This August bank holiday weekend the Notting Hill Carnival arrives in west London bringing with it a spirit of diversity, along with steel bands, floats, costumes and tempting food stalls. Before you head off to join the parade, here are the top seven things you didn’t know about this London festival
August tradition
The Notting Hill Carnival was first held on the August bank holiday weekend in 1964 and has since then always taken place on the Sunday and Monday of that weekend
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Europe’s biggest street festival
The Notting Hill Carnival is the largest festival of its kind in Europe, having started life as a small local celebration set up by London’s West Indian community
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Big supporters
More than two million people attend the festival each year, with in excess of 9,000 police along the route
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Fancy dress
The people in fancy-dress costumes are called mas bands and display more than 15,000 types of outfits over the two-day event
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Carnival programme
The Sunday of the August bank holiday weekend is devoted to families. With the children’s carnival taking place, it is altogether the calmer and quieter day of the festival. The main parade is on bank holiday Monday: the procession parades along Chepstow Road, Westbourne Grove and Ladbroke Grove
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Celebrity attendees
Famous for its live music stages, great food and electric atmosphere, the carnival attracts locals, tourists and celebrities. Previous celebrity visitors have included models Cara Delevingne and Jourdan Dunn
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Music medley
More than 40 static sound systems line the carnival route, playing a huge variety of music from soca and calypso to house
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Original price / Tax Refund (approx.)The Notting Hill Carnival arrives this August bank holiday weekend, adding Rio de Janeiro-like flamboyant spirit to west London, filling the air with the sounds and smells of the Caribbean and turning the streets into a sea of colour. Before you go here are seven things you didn’t know about the Notting Hill Carnival.
