The 2026 Oscars red carpet takes place on Sunday, March 15, 2026, with the main official red carpet preshow starting at 6:30 p.m. Eastern (3:30 p.m. Pacific) and leading directly into the ceremony at 7 p.m. Eastern (4 p.m. Pacific).

Quick Scoop

  • Date: Sunday, March 15, 2026.
  • Location: Outside the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
  • Official Oscars red carpet preshow on ABC/Hulu: starts at 6:30 p.m. ET (3:30 p.m. PT).
  • Main ceremony: starts at 7 p.m. ET (4 p.m. PT).

There are also longer lead‑in red carpet programs earlier in the afternoon (such as E! and ABC’s extended coverage) that kick off hours before, but the core “Oscars red carpet” most people mean is the 6:30 p.m. ET window flowing right into the live show.

When Is the Oscars Red Carpet? (Details)

  • The 98th Academy Awards are being held at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on March 15, 2026.
  • The official Oscars 30‑minute red carpet preshow on ABC and Hulu begins at 6:30 p.m. Eastern, immediately followed by the live ceremony at 7 p.m. Eastern.
  • Networks and platforms run expanded red carpet coverage earlier: for example, E! starts its Oscars red carpet broadcast around 4 p.m. Eastern, while ABC’s earlier “On the Red Carpet” specials begin mid‑afternoon.

So if you just want the key fashion and arrivals tied directly to the telecast, tune in at 6:30 p.m. ET; if you want every dress, suit, and interview from the very first arrivals, you’ll want to start watching by mid‑afternoon U.S. time.

Time Zones at a Glance

Here’s a quick look at the main official Oscars red carpet preshow time (6:30 p.m. ET) converted for a few regions:

Region Approx. Time for 6:30 p.m. ET Red Carpet
US Eastern (New York) 6:30 p.m. Sunday
US Pacific (Los Angeles) 3:30 p.m. Sunday
UK (London) 10:30 p.m. Sunday
Central Europe 11:30 p.m. Sunday
(Times are approximate local conversions from the published U.S. broadcast schedule.)

Trending context & what to expect

  • The red carpet is now treated almost like its own event, with multiple branded pre‑shows across ABC, Hulu, and E! that build hype for the awards.
  • Fashion, viral interview moments, and social‑media clips from the arrivals often trend as much as—sometimes more than—the actual winners.
  • With the 2026 ceremony hosted again from the Dolby Theatre and a heavy focus on live coverage, you can expect a fast‑moving run of interviews, outfit breakdowns, and meme‑ready moments before the show even starts.

“When is the Oscars red carpet?”
In 2026, plan around Sunday, March 15, with the must‑watch official red carpet at 6:30 p.m. Eastern, rolling straight into the live ceremony.

TL;DR: The 2026 Oscars red carpet is on Sunday, March 15, with the main official red carpet show at 6:30 p.m. ET (3:30 p.m. PT), right before the 7 p.m. ET ceremony at the Dolby Theatre.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.