News Release

POSITIVE PRODUCTIONS, POSITIVE SPIRITS, WINDS OF CHANGE AND ENGINE ROOM UK CELEBRATE 10 YEARS ON DE ROAD AT NOTTING HILL AND THE BICENTENARY OF THE ABOLITION OF SLAVERY WITH THEIR 2007 MAS PRESENTATION

“SLAVES TO DE RIDDIM”

WE ARE ALSO AIMING TO RAISE MONEY FOR THE WINDWARD ISLANDS OF DOMINICA
AND ST LUCIA WHOSE BANANA INDUSTRIES WERE 70-90% DESTROYED BY
HURRICANE DEAN...

Positive Productions and Winds of Change celebrate their 10 th time on de road at Notting Hill Carnival in 12 years this year. We also celebrate with the rest of the world, the Bicentenary of the Abolition of Slavery with our mas costume presentation ‘Slaves to de Riddim'.

All of our masqueraders from years past plus anybody new who wishes to experience our Notting Hill Carnival roadshow are welcome to come along, and if you contact us before Noon on Saturday we are likely to be able to put you in one of our costumes. View our carnival picture galleries on this site to see what is available.

We will have a central presentation for Slaves to the Riddim consisting of 3 types of costume, however since we are also taking a retrospective of our work over the last years or so on the road, a choice of most of the costumes you see in the galleries is also available.

The programme for the weekend looks like this:

Sunday morning 6-9am
J'ouvert: Engine Room UK percussion rhythm section goes up Ladbroke Grove
as a participant in Notting Hill Carnival's second ‘J'ouvert' – In trinidad this is the traditional start to Carnival as the crowds pour out onto the streets to jump up with the steelbands and sound systems – in Notting Hill it will be the steelbands and rhythm sections only, with no amplification allowed. Mud and body paint will be available for those who want to ‘mud up'....

Sunday afternoon
Kids Carnival day: We depart or mas camp (10 minutes walk from Ladbroke Grove) to set out on the carnival route with 20-30 kids and 20-30 adults in costume for several hours of revelry. Kids day is more chilled and less crowd-packed than Adults day on Monday..
Monday afternoon
Adults Carnival day: This doesn't exclude kids of course, but the crowds are denser, delays around the route likely and the atmosphere more full-on. We will be taking to the road with anywhere between 30 and 100 adults (and kids under parental supervision).

What does our roadshow consist of?

- a 7.5 tonne truck with sound system, 2 bands & MC's

- a samba band (Maracatu Estella Norte)

- our masqueraders in costume

Logistics/transport/accommodation:

- our on the road support vehicle ( a double decker bus with open panels in the roof) will leave Brighton mid-morning Sunday & Monday, returning each evening after we finish the route.

- floorspace is available on Saturday & Sunday nites, at our mas camp 10 minutes walk from Ladbroke grove at £5.00 per nite – payable in advance

Cost to masqueraders:

- bus transport for masqueraders – suggested donation per Brighton-London or London Brighton leg - £5

- costume hire per day – suggested donation £15-20 per day

- accommodation - £5 per nite

If you are on benefits or genuinely strapped for cash we will accept reasonable donations...

Additionally we will be raising money for the Windward Islands whose banana industries in Dominica & St Lucia were 70-90% destroyed by Hurricane Dean. We have always supported/promoted Caribbean bananas on the road at NJotting Hill and our banana NGO friends will be canvassing the crowds for donations – you are welcome to help!!!

We hope to see you on Sunday, Monday or both!!