Notting Hill Carnival 2012 is on target to be the best carnival Europe has ever seen.

As we all feel the pinch from the global economic crisis the spirit of carnival burns ferociously in each and everyone of us. We literally can’t wait for it.

The essence of carnival is FREEDOM.

We want to be free on the road!

Free so we don’t have to worry about the economic crisis, bills, hardships or anything holding us back.

Free so we can just ‘let-go’ and celebrate life with like-minded friends and family.

Free to really exist.

2012 Notting Hill Carnival Is Going To Be Huge – Here’s Why

There are many contributing reasons as to why 2012 has become a special year for soca, Caribbean culture and Carnivals in the UK. At the forefront of all of them are these two simple facts:

1. Masqueraders want more and can see what they want.
   
2. Mas band owners want to give more and are inspired by wider influences.
   

The internet has made the unreachable, reachable. What wasn’t seen before can now be seen as it happens anywhere in the world.

This immediately, accessible information has lead to us, the lovers of carnivals and them the makers of carnival want to receive and give more respectively.

Let Me Explain…

…A big mas band launch is going on in somewhere else in the world. This big band launch can now be viewed either via a live stream on the internet as it is happening or via pictures of the event which will be online the very next day for anyone who is interested to consume.

The scale of such a band launch is viewed  a million miles away by UK mas band owners and masqueraders alike.

They then think / say to themselves, “I wanna be a part of something like this…” or “I wanna put on an event like that…” and so the process of scaling up and providing more begins.

2012 seems to be the year that UK mas band owners have collectively decided that this will be the year they give their masqueraders the best year possible.

We have been to many band launches already, we have spoken to many mas band owners and it is very obvious that there has been a lot of thought and effort that has gone into producing the best work they have ever produced.

We have questioned masqueraders on what they want from a mas band and  most of the mas bands are meeting the required criteria.

The combination of these two WANTS  being fulfilled lead to a great two days on the streets of Notting Hill. It can snow and it will still be a great year (if it snows don’t blame me 🙂 ).

Does the fact that its a Jubilee year help?

I personally don’t give 2 monkeys about the Monarchy, so for me it makes no difference. However, the fact that we get a few more days to ‘lime’ can make a small contribution in the run up to Notting Hill.

Do the Olympics make any difference?

There will be a lot of visitors to the UK during the Olympics. This event is going to effect everything!

The Olympics finish on the 12th August 2012 (before NHC), but ‘smart soca promoters’ will have fetes lined up for when the country is over run by people from every nation.

These ‘Olypmic’ fetes / limes will add to the vibe that is already building for Notting Hill Carnival.

What are Your Views On Notting Hill Carnival 2012?

You have just read our view of NHC 2012. Whats your? Do you agree, disgree, want to expand? Feel free to have your say in the comment area below.

If I don’t see you before, I hope to see on the road…