Notting Hill Carnival 2022 FREE

August 2022 (Exact dates to be confirmed)

 

Join London’s biggest street party as the Notting Hill Carnival fills the streets of west London with Caribbean colours, music and flavours.

Watch elaborate floats and colourful costumed performers wind their way through the streets in the carnival parade, dance to the sound of steel bands and calypso music, and visit the tempting food stalls along the route.

Notting Hill Carnival happens every year on the last weekend of August, including the summer bank holiday (public holiday) Monday.

What’s the Notting Hill Carnival 2022 line-up?

Enjoy music from steel bands and DJs plus, food, drinks and more carnival vibes – check back soon for more information about the 2022 Notting Hill Carnival event programme.

Where is Notting Hill Carnival?

The carnival usually takes place on the streets of London W10 and W11, around Notting Hill, Ladbroke Grove, Westbourne Grove, Westbourne Park and Kensal Road.

What’s the Notting Hill Carnival 2022 route?

The Notting Hill Carnival route usually remains the same every year and can be found on the official app, which features a Notting Hill Carnival map.

How to get to Notting Hill Carnival

As many road closures take place during the festival, London public transport is the best way to travel to the Notting Hill Carnival.

If you’re planning to visit the festival, allow extra time for your journey as a number of local Tube stations close or are subject to disruption. Extra buses are normally put on during the carnival weekend, but these are diverted away from the carnival route.

Always check the Transport for London website before you travel for the latest Notting Hill Carnival transport information.

What are the top tips for visiting Notting Hill Carnival?

If you’re in a group or with family, make sure to arrange a meeting point and time in advance. It can become quite busy on the streets and you may want to split up to visit different sound systems and stalls, or follow the carnival parade.

Being in August, it’s usually hot and sunny during the carnival, so make sure to keep a reusable bottle of water with you to stay hydrated, wear a hat and take some sunscreen.

Notting Hill Carnival is a fun and welcoming event but, as with any big event, be aware of pickpockets and keep your valuables out of sight – if you have any problems, inform a police officer.

Most importantly, get into the carnival spirit! Join in with the dancing, try out the many sound systems, feast on Caribbean food and even continue the festivities with one of the many afterparties!

What is Notting Hill Carnival?

The Notting Hill Carnival was first held in 1966 as an offshoot of the Trinidad Carnival, celebrating Caribbean culture and traditions in London.

When the Notting Hill Carnival first started in Notting Hill, around 500 people attended the Caribbean festival. The carnival has since become the largest street festival in Europe, attracting hundreds of thousands to London, and continues to grow in popularity. You can usually expect to see some 50,000 performers in the parade and more than 30 sound systems, with more than one million people attending over the carnival weekend.

If you’re planning to go to the carnival, find where to stay near the celebrations, check out Caribbean restaurants to refuel at afterwards and download the Visit London app for more information on Notting Hill Carnival.

Get a scoop of the best things to do in Notting Hill all year round with this guide.