just £1 to the cause to help fund the event and street cleaning.

* See cowleyroadcarnival.co.uk for more details about the big day

* Go to oxfordmail.co.uk and @TheOxfordMail on Twitter on the day for live coverage