A Beloved Carnival Goes Virtual
The annual 54th Notting Hill Carnival went virtual this year after being announced that due to the coronavirus pandemic it would get cancelled entirely. But if there’s one thing we all know, it is that nobody can stop or even pause the arts, the artists, and culture!
Over the Bank Holiday Weekend, Londoners of all ages and colour stepped into their heritage and culture, donning stunning outfits, wings, and makeup that spoke volumes about their culture without uttering a single word. Since 1966, the Notting Hill Carnival has been held in the Notting Hill area of Kensington, led by the British West Indian community and attracting millions of attendees as they too adorn beautiful outfits and costumes to celebrate their roots and heritage. This event is considered highly significant in the Black British community, becoming a voted icon of England in 2006.
Pictures of Performers from the Virtual NHC and of the Londoners
This year, the Carribean carnival was held virtually, streamed live from a studio while Londoners danced around the practically empty streets of the Kensington area of the city, dancing to music playing from their phones. Everything from performances to the actual parade was streamed for the world featuring a total of 30 live performing traditional street groups. Meanwhile, dozens of anti-racism activists lay down in protest against systemic racism outside Notting Hill’s tube station. Their signs included messages like “The UK is not innocent” and “Enough is Enough”.
Matthew Phillip, the Executive Director of the NHC told The Guardian, “For more than 50 years carnival has been a statement that Black Lives Matter,” when discussing the celebration of black British life, especially in the current time period. He continued by saying, “That’s normal practice for us, it’s not something that we’re just jumping on now because of the current global climate and what’s going on. Carnival has been making these statements for 50 years.”
How do you feel about the Carnival getting cancelled and being streamed virtually live this year?
Credit: PA via London Evening Standard
