Thousands join Carnival festivities in Notting Hill
Hundreds of thousands of party-goers took part in the annual Notting Hill Carnival this weekend, as the largest street festival in the European Union celebrated its 45th year. Although the weather conditions brought rain during the afternoon, it wasn’t enough to stop the parades, floats, music, and revelry which started at 09:00 BST on Sunday.
According to Ancil Barclay, Notting Hill Carnival director, even though there was some rainfall, the event was a tremendous success, and the atmosphere among those who were in attendance was fantastic. He went on to say that there were some great costumes on display, not to mention the many beautiful floats that made their way through the judging point at the end of the procession.
London Mayor Boris Johnson said that Notting Hill Carnival exemplifies the richness inherent in Caribbean culture and the celebration which occurs here every year serves as the ultimate street party. He went on to add he has a particular affinity to the event, as he is a former Ladbroke Grove resident, and believes there is nothing that can rival the energy and spirit of the Notting Hill Carnival.
The festival was not without some problems however; as a police representative said there were 55 arrests for public order, drugs, and drink-drive offences on Sunday. There were also a reported 181 individuals treated by London Ambulance Services, with 26 taken to the hospital.