Notting Hill Carnival LIVE: First parade will be held for two years since Covid in west London today after sunrise J’Ouvert ‘official opening’ – as revellers face bus strike misery getting to event
Follow along MailOnline’s live coverage of Notting Hill Carnival throughout the day here:
Host commentator
Notting Hill Carnival is a time of celebration in the Caribbean community and far beyond – put many of those hoping to join the street party today and tomorrow face difficulties travelling to and from the event.
Bus routes affected are: 9, 18, 33, 49, 65, 70, 71, 72, 85, 94, 105, 110, 116, 117, 148, 203, 211, 216, 220, 223, 224, 235, 258, 265, 266, 272, 281, 283, 290, 293, 371, 404, 406, 411, 418, 419, 423, 440, 465, 467, 470, 481, C1, E1, E3, H17, H22, H32, H37, H91, H98, K1, K2, K3, K4, K5, S3, N9, N18, N33, N65, N72, N266 and S3.
Meanwhile Tube stations around the festival area will be closed due to the sheer number of people expected to attend.
Ladbroke Grove station is completely closed, Holland Park is closed from 3pm, and Royal Park, Queensway, Westbourne Park and Notting Hill Gate will be exit only stations from 11am until 6pm.
Westbourne Park will also close at 11:30pm, while Royal Oak will close from 6pm tonight.
Early birds celebrate with paint and powders ahead of a full day of partying
From 6am, festival-goers gathered in the neighbourhood for J’ouvert celebrations, as they sprayed brightly coloured paints and powders ahead of a full day of partying.
People clad in bright colours and butterfly wings filled the street to mark the start of the world-famous event, which is returning to the streets after three years of online celebrations during the pandemic.
As J’Ouvert approaches its close at about 9am, attendees are well and truly getting colourful.
It’s 6am and that means it’s J’ouvert! The word J’Ouvert stems from the French ‘Jour ouvert’ meaning ‘opening of the day’. It is tradition in the Caribbean to launch Carnival just before sunrise, continuing into daybreak. #NottingHillCarnival2022 pic.twitter.com/X7FR84ZqJ3
j'ouvert before and after pic.twitter.com/YRttGe0hle
Each year the carnival kicks off on Sunday with the traditional J’Ouvert ceremony.
JOouvert stems from the French ‘Jour ouvert’ meaning ‘opening of the day’. It is tradition in the Caribbean to launch Carnival just before sunrise, continuing into daybreak. Following steelband floats, carnivalists bring buckets of mud or oil to douse themselves with in a display of colour and fun.
Thousands of revellers arrive onto the streets of Notting Hill in the very early hours of the morning to celebrate the opening of carnival, to dance and get messy.
Morning and welcome to our live blog following all the latest news, pictures and stories in west London as Notting Hill carnival kicks off for the first times in two years.
The parade was cancelled two years in a row due to the coronavirus pandemic, but this year around two million people are expected to attend.
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