Playing mas in Notting Hill Carnival has been on my bucket list for the longest time.
After a recent trip to Spain for the Ibiza Soca Fest, I impulsively booked a flight to London to make playing mas and enjoying the festivities a reality.
I caught the carnival bug and have been chasing the vibes and excitement ever since.
With the help of friends in London and my own trial and error, I figured out the ins and outs of preparing for the Notting Hill Carnival. This planning guide for first-time visitors has everything you need to know, so your only concern is what to mix with your Wray and Nephew.
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The Newbies Guide To Playing Mas In Notting Hill Carnival
What is Notting Hill Carnival?
The Notting Hill Carnival is an annual two-day festival in August that celebrates Caribbean culture in west London.
It’s one of the biggest street parties in Europe, attracting over 2 million people worldwide. Simply put, it’s not to be missed!
Here you get to join in on the fun as a masquerader wearing colorful, exquisite costumes with feathers and sequins, elaborate floats, live music, and DJs from around the world playing the hottest music.
When is Notting Hill Carnival?
Notting Hill Carnival is during the last weekend in August and the following Monday, a summer bank holiday.
Where is Notting Hill Carnival?
Notting Hill Carnival is in West London W10 around Ladbroke Grove, Westbourne Park, and Kensal Road. The entire parade route is three and a half miles long. The best way to track the parade is by downloading the Notting Hill Carnival App.
Where to Stay in London
We booked an Airbnb in Notting Hill 5 minutes from the Bayswater tube station and within walking distance of the parade. We couldn’t have asked for a better location!
If you’re looking to be close to the action, you’ll want to stay in the Notting area. Here’s a list of affordable hotels nearby that my friends stayed at:
Insider Tip: Kensington, Sheppard’s Bush, and Paddington are good areas to consider if you want to be close but prefer a quieter scene.
Getting Around London
The fastest way to get around is by taking the tube. Traffic in London was no different from in New York City. I was shocked!
We took the tube all around the city and opted to take Uber only when we were in a hurry.
Local taxis are also available but keep in mind they run on meters and could cost you to pay more than you need to, especially if you get stuck in traffic.
Carnival Lingo
Before we get into the fun stuff, you’ll want to get familiar with the lingo you’ll hear during Notting Hill Carnival.
Playing Mas: You join the parade with a band as a masquerader.
Mas: Is short for the masquerade. You’ll be a masquerader on Monday
Mas Bands: Groups of organized masqueraders who registered and paid for a costume made by a designer.
Di Road: Another saying for the parade route.
Fete: A fete is a French word for party or festival.
J’ouvert: An exciting party that will leave you covered in water, paint, powder, and sometimes mud! This is the party to have fun and get messy! Wear clothing you don’t mind getting dirty. That goes for your shoes too!
Insider Tip: Before J’ouvert, rub baby oil on your body. It helps to prevent the paint from staining your skin or making it hard to remove.
Where to party?
You’ll have endless fetes to choose from. London fetes definitely didn’t disappoint. To get the entire fete schedule for NHC, Trini Jungle Juice was my go-to for everything carnival.
This was my fete lineup for 2022:
- Soca Starter UK – August 26th
- Scorch Summer Cruise London – August 26th
- Ruk-A-Tuk – August 27th
- Tribe Ignite – August 27th
- Notting Hill Carnival Quencher – August 29th
Who Can You Play Mas With
In order to play mas you have to register with one of the official NHC mas bands. You can’t join the parade wearing your own costume.
The bands have different themes every year and compete with each other to win the title of the best mas bands. To take the guessing game out of which band to play with, I played with the same band as my friends.
You can find costumes starting from $400usd to $2000usd. Alternatively, if you’re ok with skipping the gorgeous feathers and headdress, t-shirts are $40-$100usd.
To join in on the fun and stay within my budget, I played mas in the t-shirt section. The costumes were gorgeous, but for the upcoming Trinidad Carnival, I plan to go all out!
On Sunday, I played with Chocolate Nation for ‘dutty mas,’ which is considered an extension of J’ouvert. In addition to a bottle of paint, you receive a bottle of chocolate sauce. Yes, chocolate sauce.
While on the road, everyone sprays their chocolate sauce everywhere. Being covered in the sticky chocolate sauce for the rest of the day wasn’t appealing, given it was warm. So I watched on the sidelines. I did, however, revel in lots of paint and powder!
After a while, we ended up storming (joined another band), the Wotless band, and soo glad we did! The men were more attractive, and the music and vibes were better than in Chocolate Nation. Next year I plan on playing with Wotless on Sunday. These are things you can only learn from experience.
On Monday, I played with D Riddim Tribe. I had ah time! To chip down de road celebrating life surrounded by beautiful people singing and dancing was magical.
Both bands were awesome as my first experience, but I plan to switch them up and play with new bands next year.
Costume Selections
Front line – This option is the most lavish costume. They come with the largest and most extravagant feathers, sequins, and jewels. It’s also the most expensive.
Mid Line – Costumes are still colorful and elaborate, but the feathers may not be as big
Back Line – These costumes usually have fewer feathers and jewels. But don’t let that worry you. In fact, the backline allows more ease of moving through the crowds than the front line.
