Notting Hill revellers can’t be deterred as revellers dance through the rain on the carnival’s family fun day who have donned embellished umbrellas and plastic coats.
This morning the three and a half mile parade route was painted in fluorescent powder paint as they kick off the 59th year for the huge street party.
Paint and paint powder which was thrown in the area of West London will be washing away after many guests shunning protective overalls to indulge in the carnival excitement.
Today’s family day will see a relaxed parade for children before hard-core partying commences in the evening.
Don’t rain on my parade: Groups dance through the rain at the carnival as their coloured outfits brighten up cloudy grey skies
One car got caught up in the festivities and was covered in paint by party goers amid the Carnival
One reveller mounts someone’s car which is covered in painted handprints and splashes of colour
Former X-factor winner Alexandra Burke officially opened the two-day festival in Notting Hill, second largest in the world
Huge crowds of police are seen on duty of the first day on the carnival as one million people are expected to go today
There was an explosion of colour as revellers painted the town this morning ahead of the Notting Hill Carnival commencing
Notting Hill Carnival becomes a sea of orange as revellers are covered in paint with ripped t-shirts describing the apocalypse
The event is expected to attract more than one million revellers to its floats, food stalls and music to the famous borough
Neon dust and paint fill the air at the carnival just in time for the wild partying in the evening
Rain doesn’t deter the performers as ‘first in line’ leads the group with a matching bedazzled umbrella in the excitement
The event is expected to attract more than one million revellers to its floats, food stalls and music.
The music is set to stop for a 72-second silence in tribute to the 72 people who died following the fire at Grenfell Tower in June 2017 being within half a mile of the parade route.
The large party in West London is celebrated by many Caribbean cultures in places where West Indian people have migrated.
However, this year police will have the power to stop and search people at the Notting Hill Carnival in a bid to crack down on violence.
Dancers perform during the Children’s day parade was they try not to trip on rollerblades around the course
One group of revellers covered themselves in oil and walked the route with chains, drums and even a vaccum cleaner
One pair’s costume includes one being dragged through the festivities along the Notting Hill route in an absence of colour
The huge street party in West London has party goers painting the route in fluorescent colours on Sunday’s family day
One woman at the carnival poses in her paint covered clothes and hands as she enjoys the festivities of its 59th year
Scotland Yard said it would be imposing a Section 60 order across the carnival’s geographical area between 9am and 11.59pm on Sunday.
The order allows officers to search people if they believe they may be carrying offensive weapons or in anticipation of violence.
Notting Hill Carnival Gold Commander Dave Musker said: ‘The MPS has worked tirelessly to develop an appropriate and proportionate policing plan; however, given the intelligence picture and incidents of violence I have seen across the city over the last week, I have made the decision to authorise this order as an additional preventative measure.
Notting Hill revellers throw powder paint kicking off the three and a half mile carnival with an explosion of colour
Some revellers even shunned the protective overalls to to indulge in the colourful atmosphere of the carnival
The large party in West London is celebrated by many Caribbean cultures in places where West Indian people have migrated
Music will also stop for a 72-second silence to pay tribute to the 72 people who lost their lives in the Grenfell tragedy
This year police will have the power to stop and search people at the Notting Hill Carnival in a bid to crack down on violence
‘The use of this authority will reassure our communities that we are constantly working to protect them. It will also send a message to those intent on committing acts of violence that we will robustly target them.’
The measure is part of a number of plans put in place by the force to help keep carnival-goers safe after a wave of violent crime in the capital in recent months.
Knife arches are being installed for the first time, and will be placed at ‘strategic points’ along the route of the west London street party.
The two-day event will also be policed by the highest number of officers in six years, with some 13,000 officers deployed – around 450 more than last year.