Notting Hill Carnival: Windrush-themed bus to run to mark 75th anniversary https://t.co/VZxSUR5ahZ

— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) August 26, 2023

This year’s event will feature a three mile long parade that will feature music, dance and steel bands. The chief executive of the carnival, Matthew Phillip has spoken of his confidence that this year’s celebration will be another amazing occasion, while London’s mayor Sadiq Kahn said, “Carnival is the embodiment of our city’s highest ideals, of how London’s diversity is not a weakness to be tolerated grudgingly, but a strength to be celebrated proudly. As a mayor of all Londoners, I will always do whatever I can to ensure this celebration of culture, identity and freedom continues to thrive.”

Notting Hill Carnival CEO Matthew Phillip ,who is entering his sixth year in the position, says ‘the eyes of the world are on us’. Will you be going this year?#NottingHillCarnival pic.twitter.com/3D0PssyxRw — London Live (@LondonLive) August 25, 2023

On Saturday in Emslie Horniman’s Park, the UK’s biggest steel pan competition and the UK national panorama Steel Band competition took place where performers played 10 minute compositions completely by memory. The carnival truly gets underway on Sunday however, with the opening ceremony in the morning, followed by the Children’s Parade, Adult’s Dutty/Fun Mas paint mayhem and then Sound Systems to close out the day.

On Monday, the day begins with the Adult’s Day Parade and will also feature Sound Systems, food stalls and live stages. This year’s live stages will feature performances at Soca City from 12pm-7pm and Powis Square Stage from 12pm-7pm. Often leaving acts until the last minute to ramp up excitement, this year’s confirmed performers include Shaggy who shot to fame in the 1990’s pop music scene.

.@MayorofLondon looks ahead to the world-renowned #NottingHillCarnival this weekend in today’s @EveningStandard https://t.co/F9pngTwwnr

— Mayor’s Press Office (@LDN_pressoffice) August 25, 2023

Began in 1966 by Rhuane Laslett , Notting Hill Carnival was conceived as a result of rising racial relations and attacks throughout the UK. Intended as a diverse celebration, Notting Hill Carnival’s main aim was to promote cultural unity.

The carnival is mostly free entry with certain events requiring a ticket and is located in the London borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

The Carnival, which celebrates Caribbean culture, heritage and arts, has taken place on the streets of Notting Hill in Kensington since 1966. This summer’s carnival being cancelled would have been it’s 55^th year of taking place. The expressive atmosphere produced by sound systems and parade bands, which play dancehall, roots reggae and more, will be missed this August.

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In an official statement made by Notting Hill Carnival on Instagram, it was explained that:

“This has been an incredibly difficult decision to make. Everyone involved in the event desperately wants a return to the road where Carnival belongs but safety has to come first and with the latest cautious announcement on the government’s ‘roadmap’, this is the only way to ensure that…Going forward, we will be working with Carnivalists toward the greatest ever Notting Hill Carnival for 2022”.

Notting Hill Carnival usually takes place at the end of August and has been greatly anticipated, especially in regards to the governments plan to ease lockdown restrictions on July 19^th. Unfortunatley, the advisory council of the carnival would have faced great difficulty allowing it to take place. However, like last summer alternative plans will be arranged for the three-day celebration.

Two million people usually attend Notting Hill Carnival and it has developed over the past 55 years, earning the title of second-biggest carnival in the world. Matthew Phillp, the executive director, has explained that this final decision was by no means easy yet a responsible choice. He stated that “we’ve been planning and weighing up the situation all year but we’ve come to the point where we want definites – and we are not definitely sure it would be safe to be on the streets at the end of August“.

Matthew Phillip also commented that “It’s not like carnival is the only thing cancelled [since the pandemic], we’re part of a wider community. It will return to the streets because it means too much not to…As with last year we will make sure carnival will be celebrated – it’s not actually carnival because carnival is a street event and if it’s not on the street it’s not carnival – but it will be celebrated“.

It has been announced that although Carnival has been cancelled, smaller-scale events will take place on the run up to August bank holiday – with limited spectators. Like last year, there will also be online events so that the celebration can still continue, even if that celebration is not carnival.

2 years ago I made a documentary with FOREVER FILMS about growing up around West London free party culture – in light of official #NottingHillCarnival being cancelled we decided to put it out to the world@NOWNESS just put it as their pick of the week https://t.co/8NSSLDmqdT pic.twitter.com/jQ33Y0ez4O

— LAVA LA RUE (@lavalarue) August 28, 2020

In the video, Lava La Rue talks about the DIY rave culture in West London in the 90s. The Windrush movement that started in the 1950s brought an influx of Caribbean people to Notting Hill and Portobello.  At this time, ‘Caribbean people weren’t welcome in the clubs‘ so ‘had to move the party elsewhere‘. Elsewhere was the ‘crumbling West London terraces‘ that now cost around £4 million. At these ‘blues parties‘, Stranger Cole and Patsy Todd would blast out of the sound-system.

