Carnival climax on London streets
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A reveller dances her way through the streets of Notting Hill.
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LONDON, England -- Grey skies kept the numbers down at the final day of the Notting Hill Carnival -- but Europe's biggest street party was as colorful as ever.
Monday's climax to the carnival kicked off at noon in west London and carried on until evening.
Organizers estimated up to 850,000 had turned out to enjoy the elaborate costumes and loud Caribbean music.
Police made a small number of arrests Monday, mainly for drug offenses. Sunday's total was 91 arrests.
Westminster Council's cabinet member for community protection, Alan Bradley, who was judging the floats, said the event ran smoothly.
"It doesn't look like today is going to be as big as last year but that isn't dampening anyone's spirits," he told the UK Press Association.
"Everyone is having a good time and it looks as if the carnival is running very much to plan."
Security was tight, with around 10,000 officers on duty to patrol the streets of west London, in an operation costing an estimated £5 million ($8 million).
Children parade through the streets on children's day.
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The world-famous procession features extravagant costumes, psychedelic floats and up to 15 steel bands which travel around a three-mile route.
The area was also playing host to around 78 Mas bands and 45 licensed static sound systems, each playing their own fusions of Soca, reggae, jazz, soul, hip-hop and funk music, house, and garage.
Sunday's festivities focused on family entertainment with a slightly shorter Carnival route reserved for children and young people.
The party began 38 years ago as a local affair set up by West Indian immigrants, and has become a full-blooded multi-cultural carnival, attracting people from all around the world.
