Events
The Royal Borough's calendar is packed with world-class events, from Europe's largest street festival to the world's most famous flower show.
Last updated: 18 July 2026
January
Saturday (antiques); Monday–Wednesday (general); Friday–Saturday (full market) · Portobello Road · Notting Hill
The world's largest antiques market, Portobello Road Market stretches over a mile through the heart of Notting Hill. On Saturdays, antique dealers set up from the Notting Hill Gate end, transitioning through vintage clothing and jewellery to fresh produce and street food further north. The market has been trading since the 1860s and is as much about the atmosphere as the goods — colourful Victorian terraces, buskers, and independent cafes line the route.
March
26 March – 8 November 2026 · Kensington Palace · Kensington
Now open at Kensington Palace, The Last Princesses of Punjab tells the story of Sophia Duleep Singh — Punjabi princess, goddaughter of Queen Victoria, and one of the most remarkable women of the Edwardian era. Created to mark the 150th anniversary of Sophia's birth, the exhibition explores her extraordinary life through the stories of five women who shaped it: her sisters Catherine and Bamba, her mother Bamba Müller, her grandmother Jind Kaur, and her godmother Queen Victoria. A passionate suffragette who sold The Suffragette newspaper on the steps of Hampton Court Palace and refused to pay her taxes in protest, Sophia used her royal connections and determined character to fight for women's rights. Admission is included in Kensington Palace entry.
28 March – 1 November 2026 · Victoria and Albert Museum, Sainsbury Gallery · South Kensington
The first major UK exhibition ever devoted to Italian fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli opens at the V&A in March 2026, running until November. Comprising over 200 objects — garments, accessories, jewellery, paintings, photographs, sculpture, and archive material — the exhibition charts Schiaparelli's fearless imagination, from the Skeleton Dress and Tears Dress created with Salvador Dalí in 1938, to the house's present-day incarnation under creative director Daniel Roseberry. The show also spotlights the brand's long relationship with London, including the stories of Schiaparelli's British clients. Early weekend tickets had already sold out by February 2026; booking well in advance is essential.
12 March – 23 August 2026 · Serpentine North, Kensington Gardens · Kensington Gardens
David Hockney's first exhibition at the Serpentine brings his epic 70-metre frieze A Year in Normandie to London for the first time — over 100 iPad paintings tracing the changing seasons and light in the artist's French garden through the pandemic years, inspired by the Bayeux Tapestry. The show also debuts new work made for the occasion, including still lifes and frontal portraits of Hockney's close circle united by a recurring gingham tablecloth motif, plus a site-specific digital mural in the Serpentine's garden. Admission is free.
May
18–22 May 2027 · Royal Hospital Chelsea · Chelsea
The world's most famous flower show, held annually in the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea since 1913. The Chelsea Flower Show attracts garden designers, nurseries, and horticulturalists from around the world, showcasing show gardens, floral exhibits, and the very latest in garden design. Beloved by royalty and the public alike — the late Queen Elizabeth II was a regular visitor — the show is a highlight of the London social calendar. Tickets sell out months in advance, so book early.
26 May – 22 August 2026 · Holland Park Theatre · Holland Park
One of London's most magical summer experiences, Opera Holland Park presents a season of opera performances in a purpose-built open-air theatre set within the romantic ruins of Holland House. Founded in 1996, the company is renowned for unearthing rare works alongside beloved classics. The 2026 season features seven productions: La fanciulla del West, Così fan tutte, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, The Bamboo Princess, Turandot, Die Fledermaus, and Un ballo in maschera. The evening experience is enhanced by the park setting, and many audience members enjoy picnics in the grounds before the performance. The covered auditorium means performances continue even in light rain — a very British necessity.
19–23 May 2027 · King's Road & Sloane Street · Chelsea
Timed to coincide with the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, Chelsea in Bloom sees the shops, restaurants, hotels, and streets of Chelsea adorned with elaborate floral displays. Each year a fresh theme inspires over 100 businesses to transform their frontages with spectacular floral installations, and local businesses compete for awards in categories including Most Creative Display and Best Sustainable Display. The result is a week-long floral transformation of the King's Road and surrounding streets — and it's completely free to enjoy. Judging takes place on Wednesday, making that the best day to see displays at their freshest.
1 May – 4 October 2026 · Design Museum · Holland Park
A retrospective on Japanese designer and creative director NIGO, tracing his career from founding the streetwear label A Bathing Ape in the 1990s to his current role as artistic director of KENZO. The show features over 700 objects, including rare designs, hand-thrown ceramics, a custom-built glass tea house, and a recreation of NIGO's teenage bedroom, charting his influence across fashion, streetwear, music, and design.
June
6 June – 25 October 2026 · Serpentine Galleries, Kensington Gardens · Kensington Gardens
Each year since 2000, the Serpentine Gallery has commissioned a world-renowned architect who has not previously built in the UK to design a temporary pavilion in Kensington Gardens. The 2026 pavilion, titled "a serpentine", is designed by LANZA atelier — the Mexico City-based practice of Isabel Abascal and Alessandro Arienzo, marking the 25th edition of the annual commission. Drawing on the English crinkle wall tradition, the design uses rhythmic brick columns that transition from opaque to permeable, topped with a translucent roof that evokes a grove of trees. Past architects include Zaha Hadid, Frank Gehry, Oscar Niemeyer, Toyo Ito, and Selgas Cano. The pavilion serves as a cafe and event space and can be visited for free during the day.
