The party atmosphere is taking hold of west London again as the second day of the Notting Hill Carnival kicks off with the main parade.
Colourful costumes, dancing and music filled the streets of west London for Europe’s biggest street party’s children’s day on Sunday, and the spectacle will continue throughout Monday.
The carnival, which celebrates Caribbean culture and history, has been running for more than 50 years.
Carnival-goer Jeff Sam, 74, said: “We are here to enjoy ourselves and we know it’s going to be a fantastic day, something you have never dreamed in your life.
“You’re going to see Brazilian bands, you’re going to see Caribbean bands, you’re going to see bands from all over the world coming and performing in beautiful costumes.”
EPA
Reuters
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Matt Vernon, from Beat Carnival in Belfast, said his group would be performing with puppets to commemorate Sonny Blacks, “a key member of Notting Hill Carnival in the early days”.
“We built them very quickly, but very professionally in the last two weeks,” he said.
“We leapt to the challenge and were very honored to be asked to create these things.”
He said the puppets took “a lot of core muscles and good vibes” to show at Carnival.
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Derillio Alexander, 33, who is normally based in Amsterdam, said he was performing at Carnival with Ebony Steel Band.
“It’s gonna be a big party,” he said. “We’re gonna bust the place. It’s always a pleasure to be here and we’re gonna do our thing.”
More than a million people are expected to attend the event.
Following the Adult’s Parade, Carnival continues with sound systems and live stages of music in Emslie Horniman’s Pleasance Park and Powis Square.
All major music and sound systems will be switched off at 15:00 for a 72-second silence to commemorate the 72 lives lost in the Grenfell Tower fire, as well as those who have died at Carnival in recent years and Kelso Cochrane whose murder in 1959 became one of the catalysts for the event.
