Thousands of people flooded the streets of west London in a sea of colour and noise as the Notting Hill carnival came back after a three-year hiatus.
For many, the return of Europe’s biggest street party was an opportunity to celebrate African-Caribbean culture and reflect on the events of recent years.
The two-day festival kicked off with a tribute to the 72 people who died in the Grenfell Tower blaze in June 2017. Members of the Emancipated Run Crew ran the parade route in honour of the victims of the blaze, while revellers and music came to a halt at 3pm to observe a 72-second silence.
The carnival first took place in 1966 but was forced online during the pandemic. But it came back stronger than ever on Sunday, designated Family Day, with more than 2 million people expected to gather across the bank holiday weekend.
The festivities started at sunrise for those who took part in the J’Ouvert celebrations where people douse each other with paints and powders to celebrate the opening of the carnival.
Later, partygoers with paint-stained faces lined up as hundreds of dancers and children in flamboyant costumes took part in the parade. The sound of steel drum bands filled the streets as revellers queued up to buy jerk chicken and Caribbean cocktails from an array of stalls.
With gold glitter framing her eyes, Naomi Sinclair, who was joined by her friends Kareen Bankale and Yasmin Lewis, said it was “amazing” to have the community back together after Covid.
“It’s happy times, it’s good times, and it’s definitely needed,” the 32-year-old said. “I’m here to celebrate our Caribbean culture. Living in London we don’t often get back to see our families so every year we like to celebrate. It’s musical, colourful and vibrant.”
Sharon De-Riggs, 68, who has been coming to carnival with her husband, Sheridan, 69, since the 1970s, welcomed its return.
“My husband and I are part of the Windrush generation so carnival reminds us of home in the Caribbean,” she said. “We’re from Grenada, as were our parents, and I came over in 1967.
“It’s great to bring the community together, and people from all over the world. That’s what it’s all about, bringing everyone together. It encompasses all races as well, it’s not just about Caribbean people, it’s a worldwide event. And it’s good for people’s mental health after they’ve been locked away for so long.”
The couple, from Woodford Green in Essex, have taken part in the festivities for more than 25 years. Their son Shaun, 43, said he has been involved since the age of 14 and was keen to experience carnival’s in-person comeback. “It signifies that the worst of the pandemic is behind us,” he said. “It’s so important that it’s on the streets because it’s accessible to everyone regardless of their socioeconomic status. It’s amazing to be a part of because it’s steeped in Caribbean culture and it’s a worldwide success, you see people of all backgrounds.”
Misha Joseph, 32, from west London, has been taken to carnival since she was a baby with her sisters, Natalie, 38, and Paula, 34. “Carnival means everything to me; it’s the end of my year, my year starts in September,” she said. “We’ve gone since we were little as our grandma used to take us, every single year. We live local so it’s deep-rooted in our culture.”
For some families, it was an opportunity to introduce their young children to the event. Josephine Ogun, 40, and her husband, Tayo Ogun, 40, brought along seven-year-old Leo and Gabrielle, four, to “experience the joys of carnival”.
“It hasn’t been on for a few years so we thought we’d get a bit of the vibe, see some of the costumes,” Josephine said. “It’s the colour, costumes, and the food and the music for us.
“It’s been really sad that it’s not been on because it’s a good day out and it’s nice to celebrate it over the bank holiday weekend. We have definitely missed it so it’s nice to get together now with all the Caribbean cultures again.”
Alice Gibb, 38, who is originally from Guadeloupe, attended with her husband, James, 39, and their children, Chloe, five, and Louise, two. “I grew up in the Caribbean so we have a tradition of carnival so I enjoy it and it’s the first time I’m bringing my children,” she said. “It’s come back together naturally so it doesn’t seem like the first time since Covid. I have similar memories from before – it’s the same atmosphere, you still have the same street food.”
The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, described the carnival as “part of the very fabric of this city” but added that the cost of living crisis had affected this year’s celebration. “We are seeing those who want to have floats, those who want to have sound systems, pulling out because they can’t afford to pay their bills,” he said.
