16 Best May Bank Holiday Events In London 2024: Top Things To Do

Denise Gough’s astounding performance in Duncan Macmillan’s addiction drama won her an Olivier Award for Best Actress when it transferred from the National Theatre to the West End back in 2016. Seven years after last touring the play, the critics’ favourite reprises her role as chronically unreliable drug-addled actress Emma in this 14-week West End run opening over the bank holiday weekend, with director Jeremy Herrin also returning. Expect a masterclass in nuance and subtlety from Gough, in what is arguably the best stage performance since Mark Rylance in ‘Jerusalem’.

Ah, 2009. The year Kanye interrupted Taylor Swift’s VMA speech, ‘Avatar’ took over the box office, and Gaga released ‘The Fame Monster’. But it was also the year that east London was graced with what went on to become one of the area’s most iconic queer venues. That’s right – 2024 marks Dalston’s Superstore’s fifteenth birthday, so it’s time for a party. The venue has spent the last decade and a half showcasing pioneering local DJs, and has hosted the likes of Honey Dijon and The Blessed Madonna. This eleven-hour shindig will feature special guest psychedelic techno DJ Roza Terenz, homegrown talent DJ Karlie Marx plus performances from drag artist Fancy Shews! and many, many more. 

Is it warm enough to swim outdoors yet? Well, kinda? The end of May marks the crossover between the period where only the truly hardcore swim outside, and the period where hobbyists in impractical swimwear flood London's watering holes. It's the perfect time to test your nerve, before the crowds descend.

You’ve seen ‘The White Lotus’, and now you want to live the sweet Sicilian life yourself. This May, you need not leave the capital to get a slice of the iconic Italian coastline, as SicilyFEST is back taking over the Business Design Centre. Learn your cannoli from your arancini at the pop-up Sicilian food market – stands will be lined with gelato, pizzas and pretty desserts that will make your mouth and eyes water. Sicilian artists will be filling the air with quintessential performances, so you can completely absorb the spirit of the stunning island, and there’s a chance to get stuck into interactive classes led by some cracking Italian chefs, too.

Taking place across a whopping 20 venues in and around Queen’s Yard in Hackney Wick – including the likes of The Yard, Colour Factory, CRATE brewery and 9294 - this always-popular day-to-night celebration of London’s vibrant dance music scene returns for another year on the Saturday of the early May Bank Holiday weekend, for its biggest-ever celebration. More than 100 DJs or collectives feature on the whopping line-up, which ranges from beloved local selectors to more established international names playing everything from house and techno to garage and disco. But that’s not all, as there’ll be after parties kicking off at Colour Factory and Village Underground, too. Artists include: Alec Tempo, DJ Caspa, Madam X, SKETCH. Check out the full line-up here. 

From swanky skyscrapers to casual warehouse hangouts and hidden pub terraces, London has a real crush on a rooftop bar. To enjoy a heatwave high, we are blessed with all kinds of rooftops which offer a winning combination of wicked city views and perfect drinks. So take your pick from stylish Shoreditch, buzzing Soho and Covent Garden, trendy Peckham and more – it’s time to soak up those sunsets, with rooftop bar season now upon us.

Settle down for a while host of free film screenings in weird and wonderful venues across south east London. There’ll be a full and varied bill with old school classics, indie flicks, shorts and local documentary, including family-friendly films like ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’ and ‘Bugsy Malone’, newer releases like ‘Rye Lane’ and ‘Wonka’, hard-hitting forigen films like ‘No’ and ‘Smile Orange’, plus docs like ‘Grace Jones: Bloodlight & Bambi’. Look out for discos, DJ nights and talks after many of the screenings. 

Brixton’s long-running annual disco festival will make you feel like you’re dancing in hot pants even if you’re actually wearing dad jeans. Party starters including London DJ Artwork, British house music producer Michael Gray and director of the all-vinyl female DJ Squad Girlz B Like, Marcia Carr will be spinning disco and house bangers across beloved SW9 venues like Brixton Village, Electric Brixton and Brixton Jamm. There’ll also be a live set from American lyricist Jocelyn Brown while the Talking Heads’ recently remastered concert filml ‘Stop Making Sense’ will be screened at The Ritzy Picturehouse. Category is: an amazing night out!

There’s perhaps nothing more magical than seeing a play or musical in the open air, and London is absolutely the city for it. In defiance of the weather gods, our outdoor theatre season now stretches from March to late October: we’re are just that tough. Or at least, optimistic about the weather. Substantially it revolves around a few key theatres. There’s Shakespeare’s Globe, which will be staging an Elizabethan dress production of ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ by in-house artistic director Sean Holmes over the bank holiday. And there’s the delightful Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, which is also staging a Shakespearian comedy over the bank holiday; a version of mistaken identity shipwreck jaunt ‘Twelfth Night’ helmed by RSC veteran Owen Horsley.

When it comes to baby animals to cuddle up to in spring, tiny lambs are obviously the GOAT. Surrey Docks Farm, a sweet little site right next to the Thames with its own blacksmithery, puts on lamb-feeding sessions almost every day during the season. You’ll have to book your slot a week in advance in case the little guys need a rest (they’re pretty tiny after all).

Outdoor spaces are big business come London summertime, and this seasonal pop-up between Waterloo and Westminster bridges is one of the biggest in London. Boasting lovely views over the river Thames and an eclectic programme of drag shows, DJs, live performances and themed club nights, its summer season opens just in time for the early May bank holiday. Head down on Friday evening to hear your favourite noughties indie classics reimagined by tweed-clad 10-piece brass band Old Dirty Brasstards, swing by early on Saturday for a drag brunch with ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race UK’ alum Baga Chipz, or grab a drink and have a dance as DJs spin garage, RnB, house and disco across the long weekend.

BBQ connoisseurs will know all about From The Ashes, the meat-sizzling duo behind some of the city's most mouth-watering pop-ups and festivals. Great news – the team have found a permanent home for their smoky fare at Hackney's Five Points Courtyard, creating the perfect combo of pints and piles of meat. Get down to the brewery for moreish, veggie-friendly starters and sides and all the delectable, smoky slices you can fit in your belly.

Peckham Fringe returns for its third year with over 20 productions created by local artists and members of Peckham’s community. The programme promises inventive, enthralling storytelling, from Time Fly’s, a time-travelling adventure back to the south-east London of old, to Last Goal Wins, an award-winning piece about five men trying out for the Nigerian national football team.

Celebrate folklore with London College of Fashion’s May Day Rave, a special evening event tied to its ongoing Making More Mischief: Folk Costume in Britain exhibit. For one night only, the campus will be come alive with performances, costumes, customs and rituals associated with both national and international celebrations of May Day. As well as performances and DJ sets, you can take part in workshops focused on Morris dancing outfits, natural dyeing and buttons paying homage to pearly kings and queens, watch folk dances, get tarot readings, join guided meditations and much more. Attendees are also encouraged to come dressed in folk-inspired garments that reflect their traditions and cultures.

Usually, we’d advocate for spending your Sunday lazily, slowly drifting through the city as you gear up for another week at the grind. But, with Monday off, you can treat yourself to another night on the tiles. The options don’t get more hip than at Metropolis, where ultra-cool bands Working Men’s Club and Fat White Family will take to the decks to craft a slick, sleazy soundtrack to this bonus big night out.