Photo Credit: City AM
For the first time in its 54-year history, Notting Hill Carnival will be an entirely virtual affair due to the effects of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
It is in line with this that throughout last month, organisers have been busy filming hundreds of acts so the even t can instead be streamed online.
According to Matthew Phillips, th Carnival’s executive: “We did the responsible thing and we took the carnival off the streets this year for the reasons of safety and for community, at the end of the day this pandemic has disproportionately affected black people.
“Everybody’s been through a tough time these past few months with lockdown, people that have lost loved ones, we’re doing this in the hope that we can bring people together and remind them that things will get better.”
During the long weekend, a vast array of exclusive performances will be broadcast online alongside films celebrating the vibrant food, dance, music and culture. The carnival festivities will air on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
The program’s emphasis will be more on the traditional disciplines of the carnival: Masquerade, steel bands, the sound systems, calypso and the DJs
The theme is “The Time for Change is Now” and costumes feature the scales of justice, an NHS “angel of mercy” and the face of murdered George Floyd.Notting Hill Carnival first began in 1966, organized by Rhaune Laslett, who wanted to create a symbol of interracial tolerance amid post-war racial tensions.
The carnival’s official website states that the late activist’s intention was to celebrate the Caribbean culture and encourage the integration of the neighborhood’s diverse community.
More than five decades later, the message still resonates.
Notting Hill Carnival first began in 1966, organized by Rhaune Laslett, who wanted to create a symbol of interracial tolerance amid post-war racial tensions.
The carnival’s official website states that the late activist’s intention was to celebrate the Caribbean culture and encourage the integration of the neighborhood’s diverse community.
More than five decades later, the message still resonates.
All four channels of the virtual event – which cover Culture, Parade, Sound Systems and the Main Stage – are available free to stream on LetsGoDo.com from Saturday.
Bringing this development back home, the Golibe festival which usual comes up during the close of the year can adopt this strategic plan. Should the Corona virus pandemic run through to the festive period, it becomes important that plans be put in place to make the festival digital.
Other important festivals like the Ofala festival shouldn’t be left out either.
The Ofala Carnival itself features a costume train that happens before the Ofala festival organised by the Youth takes place. During this costume train the cultural heritage of Onitsha is always in full display. Various society groups are fully represented as well as other ethnic regions in Nigeria.
The Ofala comes up in October, hence there’s need to follow through with these plans heralded in the Notting Hill Carnival.
To this end, artists and Performers should be getting ready to pre record their performances. This way, people can still get value for their money while at the same time keep safe from the COVID-19 scourge.
InlandTown! 2020
