Notting Hill Carnival Guide: Location, Travel, Parade and Pics

Last updated 25 July 2017. Images by Lin Vitali.

Note: The author's views are entirely his or her own and may not reflect the views of RetoxMagazine.com

Notting Hill Carnival Guide: Location, Travel, Parade Information and Pics

The Europe’s biggest street party. Image by Lin Vitali

Notting Hill Carnival Important Information

When does Notting Hill Carnival Take Place?

Where does Notting Hill Carnival Take Place?

What’s the best way to get to Notting Hill Carnival?

What to expect at Notting Hill Carnival?

Notting Hill Carnival Programme

When does Notting Hill Carnival Take Place?

The carnival takes place on the bank holiday weekend at the end of August. This year the event will be held on Sunday 27 and Monday 28 August 2017.

Where does Notting Hill Carnival Take Place?

The festival takes place in the areas of Notting Hill, Ladbroke Grove and Westbourne Park in west London.

What’s the best way to get to Notting Hill Carnival?

The carnival attracts thousands of people, therefore some transport disruptions are expected. With that in mind the best London Underground stations to get to are Westbourne Park, Royal Oak, Bayswater, Notting Hill Gate, Paddington, High Street Kensington, Holland Park, Queen’s Park and Shepherd’s Bush.

The best London Overground stations to get to are Willesden Junction, Kensal Rise, Queen’s Park and Shepherd’s Bush.

The area is also served well by buses.

If you need more information on getting there, it is well worth having a look at the very detailed transport information on this London Notting Hill Carnival Enterprises Trust website page.

What to expect at Notting Hill Carnival?

According to Evening Standard two million people are expected to attend what is billed as the second biggest street festival in the world, after the Rio carnival. And, of course, this is the largest street carnival in Europe.

The carnival originated in 1964 and it celebrates London’s Caribbean communities, their cultures and traditions. You can expect two days of fantastic music – including reggae, dub and salsa, soca floats, steel bands, great costumes and lots of jerk chicken. There will also be vendors selling booze, and you'll find homes renting their toilets.

The Notting Hill Carnival Programme

SATURDAY 26th August 2017

Panorama: Start your carnival weekend with this open air family friendly evening. Expect lots of great music, including competitive performances from national steel bands, set in a Caribbean style atmosphere. Panorama will be held at Emslie Horniman Pleasance Park, Bosworth Road, W10 from 6pm to 10pm.

SUNDAY 27th August 2017

Jouvert is a fun way to mark the opening of the carnival. You can get muddy, dirty, colourful and just enjoy the pulsating rhythms of steel bands, riddim bands and African drummers. You can take part if you feel more adventurous, or you can come and spectate, either way is fun. The procession begins and ends at Canal way, Ladbroke Grove W14 next to Sainsbury’s car park. Time: 6am to 9am.

Sunday Parade: Sunday is the children’s parade where children showcase their costumes dancing to the rhythms of the mobile sound systems or steel bands along the carnival route.

Powis Square will host the "World Music Stage" boasting calypso and soca performances from the Association of British Calypsonians.

38 static sound systems will be strategically located around the footprint of the carnival, featuring diverse music styles and astounding stage performances.

There will also be lost of Caribbean and other food stalls, drinks and more.

The event takes place from 9am to 8:30pm. The carnival sets off in the morning on both days, Sunday and Monday, so if you want to see the floats don’t leave it too late in the day.

MONDAY 28th August 2017

Monday Parade / The Grand Finale: 60 bands in magnificent costumes will parade for the Grand Finale along with mobile sound systems or steel bands. The day will see fantastic music, mind blowing costumes and lots of scrumptious food.

Sunday will offer another day on the "World Music Stage" at Powis Square where UK Calypsonians, soca artists, visiting international artists and other emerging acts will perform.

You can further visit some or all of the 38 sound systems and explore different genres of music and stage performances.

Monday will again offer a superb opportunity to enjoy barbeque aromas and sample various foods and beverages.

The event will take place from 9am to 8:30pm.

Notting Hill Carnival in Pictures

The colours, sounds and tastes of the Caribbean will fill the streets of West London this weekend. The Europe’s biggest street party will see the dancers, musicians and colourful floats parading through the streets of Notting Hill, celebrating the culture and traditions of the London Caribbean Communities.

Starting with the Children Day on Sunday there will be Caribbean food and drink, music and stage performances along the carnival route. The carnival concludes on Monday with the bands in costume dancing through the streets.