The iconic Notting Hill Carnival has been cancelled due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Around a million people attend the event annually which is usually held in the last week of August.
Organisers of the festival, which celebrates London’s diversity, told reporters that calling off the weekend was the only safe option because of the ongoing pandemic crisis, but they are hoping to hold a celebration in an alternative form over the same weekend. Plans are still in the early stages and there will be an announcement on the Notting Hill Carnival’s social media accounts.
The carnival has been held in Notting Hill, West London, since 1966. It’s the latest in a string of iconic events due to take place over the summer including Glastonbury Festival’s 50th anniversary and the Tokyo Olympics.
They say: “This has not been an easy decision to make, but the reality of the Covid-19 pandemic and the way in which it has unfolded means that this is the only safe option.”
