To create a carnival
sound system member hat.
“From the sound system point of view there’s a lot of debriefing straight after carnival. There’s a lot of stuff we process. Then the board has an immediate post- carnival meeting to plan how we can improve for next year.”
As a carnival director and pioneer of static sound system group, Disya Jeneration, who perform live music sets at the event, the planning and organising is non stop for Linett.
Notting Hill Carnival is unique in the sense that it’s a free event led by the community and hosts millions of people looking to party.
Linett said: “Carnival is largely supported by volunteers and it’s a free event so we have to figure out how to fund it which is a challenge.
“There’s time that has to be put in. I teach, I run an arts company, I do workshops and we have to put aside the time to plan carnival as well.”
Along with that comes attending shows to check out up and coming DJs, meet new collaborators and continuous planning on the carnival board.
It doesn’t stop at Linett, however, dancers performing on the float, for example the Brazilian Band, are currently rehearsing for carnival with some six months to go. Additionally, some groups even perform year round at other events and carnivals - one being the Trinidad and Tobago Carnival happening next week.
According to Linett, many people are surprised when they hear about the planning that goes into carnival behind the scenes. But she said that for what the event means to a lot of people, the sleepless nights are worth it.
She said: “It’s hard work, very hard work, but when you see people get the carnival buzz it’s so worth it. From a well-being point of view it’s so good as well. Yes it’s quite stressful but it’s very rewarding – carnival is a constant thread that holds people together. There’s so many stories of what carnival means to people.”
With the numbers of people who come from far and wide to attend Notting Hill Carnival, they bring with them a large spending power also. However, Linett believes this benefit of carnival is largely overlooked when considered alongside the financial support carnival receives.
Linett said: “There’s always pressure on finances. Historically, that’s always been a challenge. It’s not recognised how much it benefits the UK economy.
“I think financially it needs more support. It should be recognised as a cultural art form the way others are.”
Also a massive part of the carnival culture are the extravagant costumes, which I’m told by keen carnival participant Candice Wright is serious business.
The masqueraders make up a large part of the excitement of carnival and every year there’s a competition for the float with the best outfits.
“Me and my family are so into carnival so we get our costumes around September,” she said. “The designers would be making them now.”
Costumes can range from £150 to £900, Candice tells me, and if you’re one of the masqueraders, you definitely want to get one of the pricier options to be in with a chance to win the float with the best outfits.
Candice said: “The costumes are handmade so every little gem or detail is hand done, so they take months to make.
“If you leave it last minute you just end up getting whatever’s left, so we take it seriously.”