Notting Hill Carnival

Notting Hill Carnival, London

Last Weekend of August, Annually

The Notting Hill Carnival is held annually in London�s Notting Hill area, and is a three-day festival celebrating the large Caribbean population that has proliferated in this part of the city since the 1950s. Attracting a massive 1.5 million visitors to Notting Hill, the Carnival is a major European street festival with floats, steel bands, flamboyant dance and costume, superb live music and DJ performances, delicious Afro-Caribbean cuisine and much more.

� The first day of the carnival (Sunday) is traditionally a child-friendly day with emphasis on family events and activities. A shorter carnival route is used, and all performers and bands are under 21 years old. Children visiting this day of the Carnival learn about the culture and tradition that surround the event � it is a much more low-key affair than the carnival that takes place on the following day, bank holiday Monday.

� Monday�s festivities are far more adult oriented - in fact it is inadvisable to bring children along to this day of events due, if nothing else, to the massive boisterous crowd that congregates on this day. ThIt is easy to lose a child in a crowd of his size and energy, and the chance of finding them easily is considerably slim! Coupled with this is the prevalence of Rum, Red Stripe beer and even marijuana� definitely a day to get a babysitter.�

The carnival is as much, if not more, about participation as it is about observation � spectators are encouraged to dance, sing, whistle, and basically make as much commotion as possible to add to the party atmosphere. The sweet, tempting smell of jerk chicken and Jamaican patties fills the electrified air as thundering bass-lines penetrate your ears with energetic and uplifting reggae, ska, hip-hop, soul and funk beats � how could you not get swept up in the atmosphere?

� The carnival is free to attend and much of the food served at the event is cheap and filling. Rum punch is also quite cheap but can vary in potency, so watch where you buy it. Overall, the Notting Hill Carnival a great and quite low cost attraction for budget party-goers and thrifty travelers alike.