How a Trinidadian Communist Invented Londonâs Biggest Party The Notting Hill Carnival was canceled last year. But it likely wouldnât exist at all without the efforts of Claudia Jones. By Charlie Brinkhurst-Cuff For the Caribbean diaspora living in London, there may never have been a quieter weekend than the one in August 2020 that normally would have seen the Notting Hill Carnival. England has no shortage of full-sensory festival experiences, from music in Glastonbury to Diwali celebrations in Leicester. But thereâs nothing quite like visiting the Notting Hill Carnival. You exit the tube station, get off the bus or dismount your bike, and enter the irresistible hum of the celebrations, stepping off the pavement and onto the road.