Get yourself along to the Notting Hill Carnival

Every year at the end of August, the West London area of Notting Hill takes on a distinctly Caribbean air for the Notting Hill Carnival. Head along for the lively atmosphere, the colourful outfits, the dancers and, of course, the jerk chicken. Be sure to take a few precautions though if you want to pass your time at the Notting Hill Carnival in style.

Notting Hill Carnival: a bit of history
The first Notting Hill Carnival took place in 1959, in response to tense relations between Caribbean immigrants and the local police. The event proved a success but only attracted a few thousand people; it wasn’t until the 70s that the Notting Hill Carnival really took off, although even then racial tensions and scuffles still remained. Nowadays Notting Hill Carnival is a Londoner through and through: emphatically colourful, multiracial and multicultural.

Notting Hill Carnival: The music and floats
Music certainly lies at the heart of the Notting Hill Carnival. Meanwhile floats vie colourfully for your attention with the costumed dancers alongside, who swing their hips to the rhythms of soca, calypso and drum and bass. Follow the steel drums or plant yourself next to a sound system and move to the sounds of reggae, salsa or house.

Notting Hill Carnival: the practical stuff
Since 2007, the Friday of the Notting Hill Carnival has taken place in Hyde Park, for the National Panorama Championship, the competition for the national instrument of Trinidad, the steel drum. Sunday is kids’ day, and is less intense but just as enjoyable as the Monday, when more than a million festival-goers attend. And that’s quite a few people within a perimeter of just 5km. Take a few simple precautions: don’t wear jewellery, don’t carry too much money and be vigilant. The London Underground copes very well with the never-ending swarm of people. The stations around the Notting Hill Carnival open and close according to their capacity, but alternative transport options are clearly signposted, and if you’re unsure don’t hesitate to ask London Underground employees; that’s what they’re there for.

Eating and drinking at the Notting Hill Carnival
Make the most of the Notting Hill Carnival by trying out some West Indian specialities. The must-have is the famous jerk chicken, marinated in a mixture of coriander, parsley, garlic, thyme and chilli. Mind your tongue though, that stuff is hot. Also try a roti, a kind of folded crêpe with potatoes, meat and chick peas. Or maybe tuck into some fried or grilled fish, with rice and slices of plantain. And of course, to get yourself into the Notting Hill Carnival spirit, a little glass of rum is absolutely essential.

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