Ultimate Guide to Notting Hill Carnival in London – 2023

Last updated: 25 August 2023

Each year over the August bank holiday weekend, the chic suburb of Notting Hill in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea guarantees three days of fun-fuelled celebration as one million people from all across the UK, and indeed from across the globe, descend on it for the Notting Hill Carnival. 

This annual Carnival celebrates Caribbean culture, fostering community spirit, and recognising the artistic talents of many creative artists.

Notting Hill Carnival is ON!

Normality returns to the NHC in 2023 once more, after the COVID-19 pandemic. This year visitors can expect all the traditional favourites plus a new addition or two so be prepared for an exciting August bank holiday weekend!

Stay up to date with all the latest news and required information by connecting with the below official social channels;

• Instagram: @nhcarnivalldn 
• FB: @NHCarnivalLDN 
• X (formerly Twitter): @NHCarnivalLDN 
• Official Notting Hill Carnival app

What To Expect at Notting Hill Carnival 2023

As Europe’s biggest street festival, you can expect crowds. Huge crowds! This free carnival sees more than a million revellers in attendance. 

Parade-goers dress up in bright and colourful costumes and dance to traditional music like calypso, meringue, reggae, and rumba which emanates from every possible speaker. Street facing flats, cars and any portable stereo will act as a boom box to produce bass lines that will run straight through you harder than any nightclub you’ve been to.

What to Wear to your First Notting Hill Carnival?

Clothing

Anything you like! Forget your whites and soft pastel shades, seriously vibrant fluorescent colour is encouraged at the Notting Hill Carnival.

Pack your party accessories to show support and love for the Notting Hill Carnival. Pack any and all you’ve got glitter, sequins, feathers, gems, statement sunglasses, beads or ostentatiously large jewellery, whistles, a crazy cap/hat, and whatever strikes your fancy with a the-bigger-the-better style of approach.  If you’re up for it, get some out-there nail art to accessorise even more.

While you can wear anything, be mindful that your bum, and anything else for that matter could be all over the Internet for the rest of your life. Shorts are a good idea, as is a light jacket to fend off the cold/rain. A jacket that can act as another shirt is even better in case you wear someone’s beer, or worse.

Ladies! Whatever you wear, remember you need to use the loo at some stage and want to get it off without it touching the ground. Playsuits, dungarees, and overalls are not a good idea, nor is that gorgeous glittery one-piece bodysuit that looked so great underneath your vintage cut offs.

Shoes

Forget your flip flops, fancy high heels or pretty summer sandals. Those brand new fresh white sneakers you bought last week may not be white after the NHC so perhaps skip those too, the Notting Hill Carnival is not the place for any of these. 

Opt for closed toe shoes with sturdy chunky sole, boots or solid sneakers are ideal.

Why? Before long the streets will be strewn with rubbish and crowds can be so thick that you can’t see the ground so not only is there broken glass in the streets, it’s possible you won’t know what that fluid is that’s running over your fresh pedicure, or what you’re stepping in, see ‘Toilets’. Shudder!

Bag

Aim to be hands free during the Notting Hill Carnival. Best not rely on the pockets in your cut off shorts as you’d be a good target for a pick-pocket. Leave the clutch at home, opt for a small backpack, cross-body bag or a bum bag would be ideal. 

Be smart and prep for Carnival day by including these items in your bag:

• Tissues (which doubles as toilet paper!)
• Hand sanitiser
• Wet-wipes
• Water bottle
• Portable battery for your phone
• Plasters/Band aids
• Cash! (Small change for toilet facilities and notes for food and drink outlets as not all may take card)

What to eat at the Notting Hill Carnival?

This giant street party has an array of sustenance to keep you going. There are over 300 stalls dotted around the Parade route offering a vast variety of Caribbean foods including; Jamaican jerk chicken, Trinidadian roti, and Guyanese pepper pot. There are also vegetarian and vegan options available.

Plan your visit to the Notting Hill Carnival

When is the Notting Hill Carnival?

For 2023, the Carnival is scheduled for the Bank Holiday Weekend in August, 26 – 28 August 2023.

Panorama

Traditionally Saturday evening is Panorama, a family-friendly event and one of the largest steel pan competitions outside of the Caribbean. 

The UK National Panorama Steelband Competition is an annual steel pan event with food stalls and bars, large screens, and DJs bringing you the sounds of Carnival. It will take place in Emslie Horniman’s Pleasance Park, and bring together a medley of NHC elements all in one day ending with the crescendo that is Panorama.

This event usually kicks off Carnival every year with the best of the best pan players and steel pan bands from all over the United Kingdom competing on a ten-minute composition from memory – no sheet music is allowed. 

NHC visitors can expect to be entertained by seven titans from the UK steel band community listed below, who will go head to head for the coveted title of Panorama Champions. 

Winners will be announced on the night and a celebratory DJ set to continue the good vibes.

• Ebony Steelband (Defending champions)
• Croydon Steel Orchestra
• Mangrove Steelband
• Metronomes Steel Orchestra
• Pan Nation
• Real Steel
• Southside Harmonics

This is a ticketed event. NHCL supports emerging and local bands. Money raised from ticket sales will be distributed amongst the performing bands to assist with practice costs throughout the year.

