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A long, hot summer ended with a blaze of colour yesterday (August 31), as Notting Hill Carnival celebrated its 60th anniversary. Every year, millions of revellers take to the streets for three days of parades, steel pan music, Caribbean food and dancing to sound systems. But 2026's edition was extra special, showing just how far this event has come since 1966. It started out as a small event designed to bring the local community together, finding joy on streets where the Windrush generation faced discrimination and prejudice. Now, it's the biggest street event in Europe, an iconic part of London’s culture, and a place for the whole city to party shoulder to shoulder.
In previous years, media coverage has disproportionately focused on arrests and crime at the event, so it was refreshing to see a more positive outlook this year, with the police describing the mood as ‘overwhelmingly positive and celebratory’. The partying only stopped for a 72-second period of reflection for the 72 people who were killed in the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017, just streets away from where Carnival is held.
Did you get to Carnival this year? Maybe you’ll spot yourself in these pics of the weekend at its brightest and best. And if you didn’t, then scroll on, and enjoy the sight of dancers, DJs, musicians and fantastically feathered performers turning Notting Hill into a technicolour wonderland for three glorious days (with photography from Yushy and Chris Bethell).
The best photos from Notting Hill Carnival 2026
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