The Notting Hill Carnival
Who started it?
It is led by members of the British African-Caribbean community, particularly the Trinidadian and Tobagonian British population or 'Trinis', many of whom have lived in the area since the 1950s.
The NottingHill carnival has attracted up to 2 million people in the past, making it the second largest Carnival street festival in the world after the Trinidad and Tobago Carnival held in that country.
Notting Hill Festival Today
Starting its life as a local Notting Hill festival set up by the West Indian community of the Notting Hill area, it has now become a full-blooded Caribbean carnival, attracting millions of visitors from all over the globe. With many astonishing floats and the sounds of the traditional steel drum bands, scores of massive sound systems plus not forgetting the hundreds of stalls that line the streets of Notting Hill. The NottingHill Carnival is arguably London's most exciting annual event.
The Notting Hill Carnival 2010 used to get under way on the Saturday with the steel band competition. Sunday is Kids' Day, when the costume prizes are awarded. On Bank Holiday Monday, the main parade takes place. It generally begins on Great Western Road, then winds its way along Chepstow Road, on to Westbourne Grove, and then Ladbroke Grove. In the evening, the floats leave the streets in procession, and people carry continue partying at the many NottingHill Carnival after parties.
The Notting Hill festival as we know it today was born on that occasion and has since evolved into an event that predominantly reflects the best of Black Music. Sterling Betancourt, Russ Henderson and others were part of that first steel band and are still very much a part of Carnival playing in steel bands like Nostalgia and Pan Nectar. The Notting Hill Carnival dates for 2010 are August 29th and 30th. The proposed dates for Notting Hill Carnival 2011 are August 28th and 29th.