The Notting Hill movie, starring Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant, is expected to help swell numbers at the west London street party - on August 29 and 30 - to two million.

But while the film may have publicised the area, carnival organisers are keen to put distance between fact and fiction.

This year marks Carnival's 35th anniversary

Notting Hill Carnival Trust chief executive Claire Holder said: "The film portrays an elegant suburb of London called Notting Hill where people exist in the contented and elegant stupor of coffee bars and bohemian lifestyle.

"The Notting Hill Carnival portrays the true Notting Hill, the cosmopolitan Notting Hill that is neither elegant nor suburban, but a vibrant, thriving inner-city area whose people get together two days a year to create what has to be the greatest show on earth."

This year marks the carnival's 35th anniversary of the event which was founded by black immigrants from the Caribbean who wanted to create a festival to bring together the people of Notting Hill, most of whom were facing racism, unemployment and poor living conditions.

Live music and parades

As well as the 75 costume bands and floats that will parade down the three-mile route, this year's carnival will have three live stages featuring British rhythm and blues singer Jamelia, bands Nine Yards and Tyrese and award winning BBC Radio 1 DJ Trevor Nelson.

Hugh Grant: Organisers say his film character would not recognise the real Notting Hill

Radio 1 DJ Tim Westwood has pulled out of this year's Notting Hill Carnival because of continuing fears for his safety after he was shot last month while travelling back from a festival in south London.

Soul singer Lynden David Hall and ragga act Glamma Kid will also be performing during at the carnival.

The carnival will also will include the British launch of the international Non Violence Project, which aims to direct children away from violence to sport, the arts, or activities that will benefit society.

Carnival spokeswoman Stephanie Harwood said the event is a peaceful coming together of more than two million people from different cultures, and it would be an ideal environment for launching the campaign.