History of Notting Hill Carnival:

On the 31st January 1959, organised by Claudia Jones and her committee and directed by Edric Connor, elements of a Caribbean carnival was showcased cabaret style at St. Pancras Town Hall in Euston.

In August 1966, Jones’ vision transformed into a hippie-inspired festival when a street party for local children met up with Russell Henderson’s steel band. It was the addition of Jamaican-style sound systems—ragtag party machines united by a generator, a mountain of mismatched speakers, truck and DJ—in 1976 that took the Carnival to new levels.

In more recent years, better organization and a larger police presence has allowed for this huge party to occur with very few incidents since 2008. Prince Charles himself has long been a supporter of the festival, which is estimated to bring in at least £100 million each year. 

Strutting Their Stuff:

• The event goes on for a full 3 days, starting with the famous steel drum competition on Saturday.
• The Panorama Competition gets going around 7pm and hosts the best steel drummers from around the island.
• Sunday is a kids parade with prizes for the best costumes, and despite the following day’s raucous activities, it’s very family-friendly.

Monday, known as Adults Day, is a bank holiday. Officially, the massive parade focuses on four styles: masquerade, steel drums, calypso, and SOCA (sounds of the Caribbean and Africa). Unofficially, the float music clashes with the incredible amount of Jamaican-style sound stages resulting in mashups of calypso vs. drum and bass, dancehall vs. disco. This “battle of the bands” makes for some frenetic and full-contact dancing. The costumes are as beautiful as the copious amounts of bare flesh, with silver-sequined G-strings shaking along to the sounds of samba. The best costumes are seen in the Mas bands (that’s short for “masquerade”). If you want to join them and don’t have a crazy costume, 10 quid gets you a colored t-shirt and a spot to party and dance behind the float. Take a moment between dancing to sample some jerk chicken or other Caribbean dishes sold on the street.

Tips:

• Know your way around Get a map from the Time Out London, and download the festival’s free app with lineup and navigation information.
• Use public transportation Be aware that stations sometimes close due to crowds.
• Get a whistle Trust us, you’ll use it.
• Stay put Scout out a good spot and stay there. For a few quid you could probably secure a spot on someone’s balcony and have clean bathroom facilities.