Notting Hill Carnival

When: 26-27 August 2012 (August Bank Holiday Weekend)
Where: Notting Hill to Kensal Rise
How much: free!

Info | Past Performers | Guide &  Map | After Parties

Everybody loves Notting Hill Carnival, the two-day street party in West London celebrating Caribbean culture and offering the chance to dance in the streets to a variety of different sounds. Expect laid back reggae and dub; funk and soul; house; bassline, grime, dubstep, drum n bass and hip hop; plus Soca and Calypso, which comes from the steel bands for which Notting Hill Carnival is famous.

Info

Each day of the Notting Hill Carnival revolves around a parade of floats, some extravagantly decorated and followed by teams of dressed-up dancers, others just piled high with speakers. There are dozens of fixed soundsystems as well offering similar variety, from the bone-shaking dub of Abashanti to the balearic beats of Sancho Panza, via the fresh urban selections at Radio One and the iconic Good Times, helmed by national treasure Norman Jay MBE.

Past Performers

Over the years a massive array of performers have wowed the crowds and danced the routes themselves, from early susperstars like Toots and the Maytals, Desmond Decker and Jimmy Cliff to modern heroes including the likes of Dizzee Rascal, Roots Manuva, Beenie Man, Redrat, Courtney Pine, Skepta, Robbo Ranx, Wiley, and The Game. It's the only place to be on Bank Holiday weekend and you will reliably see massive UK and Caribbean stars performing live for Radio One. But for most people, the joy of Carnival is listening to records played at loud volume, on street corners.

Guide & Map

Check out Spoonfed's Notting Hill Carnival Guide. This includes a map to the fixed sound systems, along with tips on what to bring and how to get in and out. And how to go to the loo!

It's often a lot of fun to stumble upon soundsystems for yourself but most Carnival veterans will recommend checking out the following:

• Gaz's Rocking Blues
  Best For: Live reggae, costumes
• Channel One
  Best For: Bone shaking dub, topping up ganja supplies
• Studio 1
  Best For: Lovers reggae, food stalls
• Sir Lloyd
  Best for: Rare reggae grooves, authentic sound system vibes
• KCC
  Best For: Freshest sounds, this year probably pure bassline n grime
• Aba Shanti
  Best For: Dub, roots, conscious reggae, and dancing with eyes closed
• Sancho Panza
  Best For: Ibiza sounds

After Parties

Carnival is strictly a daytime event, so get there early and throw yourself into it! But after a few hours dancing and drinking in the street, you're not going to feel like going home. There are dozens of parties all over London on both nights, with some incredible line-ups (many with super secret surprise special guests to be announced), to keep your Carnival going til dawn.

The pick of the bunch for us is The Garden Party at The Mason's Arms, with a two-day celebration of Acid House and Balearica featuring the likes of Terry Farley, Don Letts, Lisa Loud, Pete Herbert, Ashley Beedle and more. 

Paradise, By Way of Kensal Green is a magnificent three-floored pub a few yards from the north end of the route, and they have awesome parties both nights. Sunday sees a Ninja Tune special featuring Coldcut, Zed Bias and more, while on Monday, Deviation take over and invite Benji B, Zinc and Toddla T down for a bass heavy workout.

If it's house and techno you're after, over at Westbourne Studios, Luciano’s mega label Cadenza have a special carnival showcase, while Krankbrothers' are throwing one of their ace loft parties at the brilliant Loft Studios; the venue alone is worth checking out. 

Notting Hilll Carnival Q&As
Gaz Mayall Interview
Norman Jay Interview
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