Notting Hill Carnival Children’s Day

Historically Sunday is known as Family Day.  Starting as early as 6am with a traditional carnival opening performed in the Caribbean Islands called J’Ouvert. With smaller crowds and plenty of kid-inspired floats in the parade, it’s the best day for families with young children.

The official opening ceremony starts at 10am at MAS Judging Point, on Great Western Road, with the Children’s Day mas parade being the main event. 

In the afternoon, live stages start at noon and run through to 7pm in Emslie Horniman’s Pleasance Park, W10 5DH, and Powis Square, W11 2AY

Notting Hill Carnival Grand Parade

Bank holiday Monday, 28 August, is the Grand Parade which is aimed at more of a boisterous adults-only affair. 

Static sound systems catering for numerous musical tastes playing everything from ‘Dub’, ‘Rare Groove’ and ‘House’, alongside steel drum music and street performances, all mix together in West London streets. 

60+ bands in spectacular vibrantly colourful and elaborate, albeit skimpy, costumes will perform rhythms to create the Carnival’s vibrant atmosphere. Each band will have their own theme every year and will be assessed by the judges during the parade route.

Traditionally the Brazilian Bands, including samba schools, lead the Parade with choreographed dance routines and synchronised live drumming all with a unique theme. 

After they pass, the unregulated street party crowds follow floats through the streets of West London. Did you know that the public can actually purchase costumes and are encouraged to take part in the parade!

Don’t forget it’s the live stages that are a focal point of the Carnival with performances on the Powis Square stage and Soca City stage.  Check the Notting Hill Carnival website for the line up for 2023.

Remembering Grenfell

14 June 2017, a fire broke out in the 24-storey Grenfell Tower, making it the worst UK residential fire since the Second World War. 

72 of members of the west London community died after the fire spread rapidly up the building’s exterior, bringing fire and smoke to all the residential floors.

The impact on the local community, left devastated by the loss of life and traumatised witnessing the disaster, and the fact that the charred remains of Grenfell Tower (although now screened) can be seen from the Carnival parade route means that 72-second moments of silence are held on both days at 3pm. 

It’s not clear if there will be a 72-second silence in 2023.  

The colour green is often worn symbolising solidarity, peace and unity.

Useful Information for Notting Hill Carnival

Toilets at Notting Hill Carnival

Public urination is not uncommon during the Notting Hill Carnival so watch where you walk.

In previous years, the NHC app had a handy map which identified port-a-loos located around the Parade route. The NHC app has toilets, the parade route and medical centres clearly marked.

The below map is from the NHC map however it’s not clear if this is correct for 2023. We hope it is because we found it very useful in previous years when attending NHC. 

Some local home owners offer their facilities for a fee, so bring some pocket change and your own tissues in case you need it. However, if you can hold it, that’s your best option.

Medical Treatment Centres

Should you find yourself with a shard of glass sticking out of your foot or so drunk you can barely stand then try and make your way to one of the eight medical treatment centres around the Carnival.

Transport and Notting Hill Carnival Map

Notting Hill Carnival 2023 Map

The below is from the Notting Hill Carnival website where a helpful My Map has been created for viewing through Google Maps. Handy to have during your visit.

Driving

Please tell me you’re not seriously considering this? Any road that isn’t closed will be filled with people & rubbish will be bedlam. Avoid at all costs.  (This advice includes Uber & taxis too!)

The Tube

The London Underground closes stations early or completely during the Notting Hill Carnival.

The below was true for previous years and will likely be the same for 2023 but check the TFL website for specific information when you’re planning your travel.

• Ladbroke Grove: Closed on the Sunday and Monday
• Latimer Road: Closes at 23:30 both days
• Westbourne Park: exit only & closes early
• Notting Hill Gate: exit only for most of the day.  You can’t change lines here and District & Circle tubes won’t stop.

Your best alternatives without interruptions & closures are:

• District & Circle: Bayswater & High St Kensington
• Central Line: Queensway (exit only) & Holland Park
• Another good option is Paddington as an alternate option to Notting Hill Gate or Royal Oak.

Buses

There are an infinite amount of bus routes that will be rerouted or on diversion based on the Carnival route.

I recommend you check with the Transport for London or follow specific tube lines on X (formally Twitter) for live updates & diverted routes.

5 Tips for an AWESOME Notting Hill Carnival

This is one of the world’s largest street carnivals so expect crowds, even more so for 2023. 

The overall spirit of the Notting Hill Carnival is positive and pumping but I recommend you be aware of your surroundings and if trouble arises make a quick exit. I can’t stress this enough, it’s extremely busy and might be too much for some people.  If you’ve done NYE in NYC, Sydney Harbour or London it’s on par with that.

• Plan ahead (know transport routes and how to get home safely)
• Dress appropriately (go for colour, sparkles, and more colour!) – oh, and wear proper shoes…
• Meet your mates in advance (you’ll never find them in a sea of people!)
• Have Fun – but know your limits (don’t be that person that your friends have to watch)
• Sample all the food! (You can’t visit the Notting Hill Carnival and not have some jerk chicken from a smoking barbecue!)

What are your Notting Hill Carnival Tips?

Have you attended the Notting Hill Carnival in past years? If so, what are some of your best tips to share with others who are attending for their first time this year? Share in the comments below!

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