Notting Hill Carnival
Around a million people hit Notting Hill's streets in West London for Europe's biggest carnival. Fabulous floats make a colourful circuit of the area and sound systems blast out music all day. Sample delicious Caribbean jerk chicken or Jamaican patties.
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 wider local 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. 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 Tube.
Related Information
| Contact Details | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Notting Hill Carnival |
| Email: | info@nottinghillcarnival.biz |
| Phone: | +44 (0) 20 7727 0072 |
| Venue Information: | Notting Hill |
| Full Name: | Notting Hill,London,England |
| Address: | Streets around Ladbroke Grove, London W11 W10-W11 |
| Directions: | For the carnival: By Tube: to Westbourne Park or Queensway and follow the crowds. |
| Contact Details | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Notting Hill Carnival |
| Email: | info@nottinghillcarnival.biz |
| Phone: | +44 (0) 20 7727 0072 |
| Name: | Visit Britain |
| Location: | London |
| Address: | Britain & London Visitor Centre, 1 Regent Street, London SW1Y 4XT |
| Email: | blvcinfo@visitbritain.org |
| Phone: | +44 (0) 20 7808 3815 |
| Name: | Visit London |
| Location: | London |
| Address: | There are drop-in Tourist Information Centres in Victoria Station, Liverpool St Station, Heathrow near the underground and other venues around London. See their website for details. |
| Phone: | +44 (0)20 7234 5800 |
| Fax: | +44 (0)20 7378 6525 |
| Name: | The London Tourist Board & Convention Bureau |
| Location: | Greater London |
| Address: | Leicester Square Information Lodge, Leicester Square, Westminster, London, WC2H 7BP |
| Phone: | +44 (0) 20 7292 2333 |
| Fax: | +44 (0) 20 7292 2333 |
| Name: | British Tourist Authority |
| Location: | United Kingdom |
| Address: | Thames Tower, Black's Road, Hammersmith, London W6 9EL |
| Phone: | +44 (0) 20 8846 9000 |
| Fax: | +44 (0) 20 8563 0302 |
| Name: | The National Trust |
| Location: | United Kingdom |
| Email: | enquiries@ntrust.org.uk |
| Phone: | +44 (0) 20 8315 1111 |
| Fax: | +44 (0) 20 8466 6824 |