In West Born, La Rue tells us her parents arrived in England in the 1990s. Gone were the ‘blues parties‘ and in their place was an evolving rave scene based on a DIY community ethos. Lava La Rue talks about these days fondly, though she experienced them through the lens of childhood. ‘I was around sound-systems and thumping booming music from a very young age… [I was] the little kid running around barefoot while everyones on a trippy one‘.

It was an unorthodox childhood, but one she enjoyed thoroughly. So much so that she wanted to start putting on similar parties in her teens, desiring to ‘curate a space‘ that felt safe and shared the community values of the ones her parents went to.

In the documentary, she and musician Louis Culture discuss East v. West in terms of nightlife. Louis contends that East is ‘kind of winning’ at the moment, and Lava agrees ‘there’s been an attack on the arts in West… for some reason securing a venue in West is difficult to obtain… it’s the prices, they’ve not made it accessible to locals.’

Toward the end of the video, Lava La Rue stands on Tavistock Road talking listening intently to Leslie Palmer, Trinidadian community activist and one of the pioneers of Notting Hill Carnival back in the mid 1960s. Palmer’s vision was that people from different Afro-Caribbean communities would come together to make Carnival bigger and better. This was certainly achieved as Carnival is now a festival of  thousands from all different cultures.

Lava La Rue holds Carnival close to her heart, saying in Vogue that her first carnival was ‘in the womb‘. This intimate connection makes her documentary both authentic and inspiring to watch.

We are so excited to announce our hosts for #NottingHillCarnival: Access All Areas. Bringing together the most exciting talents from radio, educators, MCs, journalists & authentic arts of Carnival #CarnivalAtHome #NHC2020 #NHCAAA powered by @Lets_godo pic.twitter.com/zydRmDwxOH

— Notting Hill Carnival (@NHCarnivalLDN) August 19, 2020

 ‘Notting Hill: Access All Areas 2020’ will be streamed on four channels: ‘Culture’, ‘Parade’, ‘Sound Systems’ and ‘Main Stage’. You can sign up for the event here. The BBC report that BBC Radio 1xtra’s DJ Ace and Capital Xtra’s Remel London will be the presenters of the Main Stage channel. Over on the Sound System Channel, viewers will be entertained by Shayna Marie and Yinka of Capital Xtra, alongside the musician Ras Kwame. Radio 1Xtra will also host the official Notting Hill Carnival afterparty.

In collaboration with the Notting Hill Carnival organisers, Spotify has created a special virtual street party area. This will be a microsite featuring playlist takeovers from names including the Marleys, Koffee and Leigh-Anne Pinnock of Little Mix. Part of this will be dedicated to highlighting the importance of carnival culture.

If you find yourself in Piccadilly Circus over the course of the next week, Samsung will help you get excited by streaming mini films on the biggest screen in the UK. Just before it starts, you can catch the countdown in the same place.

 

 

 

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Much more than just a street party, we have so much in store for you this bank holiday weekend. Have you registered for NHC Access All Areas? Sign up at aaa.nhcarnival.org photo: @christian.a.anderson A post shared by Notting Hill Carnival (@nhcarnivalldn) on Aug 13, 2020 at 4:54am PDT

Of course, this will be a different experience to previous Carnivals. But everything will be represented, even if it can’t be experienced first-hand; there will be a series of films celebrating Notting Hill Carnival’s notorious food, dance and culture. In addition, over 40 of the Carnival’s legendary sound systems will be represented, including Rampage Sound and Seduction City Sound, the all-female sound system.

Chef Levi Roots, whose business kicked off at the Notting Hill Carnival, has produced online content and a guide to creating a carnival feast to enjoy while it streams live. The famed Samba drumming troupe Batala will be performing, as will Soca dancers, clad in costumes designed by Melissa Simon-Hartman (responsible for the costumes for Beyonce’s latest visual album, Black Is King). This is just some of what there is to look forward to next weekend.

The organisers consider this to be a fitting testament to all the work that goes into preparing for the Carnival every year. Matthew Phillip, the Executive Director, said, “Carnival is such an important part of people’s lives and key celebration of the multiculturalism of the UK, and we have a responsibility to our community and pioneers to honour that. We also have a responsibility to protect the black community and our elders by respecting social distancing and taking Carnival away from the streets for this year. So this is a fantastic solution for 2020.”

Everything you need to know can be found at the Notting Hill Carnival website.