60 years of Notting Hill Carnival: 10 essential songs chosen by its veterans

Notting Hill Carnival celebrated its 60th anniversary, attracting more than 2 million people over three days of vibrant celebrations. The event, held in west London, showcased Caribbean culture through drummers, dancers, colorful costumes, and elaborate parades. Jackie, a vendor at the event for 15 years, emphasized the importance of unity, stating, "We are the greatest when we come together as people."

The carnival, which began in 1966, commenced on Saturday with a steelband competition, followed by the children's parade and carnival on Sunday. A 72-second silence was held in memory of the 72 people killed in the Grenfell Tower fire in June 2017. Evan, a soca band musician, expressed his enthusiasm for performing traditional Calypso and Soca songs, describing Caribbean music as "a culture, it's a lifestyle."

Sophie, Rachel, and Sara traveled from the Netherlands to perform in the Mangrove Mas band, highlighting the sense of community and shared purpose at the event. Patricia reflected on the carnival's significance as a tribute to her ancestors, stating, "I feel like carrying an ancestral presence."

Traders prepared for the event early on Monday, with Lorraine from Luv Jerk setting up at 02:00 BST. The carnival also marked a personal milestone for Jackie, who has been participating in Notting Hill Carnival for 15 years. She expressed her excitement about bringing energy and authentic Jamaican food to the event, emphasizing, "It's not just a big party; we have history and that's never going to be forgotten."

Christine from Jam Vybz Kitchen, a vendor attending the carnival for the first time, prepared traditional Jamaican dishes like jerk pork, rice and peas, and jerk chicken. Lizzy, a long-time attendee, emphasized the event's role in bringing people together, saying, "Carnival is for everybody and it was made to get people to socialize, all different countries."

Matthew Phillip, the event's chief executive, addressed concerns about violence at the carnival, stating, "It is a victim of crime rather than a perpetrator." Over 3,000 stewards and more than 7,000 Metropolitan Police officers were on duty during the weekend, with 243 people arrested for various offenses.