Focus now on Notting Hill Carnival in London

With the passage of the high point of the 2022 Caribbean Carnival the focus shifts to Carnival in the Diaspora – Caribana in Toronto, Notting Hill in London, and Labour Day in New York being the major ones.

Scene at Eastbourne beach

Spice Mas in Grenada concluded a hectic season in the Eastern Caribbean with Vincy Mas leading the way, closely followed by Lucian Mas, the Bajan Crop-Over/Kadooment, and Antigua’s hectic festival which coincided with the Emancipation weekend.

The Caribbean migrant community in North America and the U.K. is as carnival-starved as mas- lovers at home, following the forced cancellations as a result of the Covid pandemic, and have displayed their enthusiasm in preparing for the resumption of their annual festivals.

Caribana 2022 occupied its usual place on the August holiday weekend so the focus shifts across the Atlantic to another bank-holiday weekend in Britain, this upcoming weekend. Pride of place will be the Notting Hill Carnival in North-west London which is now the biggest street festival in Europe. Over the three days August 27-29, the streets in the Notting Hill area will play host to the return of masqueraders and party- goers as the Caribbean community places its indelible cultural stamp on London.

It begins on Saturday evening with the irrepressible presence of pan, with the Panorama competition at Pleasance Park, its traditional venue. The UK National Panorama is the most respected and anticipated outside the Caribbean. Food stalls, bars, large screens and heavy sounds from Caribbean DJs will entertain patrons from early afternoon leading up to the big Panorama competition in the evening.

There, reigning Pan chaps, the Mangrove Steel Orchestra, playing the popular “Mash Up’’ by the late soca star Blaxx, arranged by Andre White, will defend its title and aim for an eleventh success. Its biggest challenge is expected to come from the Ebony Steel Orchestra, the most successful Panorama champion, with 22 wins. Ebony has again engaged Trinidadian arranger, Duvonne Stewart and, like Mangrove, will be playing “Mash Up” as well. Also in the mix will be Croydon steel orchestra, playing Nadia Batson’s “Belly”, and the duo of Metronomes and Pan Nation playing their own arrangements of Voice’s “Out and Bad”.

Sunday will be Children’s Day in Notting Hill with the Junior Street Parade. It will not only be the highlight of the day but kicks off the massive street festival which continues on Monday with the Adult Parade. More than 30 Big Sound systems will boom out Caribbean sounds to the millions expected over the two days, and more than 300 food stalls will cater to a variety of culinary tastes with emphasis on Caribbean preparations.

Over the years there have been complaints of how this massive influx of visitors, busy traffic and loud music are disturbing the peace and quiet of the elderly residents of the area. Organizers of the Festival have demonstrated their caring response by arranging, in conjunction with Age UK, an organization for the elderly, to accommodate those elderly citizens who are interested, to spend the weekend at Eastbourne beach on the south coast. The Kensington and Chelsea local government councils are funding this worthy initiative.