25 June – 28 August 2026 · Various — borough-wide public art trail · Borough-wide
The borough's own annual contemporary art festival, Kensington + Chelsea Art Week (KCAW) returns in 2026 as FRINGE, a community-curated edition built around the theme "Web of Life" — exploring belonging, ecology, waterways, sound, and collective identity. A free public art trail of interconnected commissions, installations, and performances threads across the borough, linking North Kensington, Holland Park, Kensington High Street, and Chelsea Theatre. Alongside the trail are over 30 free workshops, artist talks, large-scale sculpture sessions, a tiny cinema, live music, and a canalside café. It's one of the best ways to experience the area's creative community, and almost everything is free to enjoy.
5 June – 8 September 2026 · Saatchi Gallery · Chelsea
A major exhibition spanning two floors and nine spaces at the Saatchi Gallery, exploring how the sun and moon have inspired human creativity across cultures and history. Organised around a 24-hour cycle from dawn to night, the show brings together work from over 200 established and emerging artists, including Luke Jerram's monumental sun sculpture Helios and teamLab's immersive light installation Massless Suns and Dark Suns.
July
17 July – 12 September 2026 · Royal Albert Hall · South Kensington
The world's largest classical music festival, the BBC Proms brings eight weeks and more than 80 concerts to the Royal Albert Hall, with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Chorus opening the season on the First Night and the flag-waving Last Night of the Proms closing it on 12 September. Alongside the big orchestral evenings, the season includes chamber concerts, late-night Proms, and family-friendly programming, drawing audiences from complete newcomers to lifelong classical music fans. Some concerts offer a limited number of cheap standing 'Prommer' tickets sold on the day.
August
29–31 August 2026 (August Bank Holiday Weekend) · Notting Hill & Ladbroke Grove · Notting Hill
Europe's largest street festival and the world's second largest carnival, the Notting Hill Carnival takes over the streets of W10 and W11 every August Bank Holiday. Founded in 1966 by the Trinidadian community to celebrate Caribbean heritage and culture, the carnival now attracts over a million visitors across the weekend. Steel bands, sound systems, elaborate masquerade costumes, and the aroma of jerk chicken fill the streets. Sunday is traditionally Children's Day, while Monday's Grand Parade is the unmissable highlight.
September
20 September & 6 December 2026 (remaining 2026 dates) · Chelsea Old Town Hall, King's Road · Chelsea
One of London's best vintage fashion fairs, Frock Me! takes over Chelsea Old Town Hall on the King's Road several times a year, bringing together over 60 leading vintage dealers from across the UK and beyond. Expect a remarkable range of clothing, accessories, jewellery, and curiosities spanning the 1920s to the 1990s. The Chelsea setting is fitting — the King's Road was the epicentre of British fashion in the 1960s and 70s. Admission is charged; check the Frock Me! website to confirm dates before visiting.
17–20 September 2026 · Cadogan Hall, Saatchi Gallery, Royal Court Theatre & King's Road · Chelsea
An annual four-day cultural festival spanning literature, music, art, film, food, comedy, poetry, and theatre across Chelsea's most iconic venues. The 2026 edition takes place 17–20 September, with free performances in Duke of York Square, Sloane Square, and along the King's Road. Highlights include author panels, literary salons, live music, film screenings, and debates — and 2026's programme includes special celebrations marking 50 years of punk. Cadogan Hall, the Saatchi Gallery, and the Royal Court Theatre are among the key venues.
October
14–18 October 2026 · Evolution London, Battersea Park (formerly Chelsea) · Chelsea
The Affordable Art Fair has strong roots in Chelsea and brings together leading galleries from around the world to sell original works of art priced between £100 and £10,000. The fair is designed to make buying original art accessible to everyone, with a friendly, relaxed atmosphere and expert advisors on hand to help first-time buyers. Special events include artist talks, live demonstrations, and family workshops.
November
Mid-November to early January · Kensington Palace · Kensington
Each winter, the grounds of Kensington Palace are transformed into a magical ice rink set against the backdrop of the illuminated palace. One of London's most atmospheric seasonal attractions, the rink is family-friendly and offers skate hire, ice rink-side dining, and a festive atmosphere in one of London's most beautiful royal settings.
21 November 2025 – 16 August 2026 · Design Museum · Holland Park
The Design Museum's first retrospective devoted to filmmaker Wes Anderson, staged in collaboration with La Cinémathèque française. Drawing on unprecedented access to Anderson's personal archive built up over three decades, the show features more than 700 objects — original storyboards, sketches, puppets, costumes, and miniature sets — tracing his meticulous filmmaking process across works including The Grand Budapest Hotel, Fantastic Mr Fox, and Isle of Dogs. It closes on 16 August, so this is close to the last chance to catch it.