Notting Hill Carnival: Caribbean celebration brings in global crowd

As one of the world’s biggest street festivals, Notting Hill Carnival welcomes visitors from far and wide. The BBC spoke to some of those who made the trip to London to join this year’s festivities.

“It’s my first carnival and it has been so fun,” said Candice, from Atlanta, Georgia in the US.

“Everyone has wanted to take pictures with us because we look so angelic.”

Candice and her friend had been to carnival-like events at home, but said they were not the scale of Notting Hill.

“People are vibin’ out,” Laila, from New York, said.

“It’s safe and that’s the most important thing when you’re scantily clad.”

Not quite as far as the US, but Donna Jackson made the trip “all the way from Blackpool” because “we don’t really have anything like this in the north”.

“We have Caribbean carnivals but nothing nearly as big and brilliant as this,” she said, adding it was the first time she had been since before the pandemic and found it to be “just as good”.

Next year, she plans to bring the whole family.

Valentina Kuplinova, from Siberia in Russia but lives in east London, made a documentary about Carnival last year.

This year, she went one step further and took part in the parade herself.

“Carnival is a celebration of all cultures,” she told BBC London.

“This year playing Mas, I feel welcomed and loved while being encouraged to be myself with no concern about where I come from.”

Symone Williams, leader of the Genesis Mas band that Ms Kuplinova marched with, said the event was predominantly about showcasing and “preserving African and Caribbean cultures”.

“It’s important to celebrate because it’s part of our cultural heritage and celebrating our ancestors and history,” she added.

One city likely to give London’s carnival a run for its money is Rio De Janeiro in Brazil, which also holds a festival attended my millions each year.

A woman from the samba city, who travelled to London for the carnival, told BBC News that it was an “important part of my culture”.

“It’s my first time at Notting Hill Carnival and I really like it a lot,” she said.

“I love the colourful make-up, the costumes. It’s the life.”

Cana, from the US, had to leave out the “touristy stuff” when visiting London so she could prepare to take part in Monday’s parade.

“I’ve attended carnivals before but this is probably the biggest I have ever been to,” she said.

“It has been interesting because we’ve met people from just about everywhere at this carnival with our own reasons for being here which is cool to see.”