Our mini Notting Hill (From Surrey Comet)

Our mini Notting Hill

11:30am Wednesday 5th September 2007 in News By Alita Howe

To see more pictures from the carnival click here

A blaze of colours, costumes and cuisines came to Kingston as the annual carnival rolled into town.

Organised by Kingston Racial Equality Council (Krec), people lined the town centre streets, from Clarence Street to Market Place, to watch the procession, before moving to Guildhall for an afternoon of world music, food and street performers.

John Azah, director of Krec, said numbers had doubled from last year and estimated 20,000 people enjoyed Sunday's event.

He said: "It was an absolutely brilliant and fascinating day. It was fantastic to see people from different communities and ethnicities coming together and supporting the carnival in Kingston.

"After the stress of hoping it would all come together, I had a peaceful night's sleep for the first time on Sunday."

“After the stress of hoping it would all come together, I had a peaceful night’s sleep for the first time on Sunday.”

John Azah

Stalls were packed as people enjoyed food - from Moroccan to Chinese - and the main stage got people's feet tapping with music including sitar players, steel bands and three Notting Hill carnival mas bands.

Caroline Stevenson, 37, from Surbiton, was enjoying a day out in the sunshine.

She said: "It's been a great day so far and I am amazed at the diversity of the music, food and culture that is here."

Children were kept amused with their own activity area and Kingston police took part in the parade for the first time.

The only disappointment was the absence of Jeremy Cresswell, British High Commissioner to Jamaica and the Bahamas, who was due to open the event. His trip was cancelled because of Hurricane Dean in the Caribbean.

Mr Azah said plans were already underway for next year's carnival and Krec is planning to showcase photographs taken over the past five years of the event at Kingston Museum next year.