Notting Hill Carnival

street festival, London, England

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July 22, 2026

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The Notting Hill Carnival is an annual street festival held in London, England, at the end of August. It is a celebration of West Indian life and culture in London, featuring Caribbean food, dance, and costumes.12

The carnival originated in 1959 when Claudia Jones, a Trinidadian social and political activist, organized a carnival to counter the negative atmosphere following racial tensions and violence against Caribbean immigrants in the Notting Hill area. This event grew into the Notting Hill Carnival, which draws millions of spectators each year. It is a significant cultural event for the West Indian community in London.21

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Claudia Jones
Founding of the West Indian Gazette and the Notting Hill Carnival
…celebration later expanded into the Notting Hill Carnival, which continued to draw some two million spectators annually in the early 21st century.
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…celebration later expanded into the Notting Hill Carnival, which continued to draw some two million spectators annually in the early 21st century.
Read More