T-shirts: I opted to play mas in t-shirts on both days. You still get to play mas, join in on the festivities, and a much more affordable option.
What’s Included With Your Costume
While everything does start to add up, here are some great perks that come with playing mas with a band:
- Your costume or t-shirt
- The band – masqueraders, truckers, DJs, speaker boxes
- Top-shelf alcohol (Although I wished I had brought my own. The trucks ran out.)
- A goody bag filled with cute swag like a towel, cup, whistle.’
- Security team
- Meals
How Much Will It Cost
As a newbie, I know the price of playing mas can be shocking but remember it’s about the experience you’ll have, and sometimes you can’t put a price on that!
I recommend sticking to a budget and opening a high-yield online saving account like Ally Bank (I use Ally and love it)or Marcus by Goldman Sachs. These savings accounts reward you with higher interest rates, allowing your money to grow faster.
Here’s a breakdown of my budget for Notting Hill Carnival:
- Flight: $580 (from JFK, I bought my ticket three months in advance)
- Airbnb: $600 (In hindsight, a hotel would’ve been cheaper)
- J’ourvert (Dutty Mas): $80
- Carnival Monday T-shirt: $100 (I went with the T-shirt route)
- Fetes: $200 (depending on how many fetes you decide to attend. Fete prices are as low as $15 and as high as $100)
- Spending money: $200
Overall Budget: $1760 plus
Parade Logistics
I recommend taking the tube or walking on Sunday and Monday, as most roads are closed off. Here is a map of the stations and buses that will get you to the parade route.
Parade arrival: We arrived at the Royal Oak tube station and walked to meet our band at 10:00 am. Coming early gives you time to eat, take pictures and touch up your make-up.
Every band has a destinated meeting spot on the day of the parade. If you happen to arrive late, not to worry, you will be able to catch up with your band. Just follow the music!
During the parade: Many people come out to enjoy the parade, and some attempt to join the band. You want to stay with the other masqueraders and within the ropes led by security. You may lose your friends along the way but agree on a meeting spot beforehand so you know where to link back up. Cell phone service isn’t the best. so don’t rely on your phone.
End of the parade: Towards the end, each band crossed the stage showing their dazzling costumes to the judges. During the competition, masqueraders and t-shirts are split up. Masqueraders are in the front, followed by the t-shirts. Once the competition is over, masqueraders and t-shirts come back together. The band winner is announced a few days later.
Weather
London is notorious for being grey and rainy. Fortunately, the weather was warm and sunny but not too hot. Check the temperature a few days before so you know how to parade for the parade.
Food and Drinks
Meals are provided before and after the parade. With your costume, you receive a wrist band which includes free food and drinks. Unfortunately, our band got a late start, and we didn’t get breakfast or wait around to get our second meal.
I bought a delicious plate of curry goat, rice and peas, and plantains from one of the stalls. Everything was perfectly seasoned, and every bite was better than the last!
Bring British Pounds if you want to sample the variety of Caribbean foods during the parade. In hindsight, I wished I tried food from other stalls!
Our truck ran out of drinks, but thankfully I was with feterans (carnival veterans) who came prepared. They were so nice to share with me! We also found a store nearby and grabbed drinks from there. So if you do forget to bring anything, you will find something along the route.
Notting Hill Carnival Tips
Over 2 million people take to the streets to join in on the festivities and fun of NHC, and playing mas is an experience you’ll never forget. To make the most of your time, here are a few tips to keep in mind:
- Familiarize yourself with the music: NHC music is a blend of soca, calypso, reggae and steelpan, Afrobeats, and zouk, to name a few. For the latest soca chunes, here’s my go-to playlist on Spotify.
- Practice wining: Wining is a dance that involves rotating your hips and bum. You will see this throughout the carnival, so you might as well get comfortable and start practicing!
- Bring your flag: Even if you aren’t of Caribbean descent, don’t let that stop you from repping your country on de road. I was excited to see other Nigerians and African flags at the parade.
- Wear comfortable shoes: I can’t stress this tip enough; you will walk A LOT for two days!
- Leave your valuables at home: Only bring enough cash for food and drinks. Fanny packs or thigh pouches are ideal for carrying what you’ll need on the road.
- Stay hydrated: You’ll be drinking lots of alcohol, so make sure to have water and coconut water in between.
- Be aware of your surroundings: NHC is the 2nd largest carnival after Brazil. Make sure to remain alert and aware of what’s happening around you.
- Wear earplugs: I made the rookie mistake of not bringing earplugs, but you won’t!
- Have fun!
Conclusion – Lady Chin’s Two Cents
The Notting Hill Carnival exceeded my expectations. It was my first time seeing so many Black people in one place in London. I waved my Nigerian flag proudly and felt my distant relatives’ warm welcome and celebration. It was such an experience that will stay with me forever.
While the costumes are scantly clad, and you might feel self-conscious initially, no matter your shape or size, the carnival is for everyone. It’s a time to free up yourself, whine on somebody’s son, and enjoy the vibes.
What tips would you give to someone playing Notting Hill Mas for the first time?
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