The Westway Trust estate, 23 acres of land underneath and adjacent to the Westway flyover in North Kensington, plays host to several community celebrations both in the lead-up to and during Notting Hill Carnival each year.
This year, we have been working closely with users of the estate, and event planners, to ensure the Westway estate not only remains safe and welcoming throughout Carnival but is best utilised for maximum community benefit and enjoyment.
An overview of the activities, restrictions, and access across the Westway estate is outlined below.
Portobello Canopy
Acklam Square
Portobello Green
Maxilla Walk: Celebrating 60 Years of Carnival Through Community
Westway Trust is hosting a new standing exhibition in Maxilla Walk to mark 60 years of Notting Hill Carnival. This installation celebrates the people’s Carnival — the communities, artists and cultural workers who have shaped and sustained Carnival across generations.
Developed in partnerships, the project brings together photography, archival material and community storytelling to honour Carnival’s past, present and future as well as a key feature of this year’s programme is the creation of a community mural, designed to be created over the Carnival weekend, capturing the communal identity of Maxilla Walk whilst celebrating the pioneers of Carnival.
Contributors & Partners
- Ian Watts — Photographer (CARNIVAL60 Outernet exhibition) capturing the energy and everyday life of Carnival communities
- Shem Lawrence — Curator (CARNIVAL60 Outernet exhibition)
- Ezra Myers — Local artist reflecting West London identity and creativity (Westway International Artist Bursary Recipient 2026)
- Jason Garcia Urbano — Local photographer documenting Maxilla Walk and its people
- RBKC Archives — Providing historic material and community records
- Bare Roots — Partnering through their Somerset House exhibition exploring Carnival heritage
- Paradise Eco Advisory — Providing historic material and community records
A Community-Led Celebration
This exhibition continues Westway Trust’s commitment to celebrating the community impact and Maxilla Walk being a space shaped by local voices.
Post-Carnival clean-up
It’s always a huge job for Westway Trust staff and contractors to return the estate to it’s pre-Carnival condition. Clearing and cleaning the entire Westway estate will be a meticulous process, aiming to restore the area to its original condition as quickly as we can. We are committed to working diligently, and starting from Monday night, we will focus on the Portobello Road spaces, continuing throughout Tuesday after the Carnival.
Throughout both event days we will have cleaning stewards positioned on the estate where events are taking place.
While we will make every effort to restore the entire estate to its pre-Carnival condition, this may take a number of days. Your understanding and cooperation during this clean-up period is greatly appreciated.
Contacting us
For any emergencies requiring immediate attention, please contact the police on 999 or 111.
As always, you can report a problem on the Westway estate here. We will do our best to respond and rectify any issues as quickly as possible, although our ability to respond immediately during Carnival will be limited.
We will have a security team on hand during both days on Carnival, based under the market canopy on Portobello Road. For any localised issues during the event, please notify one of the uniformed security officers under the canopy.
We wish all residents of North Kensington a safe and enjoyable Carnival 2026.