The Notting Hill Carnival history is long and interesting.
It began in 1959 on the heels of the Notting Hill race riots as a response to the tense state of race relations at the time.
Claudia Jones, a woman of Trinidadian heritage, is acknowledged as the “Mother of the Notting Hill Carnival”.
The first festival was an indoor event, and it continued each year until 1966 when it was changed to an outdoor venue and grew to be a larger event.
By 1976, the carnival was drawing in crowds of more than 150,000, and it has continued to grow in popularity and attendance over the years.
The festival is held over several days; the bank holiday Monday in August and the weekend before that.
Attendance is estimated to be nearly 500,000 per day in recent years.
There have been concerns over the years about the large numbers of people who descent on the crowded and narrow streets of Notting Hill each year and the potential for violence and crime that come with them, and groups of community volunteers known as Carnivalists work long and hard all year to prepare for the August visitors to Notting Hill.
The Notting Hill Carnival is famous for its music and parades of costumed dancers.
The term for the dressing up, parading, and dancing that goes on at the carnival is Mas, as in Masquerade.
There is a Kids Day when youngsters parade in their costumes, and a main parade that usually takes place on Monday.
You can hear a variety of Caribbean music such as calypso, steelpan, and soca.
There is a steel band competition which you will surely not want to miss.
The food stalls are full of delicious specialties like fried plantains, Jamaican meat patties, curries, and jerks.
There is also plenty of rum punch and Red Stripe to wash down those spicy Caribbean treats.
At the Notting Hill Carnival, history and culture will hopefully continue to be celebrated for many years to come.
Visiting Notting Hill Carnival
Notting Hill, Notting Hill, W11 3AG
29th August 2010 until 30th August 2010
Telephone: 020 7727 0072
Opening Times
Arrive around 12 midday. Things start to cool off at about 7pm
Ticket Prices
FREE
Photo courtesy: L-plate big cheese
Return from Notting Hill Carnival History to London Festivals and Special Events
Return from Notting Hill Carnival History to Best London Attrcations
