Oh don't stop the carnival...

Hearing that there had been arrests at the Notting Hill Carnival I found myself really annoyed that the coverage focussed on the negative for what had been a major success.

The music, the atmosphere, the range of foods and smells was amazing and all this with over 1 million people present.

It says something when this can be used for a negative story - it's as though an unofficial media measure is how many people are arrested each year.

Of course such arrests as took place were partly due to the increased use of stop and search - which in this situation is probably the right use of such powers.

I wanted however, to reflect back out the amazing costumes and colours that I captured on my little camera.

Most of the traditions of africa and the carribean were represented and with them often their respective national pride - the Jamaican flag is in particular prominence, as well as some more westernised cultural themes.

But also there is the god corner (above left) as well as the just loud, garish and colourful.

The history of carnival can be traced to a wide range of events, issues and themes and more detail is given here http://www.mynottinghill.co.uk/nottinghilltv/community-carnival-history.htm

But what struck me is the importance of this event today. It's the must be at event of the calendar for many Londoners and a huge huge amount of preapration has gone in...

This carnival dates from the events of the 50's with the parade from the 1960's but of course as with all things there is a reasoning and tradition that goes back further to Trinidad, slavery and beyond.

Cleaning up after the party and securing the toilets

It was the Notting Hill Carnival and so a day out not to be missed - not sure I had appreciated the full scale of the event - you hear the numbers of people attending in press reports but it isn;t until you are there that you see the full true scale.

This event is huge and the impacts upon the local area, the community are huge.

Just walking to the Carnival from where I live you could sense the growing crowds - Kilburn High Road was busier and had greater traffic - as we got to Kilburn Lane you could see the pubs were fuller and as you got to Harrow Road the queues at the bust stops were visible and vast.

For some in the community the experience has been err... negative.

There has been a bit of an elongated battle for the residents of what is called the Kensal Triangle trying to get toilet provision during the period of the carnival - well thanks to lots of noise, hassling and most especially the work of local councillor Simon Green this festival had toilets - and here are people queueing up to use them.

The are of course by the great local graffiti whihc has survived so far...

http://474towin.blogspot.com/2008/08/political-art-on-streets-is-that.html

For me the carnival was fun and lively and great music - but my enjoyment was partly based on the sure knowledge that I didn't have to be ivmoplved in the clean up - just how much jerk chicken can a street cleaning load into a rubbish bag?