Notting Hill Carnival

Taking place each August Bank Holiday, the Notting Hill Carnival is the biggest festival celebration of its kind in Europe, attracting over one million revellers to the genteel streets of West London.

HISTORY

The carnival started life back in 1964 as a local festival set up by the West Indian community of Notting Hill as a way of celebrating Afro-Caribbean culture and traditions, the root of which centred around the celebration of the abolition of slavery. Since then, the Carnival has grown dramatically as visitors from around the globe descend to join the 40 static sound systems, floats, colourfully dressed dancers, steel drum bands and hundreds of Caribbean food stalls that line over 20 miles of streets in and around the Notting Hill area.

FOOD & MUSIC

Both traditional and contemporary music can be heard at the Carnival with steel bands, Soca, Samba and Calypso Music merging with Reggae, R&B, Funk, House, Dub and even a little Rock n' Roll. Live stages feature local bands as well as top international artists, who, in the past, have included Eddie Grant, Wyclef Jean, Burning Spear and many others. Hungry party-goers, tired out from dancing, are in the right place to re-fuel with jerk chicken, patties, curried goat, fried plantain and rum punches on offer all around.

INFORMATION

For anyone thinking of attending, it is well worth visiting the official Notting Hill Carnival site, where information on how to get there and safety, as well as the history of the carnival, its food and music, will help to make your carnival experience a safe and enjoyable one.

24th August 2011