Carnival

London School of Samba Performing at Notting Hill Carnival 2026

The largest Samba street parade outside of Brazil!

2026 Notting Hill Carnival

Play 1966: Roots, Remembrance and Rebirth!

Come and party with the London School of Samba during the August Bank Holiday!

This year, the School will be celebrating all of the different ways that we play with our theme,

Play 1966: Roots, Remembrance and Rebirth!

Play 1966: Roots, Remembrance and Rebirth delves into the 1966 experience, exploring the British and Afro-Caribbean experience, and how playing together has contributed to a positive and memorable shared adventure: England’s World Cup euphoria, the Commonwealth Games held in Jamaica, the West Indian Cricket team’s tour of England, the swinging sounds and styles of the time, and the official start of Notting Hill Carnival. The London School of Samba invites community members of all ages to share lived and learned experiences.

Our parade will be an explosion of colour, music and movement, incorporating many voices, identities and memories as we parade in unison, celebration and reflection; ensuring old stories are passed on as a new story is born.

The murder of Kelso Cochrane fuelled already tense racial inequality, social and emotional unrest and demands for justice in an era of British colonial dominance. The ‘Notting Hill Festival’ was a positive response to growing racial division.

The Notting Hill Carnival has now become Europe’s largest carnival, enjoyed by millions today.

The Limitless Playground of the Mind (Dance)

For 1500 years, countless people have played the Royal Game, Chess. This strategic game is played on the board and in the mind. With its roots in ancient India, the game was transported through trade to Europe, where it taught the aristocracy and gentry to play the methodical strategic game from the safety of their homes. By the 1960’s, the game of kings and queens had taken over the world, with championships held in Leicester and the US and USSR using it as a proxy in the Cold War. The 1960s were a transformational time for the game of chess; this parade will honour its impact on both the UK and the world as a historic and important source of relaxation and play for people of all ages. This beginner’s ala will celebrate the importance and explosion of interest in the game in the 1960’s.

Limitless Playground Ala

The Bat, The Foot, The Ball (Dance and Bateria)

Cricket and football are two great traditions that found their popularity in the UK. For the past 400 years, people have played cricket in fields and stadiums, with screaming fans around the world. Originally conceived in England, this game spread across the former empire and was embraced by a diverse group of people who developed the sport to create an enduring legacy far beyond its origins. In 1966, the West Indies Cricket team travelled to the United Kingdom to play the England Cricket team, where they played for sold-out crowds. The West Indies Cricket Team won the series. This intermediate ala will represent the importance and history of the game to British and Caribbean communities.

COMING SOON

Playing the music we share, aka “Ala Russ” (Baianas)

The steel pan is the only acoustic instrument invented in the 20th century and finds its roots in the slave trade of the 1700s. Central to Caribbean carnival tradition, the steel drum is synonymous with the Caribbean and musicality, serving as the national instrument of Trinidad and Tobago. Each note of the steel pan creates an instantly unique sound that can send the listener into a rhythmic trance. This ala will also be an homage to Russ Henderson, Notting Hill Pioneer and calypso legend.

Ala das Baianas

Action Figures: (Ala Passista)

The soul of playing starts when we are children, when we discover our favourite toys. Whether it is Action Man or Barbie, the 1960s sparked the first of many transformational toy booms. Many girls and boys have fond memories of their first toys. Where boys had action figures, girls had dolls. This parade recognises that toys are the conduit of a child’s imagination, which equally deserve to be called action figures. The 1960s sparked a revolution in women’s rights, changing women’s perception of their place in society. From her introduction to society in 1959, Barbie and the toy market changed in the 1960s. Barbie has always split opinions, but as the world changes, so does she. The passista ala will celebrate the toys of the 1960’s, specifically Barbie. (This ala is invite-only. Please inquire about how to join.)

Please Apply

Play and Parties: (Ala Comunidade)

Parties are essential to play, but those parties need to start somewhere, and sometime. In London, the largest party in Europe, was born out of racial violence, but by 1966, the carnival had moved from indoor dance parties to a permanent fixture. This parade transformed London into a vibrant, diverse, colourful and happy place over the August Bank Holiday. Everyone who signs up to this ala will receive a carnival t-shirt and have access to our weekend carnival activities.

Ala Comunidade

Ala Bateria

Football, on the other hand, has a far older history, with the game arriving in England over 900 years ago, where it became a global phenomenon. Almost every early civilisation in the world has a game in which a ball is moved by a foot, but in the 1960’s, the game changed England forever, with 1966 being the first year that the England national team won the men’s World Cup championship. These global games connect the world of play with the real world, connecting people and communities, allowing for greater integration and growth. These games allow us all to have a sense of anticipation, exaltation, and relief when the winning ball is caught or hit. The bateria will represent the ancient and beautiful game in green and white. REGISTER YOUR INTEREST HERE FOR THE BATERIA

Bateria Registration

Volunteer

No carnival can work without the hard work of our community. Please let us know if you want to be a carnival steward or volunteer.

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Ala Comunidade

Wear our exclusive Carnival 2026 t-shirt and celebrate as part of our community!

Buy Now

Sponsors & Partners

We are a self funded registered charity. If you can support us with in anyway, please get in touch.

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Carnival Manager / Producer

To be announced

Join us at Waterloo Action Centre For a dance or Drumming class or both!

Come and join us for a dance class on Sundays at Waterloo Action Centre or try out your Samba rhythm with Brazillian instruments (supplied) at a Sunday workshop. Not sure whether you’d prefer to dance or drum – you can try both on the same night! Please see the timetable for classes here.