Max SteventonThe Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has announced an additional £4.66 million in funding to support this year’s Notting Hill Carnival, as the event marks its 60th anniversary.
The funding comes on top of £946,300 already committed by City Hall and is intended to help organisers implement enhanced safety and crowd management measures ahead of the August Bank Holiday weekend.
The carnival, a major celebration of Caribbean culture, attracts millions of attendees each year and contributes an estimated £400 million to London’s economy.
Khan said, “Notting Hill Carnival is one of our capital’s biggest events, drawing Londoners and visitors from across the globe to West London every year in a fantastic celebration of Caribbean culture.
“The community-led event has become one of the world’s largest street festivals… and symbolising how our capital celebrates our diversity.”
The additional financial support follows an independent review commissioned in 2024, which identified the need for further safety improvements due to the festival’s continued growth. The review was conducted with input from City Hall, the Metropolitan Police, and local authorities including Kensington & Chelsea and Westminster councils.
Initial recommendations from the review led to new safety measures introduced at last year’s event, funded jointly by City Hall and local councils. However, organisers have indicated that further work is required to address crowd density and ensure public safety at the scale the carnival now operates.
The newly announced funding will be used to expand crowd control infrastructure, including additional barriers and stewarding, as well as to strengthen operational planning.
Organisers had warned of a funding shortfall ahead of this year’s event, raising concerns about whether the carnival could proceed without additional financial backing. Last year’s event needed £1 million in emergency funding to go ahead.
Founded in 1966 by community activist Rhaune Laslett, the carnival began as a local initiative to foster unity in a neighbourhood affected by racial tensions and social challenges. It has since grown into one of the world’s largest street festivals and a symbol of London’s cultural diversity.
City Hall said the latest funding intervention is intended to ensure the event can proceed safely while preserving its cultural significance and long-term sustainability.
Notting Hill Carnival Ltd chair Ian Comfort said, “On behalf of the community, I welcome the Mayor’s vital support, which ensures that we can deliver a safe, spectacular and sustainable Carnival in this 60th anniversary year.
“From its beginnings in September 1966, when Rhaune Laslett sought to bring unity to a neighbourhood marked by racial tension, poor housing and social division, Carnival has grown from a small local street party into a global cultural institution.
“The funding announced today will allow us to introduce the enhanced safety and operational measures required at this scale. It will also enable us to assume specific operational responsibilities that have historically been managed by the Metropolitan Police, allowing them to focus on their core policing duties during the event.”