Award winning Reading All Steel Percussion Orchestra (RASPO) performed at the 60th Anniversary of London Notting Hill Carnival in the spectacular Parade of Floats during the 2026 August Bank Holiday weekend.
First held in 1966, Notting Hill Carnival brings together communities through parades, performances and sound systems showcasing costumes, music and dance in a visually spectacular feast of colour.
Valued community partner Reading Buses provided return transport from Reading, and the support vehicle for the RASPO float in the Parade. Delicious gourmet food with a Caribbean twist was supplied by Desmon (previously Season’s boss). With funding from Arts Council England.
Volunteer stewards were integral to the safety of the performance with children as young as 10 taking part. Energy was ramped up as RASPO passed the judging zone.
Over the 2 Days 2 million people attended. The Parade of Floats comprised of 15 Steel Bands, 56 Mas Bands, 15,000 Costumes, 10 Brazilian Bands and 40 Children’s Bands.
300 Food Stalls lined the 3.5 mile /5 kilometre route with 40 Static Sound Systems pumping out all styles of Black music including Reggae, Soca, soul and Afrobeat.
Images by CultureMix Arts
RASPO’s annual performance at Notting Hill Carnival is a calendar highlight and celebrates Reading’s diversity alongside other key performances at Carnival of the World in mid August and for the 75th anniversary of the South Bank Centre opening for the 1951 Festival of Britain which took place in July.
Click here to watch RASPO passing through the Judging Zone at 8h 20m on Carnival Monday.
