Where is Notting Hill Carnival? Plus day-by-day schedule

Notting Hill Carnival is back after a two year hiatus, and many want to get in on the celebrations. Find out where is Notting Hill Carnival and what there is to do while you're there.

Hundreds of thousands of people will descend on Notting Hill Carnival over the August Bank Holiday weekend to enjoy the street festival that has been celebrating the UK's Caribbean community since 1966. It's hailed as one of the best free things to do in London and is one of the world's biggest street parties.

As the first summer post-Covid restrictions, people up and down the country have been enjoying events taking place in the UK, from the Commonwealth Games and the 2022 Euro's to the Platinum Jubilee. Notting Hill Carnival is another huge celebration, so read on to find out where it is and how you can attend...

Where is Notting Hill Carnival 2022?

Notting Hill Carnival takes place in the Notting Hill area of London and W10 postcode, in and around the west London borough of Kensington and Chelsea. The best stations to arrive at for the Carnival are Notting Hill Gate station, Westbourne Park or Royal Oak.

You can download the Notting Hill Carnival app to see where the Carnival is taking place and track the parade route, which covers Ladbroke Grove, Westbourne Park, Westbourne Grove, Bayswater and Kensal Road.

Most of the roads in Notting Hill will be closed over the bank holiday weekend, but you can travel there by tube. Notting Hill Gate will be ‘exit only’ from 11am to 7pm each day, to accommodate the number of people using the over the weekend, while Royal Oak and Westbourne Park will be ‘exit only’ from 11am to 6pm. Royal Oak will close after 6pm and Westbourne Park will close after 11.30pm.

When is Notting Hill carnival 2022?

Notting Hill carnival is traditionally held over the August Bank Holiday weekend, which this year falls on Saturday 27 August - Monday 29 August.

Sunday is usually considered to be the family day and the best day to visit with children, while Monday hosts the biggest parties.

West London has waited a long time for the carnival to return, after it was forced to cancel in 2020 and 2021 due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

Notting Hill Carnival 2022 parade route

The parade route starts near Westbourne Grove tube station at 9:30am on Monday 29 August.

It then travels down Great Western Road, before making its way to Westbourne Grove and Ladbroke Grove, and is roughly three and a half miles long.

Notting Hill Carnival: Daily schedule

Saturday 27 August

Saturday 27 August is the first day of Notting Hill Carnival, and will open with the UK National Panorama Steelband Competition, a family-friendly event in Emslie Horniman Pleasance Park, near Trellick Tower, from 6pm-11pm.

Steel pans are a rich part of the carnival's tradition and this event kick-starts the Carnival every year. Here you can watch some of the top players and bands demonstrate their skills. The winners will be announced on the night, and the current defending champions are Mangrove Steelband.

From 4pm there will be food stalls, bars, large screens and DJs ahead of the competition.

Sunday 28 August

Notting Hill carnival's family day takes place on Sunday 28 August. It's called The J'Ouvert carnival and kicks off at 6am in Ladbroke Grove with steel bands parading through the streets of Notting Hill.

Then, at 10.30am, the children's parade starts, which features young performers and this year is led by by members of a virtual running community, the Emancipated Run Crew, which supports and encourages black and brown runners to meet and exceed their fitness goals.

Food and drink stalls as well as family workshops will run throughout the day at Emslie Horniman Pleasance Park.

Monday 29 August

The Monday is the biggest day of the festival, which will see 84 Mas Bands travel along the parade route from midday, dressed in spectacular costumes.

There will also be two live stages to enjoy and roughly 40 soundsystems pumping out music for the duration of the day.

Notting Hill Carnival tickets

Notting Hill Carnival is free to attend - so you do not need to buy a ticket to attend the parade, live stages, stalls or sound systems.

However, some individual events over the weekend may require tickets, such as the Panorama Steelband Competition, and the afterparties also require tickets. If you want to join in with the parade, you need to be part of a group authorised to do so, or pay to join the procession.

You can check the official website if you have your eye on an event and aren't sure whether you need a ticket for it.

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