Nothing beats… an August Bank Holiday weekend in London. As the legendary Notting Hill Carnival reaches its 59th year, photographer Avel Shah takes Wonderland along for a weekend of celebrations at Europe’s biggest street festival.

Sure, the Aegean Sea is postcard-worthy and Marseille is where the cool kids go to frolic once the mercury climbs, but it’s hard to argue with the fact that London summers are in a league of their own. Especially the summer of 2025, when the sun staged a coup against grey skies, breaking records and gifting Britons with an almost surreal run of golden days. And then there’s that one weekend where the city’s charm becomes downright irresistible: August Bank Holiday. Notting Hill Carnival. The crown jewel of the season.

As sound systems spill into the colour-splashed streets of West London, and revellers from every corner of the city descend upon Notting Hill for a two-day celebration of Caribbean culture, the neighbourhood pulses with the feverish, feather-infused energy of reggae and dancehall, impeccable fashion, and familial joy. In its 59th edition, photographer Avel Shah brought Wonderland along for the ride, once again proving why Notting Hill Carnival holds its crown as the biggest – and best – street festival in Europe.