Throughout the year all across the UK steel bands have been rehearsing and fine tuning their skills for this very important date on the pan lovers’ calendar – one of the largest steel pan competitions outside of the Caribbean.

The UK national panorama Steel Band competition sees six bands play a ten minute composition from memory – no sheet music is allowed.

Panorama competitions are traditionally open-air events and Notting Hill Carnival’s Panorama is no exception. Watch the sun set, eat Caribbean street food and enjoy the sweet sound of pan while the steel bands get on with the serious business of impressing the judges. The Steel Bands will proudly hold their ranked titles until next year… when we do it all again.

The Central line stations of Queensway, Notting Hill Gate and Holland Park, and the Circle and Hammersmith & City lines serving Westbourne Park, Ladbroke Grove and Latimer Road, are all within walking distance of Notting Hill Carnival.

Getting to Notting Hill Carnival can take longer than usual the area gets very busy and it can take some time to get in. There is no parking, as many of the residents have had to move their cars into the neighbouring areas, so it is always best to take public transport.