by Emma Griffiths BBC News Online, London

This year the Arts Council is giving funds directly to the performers

With more than a million people expected to crowd into the narrow residential streets of west London over the bank holiday weekend, the planning has to begin as soon as the last carnival ends.

Bus diversions and Tube station closures have to be put in place, traffic management orders applied for, street traders licensed and a mammoth clean-up operation organised.

"It's amazing to me how it all slots into place," said Councillor David Campion, who has been involved in Kensington and Chelsea's carnival planning for nearly 20 years.

"It should be highly organised but appear totally spontaneous on the day - but that can be very difficult to achieve."

New organisers London Notting Hill Carnival Ltd have had to find and train hundreds of stewards and work out how to reduce congestion at the judging point, but these have not been their biggest challenges.

I face it with a feeling of dread Di Foden, London School of Samba

They have also had to find ways to become more self sufficient after the Arts Council withdrew funding from the old Notting Hill Carnival Trust, deciding to give it straight to the performers instead.

So this year's carnival will be more commercial, with four screens showing advertisements along the route, a paid-for seating area near the judges and some promotional stands.

"It's been a financial challenge more than anything else," said the group's lead organiser Wendel Clement.

"What we are doing is no different to how this entire world exists today. If you go to any event, Glastonbury, the British Grand Prix, you see advertising banners all over.

"Over this week we are still trying to tie down some of the sponsors, close the deals and we are still working very much on fine tuning the stewarding down to how many we're putting at each point."

Carnival Splash More pictures from the carnival preview show

Among the mas bands gathered at Alexandra Palace on Sunday for the carnival preview show was the London School of Samba.

Member Di Foden's told BBC News Online that her nerves were growing as the carnival weekend approaches.

"I tend to look back and think: 'That was great'," she said.

"But I face it with a feeling of dread. It's a logistic nightmare, we were stuck for five hours without moving last year. I love it really, but I like to look back on it."

The Metropolitan Police has also been preparing throughout the year for the annual event which last year cost them about �5m.

As well as organising 9,750 officers for the weekend, liaising with all those involved over the route, planning crowd control and staffing traffic diversions, their intelligence-gathering operation has also been reaping results.

"It's important to keep the pressure on people who cause problems, " said Deputy Assistant Commissioner Andy Trotter.

Even the Home Secretary couldn't control it if he wanted to Councillor David Campion

"We have made nine arrests so far and delivered warning letters to over 80 people advising them to stay away to let them know we are on their case.

"We never want to be complacent. If you get that number of people in such a small area there is always the opportunity for problems. We won't relax until well into next Tuesday."

But Europe's biggest street party can only be controlled to a certain extent on the day.

Councillor Campion said: "Whatever the state of the organisation, carnival will still take place, because the carnivalists will turn out.

"Even the Home Secretary couldn't control it if he wanted to because the people just appear. It works by co-operation."