The Notting Hill Carnival is an annual Caribbean festival event that has taken place in London since 1966 on the streets of the Notting Hill area of Kensington, each August over two days (the August bank holiday Monday and the preceding Sunday).
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| Notting Hill Carnival in 1981 |
It is led by members of the British West Indian community, and attracts around two and a half million people annually, making it one of the world’s largest street festivals, and a significant event in Black British culture.
In 2006, the UK public voted it onto a list of icons of England. These black and white photos were taken by Norman Craig that show the Notting Hill Carnival in 1981.
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| “Take a picture of me and my mate” |
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| Carnival 1980s style |
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| Dancing all the way down Ladbroke Grove. Nowadays the parade goes in the opposite direction |
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| Dancing in the streets |
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| Fancy meeting you here |
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| Grooving to the reggae under the canopy on Portobello |
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| Kingdoms of the Forest by the Renegades Players (Brixton). Nice hats |
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| Kingdoms of the Forest by the Renegades Players (Brixton) |
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| Ladbroke Grove in another century |
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| Metronome Steel Band |
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| Metronome Steel Band |
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| Metronome Steel Band |
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| Moving to the music on Ladbroke Grove |
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| New hat |
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| Passing the Globe Cafe in Talbot Road |
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| Passing the Globe Cafe in Talbot Road |
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| People are watching the face-painting |
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| People at Notting Hill Carnival |
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| Running repairs to one of the floats. And what's a float made from - scaffold poles, angle iron, wire, rope and an old door |
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| Some reggae music going on here |
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| Sound system |
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| Steel band |
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| Steel Scene |
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| The Sunshine Shortney |