🦊 Things to do this bank holiday weekend in North London August 23rd- 25th

I've worked at Notting Hill Carnival and been going regularly for many years. Every single time, I watch the same stories unfold. Someone absolutely wasted, sitting on the side of the street. People crying because their feet are destroyed in the wrong shoes. Groups getting separated because they thought 'by the sound system' was a meeting point.

You don't have to be one of these stories. These aren't just suggestions, they're commandments. Break them at your own peril.

Get there by 10am, seriously. At that time you can actually walk down Portobello Road without getting stuck behind a human traffic jam. By 3pm, it's basically a loud, sweaty outdoor nightclub where you spend more time queuing than dancing.

Meet at a Tube station, not "by the sound system” or “ Tesco”. Your signal will die faster than your battery, and "I'm near the reggae float" means absolutely nothing when there are twelve of them. Pick a specific exit at Ladbroke Grove or Notting Hill Gate. Write it on your arm if you have to.

I once saw a girl in flip-flops at midday, crying because her feet were so cut up she couldn't walk. You're going to trek through puddles of mystery liquid, step on broken glass, and maybe walk more than you've walked all summer. Wear comfortable trainers you can throw away afterwards.

Not just your card, not just Apple Pay, proper notes. When you're dying for water and the only stall has a "CASH ONLY" sign taped to a broken card reader, you'll thank me. Also, some locals charge a fiver to use their toilet. It's cheeky but when you're desperate, it's worth every penny.

Bring wipes and your own loo roll. The public toilets are... let's just say they've seen better days. The paid ones charge three quid ( or more) for the privilege of using slightly less grim facilities. Locals sometimes let you use theirs for a fee, but don't bank on toilet paper being included in the deal. Be self-sufficient or suffer the consequences.

Ditch the backpack. I don't care how convenient it seems, pickpockets love nothing more than someone with a bag they can't see. Get a cross-body bag or bumbag and keep it zipped and in front of you.

Don't bring anything you'd genuinely cry about losing. Your brand new AirPods, that ring your gran gave you, your good sunglasses, leave them at home. Carnival is beautiful chaos, emphasis on chaos. Things get dropped, stolen, or trampled. Bring the backup phone charger, not your only one.

Duck into side streets when it gets mental. Westway and the main routes turn into human sardine tins, but the residential streets parallel to the action are your lifeline. Better food stalls, actual space to breathe, and you can still hear the music. Plus, locals often set up their own little parties that are sometimes better than the main event.

Don't try to follow your favourite sound system around like a groupie. You'll end up stuck in a crowd that's not moving, sweating your life away, missing the actual good bits. Pick a spot with good vibes and let the parade come to you.

Leave before the last song. I know, I know, you want to soak up every minute. But that magical 5-6pm ( or even earlier) exit means you'll glide home while everyone else is still queuing just to get down the tube station stairs. You can always go to an after party later somewhere but you can't undo three hours stuck underground with 10,000 sweaty strangers.

Follow these commandments, stay flexible, and remember you're there to feel the vibes and be part of something special. Yeah sure, your feet may hurt, you may lose your voice from singing along, but you'll probably have the best day you've had in ages.

_{Notting Hill Carnival runs on the 24-25 August.}

Inverness Street Bloc Party | 📍Camden, NW1 | 23 August | Free
Camden’s throwing a street party with DJs playing club classics from the 80s and 90s — garage, rare groove, soul, and early dance. It’s on Inverness Street, 12–6pm.

Good Times with Norman Jay MBE | 📍Alexandra Palace Terrace, N22 | 24 August | (£)
Norman Jay MBE brings his legendary Good Times sound system back to Ally Pally’s terrace for a whole Bank Holiday Sunday session. Expect house, rare groove, jazz, disco, hip-hop, and D&B spun from a red Routemaster bus with panoramic views as your backdrop. Doors open at 2 pm.

Free House Music Party | 📍The Jazz Cafe, Camden NW1 | 23 August | Free (ticket required)
Late-night house party at The Jazz Cafe, with DJs playing tracks from New York, London, Berlin, Ibiza, Tokyo and beyond. Free entry with a ticket —Less than 100 free tickets left. Doors 10:30pm until late.

Twelfth Night | 📍Kenwood House, NW3 | 24 August, 7pm | (£)
The Lord Chamberlain's Men doing Shakespeare's Twelfth Night in the open air at Kenwood House. All-male cast in Elizabethan costumes like Shakespeare's original productions. Beautiful setting on Hampstead Heath, runs about 2 hours with interval. Bring low-backed chairs and a picnic. Gates open 6pm.

Dark Horse Summer Sessions | 📍The Dark Horse, Camden NW1 | 23–24 August | Free
Bank Holiday weekend rooftop sessions at The Dark Horse Camden, mixing DJs and live sets with cocktails and a garden terrace vibe. Saturday (3–7pm) features DEJA, fresh from the MOBO UnSung Class of 2023; Sunday brings a DJ set from Tommy Jules, longtime Rudimental and Professor Green collaborator.

Upcoming events you should consider booking in advance or planning ahead for. In and out of North London. Events marked with (£) require a ticket in advance.

🚪Open House Festival 2025 | 📍700+ buildings across London | 14–21 Sept | Free
The ballot’s done, and now the full programme is live. For one week only, hundreds of private buildings across London throw open their doors.

🎟️ Barnet Food Festival 2025 | 📍RAF Museum, Grahame Park Way, NW9 | Sat 13 – Sun 14 Sept | (£)
Barnet’s biggest foodie weekender is back at the RAF Museum. Over 40 food stalls, global street eats, sweet treats, and a pop-up beach bar. ( kids go free).

You've probably got a restaurant list longer than the Northern Line, but here's the stuff that'll be gone before you get around to it.

Flavour Fred's doing foraging walks across Hampstead Heath this summer. Only 3 dates in North London and you'll learn what's edible instead of wandering around pretending nettle soup is a thing. August 30th, then September 14th and 27th.

Jemma Harrison's got her own thing going at Giacco's on Blackstock Road. Kaunter does New York deli meets Eastern Europe until December.

Quality Wines is doing Sunday collabs with decent chefs. Adejoké Bakare from Chishuru's doing September 28th.

Quince's pie party is back August 25th. Anna Higham plus eight other bakers all in one place on New North Road. One day, then you wait another year.