The 60th anniversary of Notting Hill Carnival has been celebrated with three days of drumming, dancing, and colourful costumes.

The annual carnival, Europe’s biggest street party first held in 1966 in West London, celebrates Caribbean culture and history.

The three-day event, which featured an adults’ parade, live bands, over 30 static sound systems, and the scent of jerk chicken floating through the air, began with a steelband competition on Saturday, followed by the children’s parade and carnival on Sunday.

A 72-second silence was held to remember the 72 people killed in the Grenfell Tower fire in June 2017, close to where the carnival is held.

Over the weekend, more than 3,000 stewards were on duty—double the usual number—and over 7,000 Metropolitan Police officers were deployed to the area.

The Met Police disclosed that 243 people were arrested on Sunday, during the carnival, for alleged drug possession, assaults, sexual offences and weapon possession. Two people were also hospitalised and treated for wounds caused by knife assaults.

The carnival’s history dates back to a turbulent time for the Caribbean community in London. In 1958, racial violence in Notting Hill saw Black residents attacked by white mobs. 

In 1959, Trinidadian-born journalist Claudia Jones organised a Caribbean carnival at St Pancras Town Hall and offered the community a space to celebrate their culture amid widespread discrimination.

Months later, an Antiguan carpenter, Kelso Cochrane, was fatally stabbed in an unprovoked racist attack in the area. His murder remains unsolved.

At the time, it was an indoor carnival until 1964, when local activist Rhaune Laslett helped bring Caribbean culture outdoors.

The small community event eventually became one of the world’s biggest street festivals.