Notting Hill Carnival goes digital this weekend

Notting Hill Carnival is hosting a virtual event this weekend.

After West London’s historic celebration of Caribbean culture was cancelled for the first time in 54 years due to the pandemic, the team behind Notting Hill Carnival are moving festivities online with its Access All Areas edition. Running from Saturday, August 29th, through Monday, the 31st, there’s be events across four channels via the Let’s GoDo platform. Register for free on Notting Hill Carnival’s website, and Spotify, an official event partner, will be hosting livestreams on Sunday and Monday via its Carnival microsite, too.

The four channels each have a theme: Culture, Parade, SoundSystems and Main Stage. The Main Stage will feature talent from from the likes of DJ Puffy, Tiwa Savage, Davido, Ms Banks, Koffee, Patrice Roberts, Iwer George, Yemi Alade and Swappi. There’ll be 40 featured soundsystems, too, including Rampage Sound, Seduction City Sound, King Tubby’s, Arts-A-Light, Disya Jeneration and more.

Kicking things off on Friday the 29th, at 6 PM BST, is Panology, a showcase of steel bands recorded at Royal Albert Hall and the Theatre Royal Haymarket. It’ll feature performances from Delphina James & Justin Russell with the Tabernacle Crew, Ebony Steel Band, Endurance Steel Orchestra, Mangrove Carnival and Metronomes Steel Orchestra.

“Now, more than ever, it’s important to keep the spirit of Notting Hill Carnival alive,” Notting Hill Carnival executive director Matthew Phillip said. “Carnival is such an important part of people’s lives and key celebration of the multiculturalism of the UK, and we have a responsibility to our community and pioneers to honour that. We also have a responsibility to protect the black community and our elders by respecting social distancing and taking Carnival away from the streets for this year. So this is a fantastic solution for 2020.”

Carnival has shared themed playlists and podcasts, as well as soundsystem spotlights, for the occasion—find those via Spotify.

NTS Radio is also hosting a special Planet Carnival broadcast tonight, Friday, August 28th, through midnight BST. See the lineup and tune in here.

Photo credit: Notting Hill Carnival