Notting Hill Carnival Dates
This year’s London Carnival will be from August 24 to August 26, 2019.
London Carnival Map
For a map of the Carnival area and the parade rout, click here. Please note this is the 2017 route.
Where is the Notting Hill Carnival?
The London Carnival spreads across the streets of west London around the W10 post code, with celebrations spreading over Notting Hill, Ladbroke Grove and Wesbourne Park. The main parade (on the Monday) begins on Great Western Road, then chugs its way along Chepstow Road, before spreading out on to Westbourne Grove and finally heading off to Ladbroke Grove. Westbourne Park and Ladbroke Grove stations are the nearest stops on the London Underground, but check out on logistics before you set out as stations might close or become overcrowded.
London Carnival History
The first carnival was held in 1966, when social worker Rhaune Laslett, who lived in Notting Hill, organised an event for kids. However, the origins of the carnival stretch back to 1959 when the BBC broadcasted a Caribbean Carnival from the town hall at St Pancras, which was organised by Trinidadian human rights activist, Claudia Jones. Similar indoor events took place in halls around London in the 1960s. In 1966, Laslett invited well-known musician Russell Henderson and his band to play at the carnival. Already popular among the Caribbean community, the band wove its way through Portobello Road, and as a trail of locals followed them dancing in the streets, the Notting Hill Carnival was born. |
