Carnival 2016
webpage updated: Fri 13 Jun 2025
our costumes our song

HOW TO TAKE PART IN CARNIVAL 2016

COSTUMED GROUPS

1   Look at the costume designs and see which one you would like.

2   Come to a Paraiso dance class or percussion workshop and speak to the President of the ala (costume group) you wish to join. They will tell you all about the plans for their ala and what you need to do. Do this soon as places go quickly!

3   You must be registered on this website to be allocated to an ala (costume group). Once you have been allocated, you will see confirmation of this together with a payment link when you log in to this website.

STEWARDS, SUPPORT & PHOTOGRAPHERS

Come to a dance class or percussion workshop or contact us.

See Paraiso at Notting Hill Carnival
on Monday 29 August 2016

How to catch Paraiso's parade

Paraiso focusses on carnival. Most of our activities throughout the year - samba dance classes and percussion workshops, events, costume making and carnival arts workshops, and educational projects - are related to preparing for the best possible parade at Notting Hill. Every year we have a new theme which covers our activities and carnival parade. A theme song (Samba Enredo) is written each year which is played and sung throughout the carnival. We follow the tradition of Rio Carnival - we incorporate all the main elements of a Rio Carnival parade in the Sambadrome. Ours is a little smaller - we parade with a total of 250 in costume whereas in Rio samba schools in the Grupo Especial parade with up to 4,000!
Paraiso steward

Not into all that dressing up ...

You can still join the parade as a Steward in the Ala Apoio. This is fun but important - you keep the parade moving together without gaps, keep the drummers & dancers fuelled with refreshments. You will help look after an Ala and, if you have a friend in one of the Alas, help look after them.

Carnival Teamwork

Other ways of getting involved

There are many ways you can get involved. If you have any of these skills that's good. If you don't, come & learn from those who do.
Construction, sound systems, driving, painting, costume making, float building, electrical, structure, health & safety, admin...

Carnival is something we do together. So come to our dance classes or percussion workshops to learn or improve and meet the others who will be taking part in our Carnival.