London (AFP)
London's Notting Hill Carnival, which celebrates Caribbean culture every year in late August, has been canceled due to the new coronavirus pandemic, organizers announced on Thursday.
This year, "the carnival will not be held on the streets of Notting Hill as it has for over 50 years", according to a statement from the organizers published on the event website, which was to be held on 30 and August 31 and brings together hundreds of thousands of people every year.
Flamboyant floats, thundering orchestras, headdresses with variegated feathers and rhinestone bikinis, the carnival of this West London district which celebrates Caribbean culture is one of the most important in Europe.
"It was not an easy decision to make, but the reality of the Covid-19 pandemic and the way it spread means that it was the only safe option," they said. "Everyone's health must come first."
The organizers are working to implement another solution, which they hope will "bring the spirit of carnival to people in the safety of their homes and make them feel connected and involved".
© 2020 AFP