The Best Carnivals Events in London to Hit This Month

Carnivals events in London are having a bit of a moment right now. Even if the official numbers say “0 people attending”, trust me, Londoners are very much outside – from Shoreditch basements to Lewisham beer gardens, everyone’s either planning their Carnival weekend or looking for any excuse to wine on a Wednesday.

The current vibe? Warm-up season. You’ve got the big, sweaty, bass-heavy nights for people who treat Carnival like a sport, plus daytime walks and family-friendly fetes for anyone who loves the culture but not necessarily the 3am bus home from Ladbroke Grove. Lately, the talk keeps circling back to a few names: BLOQUINHO DO AMOR bringing that Brazilian block-party energy, THE SOCA SESSION – Carnival in South East! for pure waistline business, Rum and Putt for people who want their Carnival with cocktails and mini-golf, SHOREDITCH CARNIVAL – London’s Biggest Carnival Party (FREE BEFORE 12AM) for the wallet-conscious ravers, that 90-minute Notting Hill Caribbean Heritage Walk for culture nerds who like a good backstory, and KIDS CARIBBEAN CARNIVAL + K POP – Just Vibez FAMILY FETE! for parents who still secretly miss their pre-kid all-nighters.

The venues tell you everything you need to know about the scene right now. Trapeze Bar in Shoreditch is where you go for big-night-out energy and sticky floors in the best possible way. Club252 Bar & Night club is pure no-frills, all-vibes – the sort of spot where the sound system does most of the talking. Triangle is your classic South London Carnival warm-up zone: you’ll lose track of time and probably your voice. And Fox & Firkin in Lewisham keeps holding down those slightly chaotic, community-feel parties where you bump into everyone you’ve ever met south of the river.

If you’re choosing what to hit: go for the Shoreditch Carnival party if you want that packed-dancefloor, sweat-through-your-outfit kind of night (and get there before midnight if you like your raving subsidised). THE SOCA SESSION is for people who already have a favourite riddim and aren’t afraid to bruk out. The Notting Hill Caribbean Heritage Walk is a calmer, daytime way to plug into Carnival history – perfect if you love the culture but hate crowds. Rum and Putt is more of a flirty, mates-night-out situation than a full rave, and the Just Vibez family fete is genuinely decent if you’ve got kids and still want to feel connected to the Carnival buzz without dragging a buggy through West London.

This is what discovery looks like in London right now: a messy, joyful mix of heritage walks, all-night parties, family fetes and questionable 4am decisions. Pick your lane – or hop between them – but don’t sleep on it; the city’s already in Carnival mode.