Carnival Monday
And so, somehow, we reach the climax of it all: Carnival Monday, the culmination of, in this case, three extraordinary, frustrating, sometimes frightening years of anticipation and uncertainty. Can it be true? Are we really in the Grove, hearing soca coming over the top of the hill and down the road? But the underlying impending-earthquake rumble of bass from 100 sound systems, static and revolving round us, is definitely real! So too is the smell of 10,000 jerked chickens grilling, the powerful kick of someone’s rum punch sliding down your throat, the illegal wine in that bikini-and-beads band in front of you and the unmistakable feeling that normal life, with its cares and distractions, has been suspended for a few heady hours, when anything just might be possible.
Just bear in mind that after 7pm – shutdown time for static sounds – Ladbroke Grove turns into a very loud, hot, sweaty sardine can, so if you prefer to preserve some personal space you should have an earlier exit strategy. In theory, all the mas bands and soca trucks should be off the route by 8.30pm. All this does is move the jam to the Tube stations, so it might be worth sitting and chilling until the bulk of the crowds have dispersed.
You can see our list of Mas Bands, Steel Bands and Sound Sytems here – Notting Hill Carnival 2022.
