有声书 | British and American Festivities 欢乐洋节日14 | 自由微信

The Notting Hill Carnival① of London is the second biggest carnival in the world and the biggest street festival in Europe! It is always on the last Sunday and Monday in August which is a Bank Holiday (a public holiday) in the United Kingdom. On Sunday there is the Children's Carnival. The Carnival takes place in Notting Hill, West London.

When did the first Carnival take place?

In the 1950's people from the Caribbean, and in particular② from Trinidad, emigrated③ to Britain. They took their customs and traditions with them.

People remembered the great Carnivals held in the West Indies and in 1964 a street festival took place in Notting Hill.

There were few people in costume dancing in the streets and carrying steel④ drums in this first festival. However, it was a great success. Since then Carnival has taken place every year in Notting Hill and it has grown into an enormous multicultural arts festival.

Carnival celebrations normally⑤ take place before Easter, in the month of March. However, in Britain the celebrations take place in August when the weather is warmer. During the year the West Indian families prepare their beautiful costumes and practise playing their steel drums. They also work on their floats.

On the days of Carnival, Notting Hill is full of colour, excitement, music, noise and people. About two million people go to Carnival every year!

People with wonderful costumes dance in the streets and steel bands play Calypso, the traditional music of the West Indies.

They also play Soca, the traditional music of Carnival, a mixture of Soul⑥ and Calypso⑦.

It is also possible to hear reggae⑧, hip-hop⑨ and jazz⑩. A parade with colourful floats travels seven and a half kilometres through the streets of London. There is a prize for the best float. It is sometimes almost impossible for the public to walk along the streets - the only way to move is to dance!

In the streets food vendors⑪ sell meat and vegetable patties⑫, salted fish and other delicious West Indian specialities⑬.

Everyone has a good time!

Words

① Nottiong Hill Carnival：诺丁山狂欢节。

② in particular：特别。

③ emigrated：移居外国。

④ steel：钢。

⑤ normally：通常的。

⑥ soul：灵歌。

⑦ Calypso：即兴讽刺歌。

⑧ reggae：雷盖乐。

⑨ hip－hop：说唱音乐。