Notting Hill Carnival always takes place during the last weekend in August, on the Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday so this year it will be on Sunday 30 August and Monday 31 August 2009.
The Notting Hill Carnival has been held on the August bank holiday since 1966, bringing the streets of west London alive with the sounds, costumes and smells of the Caribbean.
It started life as a local festival organised by the West Indian community in the area but has expanded into a full-blown Caribbean carnival attracting thousands of visitors from around the world.
The fun unofficially kicks off on Saturday with the steel band competition — the Steel Pan Panorama — in Hyde Park. But the official action takes place on Sunday and Monday. Proceedings will kick off at the new time of 9am to make sure that the floats get round the three-mile route from Great Western Road to Westbourne Grove and Ladbroke Grove in good time and that the parade is off the road by nightfall. Events end at 9pm on both days and sound systems at 7pm.
Sunday is traditionally children's day, with the emphasis on family and the parade reserved for young people under 21. The hardcore fun — with up to 40 static sound systems competing for attention as well as the adult's parade — takes place on Monday with partying continuing late into the night. Read the full story here
Notting Hill Carnival official website
To see videos made before, during and after the carnival visit the site nottinghillcarnival at winkball here