Over the bank holiday weekend, Notting Hill Carnival returned to the streets of West London after a two-year hiatus due to Covid-19. Thousands of people packed the street for the two-day event dressed in kaleidoscope costumes to match the 50,000 performers. The event – which emerged after the racist killing of the Antiguan carpenter Kelso Cochrane in 1959 – has grown to become the second-biggest carnival in the world, after the one held in Rio de Janeiro.
“Notting Hill Carnival means a lot to me because of the traditions and many years of fun,” one attendee, Christine, told Huck. “Thinking that carnival might not come back was a sad thought, but yesterday seeing so many friendly and beautiful people was magical.”
Another attendee, Harry, who plays at the event as part of the steel pan band Hype Mas, shared his thoughts on Carnival’s return. “I’ve missed the costume, the vibes, the energy… everything. I’ve been doing six years,” he said, “and I’ll keeping doing this every year until I’m old and grey!”
The weekend kicked off with the UK National Panorama Steelband Competition at Emslie Horniman’s Pleasance Park, which saw Ebony Steelband secure its 23rd win. Later in the day, there was time for reflection, with a 72-second silence to honour the 72 victims of the Grenfell Tower fire. Another silence was held on Sunday at the same time. The blaze destroyed Grenfell Tower on 14 June 2017, claiming the lives of 72 residents.
Speaking to the crowd through a microphone, Grenfell survivor Zoe Dainton said: “June the 14th of this year marked five years since the fire. Five years and still no justice, still no charges, not much change.”
Photographer Humothy attended the two-day event to capture Carnival’s much-anticipated return.
Follow Humothy on Instagram.
Enjoyed this article? Like Huck on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
You might like
How Japan revolutionised art & photography in the ’60s and ’70s
From Angura to Provoke — A new photobook chronicles the radical avant-garde scene of the postwar period, whose subversion of the medium of image making remains shocking and groundbreaking to this day.
Written by: Miss Rosen
In west London, Subbuteo is alive and flicking
London Subbuteo Club — The tabletop football game sees players imitate vintage teams with tactics and tiny painted replica kits. Ryan Loftus takes a trip to Fulham to meet a dedicated community and witness a titanic Brazil vs Coventry City showdown.
Written by: Ryan Loftus
Artifaxing: “We’ve become so addicted to these supercomputers in our hands”
Framing the future — Predominantly publishing on Instagram and X, the account is one of social media’s most prominent archiving pages. We caught up with the mysterious figure behind it to chat about the internet’s past, present and future, finding inspiration and art in the age of AI.
Written by: Isaac Muk
The lacerating catharsis of body suspension in Hong Kong
Self-Ferrying — In one of the world’s most densely packed cities, an underground group of young people are piercing their skin and hanging their bodies with hooks in a shocking exploration of pain and pleasure. Sophie Liu goes to a session to understand why they partake in the extreme underground practice.
Written by: Sophie Liu
What we’re excited for at SXSW 2026
Austin 40 — For the festival’s 40th anniversary edition, we are heading to Texas to join one of the biggest global meetups of the year. We’ve selected a few things to highlight on your schedules.
Written by: Huck
Activists hack London billboards to call out big tech harm
Tax Big Tech: With UK youth mental health services under strain, guerrilla billboards across the capital accuse social media companies of profiting from a growing crisis.
Written by: Ella Glossop
