With Notting Hill Carnival fast approaching yet again, Red Bull has now announced its plans for this year’s instalment. For decades, Red Bull has celebrated music, its culture and the transformative minds behind it. With plans of bringing together an all-star line-up for the public sound system, leading a truck in collaboration with local Mas band Mangrove, and offering a free pre-carnival workshop series, 2019 Carnival is set to be a strong period for the Red Bull Music Festival London team.

Ahead of the two-day carnival celebrations, Red Bull will be hosting a series of workshops at Mangrove HQ on Wednesday 21 August 2019. First up, attendees will have a chance to jump on the pans and get a lesson from a selection of the 60-man Mangrove steel pan band. The second workshop will feature an opportunity to gain an insight into the skills needed to produce a carnival costume, in collaboration with up and coming designer Misi Africa of Kiwi and Yam. Finally, guests will learn how to complete their carnival looks with make-up tutorials from Bernicia Boateng and Sheri Pie Nailz. Workshops are free for all and each of the steel pans workshop, the design workshop and the ‘glo-up’ workshop can be signed-up for here. 

Following her debut in 2017, Jamaican dancehall star Spice headlines the Sound System, performing alongside Yxng Bane, Alicai Harley and Tony Matterhorn. Also on the roster will be 1Xtra DJ Tiffany Calver, rapper Sneakbo, producer Ricky Blaze and Reprezent Radio’s Lil C, with a slew of other artists and DJs present – including the likes of Sir DJ Corey, Br3nya and Jodian Natty.

Redesigned for this year’s parade, the Red Bull truck will once again provide a stage for a host of legendary Mangrove mas band stars. Amongst the line up will be Trinidadian soca queens Nessa Preppy, Nadia Batson and Nailah Blackman, alongside Farmer Nappy and Swappi who will be flying in to perform.

The Red Bull Music Festival runs from 20 August to 14 September. Tickets and details on other events can be found here.