Plymouth's West End Carnival is one of those fixtures that comes around every summer, and the 2026 edition is no exception. It's a long-standing tradition, a free family day that takes over the city centre for a few hours, and this year it's leaning into a theme that should go down well with younger visitors: 'Dragons and Mythical Beasts'.
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The main event falls on Saturday 29 August, running from 11:00 to 16:00 across the West End and Plymouth Market, with the main stage set up at Frankfort Gate, which acts as the gateway into the West End and the market. Around it, the streets fill with live music, circus acts, street theatre and Punch and Judy shows. On the bill you'll find the Plymouth Rock Choir, Goldie, Weapons of Sound, The Groovement Project, John Hicks and Ray, plus live DJ sets, Taiko drummers and samba bands like Crooked Tempo and Samba Kernow playing across New George Street, Cornwall Street and Frankfort Gate. There's also peg puppet making, vintage cars and a Fuse Circus aerial performance and workshop.
The centrepiece is the carnival parade, led by the Crooked Tempo Samba Band, and it's the part everyone turns up for: elaborate floats, baby dragons, community groups and artists of all ages. If you want a taste of it before the big day, there's a carnival preview on Friday 23 August from 18:00 at the Moxy Hotel Plymouth, with local artist performances, a dragon pre-performance and signature cocktails and mocktails. There are also workshops on parade dance and props if you'd rather be part of it than watch it, with details at westendcarnivalparade@gmail.com.
Because it takes over the streets, there are road closures to be aware of. From 08:00 to 17:00 on the Saturday, New George Street is closed from Raleigh Street to Market Avenue, Market Avenue is shut along its entire length, Cornwall Street is closed between Market Avenue and the PCC Market car park, and Market Way runs on temporary two-way traffic lights between Morley Court junction and the coach station junction. If you're driving in, Plymouth has more than 50 car parks with around 5,200 spaces, 19 of them in the city centre, plus Park and Ride sites at Coypool, the George and Milehouse run by Stagecoach. Public transport is the easier shout: Plymouth Coach Station on Mayflower Street is a five-minute walk from the carnival, and Plymouth Train Station is ten minutes away. And as a nice bonus for families, children under 16 travel free on local buses throughout August.
The whole thing is put together by the Plymouth City Centre Company and is part-funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, which is why it stays free for everyone. Whether you're going for the parade, the music or just to let the kids run loose among the dragons, it's a low-effort, high-reward way to spend a Saturday in late August. Just leave the car a bit further out and walk in.
Published Date
6 August 2026
