The Notting Hill Carnival in London - August 2010 - Europe's biggest street party - Carnival Photos
The Notting Hill Carnival in London is a celebration of the Caribbean culture. It originated in Trinidad in 1833 where it was held to mark an end to slavery in the Caribbean. Since 1964 it is being held annually every August in London.
The Notting Hill Carnival is Europe's biggest and most happening street party celebrating cultural diversity.It is also the second largest street festival in the world after the Trinidad and Tobago Carnival held in that country.It still maintains its Caribbean roots but over the years it has become a mixture of diverse cultural and musical genres that come together beautifully on the London streets.
More than a million people attended the three-day carnival in London. We had been there on the third day when the final parade is held. The parade passes along a 3.5 mile route and the place was crammed with live bands, soundsystems, street food, dancers and revellers. There were lots of food stalls selling the typpical Caribbean fare. The streets were filled with people as far as the eye could see.
Colourful floats moved along the parade route with dancers in bright and colourful costumes following them - dancing and partying to lively music.
There were more than 40 independent sound systems and each one was blasting out music so loud that I could hear my heart pounding to the music. It shakes you up - literally :) When the floats pass by, you can feel the ground shaking - thats how loud the music is.
Though the carnival is led by members of the British African-Caribbean community, (mainly the Trinidadian and Tobagonian British population) we could see people of diverse cultural orientation enjoying and taking part in the parade.
It is estimated that around 5,000 police officers patrolled the event on all days of the carnival, keeping it safe for visitors like us.
The Notting Hill Carnival is Europe's biggest and most happening street party celebrating cultural diversity.It is also the second largest street festival in the world after the Trinidad and Tobago Carnival held in that country.It still maintains its Caribbean roots but over the years it has become a mixture of diverse cultural and musical genres that come together beautifully on the London streets.
More than a million people attended the three-day carnival in London. We had been there on the third day when the final parade is held. The parade passes along a 3.5 mile route and the place was crammed with live bands, soundsystems, street food, dancers and revellers. There were lots of food stalls selling the typpical Caribbean fare. The streets were filled with people as far as the eye could see.
Colourful floats moved along the parade route with dancers in bright and colourful costumes following them - dancing and partying to lively music.
There were more than 40 independent sound systems and each one was blasting out music so loud that I could hear my heart pounding to the music. It shakes you up - literally :) When the floats pass by, you can feel the ground shaking - thats how loud the music is.
Though the carnival is led by members of the British African-Caribbean community, (mainly the Trinidadian and Tobagonian British population) we could see people of diverse cultural orientation enjoying and taking part in the parade.
It is estimated that around 5,000 police officers patrolled the event on all days of the carnival, keeping it safe for visitors like us.
wow! must have been so wonderful to be there!
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