Notting Hill Carnival 2023: The line-up and what you need to know

Performers at the Notting Hill Carnival in London last year

Kirsty O'Connor Performers wearing headdresses at the Notting Hill Carnival in London last year — Performers at the Notting Hill Carnival in London last year

Notting Hill Carnival returns to west London this August bank holiday for the 55th year.

Carnival is one of the longest running street parties in the world and the largest street party in Europe.

Over two million people, including thousands of tourists, attend each year to follow the three-mile parade through W10.

Expect an amazing parade showcasing the best of mas dancing, soca, calypso, steel bands and sound systems.

When is Notting Hill Carnival 2023?

Saturday 26 August to Monday 28 August.

MAJA SMIEJKOWSKA A Brazilian band performing in red, black and white costumes in August 2022 — A Brazilian band in August 2022

What is the Notting Hill Carnival 2023 line-up?

Saturday 26 August

Panorama. The UK's biggest steel pan competition at Emslie Horniman Pleasance Park, 16:00-23:00 BST.

Sunday 27 August

J'Ouvert - Sainsburys Ladbroke Grove, W10 6HJ: From Jour ouvert in French meaning opening of the day is one of carnival's best kept secrets. Kicking off just before sunrise, the hardcore revellers dance into the daybreak to welcome the carnival. Expect to see colourful paints and powders in place of the mud and oil of Caribbean tradition from 6:00 BST.
Official opening ceremony, Mas (masquerade) Judging Point, Great Western Road. Traditionally carnival is opened by local residents and participants, accompanied by the organisers and friends at 10:00 BST.
Children's parade. This family-friendly morning event sees kids dancing in the streets in their homemade carnival costumes.
Traditional parade. Features mas, soca, calypso and much more.
Food stalls. There are hundreds of them, including Jamaican jerk chicken, Trinidadian roti and Guyanese pepper pot.
Sound systems. If you love to dance in the street but do not want to be "on di road" then sound systems are where it's at. Notting Hill Carnival's sound-system tradition is rooted in Jamaican culture and reggae music but you can hear everything from rare groove to house to samba. Kicks off at 12:00 until 19:00 BST.

Monday 28 August

Adult's day parade. Expect lots of dancing, parading and partying.
Food stalls and sound systems

Live stages

Soca City, Emslie Horniman's Pleasance Park, W10 5DH, 12:00-19:00 BST.

Powis Square Stage, W11 2AY, 12.00-19.00 BST.

Different music buses keep the party alive on the parade

Henry Nicholls Different music buses weave through crowds during the parade — Different music buses keep the party alive on the parade

How to get to Notting Hill Carnival 2023?

By Underground

As Notting Hill's roads will be closed off throughout the bank holiday weekend, you will not be able to get a taxi or catch a bus into the heart of the action.

Nearby Tube stations within walking distance of the main event including Notting Hill Gate, which will be exit-only from 11:00 to 19:00 BST each day.

Royal Oak and Westbourne Park will be exit-only until 18:00 BST, with Royal Oak closing thereafter and Westbourne Park closing after 23:30 GMT.

To leave the area before these times, you may have to walk up to 30 minutes to find an open Tube station.

Latimer Road will be closed from 23:30 BST on both days. Avoid Ladbroke Grove and Holland Park as they are both closed on Sunday and Monday.

There will be no interchange between the Circle and District lines and Central line on both days.

Do I need a ticket for Notting Hill Carnival and how safe is it?

The carnival is free for everyone but the police crowd-control a lot and you may not be allowed in to certain areas at certain times because streets get sectioned off. If you have mobility issues or get anxious in crowds, it is better to arrive early and leave early.

Police say this year there has been particular work devoted to identifying particularly dense spots along the carnival route, with 12,500 officers on the route.

Police are also trialling crowd safety camera technology to more quickly detect overcrowding, as well as deploying mounted officers throughout the parade.

Like last year, there will be a safe area for women and girls with specially trained professionals, with the Met working with charity Safer Spaces.

Police advise to:

Go with the flow of the crowd, don't try and walk against it.
Don't just rely on your phone, set a meeting place with family or friends in case you lose one another.
Keep your belongings with you at all times.
Plan your journey in advance; do not drive your car to the area, know your public transport options and routes to and from carnival
Make travel plans before you leave - Transport for London(TfL) has a dedicated website showing all the best and quickest options.
Travel to Tube and railway stations such as Shepherds Bush or Bayswater and walk in. Ladbroke Grove, Notting Hill Gate and Westbourne Park will be exceptionally busy. Please consider this when leaving the area also.

For the first time ever BBC News will be live streaming Notting Hill Carnival. As millions flock to London to join Europe's biggest street party, for those that can't be there, all the action will be streamed live from 1pm on Bank Holiday Monday. Head to BBC iPlayer.