London's Notting Hill Carnival resumes after 2-year hiatus

Shuttered by COVID-19 pandemic, annual celebration returns with full pomp, splendor

LONDON The UK's famed Notting Hill Carnival has returned to London's streets this year after a two-year absence caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The event kicked off on Sunday and began with a memorial run for the 72 victims of the Grenfell Tower fire tragedy followed by a 72-second silence. "This community-led celebration of Caribbean history and culture has become one of the world's biggest street festivals and part of the very fabric of this city," London Mayor Sadiq Khan said in a statement. "It's been tough for all of the carnivalists, we've been affected by the pandemic too, but that's not deterred us, people will see an amazing carnival this year," Linett Kamala, one of the organizers of the event, said in an interview with the BBC News. Although the pandemic affected the event as well as those involved in its annual organization, many argue that the cost-of-living crisis poses more dangers to the carnival with many not being able to afford costumes and tickets to partake in its celebration. The event takes place on the August Bank Holiday in Notting Hill, west London, and celebrates mainly Caribbean culture and diversity with costumed parades, food stalls and music shows. The carnival has been in existence for 55 years and is the world's second largest after the annual carnival held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.