August bank holiday weekend is time for Notting Hill Carnival, Europe’s biggest street party. It’s a colourful, vibrant celebration of all things multicultural, and especially London’s African-Caribbean communities. Revellers come from all over for the elaborate costumes, community spirit and cultural heritage. And of course, the carnival wouldn’t be complete without Caribbean drinks and eats as well as beats.
This year features the return of the UK National Panorama Steelband Competition, an annual steel pan event which is the most respected competition outside of the Caribbean.
There is a free official Notting Hill Carnival app with a live, GPS-tracked map showing all of the floats and their locations on the August Bank Holiday, plus maps showing all food vendors, toilets, transport links and sound systems. Post in-app to meet fellow carnival-goers and vote for your favourite band at Panorama.
We have a handy guide with all you need to know about Notting Hill Carnival.
First published August 2016 by Becky Matthews/Felix Wilson. Updated July 2022
