1Xtra presents 60 Years of Notting Hill Carnival

1Xtra looks back at 60 years of Notting Hill Carnival. Hosted by 1Xtra’s very own Carnival King, Richie Brave.

Richie has been attending Notting Hill Carnival since he was just four years old. He describes it as his Christmas, birthday and New Year’s all rolled into one. For him, the year doesn’t begin on 1 January, it begins when the final sound system powers down on Carnival Monday.

More than a celebration, Carnival is a spiritual homecoming. It’s where Richie honours his ancestors, remembers those who came before him, and celebrates the Caribbean identity that shaped him.

Join him as he meets the people who built Carnival, the elders who have protected its legacy, the sound systems, mas bands and local community who keep its spirit alive. As Notting Hill Carnival marks 60 years, Richie explores how it has survived, what it has sacrificed, and what the next 60 years could hold.

Produced by Unedited for BBC Radio 1Xtra.