Image source, Reuters

We are now wrapping up our live coverage of the Notting Hill Carnival, thanks for joining us. Here's what's been happening:

• Millions of people are expected to turn out for Europe's largest street party in west London over the bank holiday weekend
• The carnival has returned for the first time in three years and celebrates Caribbean culture with music, dancing, food and drink
• The atmosphere today, designated 'family day', has been described as electric, with crowds turning out in their droves from early morning
• Victims of the Grenfell Tower disaster are being remembered with a 72-second silence, while members of the Emancipated Run Crew are paying tribute by running the parade route
• Roads within the Notting Hill area are closed throughout today and Monday, while thousands of Met Police officers will be on duty to keep the public safe

Today's live page was brought to you by Jeremy Gahagan and Marita Moloney.

You can read more on the carnival here.

Gem O'Reilly
Reporting from Notting Hill Carnival

Caroline is a history teacher who lives in London.

She spoke about the importance of Notting Hill Carnival helping children to learn about different cultures, migration and history.

Caroline says she went for jerk chicken and curry goat to celebrate Caribbean culture, which she’s also encouraging her son to eat.

Jade’s mum is from Trinidad and she picked a chickpea rice dish because it reminds her of her mum’s culture.

She says in the part of London that she’s from she has to order a takeaway to get that type of food.

So to be here at Notting Hill Carnival is amazing. She feels the food and music represents something extremely personal for her and for that she’s thankful.

Image source, PA Media

As we reported earlier, the rising cost of living is also having affecting this year's carnival with organisers reporting fewer bands and struggling musicians.

These comments have been echoed by London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who says: "We are seeing those who want to have floats, those who want to have sound systems, pulling out because they can't afford to pay their bills.

"It is really important the government steps up."

Khan also says he will "never forget" the Grenfell Tower fire of 2017, which is being marked this weekend with a 72-second silence today and Monday.

"What the community wants is two main things. One is for justice to happen and for those responsible be held to account and that still hasn't happened. And secondly for this to never happen again," he adds.

Meghan Owen
BBC London

This morning the streets were empty. Now they’re swamped with crowds who have been hungry to get back after three years of silence, and they’re making up for it.

It’s a recipe for fun - three years of carnival served up in one helping.

Gem O'Reilly
Reporting from Notting Hill Carnival

There's a poignant story behind Clifton Goldson's Jamaican food stall on the streets of Notting Hill today.

He's using his late wife's recipes, which he describes as her "legacy" and something that will be passed down to his children.

"We’ve been here since 2009; it’s a cultural experience," he says.

"What it means to me is she still lives on.

"Sometimes I think to myself, when my wife died, my youngest was only eight and she's now past her mother’s age, she’s 37.

"Sadly, my six grandchildren didn’t know their grandma but as my eldest often reminds me, ‘Daddy, she’s here both in the taste and legacy. Every time I look at them I see my wife."

Clifton also has a message of positivity to spread: "I would say to people, as my dad used to say, ‘Life is sweet but time is short’. I would say live your life, enjoy your life, try to put a smile on someone’s face."

Those attending Notting Hill Carnival have been urged to check routes before they travel due to a bus strike and station closures.

A 48-hour bus strike is taking place in parts of west London on Sunday and Monday.

Transport for London says 10% of its bus network will be affected by the strike action.

Sixty-three bus routes in west and south-west London will be impacted, as well as parts of Surrey.

The bus routes impacted by the strike are: 9, 18, 33, 49, 65, 70, 71, 72, 85, 94, 105, 110, 116, 117, 148, 203, 211, 216, 220, 223, 224, 235, 258, 265, 266, 272, 281, 283, 290, 293, 371, 404, 406, 411, 418, 419, 423, 440, 465, 467, 470, 481, C1, E1, E3, H17, H22, H32, H37, H91, H98, K1, K2, K3, K4, K5, N9, N18, N33, N65, N72, N266, S3.

Image source, Geograph/Oast House Archive

There are also station closures in the area.

Ladbroke Grove station is closed and Westbourne Park is exit only between 11:00 and 18:00 BST.

Notting Hill Gate is also exit only for Central line services. District and Circle line services will not stop at the station between 11:00 and 18:00.

Royal Oak is exit only and will shut at 18:00. Holland Park will close at 15:00 and Latimer Road will shut at 23:30.

Gem O'Reilly
Reporting from Notting Hill Carnival

Image source, PA Media

The atmosphere here is electric. The anticipation can be felt from the musicians and dancers who have been waiting three years for this.

Many have told me about how Notting Hill Carnival is close to their heart, including one man who still sells the recipes from his late wife at the festival.

London feels alive today with such a mix of cultures and people. It is certainly a celebration of Caribbean heritage but also what it means to be Londoner down here in Kensington.

The variety of costume, music and dance is incredible. The preparation that has gone into this day is very evident, with many saying they take months to prepare.

One mother describes how she has stitched every single gem on her daughters costume, I counted hundreds.

The dedication to detail is something to be admired.

Feel that you're missing out today?

We can bring the sound of carnival to you with Kenny Allstar's Carnival Special.

Listen here via BBC Sounds to hear a selection of gems he expects to be played in the west London streets this weekend.

Image source, Reuters

Gem O'Reilly
Reporting from Notting Hill Carnival

Yousef, from south London, is busy selling coconuts, or 'jellies', from Costa Rica during the festivities today.

