iBLACKBIRD Street Party & Roots Festival
June - July 2024
NEED TO KNOW
iBlackbird has continued to produce a summer long festival of events celebrating the West London community.
We put the community at the heart of the creation of this Festival. These are events run for the community, by the community, with Flower helping to produce each one.
DAY 1 | June 22
RAISING THE FLAG
Honouring Windrush: A Celebration of Heritage, Resilience, and Community in Kensington and Chelsea
RBKC Town Hall
On Windrush Day the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea proudly welcomed residents, guests, and dignitaries, including Mayor Councillor Will Lane, to a heartfelt celebration held at Kensington and Chelsea Town Hall. The event marked 76 years since the arrival of the HMT Empire Windrush at Tilbury Docks on 22 June 1948, a moment that helped shape modern Britain.
Although today often referred to as the "Windrush generation,” named after the ship that brought hundreds from the Caribbean to help rebuild post-war Britain, many within our community in Kensington and Chelsea do not solely identify with that label. We proudly recognise ourselves as West Indian, Caribbean people, whose presence, identity, and contributions reach far beyond a single moment in history. Alongside their vital skills and labour, our elders and ancestors brought vibrant traditions, music, cuisine, language, and values that have become a living, lasting part of British culture. Their legacy continues to enrich the nation and especially this borough in ways that transcend a single voyage. But as the local community proudly acknowledged during this year's event, Caribbean people were part of the fabric of Kensington and Chelsea long before 1948. Seafarers, students, and professionals from islands such as Jamaica, Barbados, Trinidad, and others were living, studying, and working in London as far back as the 18th and 19th centuries.
Historical records show that Notting Hill and Ladbroke Grove were home to a small but significant Black presence well before the mid-20th century. Caribbean scholars like Claudia Jones, known as the “mother of Notting Hill Carnival,” were active in the area, as were servicemen from the Caribbean who fought for Britain in both World Wars and later settled in the capital.
These early pioneers paved the way for the Windrush generation, laying down roots, building families, and forming communities that would grow and flourish despite systemic challenges. Their presence and perseverance were a quiet but powerful part of the borough’s development, and their legacy continues to inspire. In Kensington and Chelsea, that legacy is alive in community centres, churches, cultural events, and everyday life. The annual Notting Hill Carnival, which began in the 1960s as a response to racial tension and a celebration of Caribbean unity, remains one of the borough’s proudest expressions of multiculturalism and creativity.
Mayor Councillor Will Lane reflected this in his remarks:
“The Windrush generation and those who came before them have shaped the identity of our borough in profound ways. Today we honour not only the past 76 years, but also those who quietly made history long before Windrush.”
As we look ahead, the borough remains committed to recognising the full breadth of Caribbean contributions, from the earliest settlers to today’s community leaders, artists, educators, and youth.
Together, we celebrate, we remember, and we continue to grow.
DAY 2 | July 20
PORTOBELLO STREET PARTY
Celebrating Portobello Legacy: GEORGE's
Golborne and Portobello Road George's Fish Bar
George's Fish Bar has been part our community for 63 years.
On Saturday, 20 July 2024, Ladbroke Grove came alive with colour, music, and heartfelt emotion as the community gathered to celebrate 63 incredible years of George’s Portobello Fish Bar, a cherished local treasure that has fed generations and united neighbours through simple, delicious food and warm, familiar service.
The event, held on the doorstep of the shop at 329 Portobello Road, was made possible through the combined efforts of dedicated community groups, including Trellick Tower Residents’ Association, Golborne Forum, the RBKC Markets Team, and many more local champions. A key driving force behind the celebration was the founder of the Blackbird Festival, whose vision and community spirit helped inspire and shape the street party into the joyful and inclusive gathering it became. Together, they brought the community in true Grove style with laughter, love, and plenty of good music.
The street was filled with celebration and pride. Live music from a local steel band lifted the crowd’s spirits, while the powerful sounds of The Hardway Rootz, featuring a surprise appearance from legendary local artist Paul Weller, set the tone for a night no one will forget. Paul, a longtime supporter and beloved figure in the area, was warmly welcomed by residents who appreciate his ongoing connection to the Grove.
