In west London the Sunday and Monday of the August bank- holiday weekend are traditionally given over to the excess of the Notting Hill Carnival, with a crowd a million strong partying along to Europe's biggest celebration of music, movement and masquerade, enjoying the spectacle of floats and the music of steel bands, reggae and the plethora of sound systems on the three-mile route. With hundreds of Caribbean food stalls vying for the passing trade, nobody with an appetite for jerk chicken or fried plantain goes hungry but it's easy to lose sight of your mates. If you're thinking of taking kids to the Notting Hill Carnival, it's worth noting that Sunday is Children's Day, with an emphasis on families and younger festival goers. The main parade is on Monday, normally winding a path from Great Western Road, along Chepstow Road and Westbourne Grove to Ladbroke Grove. Full details aren't usually released until the carnival looms but it's worth noting that Ladbroke Grove station is usually closed on both days of the carnival, with other stations in the area permitting exit only –check www.tfl.gov.uk/journeyplanner nearer the time to arrange your journey.
Read our extensive Notting Hill Carnival guide at www.timeout.com/nottinghillcarnival