In Conversation - Claire Holder OBE | Notting Hill Carnival 60

Chief Executive of Notting Hill Carnival 1989–2002. A barrister who kept Europe’s largest street festival alive. Hear her story firsthand.

Dr Claire Holder OBE served as Chief Executive of Notting Hill Carnival from 1989 to 2002 – thirteen years that defined the modern era of Europe’s largest street festival. A barrister by training, she gave legal advice at the Black People’s Information Centre on Portobello Road before going on to navigate the legal, organisational and community challenges that come with running an event of Carnival’s scale.

Claire shares her story, her memories and her reflections on what it took to keep Carnival alive and how festivals can build rather than divide communities.