Notting Hill Carnival
London's August bank holiday street carnival: which day suits children and which suits adults, how the ticketed Panorama differs, what closes, and where to sleep outside the W10 and W11 footprint.
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Notting Hill Carnival in short
Notting Hill Carnival is on Sunday 29 and Monday 30 August 2027, the August bank holiday weekend, and both days are free. Sunday is Families and Children's Day and includes J'Ouvert; Monday is Adults Day. The ticketed UK National Panorama steel band competition is on Saturday 28 August. The parade starts at 10:30am on both days. Roads close and the organisers strongly advise public transport; in 2026 Ladbroke Grove station was closed on both days.
What happens when
- Sunday 29 August 2027, 06.00 - 09.00
- J'ouvert, starting at Sainsbury's, by Canal Way Roundabout
- Sunday 29 August 2027, 10.00-10.30
- Official Opening Ceremony at MAS Judging Point, Great Western Road
- Sunday 29 August 2027, 12.00-19.00
- Sound Systems
- Sunday 29 August 2027 and Monday 30 August 2027, 3pm
- Moment of Reflection: 72-second silence
- Monday 30 August 2027, 10.30
- Adults' Parade, the carnival climax
- Monday 30 August 2027, 12:00-19:00
- Sound Systems
Which day and which stage
- Sunday
Families and Children's Day
The Children's Parade and Carnival, J'Ouvert and Dutty Mas on the same day.
Free, parade from 1030am
- Monday
Adults Day
The Adults Parade and Carnival, with mas bands, steel bands, soca and calypso, and sound systems.
Free, parade from 1030am
- Saturday
UK National Panorama
The steel band competition the evening before, ticketed.
Tickets only, Sat 28 Aug
- Sound
Sound systems and live stages
Sound systems and live stages run through the afternoon. In 2026 the Powis Square live stage was one of them.
Midday to evening in 2026
The Notting Hill Carnival guide
Which day
Notting Hill Carnival runs on the Sunday and Monday of the August bank holiday weekend. In 2027 that is 29 and 30 August, and the organiser lists both days as free to all. The parade starts at 10:30am on both. Panorama, the steel band competition, is the evening before, on Saturday 28 August, and is tickets only.
Sunday: Families and Children's Day
Sunday's programme is J'Ouvert, the Children's Parade and Carnival, Adults' Dutty Mas and a Judging Zone. In 2026 J'Ouvert ran from 6am to 9am and the Children's Parade from 10:30am to 5pm, according to Shortlist; confirm the 2027 times on nhcarnival.org, which links a day-by-day schedule.
Monday: Adults Day
Monday is the Adults Parade and Carnival with a Judging Zone. The organiser lists the strands you will meet across the weekend: mas bands, steel bands, Brazilian bands, soca and calypso, sound systems and live stages, and food and drink.
Panorama on Saturday
The UK National Panorama and Steel Band Competition is the one ticketed part of the weekend. In 2026 it was held at Emslie Horniman's Pleasance Park, with the junior competition at 5pm and the main competition at 8pm, according to Shortlist. The organiser's 2027 page lists it as tickets only and links to its ticket page for prices and sales.
- The steel band competition, the evening before the parade
- A seated evening away from the street crowds
- Separate from the free carnival days
Getting there
The organiser's FAQ says roads in the area close during Carnival and strongly advises public transport. Public hire cycles and scooters are suspended inside the footprint, which covers the W10 and W11 postcodes. In 2026 the roads closed at 6am on the Sunday and reopened at 6am on the Tuesday, with Notting Hill Gate closed to all traffic except buses, according to Time Out.
Those were the 2026 changes; TfL's journey planner shows the current position.
Where to sleep
The organiser suggests staying outside the W10 and W11 postcodes and travelling in. Inside them, only pre-authorised vehicles could enter in 2026 and parking restrictions began at 11:59pm on the Saturday. A base on a line that avoids Ladbroke Grove, Notting Hill Gate and Westbourne Park gets you in and out more easily. See where to stay in London for the areas compared and London in 3 days for what to do on the days either side.
- Guest scores of 9.3/10 from 1,740 reviews
- 1.5 km from the carnival centre
Most visitors from abroad need permission before they fly; see UK ETA, explained.
Where to stay for Notting Hill Carnival
Tours and tickets
Partner options we would book ourselves.
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Right now in London
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
10
- Feels like
- 7°
- Humidity
- 82%
- Wind
- 17 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 92%
London
08:07 PM
Monday, November 2
- Today12°9°92%Monday: Drizzle. High 12°, Low 9°. Chance of rain 92%.
- Tue12°9°35%Tuesday: Drizzle. High 12°, Low 9°. Chance of rain 35%.
- Wed11°8°10%Wednesday: Drizzle. High 11°, Low 8°. Chance of rain 10%.
- Thu9°7°2%Thursday: Drizzle. High 9°, Low 7°. Chance of rain 2%.
- Fri9°7°6%Friday: Drizzle. High 9°, Low 7°. Chance of rain 6%.
- Sat8°7°16%Saturday: Drizzle. High 8°, Low 7°. Chance of rain 16%.
- Sun10°4°14%Sunday: Drizzle. High 10°, Low 4°. Chance of rain 14%.
Updated 06:23 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Notting Hill Carnival FAQ
When is Notting Hill Carnival 2027?
Sunday 29 and Monday 30 August 2027, the August bank holiday weekend, with the ticketed Panorama steel band competition on Saturday 28 August.
Is Notting Hill Carnival free?
Yes on Sunday and Monday: the organiser lists both days as free to all. Saturday's Steel Band Competition Day is tickets only.
Which day is better for children?
Sunday, Families and Children's Day, which includes the Children's Parade and Carnival. Monday is Adults Day.
What time does the parade start?
At 10:30am on both Sunday and Monday, according to the organiser's FAQ.
How should I get there?
By public transport. The organiser says roads in the area close and strongly advises public transport, and public hire cycles and scooters are suspended in the carnival footprint, the W10 and W11 postcodes.
Which stations were affected in 2026?
According to Time Out, citing TfL: Ladbroke Grove closed on both days; Notting Hill Gate had no Circle or District line trains from 11am to 6pm; Westbourne Park was exit-only from 11am; Holland Park was exit-only from 11am to 3pm.