This is one of the best carnivals in the world - a huge street party celebrating the Caribbean culture, still very present in London, and which takes place over two days in August - in Notting Hill, historically London's Jamaican and Caribbean neighbourhood, but now actually a very posh and gentrified place.
Traditionally Sunday is the family friendly day and the Monday the adult version of the Carnival.
If big crowds, loud music and chaotic scenes are not for you, be sure to avoid this festival at all costs. But if you have heard about it and this type of experience appeals you should definately try to experience Notting Hill Festival first hand.
Aim to arrive in the early afternoon and try not to be shocked upon arrival by the immense crowd ("the biggest street party in Europe") and by how the whole neighbourhood is barricaded and the streets are bustling.
Yes, barricaded with fences closing and parting streets and with all shops having their front windows covered with planks! And trashed with junk (bottles, cans, food) absolutely everywhere.
Quite a long way from you would usually expect from visiting this usually swanky area!
You should expect a non-stop parade, made up of huge sound-systems equipped trucks and dressed up revellers was going on in the main streets, and almost forty other sound systems were spread out in all Notting Hill's streets, making the whole block feel like a huge festival.
But the constant presence of police squads patrolling the same streets in their full riot control uniforms/armours (with even mounted patrols involved) sometimes makes first time visitors a bit uneasy.
You can call the Notting Hill Carnival fun, it will certainly be a cultural experience like no other and its recommended to visit at least once..
If you are looking for the ultimate party on a sunny day in London, go see it for yourself next year!