"It brings real Caribbean vibes to Notting Hill," he says.

It's his first time attending the celebrations and so far his impression is: "Interesting, I'm keeping my mind open, I'm liking it."

"It’s good vibes, it’s my first carnival so I’m enjoying it," he says.

He adds that the event is important for celebrating and embracing Caribbean cultures.

And his message to revellers is: "Come down for some jellies, man!"

Image source, Getty Images

The rising cost of living is also having an affect on this year’s carnival, with rising prices taking their toll on participants.

Organisers say that as many as one in eight bands have had to drop out of this weekend’s festival after being hit hard by the pandemic and the swift increase of rents and energy bills.

Notting Hill Carnival CEO Matthew Phillip says that many people have not been able to spend as much on costumes and musicians have also struggled.

Despite this, Phillip believes the event, “three years in the making”, will continue to flourish even if costs continue to rise in the future.

“Carnival artists will always find a way. Beautiful things sometimes have to be born out of struggle. Carnival itself has grown to be the biggest celebration of black culture on the planet,” he tells the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Gem O'Reilly
Reporting from Notting Hill Carnival

One man keeping revellers hydrated today is Mikey who is providing craft Caribbean cocktails from Rumblin' rum bar at Notting Hill Carnival.

He says it's "really good" to be back on the streets of west London after a two year break.

"It feels great, I'm really excited, the energy has been building up since yesterday," he says.

"When I was walking around, people's energy greets you, the energy is vibrating through the streets, the smell of the food wafting through, the smiles on people's faces, the music, everything about it is beautiful."

Mikey, originally from St Lucia, adds that the event "most certainly" represents different Caribbean cultures.

"It’s quite a unique experience in London because it’s the most metropolitan city in Europe so when you have people converging onto Notting Hill and they're from different cultures, not necessarily only the Caribbean, it adds that extra element of enjoyment to it," he says.

"Where we’re from in the Caribbean, you will have something pure that’s enjoyable for us, but here it’s got that authenticity of London."

Today's festivities started early for thousands of revellers who took part in the 'J'Ouvert' celebrations - described by organisers as "one of Notting Hill Carnival’s best kept secrets".

People gathered from sunrise on the streets of west London to celebrate the opening of the carnival by dancing and dousing each other with paints, powders and even oil, as is the tradition in the Caribbean.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Meghan Owen
BBC London

Today begins with the Emancipated Run Crew dressed in green running the parade route. They will honour those lost in the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire.

Denise Stephenson, the group's co-founder, tells me: "Grenfell is a tragedy that should never have happened. We have to remember the 72 lives lost."

Denise adds: "I grew up in Harlesden and remember carnival every year. The fact it's back is incredible - the atmosphere is electric."

Carnival organisers have asked people to take part in a 72-second silence to remember those who died in the Grenfell fire.

The blaze destroyed Grenfell Tower in North Kensington, west London, on 14 June 2017, claiming the lives of 72 residents.

The silence will take place at 15:00 BST on both Sunday and Monday.

Image source, Reuters

As millions descend on west London, some local residents have decided to escape the capital and board up their homes ahead of Europe’s biggest street party.

Entire streets have been covered up with huge scaffold boards, corner shops have been asked to not sell glass bottles while streets across Notting Hill will be shut to become safety zones with residents needing IDs to access their homes.

Alex Beard, who lives in Colville Terrace but is going to Wales for the weekend, says: “It used to get a little bit crazy. Once you have lived here and done it a couple of times you [are not as bothered]."

In total, 39 sound systems and two live stages are expected to be placed between Kensal Rise, Ladbroke Grove, Notting Hill and Westbourne Park.

Image source, Reuters

Kensington and Chelsea Council and Age UK have arranged for 40 elderly residents to go on a three-day trip to Eastbourne to help them avoid the noise of carnival.

The council’s lead member for culture Emma Will says she hopes these residents enjoy the sea air over the weekend.

“Carnival is a wonderful celebration and we’re so excited to welcome it back to our streets, but we equally respect that the sound systems and crowds are not for everyone,” she tells the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Image source, Getty Images

London’s Notting Hill Carnival is a huge street festival that celebrates Caribbean heritage, arts and culture.

Trinidadian human rights activist Claudia Jones came up with the idea to create a special gathering in the area to unify the local community after a series of racially motivated attacks on West Indian residents in August 1958.

The event was held in St Pancras town hall the following January and the ‘Caribbean Carnival’, as it was called, was broadcast on the BBC.

This planted the seeds for the first outdoor event put on by local resident and social worker Rhaune Laslett on the streets of Notting Hill in 1966.

She sought to highlight and celebrate the diversity in her area by putting on a festival which was attended by many local Caribbean residents.

The event, held every August Bank Holiday weekend, has now been going for more than five decades and is second only to Brazil's Rio Carnival in size.

Read more about the festival’s history here.

Image source, PA Media

Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of the Notting Hill Carnival which returns to the streets of west London today for the first time since 2019.

Millions of people are expected to attend today’s carnival, the second biggest in the world and Europe’s largest street event.

The spectacle of music, dancing, food and drink returns after a two-year hiatus due to the Covid pandemic which saw the event run online only.

Roads within the Notting Hill area will be closed throughout today and Monday, while thousands of Met Police officers will be on duty to keep the public safe.

Stay with us as we bring you the latest from the festivities.