*****
The crowd go wild at Sancho Panza, Notting Hill Carnival, London. Courtesy of Sancho Panza
When:
24 - 25 Aug 2008 (annual)
Where:
Notting Hill
Cost:
Free
Opening Hours:
10am-7pm (until 10pm Mon)
Around a million people take to the streets of Notting Hill in West London for the Notting Hill Carnival - Europe's biggest carnival. Fabulous floats make a colourful circuit of the area and sound systems blast out music all day.
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The event first took place in 1964, when the area's Caribbean community, suffering from discrimination, came together to create a festival with calypso music and steel bands reminiscent of the annual Trinidad carnival. The local white community joined in with the party and the Notting Hill Carnival was born.
More than 100 decorated floats, pumping out calypso, soca and steel band music, parade through the streets over the weekend, followed by troupes of dancers in flamboyant, shimmering costumes and supporters with whistles and horns. They go round the carnival route just once, but it takes up to seven hours!
As you dance your way around the sound systems, everything from ska and reggae to hip-hop, funk, soul and house music keeps the crowds moving. Sancho Panza and Norman Jay's Good Times are conveniently close together and are always excellent, and there are a host of fantastic roots reggae sound systems. Buy an official map of where all the systems are and pick your favourite, or simply follow your ears and your feet. Make sure you check who is performing live - big names can often be heard for free.
Sunday is traditionally the Kids' Day of the carnival, while on Bank Holiday Monday London's party people come to let off steam and dance in the streets until around 10pm. When you get peckish, there are countless stalls selling delicious Caribbean food, from jerk chicken to Jamaican patties and goat curry.
Please note: the whole area around Notting Hill and Ladbroke Grove is packed to bursting point over the weekend. Don't even think of driving - take the bus or a tube. Allow yourself plenty of time to get around and don't carry more cash than you need. Take your time to get into the groove and you can't fail to enjoy this wonderful celebration of all things Caribbean.
More than 100 decorated floats, pumping out calypso, soca and steel band music, parade through the streets over the weekend, followed by troupes of dancers in flamboyant, shimmering costumes and supporters with whistles and horns. They go round the carnival route just once, but it takes up to seven hours!
As you dance your way around the sound systems, everything from ska and reggae to hip-hop, funk, soul and house music keeps the crowds moving. Sancho Panza and Norman Jay's Good Times are conveniently close together and are always excellent, and there are a host of fantastic roots reggae sound systems. Buy an official map of where all the systems are and pick your favourite, or simply follow your ears and your feet. Make sure you check who is performing live - big names can often be heard for free.
Sunday is traditionally the Kids' Day of the carnival, while on Bank Holiday Monday London's party people come to let off steam and dance in the streets until around 10pm. When you get peckish, there are countless stalls selling delicious Caribbean food, from jerk chicken to Jamaican patties and goat curry.
Please note: the whole area around Notting Hill and Ladbroke Grove is packed to bursting point over the weekend. Don't even think of driving - take the bus or a tube. Allow yourself plenty of time to get around and don't carry more cash than you need. Take your time to get into the groove and you can't fail to enjoy this wonderful celebration of all things Caribbean.
Related Information
Event details can change.
Please check with the organisers that the event is happening before making travel arrangements.
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