Explore: Notting Hill Carnival

This was my first visit to Notting Hill Carnival, and it was really amazing. I hate to use a cliched phrase, but the atmosphere was electric – everyone wanted to dance, sing and eat, and the whole Notting Hill area was absolutely packed with families and friends. 

We went on the Sunday (family day) as I’ve been told the Monday can be a bit rough, and as it was our first time we didn’t want to take any risks. The crowds were unbelievable, I’ve never seen so many people packed onto the streets. It was verging on scary at times as I don’t like closed in spaces, and the music on some streets was so loud it was a bit disorientating! But dancing in the parade was brilliant fun – with a rum punch in hand and dodging all of the official parade dancers who were covered head to toe in chocolate! 

There was a great sense of community, and as somebody who is half-Jamaican, I found it really fascinating to see part of the culture of the country that I descend from. I’ll definitely be going again next year – it’s definitely something everybody should experience while living in London.