---

A performer wearing an elaborate costume dances at the Notting Hill Carnival, in London August 26, 2002. Europe's biggest carnival got into full swing as hundreds of thousands of revelers packed the streets of London's fashionable Notting Hill suburb. (Stephen Hird/Reuters)

---

A Million in London for Europe's Biggest Party
Mon Aug 26, 5:13 PM ET
By Georgina Prodhan

LONDON (Reuters) - Nearly one million revellers thronged the streets of London's Notting Hill district on Monday joining the festival of hedonism that is Europe's largest street carnival.

---

Extravagantly costumed masquerade troupes shimmied down the streets of this trendy part of the capital as trucks with speakers piled high blasted out calypso and soul.

The 10,000 police deployed for the two-day fiesta were not called upon to deal with any serious trouble -- just 48 arrests were made on Monday mostly for minor drink, drugs and public order offences.

Some police were even seen dancing in the streets as the air hung thick with marijuana smoke -- showing a relaxed attitude although a planned easing of Britain's laws on cannabis has yet to come into effect.

The second day, a national holiday in Britain, is traditionally the climax of the festival of all things Caribbean. Half a million people turned out for the first day on Sunday.

"The mood has been very upbeat and lively over the last two days," said police spokeswoman Jo Edwards.

Some 300 people were treated for mostly minor injuries -- from falling over to dehydration -- over the holiday weekend. Ambulance services said cool weather and gray skies had helped to keep the number of injured down.

Of 44 people taken to hospital none were seriously injured and one was a 24-year-old woman rushed away as she went into labor on Monday afternoon.

There was no sign of the violence which has marred the Notting Hill Carnival on occasion during its 40 year history, notably in the mid 1970s when the carnival descended into pitched battles between rioters and police.

Violence has also occurred more recently: two people were killed in 2000 and several others stabbed.

More than just a street party, the carnival is a festival of Caribbean art and culture -- some of the costume bands spend the best part of the year making their outfits and dancers and musicians come from all over the world to take part.

"Our number one priority is public safety," said police spokeswoman Edwards. "We don't want to have police officers diving into the middle of a crowd for possession of cannabis."

Amanda Maynard, 35, was enjoying her first visit to the carnival.

"Its even better than I expected," she said breathlessly keeping up with the crowd jumping up and down around a slowly moving sound-system truck.

"Fun!," said Shola Samuel, 32, when asked to sum up what the carnival meant to him.

"Carnival is once a year you know, so you have to enjoy yourself until tomorrow if possible," he added -- still dancing as he said he had been since Sunday afternoon.

---