The Carnival, or "Mas" as the locals call it (short for masquerade), is modelled on the street festivals of Trinidad, which originated in the early 19th century as a means of celebrating liberation from slavery and the slave trade. Starting in 1964, it was a way of bringing together people who had made their homes in London after the SS Empire Windrush had brought the first Caribbean migrants to our shores.

There have been good years and bad for the Carnival over the years. Its organisers are less than impressed with the attempt of the Greater London Authority to create a diversionary annual event in Hyde Park on the grounds of safety. Nothing quite matches events in Notting Hill though, with their parades of floats, vibrant music and the beguiling aromas of barbecued spicy jerk chicken.