Events in London this summer 2016
Summer in London is a great time to be in the city: the sun’s out (hopefully) and with the long days there’s many a lazy evening to be spent exploring the city. Festivals and events are in high season in London during the summer months and they’re a great way to explore some of the quirkier sides of the city.
Want to know more about the Latin American food movement in London? There’s a festival for that. Always wanted to play crazy golf in Trafalgar Square? There’s a festival for that too. Here’s ten of the best that we’ve rounded up for you to make note of when you next visit the city.
1. Sunset Safari, London Zoo
Image courtesy of Adrian Scottow.
Many of London’s museums run late night opening hours to ensure that locals and late night tourists alike get to make the most of these spectacular resources. One of the more interesting late night openings happens at London Zoo every Friday from June 3rd until July 15th. See the zoo as never before, with talks, tours, face-painting and nibbles spread across the lantern-lit zoo in Regent’s Park. Tickets always sell out for this event so head to the London Zoo website to book your tickets.
Tube: Regent’s Park or Camden Town
2. London Pride Festival
Image courtesy of Garry Knight.
The while most people know of the main London Pride weekend which takes places on the 25-26th June this year, few know that the entire festival that runs throughout the month of June. Bigger outdoor events such as the Pride in the Park concerts will take place on the closing weekend but check the Pride in London website for a full list of their free and ticketed LGBT+ events throughout the city, from rallies, meetings, music and theatre.
3. Urban Food Fest, Shoreditch
-
While larger festivals like London Pride take place across the city, it’s worth taking a look around your own locale while you are staying in London to see if there are any smaller events planned. Shoreditch, the centre of all things hip in the city, is a great place to seek out these kind of after-work activities and the Urban Food Festival is always a crowd pleaser.
Taking place every weekend in the less-than-glamorous surroundings of a car park, the Saturday festival runs from midday to midnight serving delicious food, drink and evening entertainment in a relaxed, friendly setting. Visit their website to see the full list of food trucks in attendance.
4. BBC Proms 2016
-
Festivals don’t get more British than the Proms and while to the uninitiated they may appear somewhat twee, the Proms festival is a fantastic event. Taking place across the country, from the Royal Albert Hall to some local concert halls and parklands, the concerts showcase the best of Britain’s music, with the Proms in the Park events and in particular the closing festival night and quintessential summertime affair. Proms this year run from July 15th until September 10th, check the BBC’s website for a full list of events across London and the rest of the UK.
5. Comida: Latin American Street Food
-
With events taking place in April, May and June, the Comida Festival on the Southbank is a great way to see diversity of food available in London. Latin American cuisine is big business in London, thanks to great restaurants like Ceviche but the Comida festival is a way to sample this fantastic nosh without breaking the bank. Events take place on the Riverside Walkway with face painting, music and culinary events, making it a great way to pass the weekend.
Tube: Waterloo or Southwark
6. Stephen Spielberg Festival at the BFI
Image courtesy of bob walker.
Not every summer festival has to be an outdoor event and the British Film Institute on London’s Southbank is a great place to pass a couple of hours and get away from it all. The cinema regularly reruns some cinematic classics and this summer they’re turning their attention to Stephen Spielberg and hosting a retrospective of his work. The sun doesn’t always shine in London in summer but you can be guaranteed a good evening’s entertainment at the BFI. They even have a nice bar at the front where you can watch the world go by.
Tube: Waterloo, Blackfriars
7. Film4 Summer Screen at Somerset House
Image courtesy of Gary Ullah.
If you love the cinema but don’t want to be kept indoors then Somerset House is the place for you. The elegant Georgian building is an oasis of calm in the centre of London and runs some seriously interesting exhibitions in their interior galleries. What makes Somerset House so very special though is the central outdoor courtyard: by winter, this becomes an ice rink but in summer, the area is used as an outdoor cinema, screening movies classics like Sunset Boulevard alongside modern gems. It's also filled with water fountains that are made for children to play in. Film4 sponsor the summertime cinema which runs throughout August, and further details can be found here.
Tube: Temple, Embankment or Charring Cross
8. Henley Royal Regatta
Image courtesy of CaptainOates.
The Henley Royal Regatta is another quintessentially British summer events with 5 days of rowing races along the River Thames in the town of Henley, just outside London. Much like the vibe around Wimbledon Common during the tennis season, you don’t need to be a seasoned pro at rowing to enjoy the regatta, the atmosphere and excitement around the races is enough to make anyone enthusiastic. Also like Wimbledon, Henley is a rather smart affair, although tickets to the regatta enclosure are considerably cheaper. Races this year take place from the 29th June to the 3rd July.
Tube: There isn’t one, although trains run regularly from Paddington Station.
9. Notting Hill Carnival
Image courtesy of S Pakhrin.
If you happen to be in London for the August bank holiday, there really is no better way to spend it than at the Notting Hill carnival. The festival, celebrating Afro-Caribbean culture in the British capital has taken place since 1964 and is a massive event that takes over the west London neighbourhood of Notting Hill and Portobello Road. With flamboyant parades, music, food and dance there is a real party atmosphere and something every visitor to London should experience.
Tube: Notting Hill Gate, Queensway, Bayswater, although one-way systems and train disruptions may be in place. Check with TFL or Notting Hill Carnival for details.
10. London Design Festival
-
Our last event, isn’t exactly in summertime, being held from the 16th-22nd September, but if the good weather continues and you want to learn a bit more about the city, the London Design Festival is a fun way to do so. From small-scale exhibitions in praise of painted ceramics to more ambitious projects such as the Kickstarter campaign to erect a crazy golf course in Trafalgar Square, the Design Festival is a way to explore London and its history as you never have before. There’s over 400 hundred events taking place across the city, take a look at their programme and find the one that interests you.
Cover image courtesy of alt10trader.
Planning on visiting London this summer? Browse our listings to find the host that's right for you.
Written by Mary Plunkett
Mary’s curious personality means that she is forever looking to explore new places and cultures. Like many Irish kids, Mary first got a taste for travel on family camping holidays to France.
Comments