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Alas, it has arrived: the very last bank holiday of the summer. We’ve had a good run, though. Over the past three months, London has been totally jam-packed with festivals, street parties, fairs, outdoor cinema screenings, open-air theatre and so much more.
Now September is around the corner, our bodies are exhausted and our bank accounts have been run dry. But don’t say goodbye to summer just yet, there’s one more weekend of revelries to power through. And the best news is that it’ll be incredibly easy to pack in the fun without spending a fortune.
You could be among the more than two million people descending on Notting Hill for the incredible Carnival, or you could make for the far quieter St Katharine’s Dock for a chilled-out jazz fest. Pick from one of the fantastic free productions going on in Greenwich, or gather the whole family for a knees-up in Walthamstow. London is your oyster. Here are all the details on the best free things happening in the capital this August bank holiday.
The best free things on in London this weekend, August 28-31 2026
1. Revel in Caribbean culture at Notting Hill Carnival
Undoubtedly London’s biggest event of the bank holiday weekend, Notting Hill Carnival is entirely free to attend. The enormous, vibrant, utterly joyous street party will take over W11 once more and fill it with earth-quaking sound systems, fabulously dressed performers and the warming scent of Caribbean cuisine. There will be more than 30 sound systems pitched up along the parade route alongside steel pan bands and (we hope) some special guest performers. Turn up in your most colourful fit and gear up to dance the weekend away. Find the full schedule here.
Notting Hill. Sat Aug 29-Mon Aug 31. Free.
2. See stunning shows at the Greenwich and Docklands International Festival
Down in southeast London, there’s an equally spectacular free fest taking place. During the Greenwich and Docklands International Festival (GDIF), the area erupts with dozens of outdoor theatre shows and installations. Look one way and you might see a troupe dancing to electronic music, turn another way and you could spot an enchanting spoken word performance.
The must-sees this weekend will be Meet Me By the Fountain (at Romford Market on Friday and Saturday), a magnificent son-et-luminaire bringing Romford’s ‘lost’ Liberty Fountain back to life, and Argentina’s Efectos Especiales (on Saturday and Sunday), a fast-paced immersive show that will seek to thrust you into an actual action movie. On Monday, seek out The Torch, which will supply General Gordon Square with Afrobeats, hip-hop and rap inspired by Ebo Taylor.
Various locations. Until Sun Sept 6. Free.
3. Dance by the water at St Kat’s Jazz Festival
Over a dozen exceptional jazz artists will stop by the St Katharine’s Dock at the end of August to bless us with three afternoons and evenings of free live performances. The international crew includes the docks' artist-in-residence, jazz vocalist Olivia Swann, Brooklyn singer-songwriter Inés Nassara pianist Jamie Safir and more. Pitch up and enjoy a laidback afternoon of new sounds, with food provided by the likes of The Pizza Club London, Heavy Slice, &KAFFEIN and Bite Me Baby, plus a fully stocked bar. The whole thing will close out on Sunday with an open vocal jam, with singers and musicians invited to riff with the house band.
St Katharine’s Way, E1W 1LA. Fri Aug 28-Sun Aug 30. Free.
4. Bring your kids to Big Penny Social’s Family Summer Festival
The UK’s largest beer hall will appeal to a different sort of clientele this weekend with a programme of activities designed especially for your little ’uns. Big Penny Social’s Family Summer Festival will have your kids entertained for hours on end. Visitors of all ages are invited to contribute to a community rug, take part in a family pub quiz and challenge one another to some friendly competition at on-site gaming hall Flukes’ family sessions. There’ll also be a local indie makers’ market, Ghanaian street food and live DJs, plus opportunities to soak up some rays on the sand at the venue’s summertime pop-up, the Big Penny Beach Club. And yes, parents, the beer will be free-flowing too.
1 Priestley Way, E17 6AL. Sun Aug 30. Free.
5. Be the first to try the Exmouth Market’s new pizzeria
It feels like not a week can go by without a new pizzeria opening up somewhere in the city. And next week is no different. This time, the new arrival is called God Save the Pizza. It’s championing thin, crispy Roman-style bases and making the toppings the stars of the show. The ‘zas on offer include the ‘Meat Feast’ with beef ragu and salami, the ‘Extremist’ with ham, cheddar, pineapple sauce and a four-cheese cream and the ‘Hot, Hot’ topped with spaghetti and a fiery assassina sauce. But before GSTP officially swings open its doors on Exmouth Market on September 1, it’s hosting a soft launch and handing out free pizza to the first 200 people who turn up.
38-40 Exmouth Market, EC1R 4QE. Sat Aug 29. Free.
6. Hang out at Costa del Croydon
This one’s best reserved for when the city’s skies clear up Sunday and Monday. For the summer the rooftop at Centrale and Whitgift shopping centre was transformed into a south London beach club, filled with sand, beach huts and a water splash zone. For its final weekend, the hotspot is hosting a load of activities inspired by Carnival. There are Afro-Caribbean dance sessions, yoga classes, games of bingo, and graffiti workshops alongside plenty of slap-up street food and drinks.
21 North End, CR0 1TY. Until Mon Aug 31. Free.
Prepare for next month with Time Out’s guide to the best things to do in London in September.
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