Carnival pioneer, Dexter Khan, on 1966, Cocoyea, 40 years of mas on the road and the future of carnival. The closing event of Carnival 60.

The final event of Carnival 60.

Dexter Khan, Notting Hill Carnival Pioneer, was there in 1966 — and has been putting mas on the road at Notting Hill Carnival for more than forty years.

Born in Belmont, Trinidad, he came to London in 1961, aged nineteen, to join his father. In the early 1980s he founded Cocoyea London, first in support of Metronomes Steel Band, and led the band for four decades until he retired from the road in 2024. Along the way he brought some of the great names in mas to Notting Hill: Peter Minshall, Nikki Lyons, Arthur Peters, and for fifteen years his childhood friend, the late Wayne Berkeley.

Few people can speak to the whole story of Notting Hill Carnival from lived experience. Dexter saw it begin as a handful of people on the streets, helped build it into what it is today, and has watched it change across six decades.

Join us for an evening of conversation about Carnival past, present and future — from its humble beginnings to what comes next — told by someone who was there.

This is the closing event in the Carnival 60 series, marking sixty years of Notting Hill Carnival.

All attendees including children require a ticket.

Part of Carnival 60 (https://nottinghillcarnival60.co.uk/), a six-month heritage programme marking the 60th anniversary of Notting Hill Carnival. Produced by More Curricular CIC (https://www.morecurricular.co.uk/communityinterest) & Notting Hill Walks (https://www.nottinghillwalks.co.uk/).

All attendees including children require a ticket. Tickets are non-refundable. If you are unable to attend, you are welcome to pass your ticket to someone else.

Description supplied by the event organiser.