Our diverse and intergenerational community showed up in full force, with families, elders, young people, residents with disabilities, long-time customers, and new neighbours all joining in to honour a business that meant so much to so many. Mayor Councillor Will Lane attended and was warmly received, taking the time to engage with residents, listen to stories, and join in the joy of the day. His openness and presence made a strong impression on the community.
One of the most touching moments of the event came when Johnny, George’s son, delivered a powerful and emotional speech, thanking the community for their decades of love and support. The celebration reached even greater heights when George’s grandson performed a heartfelt poem, moving many to tears and reminding everyone just how much George meant, not just as the owner of a fish and chip shop, but as a living piece of local history.
As the community said farewell, it wasn’t just to a shop, it was to a place that held memories of Friday night fish and chips, crispy nuggets, generous doner kebabs, and familiar faces behind the counter. Georges was a space where everyone felt welcome, and
its legacy lives on in the stories we share and the bonds it helped build.
Georges went out with a blast, and it couldn’t have been a more fitting send-off.
DAY 3 | July 28
ROOTS CULTURE FESTIVAL
A Day of Unity, Celebration, Community, Culture and Arts
Celebrating Legends of Reggae and Roots Culture
PORTOBELLO GREEN | 2PM - 10PM
Presented in partnership with Patron Miss Gerty this year grove family salutes Sir Lloyd Coxsone
Tributes and Legends:
LLOYD COXSONE OUTERNNATIONAL SOUND | SPECIAL MISS GERTY STUDIO ONE TRIBUTE | PECKINGS SOUND SYSTEM | ONE LOVE SOUND SYSTEM | DRUMMIE ZEB | GUITAR PLAYER
On Sunday 28 July 2024, the heart of Ladbroke Grove pulsed with rhythm, memory, and togetherness as the community came out in full force for the much-anticipated Roots Festival the annual cultural highlight of the iBlackbird Notting Hill Festival programme.
Held at the beloved Portobello Green W10, the Roots Festival brought people of all backgrounds together in the true spirit of Grove: with joy, reflection, and deep respect for our shared roots. It was a day to celebrate our diversity, remember those we've lost, and uplift the creativity and resilience that define the neighbourhood.
The festival featured an exciting and deeply moving mix of performances from powerful spoken word and poetry to African drumming, live reggae, and the unmistakable pulse of sound system culture, echoing with heritage, resistance, and pride.
Leading the charge was none other than Sir Lloyd Coxsone, also known as King Ras Lloyd Coxsone of Outernational London, an esteemed music producer, cultural icon, and lifelong champion of UK reggae. His presence was a profound honour for the community and served as a bridge.
This year’s Roots Festival held even deeper meaning as it coincided with a milestone anniversary for the legendary Sir Lloyd Coxsone. A true pioneer of UK reggae and sound system culture, Ras Lloyd has dedicated decades to spreading conscious music and building community through rhythm and resistance. His presence at Portobello Green was not only a musical highlight but a historic moment, as the crowd gathered to honour his legacy, influence, and continued commitment to the culture. The celebration of his anniversary was met with thunderous applause and heartfelt tributes, a fitting salute to a man whose sound has shaped generations, including music lovers.
At the heart of the celebrations was a phenomenal performance by the legendary One Love Sound System, a name synonymous with unity and roots reggae.
The One Love sound was electric, with headline sets from top-tier DJs, all curated and led by the system’s founder, Ras Jah Steve One Love. Joining the celebration was award-winning DJ Martin J, a respected figure in the West London music scene and a long-time supporter of the local creative movement. Together, they delivered a rich and unforgettable musical journey that had the crowd dancing, singing, and celebrating long into the evening.
A special highlight was the Peking Sound tribute, honouring the late patroness of the Roots Festival, an extraordinary woman from Jamaica, Empress Gerty, who gave so much to the local community. Known for empowering young people across generations through creativity, mentorship, and enterprise, her legacy was celebrated with reverence and love. Her spirit lives on in the energy of the festival she helped shape and inspire.
Throughout the day, the atmosphere was electric yet grounded in something deeply human: connection.
The festival reminded us that beyond music and art, what binds this community is a sense of care for one another, for our elders, for the next generation, and for the stories we carry.
Roots Festival 2024 was, in every sense, the icing on the cake of this summer’s cultural calendar. It was not only a celebration of heritage and music, but also a declaration that Ladbroke Grove’s heart beats strong, together, and proud.
This series of events were supported by The West Way Trust and The Kensington and Chelsea Community