Notting Hill Carnival 2021 cancelled due to ongoing pandemic
18 June 2021, 11:20 | Updated: 18 June 2021, 11:41
The popular street festival will not be going ahead for the second year in a row due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Notting Hill Carnival 2021 will not be taking place this year, with organisers putting "safety first" amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
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The street festival, which was scheduled to take place on August 29th & 30th, will not be going ahead for the second year in a row.
In a statement on behalf of the board of Notting Hill Carnival Ltd, it was revealed that the reasoning behind the cancellation was due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The statement read: "After lengthy consultations with our strategic partners, our Advisory Council and individual participating bands and sound systems, the board of Notting Hill Carnival Ltd, the organising body of Notting Hill Carnival, has decided that this year's Carnival will not be on the streets due to the ongoing uncertainty and risk COVID-19 poses."
"This has been an incredibly difficult decision to make. Everyone involved in the event desperately wants a return to the road where Carnival belongs but safety has to come first and with the latest cautious announcement on the government’s ‘roadmap’, this is the only way to ensure that.
In making this decision, we have considered our responsibilities to deliver a safe, spectacular, successful and sustainable Carnival."
The statement continued: "The conclusion is that with so much uncertainty, with time short for Carnivalists to prepare and the risk of eventual cancellation a real possibility, we must refocus our efforts for 2021.
As in 2020, we are working towards alternate events that will allow everyone to safely celebrate everything Notting Hill Carnival stands for."
Last year, the first digital version of the event was hosted by radio presenters DJ Ace and Capital XTRA's very own Remel London.
Notting Hill Carnival has not yet announced an alternative for the event for this year. However, more details on special events leading into the August bank holiday weekend will be announced in due time.
Organisers have assured they will be working with Carnivalists toward the greatest ever Notting Hill Carnival for 2022.
For the most up-to-date information, visit www.nhcarnival.org/.
