More than two million people are expected to descend on London's Notting Hill Carnival to soak up its famous Caribbean party atmosphere.
Yesterday's warm-up event parade, with its food stalls, feathered dancers and Caribbean rhythms befitting the long-awaited sunshine, was billed as a children's day and drew thousands of families.
The theme for this year's event, the 43rd Notting Hill Carnival, is "set all free", commemorating 200 years since the abolition of the slave trade.
One-and-a-half million people filled the streets over two days last year, and organisers anticipate that figure will be broken. An estimated 250,000 people turned up yesterday.
There will be a strong police presence again today. Officers made 41 arrests yesterday, including two for attempted murder.