The streets of west London are about to fill with colour, sound and crowds as the Notting Hill Carnival returns for the August bank holiday weekend. Organisers expect around 2 million people over three days—the scale of a major sporting event without stadium gates—so travel will be busy, roads will shut, and patience will help a lot. Here’s what’s happening, where to stand, and how to get there without losing your day to diversions.
Route and weekend schedule
The 2019 parade follows the familiar 3.5-mile loop through W10 and W11. It starts on Great Western Road, runs south past Westbourne Park, turns right onto Westbourne Grove, winds through Ladbroke Gardens, then heads north up Ladbroke Grove to finish near Kensal Green Cemetery. Expect activity around Notting Hill, Ladbroke Grove, Westbourne Grove, Westbourne Park and Kensal Road from late morning into the evening on Sunday and Monday.
Along the route you’ll find 37 licensed static sound systems, each with its own crowd and playlist—reggae, calypso, soca, dancehall and dub. The bigger systems anchor the atmosphere on side streets while the processions bring the movement: sequinned costumes, steel pans, mas bands and giant speaker trucks rolling at walking pace.
Saturday sets the tone with Panorama, the UK’s biggest steel band competition, at Emslie Horniman Pleasance Park from 6pm to 11pm (adult tickets £10). It’s a good warm-up if you want the music without the Monday crush.
Sunday is family day. It starts at dawn with J’ouvert (6am to 9am), a traditional opening where revellers cover themselves in coloured powder and mud and take to the streets. The Children’s Parade sets off at 10:30am, and family workshops run at Emslie Horniman Pleasance Park. If you’re bringing kids, Sunday morning is the calmest time to explore, before the sound systems pull their biggest crowds.
Monday is the Grand Finale Parade, the weekend’s main event. The processions start at midday and the densest crowds build around Ladbroke Grove and Westbourne Grove into the afternoon. It’s busy, noisy and joyous—and it can be slow moving in places, so plan your meet-up points and exits before the music starts.
Expect queues for food and loos, long waits at popular corners, and brief pauses in the procession as gaps open and close. That’s normal. The carnival moves like a city in miniature—alive, slightly chaotic, and best enjoyed with time on your side.
Getting there, closures and practical tips
Public transport is the only realistic way in and out. Driving into the area isn’t advised, and parking will be severely restricted with suspensions across residential streets. If you must travel by car through west London, plan a route that skirts the W10 and W11 postcodes entirely.
Nearest Tube and rail options include Bayswater, High Street Kensington, Paddington, Queen’s Park and Shepherd’s Bush. These stations sit outside the tightest road closures but still within walking distance. Be ready for restrictions: some stations will be exit-only at times, some will close briefly to manage crowds, and trains may not stop if platforms are full. Follow on-the-day announcements from station staff.
Bus services will be running, but many routes will be diverted or curtailed well before they reach the carnival footprint. If you arrive by bus, expect to walk the last 15 to 25 minutes.
Road closures will be extensive from early morning to late evening on both Sunday and Monday. The main arteries—Great Western Road, Westbourne Grove and Ladbroke Grove—will be closed to traffic during the parades, along with many connecting streets for safety, staging, and crowd control. Delivery access is restricted; residents should check building notices and plan around suspended bays.
Rideshare and taxis will drop off and pick up outside the closure zones. Agree a meeting point on a main road away from the crowds and expect a longer walk than your app suggests. Surge pricing is common when the parades finish.
For a smoother day, here’s what regulars do:
- Arrive early. Mornings are calmer, and you’ll find space near your chosen sound system before it gets packed.
- Top up contactless or Oyster before you set out. Queues at machines build fast at nearby stations.
- Download maps or take screenshots. Mobile networks can get overloaded in the afternoon.
- Pick two routes home—your first choice plus a backup station in a different direction.
- Wear comfortable shoes and bring layers. It’s August, but rain showers and wind tunnels on side streets are common.
Families and first-timers often prefer Sunday morning near the Children’s Parade and the park. Use hearing protection for little ones—the big systems and truck speakers can be very loud at close range. Buggies are fine on wider roads early on, but switch to a carrier if you head into tighter spots later in the day.
Accessibility varies by street. Some pavements are narrow, kerbs are uneven, and temporary barriers can block desire lines. If step-free access matters for your journey, plan routes station-to-station in advance and allow extra time to detour around crowds. Staff and stewards will help where they can, but it’s worth plotting quieter streets on the edge of the route.
Food and drink are everywhere—grills, jerk, doubles, corn, sorrel, coconut water. Many sellers take cards now, but cash still speeds things up. Bring water; queues for vendors and toilets can be long, especially mid-afternoon. Glass is discouraged for safety. Use the bins provided and don’t block doorways—residents still need in and out.
Signal can be patchy. Set a meeting point before you split up and pick a time to regroup. If you’re lost, step into a less crowded side street, orient yourself with the route (remember: the loop runs clockwise down Westbourne Grove and back up Ladbroke Grove), then rejoin when you’re ready.
Police, stewards and first-aiders are visible across the area. If you need help, look for high-vis jackets at major junctions and around transport hubs. In an emergency, move away from speaker stacks and crowds toward open intersections where responders can reach you quickly.
Local life keeps ticking alongside the party. Shops open and close on their own schedules, shutters go down early near big systems, and residents put up signs asking crowds not to sit on steps or block gates. Be a good guest: keep doorways clear, use the loos provided, and follow directions from stewards even if it adds a few minutes to your route.
When you leave, walk a little farther before you try to board a train. Stations just outside the busiest blocks often get you home faster than the closest option that’s pulsing with queues. If the first platform is rammed, try the next one along your line or switch to an Overground or rail connection via Paddington or Shepherd’s Bush.
Key points at a glance:
- Route: Great Western Road to Westbourne Grove, through Ladbroke Gardens, then north on Ladbroke Grove to near Kensal Green Cemetery.
- Sound systems: 37 licensed setups across the footprint, plus steel bands and mas bands in the parade.
- Saturday: Panorama steel band contest, 6pm–11pm, Emslie Horniman Pleasance Park (adult tickets £10).
- Sunday: J’ouvert 6am–9am; Children’s Parade from 10:30am; family workshops in the park.
- Monday: Grand Finale Parade from midday; biggest crowds in the afternoon.
- Transport: expect exit-only Tube stations, temporary closures and bus diversions; walk the last stretch.
- Roads: widespread closures across W10 and W11, including Great Western Road, Westbourne Grove and Ladbroke Grove during parade hours.
If you treat the day like a big day out at a major event—plan, pack light, agree meeting points, and give yourself extra time—you’ll see why people return year after year. The music does the heavy lifting. Your job is just getting there and back in one piece.