Hanwell Carnival was established in 1898 and is believed to be the oldest in London. It was founded to raise funds for the Cottage Hospital (now Ealing Hospital). In the days before the establishment of the NHS this fundraising was even more vital than it is today.

Along with many other community events up and down the country the Carnival foundered during the Second World War, only being revived in 1961 due to the efforts of Mr Billy Smart, the famous circus showman. It has been held every year since then apart from the COVID-19 interruption in 2020. We estimate that 20-25,000 people attend each year on what is the biggest day in the Hanwell calendar.