It’s that time of year again – the Notting Hill Carnival is heading back to London for 2009 and it’s sure to be an even bigger bash than last year. Get ready for another two days of parades, dancing, food and plenty of festival fun.

Why you should go:
The biggest street carnival in London – who would want to miss this? Every year the Notting Hill Carnival party just gets better and better, with top performers, amazing floats and loads of partying people, all taking to the streets in bursts of glittering colour. It’s London’s most famous street party, attracting immense crowds of people each August to the Notting Hill area. Want to dance? Want to party? Want to just watch the crowds go by? Don’t miss it.Childrens Day
The very first day of the Notting Hill Carnival is Childrens Day, with a shorter parade route so little feet can keep up. This day is normally a little bit less hectic then the main carnival event, so families with small children can rest easy knowing that the crowds won’t be as massive or quite as loud.
The Main Party
And then, of course, there’s the main carnival event on Monday. Featuring a Bank Holiday bonanza of the best of the Caribbean communities of London, the Notting Hill Carnival is a perfect place for people of all ethnicities to come together and party, party, party. People from all over the world will be flocking to the capital to witness the Notting Hill spectacular, so take the opportunity to say hi to a friendly face or two.

Entertainment includes the extravagantly colourful carnival parade, filled with feathered costumes and plenty of dancers. Feel like dancing? Throw some shapes to the sounds of steel bands, hip-hop beats, reggae favourites and modern dance hits, all blasting out through the streets courtesy of some serious sound systems.

Don’t miss:
There really is fantastic atmosphere throughout the two days, as London’s Caribbean communities entertain the whole of the capital in one of London's most scenic areas. Expect stream after stream of colourful floats, sparkling dancers, and musicians blasting out tropical party sounds as the carnval parade winds through its route of streets. It’s as close to the Caribbean you can get without having to fork out for plane fare and leaving London. If you fancy warming up for the carnival, or chilling out afterwards, check out our recommended venues in the area:

Notting Hill Carnival at London Restaurants

Chill out:
And then, of course, there’s the food – stall after stall of Caribbean delicacies that make perfect festival flavours, from spicy sauces to sweet desserts. Kick back, relax and find a corner where you can happily munch away at the best jerk chicken in London.

And if that’s not enough for you, you can soak up all the Notting Hill Carnival atmosphere at the loads of top restaurants and bars in the area. They’re bound to be packed to the rafters, so get there early and be ready to get yourself in the party mood.

Travel Information
Please note that the following tube stations will encounter some changes during the Carnival.

Holland Park - Exit only from 11am - 7pm
Ladbroke Grove - Closed
Latimer Road - Closes at 11.30pm
Notting Hill Gate - Exit only from 11am - 7pm.
Royal Oak - Exit only from 11am - 6pm. Closed after 6pm.
Westbourne Park - Exit only from 11am - 6pm. Closes at 11.30pm

The Notting Hill Carnival takes place from Sunday 30th August - Monday 31st August 2009 in Notting Hill and surrounding areas.

The event is free to attend.