Notting Hill Carnival

When: 28-29 August 2011 (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, from laid back reggae and dub to funk, soul, house, bassline, grime, dubstep, drum n bass and hip hop. The predominant sound is Soca, and Calypso 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. Sadly, Good Times won't be at this year's festival - but you can read an interview we did with the legend a few years back.

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, Skepta, Robbo Ranx, Wiley, Ironik 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

• Urban Nerds pre carnival mash up, which is also on Saturday. It's over in Shoreditch, but sure to get you in the carnival mood (or possibly delay your arrival at the carnival by a day).
  
  Chew The Fat Bank Holiday Special over at Cable with MJ Cole and Zinc.

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. Our top picks are all based near the Carnival route.

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, with line ups that include Stereo MCs and Ms Dynamite at their Sunday after party, and Alex Nut and Benji B tearing it up on Monday.

Over at Proud2 on Sunday night you'll find the massive Innovation and One Nation presents Bass Heavy - enough DnB bass weight to sink a ship with Hype, Goldie, Grooverider, Nicky Blackmarket, Ed Rush and many more.

The Red Bull Music Academy Carnival Party is a new fixture, with Major Lazer's soundsytsem teaming up for a really heavy day of sunshine and dancing. Less after-party and more of a full on part of the event, it occurs Under The Westway and as usual is on Monday.

Other afterparties include Rampage at Hidden, the West London Bass Club have a bash on Sunday night at Ginglik with High Rankin laying it down.

Notting Hilll Carnival Q&As
Gaz Mayall Interview
Norman Jay Interview
Click to view all pre- and after- Carnival parties announced so far.
Click here for all London Live Music.