London in summertime doesn’t always come with guaranteed good weather – but one feature you can always rely on is a packed programme of festivals that take place come rain or shine.
(Photo: Project 6)
From music and art to wellness and literature, London’s summer calendar brims with great festivals that attract revellers from far and wide. With outdoor space at a premium in the city centre, many of them take place in suburban parks and neighbourhoods, where the entertainment is combined with a welcoming atmosphere and local community feel. If you’re planning to bet in London over the summer months this year and would like to attend a festival during your stay, here are 10 to pick from.
Wireless
What began mainly as a rock and pop festival has now blossomed into a multi-genre musical celebration in Finsbury Park. Owned and managed by American entertainment giants Live Nation, the festival is famed for its star-studded headline acts, from Daft Punk to Justin Timberlake, JAY Z to Kanye, and Nicki Minaj to 21 Savage. As well as world-class artists, the event also places a strong focus on providing a platform for the freshest new talent seeking to make a name for themselves.
Finsbury Park / 12-14 July 2024 / Book tickets at StubHub.com
Project 6
The beating heart of UK underground radio, Rinse FM is set to ignite London’s Brockwell Park this May with the return of Project 6, featuring a jam-packed programme of cutting-edge live music. Since its humble beginnings as a pirate station in 1994, Rinse has grown into something of a cultural trailblazer, helping shape and define the UK’s burgeoning electronic music landscape by making and breaking some of the scene’s most celebrated names in garage, grime, dubstep, house, jungle and UK funky. Artists set to perform at this year’s festival include the likes of AJ Tracey, Ms. Dynamite, Shy FX, Taylah Elaine, Juls, Vigro Deep and Arthi.
Brockwell Park / 24 May 2024
Cross The Tracks
Soul, funk, hip-hop and jazz are the name of the game at one of the more recent additions to London’s summer festival line-up. Now in its fifth year, the event has gone from strength to strength in quick-smart fashion, with its laid-back ambience and impressive roll-call of artists performing across nine stages. Notable names set to appear at this year’s instalment include headliner act Erykah Bad, as well as Eve, BADBADNOTGOOD, En Vogue and Madlib. There are also workshops, panel talks, artisanal goods including handmade jewellery and artwork, tons of great street food and a craft beer fair.
Brockwell Park / 26 May 2024 / Book tickets at StubHub.com
East London Shakespeare Festival
Across the world, festivals and events are held each year to honour the enduring legacy of Shakespeare, one of the most important literary figures to have ever lived. While the Bard is most closely associated with his place of birth, the West Midlands market town of Stratford-upon-Avon, his influence inevitably extended into the UK’s cultural capital where every summer he is celebrated at the East London Shakespeare Festival. Founded in 2020, the festival features fun and accessible Shakespeare-themed events and performances in parks and other local spaces, all designed to merge the contemporary culture of East London with the inspirational storytelling of Shakespeare’s vast body of work.
Venues across East London / June – August 2024
Wandsworth Arts Fringe
(Photo: Wandsworth Arts Fringe)
This June, visitors can leap into a world of theatre, experimental dance and music, work-in-progress comedy shows and cabaret nights at the Wandsworth Arts Fringe. Taking place at venues across the lively residential district of Wandsworth and dotted around the south of London, the festival has something for everyone across 17 fun-packed days and nights of performances and exhibitions. Highlights include the chance to let loose under Putney Bridge at a Midsummer Night’s Rave, take the whole family to a Peruvian folk-inspired puppet show, bask in a classical sound bath, or even get creative with a writing, drama, dance or craft workshop. There’s also plenty of free fun to be had, from art exhibitions to a community circus, to a genre-bending quartet in an atmospheric church.
Venues across South London / 7-23 June 2024
Taste of London
(Photo: Taste of London)
A staple on London’s summer calendar for two decades, Taste returns for 2024 promising four days of showcasing some of the finest food that the capital has to offer. The sprawling green environs of Regent’s Park provide the scenic backdrop for this hugely popular culinary extravaganza, which sees a number of London’s top restaurants and food purveyors congregate to help spread the word on why the city is now well-established as one of the foodie capitals of the world. Masterclasses, chef talks and tastings all add to the occasion.
Regent’s Park / 12-16 June 2024
Hampton Court Palace Festival
(Photo: Hampton Court Palace Festival)
Held in the magnificent Tudor Courtyard of Hampton Court Palace, this renowned festival sees world-class musical acts performing in one of London’s most prestigious and historical settings. Visitors can enjoy drinks in the gorgeous East Front Gardens before taking their seats to enjoy live shows by some of the biggest names in music. To take the experience up a notch or two, guests can also pre-order gourmet picnics with wine or champagne, or book a charming fountain-side gazebo.
Hampton Court Palace, / 11-22 June 2024
Pub in the Park
Hosted by acclaimed chef Tom Kerridge, this food and music festival aims to bring a welcoming public house atmosphere to the great outdoors with mouth-watering pub grub and enticing live performances. This year, it’s back for four weekends in and around London throughout the summer, including stops in Marlow, Chiswick, Reigate and St Albans. Festival-goers can look forward to an exciting roster of celebrity chefs ready to meet and engage with visitors, along with cooking demos, book signings, kids’ entertainment, delicious dishes from pop-up restaurants and live music by a stellar line-up of performers.
Marlow (16-19 May), Chiswick (28-30 June), Reigate (12-14 July), St Albans (6-8 September) 2024
City Splash
(Photo: City Splash)
The fourth edition of City Splash will once again serve its purpose of championing the impact of Caribbean and African culture in the UK and beyond in front of packed crowds of 30,000-plus. The heritage of Roots, Dub, Dancehall, Jungle and Garage will take centre stage, with both established and emerging talent on hand to perform the genres’ inimitable rhythms and lyrics about love and redemption which continue to influence the fashions and lifestyles we see around us. Vibrant street food showcasing Caribbean and African cuisine will help keep energy levels high, while artisan businesses are on hand selling fashion, beauty, and arts and crafts wares.
Brockwell Park / 27 May 2024 / Book tickets at StubHub.com
Happy Place Festival
A spin-off event from the award-winning Happy podcast hosted by broadcaster Ferne Cotton, this festival was inspired by the growing awareness of the importance of mental health and well-being. There are talks, live podcast recordings, drop-in classes, live stage entertainment, book signings, craft workshops, treatments, a nutrition hub, massage and meditation sessions, yoga, a shopping village and plenty more, all geared towards promoting our appreciation and understanding of maintaining a healthy mind.
Chiswick House & Gardens / 13-14 July 2024