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Summer in London just wouldn't be summer in London without Notting Hill Carnival. Taking place on August bank holiday weekend each year since 1966, Carnival has grown into Europe’s largest street festival, attracting more than two and half million people annually. With parades, masquerade, floats, dancing, steel bands and soundsystems, as well as the outstanding Caribbean food stalls, Carnival is a feast for the senses.
The main parade takes you on a guided tour of W10; beginning near Westbourne Park station and snaking down to past Notting Hill Gate, then up to Ladbroke Grove. Soak up the electrifying sounds of soca music, dancehall, calypso, house, hip hop and much more at one of Carnival's 38 static sound systems dotted around the parade route. Or, if you're after a more family-friendly Carnival experience, Sunday is the best day to bring children.
Notting Hill Carnival 2022 officially starts at 10am on Sunday August 28 and at 10.30am on Bank Holiday Monday August 29. On Carnival Sunday, the official opening ceremony will take place from 10am to 10.30am on Great Western road, before the children’s day parade and Carnival parade kicks off and runs until 5pm.
On Carnival Sunday and Monday, the 36 static soundsystems will run from midday to 7pm at various locations across the parade map, which you can see here. Monday (the final day), is the iconic adult's day parade, which runs from 10.30am to 8.30pm and will take place across the parade route.
For information on the Notting Hill Carnival parade route, travel information, safety and security and lots more, read our full guide to Notting Hill Carnival which includes this year's full schedule. We've even written a history of the iconic event from 1958 to today.
Discover 50 things you didn’t know about Notting Hill Carnival or check out Time Out's guide to Carnival's best soundsystems.