English
It was 1966 when the first Notting Hill Carnival took place, a carnival organised by the Caribbean community in London who, almost 50 years later, has turned it into one of the most important street events and celebrations in the whole world. The carnival takes place in the famous London neighbourhood of Notting Hill, in the borough of Kensington and Chelsea, in the western part of the city.
Photo: Cristiano Betta
The Caribbean essence
For two days at the end of August, over a million people go onto the streets to celebrate the carnival. Today, it´s still the Caribbean community who organises the whole event, so you can especially enjoy the music from that part of the world, with plenty of percussion and rhythm. There are various genres that you can enjoy during these couple of days: the calypso, a genre that goes back to the days of African slaves who were taken to work in plantations in Trinidad and that used this music to make fun of their masters; then comes the soca, a genre that bases itself on freedom of expression and sexual freedom, always through metaphors; finally, the steel pan, a genre in which bamboo sticks are used for percussion with different tones and melodies. All in all, Caribbean music is the essence of the Notting Hill Carnival.
Also, on the streets there´ll be plenty of Caribbean food stalls, a great chance to try the exquisite flavours of their cuisine that have been prepared by Caribbean people, since many West Indian families emigrated to London during the 20th century. Don´t miss out on trying the jerk chicken, a chicken cooked with spices and soya sauce; the goat curry, a delicious dish that you shouldn´t leave out even if the thought of eating goat doesn´t fill you with joy; and, lastly, the rice, with dishes such as rice and peas, cooked with herbs and coconut milk.
The parades
The starting gun of the carnival is Sunday at 9am, when the bands and the parades begin to go down the streets. The parades are a party of colour and music, as well as plenty of dancing, of course; it´s very similar to the most famous carnival in the world, the one in Rio de Janeiro. Striking costumes with feathers and flowers are the norm. If you travel to the English capital with your family and you stay in apartments in London , an easy, cheap and comfortable form of accommodation, you have to remember that Sunday is the Carnival day for children, whilst Monday is primarily for adults. In any case, if you travel with a group of friends or your partner, Sunday can be enjoyed just as much as Monday, since not just because it´s the day for children it´s a children´s festival.
The carnival lasts until late at night, but that´s when the after parties begin. You can find all sorts of them and the party never stops. To discover the best ones, if you don´t know anyone in London, on the official webpage of the Carnival they point them out for you, although the best ones are always the spontaneous ones that you will find out about thanks to the people there.
For more information, visit the official carnival website: http://www.thenottinghillcarnival.com/
London in summer comes to life thanks to the good weather and there´s no better event that symbolises this than the Notting Hill Carnival. Music, food, colour and plenty of partying take over this beautiful neighbourhood for two whole days. Make sure you don´t miss it. Don´t forget to rent apartments in London and enjoy this event with your family or friends.
