Notting Hill Carnival

TRANSCRIPT
Notting Hill Carnival

NARRATOR:
A great event brings people together and creates something special. Notting Hill Carnival is a large street festival in London. It celebrates Caribbean culture with good food, loud music, and amazing costumes. The streets are very crowded. It is an incredible event. The Carnival started in 1966. Over the years, it grew bigger and more popular. Today, it is the second biggest Carnival in the world. Only Rio Carnival is bigger. Around half a million people come to the festival each year.
Notting Hill Carnival is also important for the city. It brings about 400 million pounds to London’s economy and creates around 3,000 full-time jobs. Many people work hard to prepare for this cultural event.
Before the festival, designers are very busy. They make original, colourful costumes. They paint and glue. They cut fabric, sew pieces together, and add decorations. Some costumes are very large and bright. Each costume shows the creativity of the artists. Music is also very important at Carnival. One special sound comes from steel drums. People make these drums from metal and create fun, rhythmic music. Bands practise for many weeks to get ready.

SOUNDBITE - Kishan Shorter-Ashmeil:
“So we started, I'd say maybe about two months ago with almost everyday practice. So we practise every evening from about 7:30 till now, it's onwards of 1 o'clock, sometimes 2 o' clock in the morning.”

NARRATOR:
When people share art, music, and culture, they can make a wonderful event.