Essen, travel, sound systems and everything you need to know for the festival

The second largest street festival in the world returns on this holiday weekend when London welcomes the 58th edition of Notting Hill Carnival. The action is a relief: there was murmurs of the cancellation; Rumors about ticketing when it was always free to take part. The organizers warned of the future of the carnival. In a letter to the BBC, Chairman Ian Comfort called for the “urgent financing” of the government. He said it was “important to protect the future and public security of this iconic event”. An answer should be on the way.

Apart from results and advice, comfort is correct: Notting Hill Carnival is iconic. The annual celebration attracts two million people a year and contributes to £ 300 million. Not that the festival is about money. It has been taking place in British Caribbean culture and community since 1966. In response to widespread racial stresses in Great Britain in the 1950s, it began to take riots and attacks. Anyone who believes that all tensions that have dissolved is monstrous naive. Here is the strength of the unit and the tonic of belonging together.

Decades and the largest street party in Europe is as important as always. Every year the night owls climb from the tube and hike towards Portobello to the sound of Soca -Beats and cheer, the rhythmic dressing of calypso and steel pan, chewing grapes and sound systems, the dub, rare groove, samba and hip hop.

This bag from West London is turned into a huge party for three days, a kaleidoscope made of springs, rum punch and masked dancers. It is the best of London: diverse, funny and a little off. What a shame it would be to see it. Many will hope that 2025 will be the best year so far – to prove that Carnival is a necessary component in the London calendar. And so: open a can of red stripes and buckles. You need to know the following.

Three days partying

The festival begins on Saturday and brings parades, swimming bodies and processions along the three and a half miles long route, which runs from Westbourne Park Tube Station in the Great Western Road, then in Westbourne Grove before ending near Ladbroke Grove. Exciting the actors in glitter and gold, mas dancers, steel straps and much more. Saturday starts at 4 p.m. with the usual British National Panorama Steel Band competition in the Pleasance Park by Emslie Horniman. As one of the few ticket events, the best steel bands of Great Britain is allowed from head to head and no grades are allowed. It is a battle of pure talent, months of rehearsals and memories.

Sunday starts at 6 a.m. with J’ouvert. In this part of the carnival, the French expression “Jour Overt” or the opening of the day comes into motion and sees the human men of dawn. Sunday called the Family Day, also the parade for children’s day, but do not make a mistake, it is not a calm experience that is withdrawn. Expect colorful color, drums, music and a lot of dance, while the Dutty/Fun Mas Parade in W10 arrives in full force.

Monday is the adult day and is when the real fun begins. The intensity can only be summarized by the 15,000 feather flags, 30 liters of body color and 30 million sequins, which will dance through the processionary route. Or maybe the millions of liters rum drunk every year. Live stadiums and sound systems will be released on Sunday and Monday until 7 p.m. to 7 p.m. Reggae and Samba. Those who want to continue have to look for an after party. We cannot help you there – you are either in or you are out.

What to eat?

It is not difficult to find good food in the carnival. Every year the sky is filled with a grill smoke, the smell of jerk chicken in the air. It would be once again not to look for it to cover it in Scotch Motornet sauce and to have it with rice and peas, always comforting, sustainable. There is also much more to eat.

A good starting point could be Curtis Caribbean On the Middle Lane, famous for its seafood dishes such as fried fish with pickled onions and mixed peppers. Is elsewhere Jay Dees Catering On the Lancaster Road, one of the best places to find traditional Jerk chicken, herb salad, rice and peas, and Grandma Caribbean On the Powis Square, which serves a wonderful curry goat, a vegetable curry and a real baked macaroni cheese.

At the Notting Hill Gate is Cotton’s restaurantThis offers a lazy Caribbean meal experience in a somewhat more formal environment. And is nearby The jerk hubA festival favorite thanks to its speed and efficiency -here you will find boneless -jerk -hühnchen -wraps for the meal. Another serious contender on the best street food in Notting Hill is Mr. RoyThe famous for his spicy jerk chicken, slowly boiled oxtail pot and curry goat. Roy is a real gentleman and festival that is to boot. Finally there is Universal hot potwhich specializes in carnival food with a West African turn. The jolf rice is an absolute must.

Iconic sound systems

Many of the sound systems have been carnival stalts for generations. Aba Shanti-i (At the intersection of East Row and Southern Row) has been playing the reggae legend roots and dub since 1993 Channel one (Where the Villas of the Leamington Road meets Westbourne Park Road) since 1983, while the Sir Lloyd Sound system (corner of the Leamington Road Villas and Tavistock Road) has been supplying R’n’B and reggae since 1979. Take a look at the newer players. Triple S (Southern Row Corner of the Bosworth Road) mussel genre hopping tracks while Disco hustler (Powis Square) does what it says on the can.

Arrive there

Carnival is always hectic and busy and climbing and getting out can prove to be a challenge. So come prepared and plan your route. The Ladbroke Grove Station is closed all weekend. The Holland Park is only registered from 11 a.m. and closed after 3 p.m. Royal Oak is also only introduced from 11:00 a.m. and is closed at 6 p.m. The Notting Hill Gate only serves central trains and is only from the exit from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Westbourne Park is also not admission from 11 a.m. The best pipe stations that are open over the weekend are Paddington and Shepherd’s Bush. The TFL website has the full list of disorders.

All Santander bike stations are closed from Saturday to Tuesday. Buses are expected to keep their usual destinations briefly, although there are two special services for the weekend. The 148x runs between Shepherds Bush and Victoria, while the 7x runs between East Acton and Paddington.

Top tips for first games

The essentials are a bottle of water, a fully charged phone and friends in tow. Large groups are stupid – with horrific signal and large crowds, keep it manageable or expect to have divided. It is worth cash to have only a few ATMs, and the queues are historically terrible.