August events in London

Europe’s biggest street festival hasn’t been able to go ahead IRL for the last two years, so see in Notting Hill Carnival’s triumphant return, as it fills the streets of west London with soundsystems, steel bands, jerk chicken, feathers, Red Stripe and plenty of dancing.

An estimated 2.5 million attendees that make their way to W10 and W11 over the long weekend so it’s a real spectacle with floats, trucks and music.

If you’re after a more chilled NHC experience, bank holiday Sunday is family day, while Monday is the more hard-partying parade. Watch this space for more details about the parade route, soundsystem map and food stalls. 

Beer gardens are one of the best things about London. There’s no finer way to spend a sunny (or even not-so-sunny) afternoon in the capital, than supping on a couple of cold boys under the city’s azure-ish sky. If you’re looking to sink some pints in the breezy great outdoors, we’ve got you covered with our tried-and-tested list of the city’s best beer gardens.

Chichester Festival Theatre’s revival of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s all-time classic 1949 musical opened to rapturous reviews last year, and will now spend the summer in London as part of a UK tour. Directed by Jonathan Church, Julian Ovenden and Gina Beck star as on-off lovers Emile de Becque and Ensign Nellie Forbush in this tale of romance and racial prejudice on a Polynesian island at the height of World War II. There’s a cast of 30, a full orchestra and all the classic songs you could wish for, notably ‘Some Enchanted Evening’ and ‘I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair’.

Head south for this free art festival filled with treats for all the senses: like the giant vertical zoetrope of skeletons, or ‘Wheel of Charon’, in Canning Town, or the ‘Island of Foam’ on Greenwich Peninsula. 

One of London’s hippest music festivals returns to Victoria Park – its original home – for the first time since 2017. This year’s event is a bumper one-dayer with a dance-centric line-up led by The Chemical Brothers, Kraftwerk 3D and Peggy Gou. With the likes of Heléna Star, Kareem Ali, Logic100, Tourist, Eliza Rose, Floating Points and Daniel Avery also on the bill, Field Day will turn Vicky Park into a non-stop rave from noon until the 11pm curfew.

Francesca Martinez has made a name for herself as an actor, a comedian,and an outspoken campaigner on disabled rights; she has cerebral palsy, and delivered a powerful speech against government cuts on BBC’s ‘Question Time’. Now she’s adding another string to her bow by writing her debut play ‘All of Us’. She’ll star in it as a woman whose life is on the brink of being dismantled by austerity politics. The play was due to open in March 2020 and was deep into rehearsals when its run was cancelled – so it’s great that it’s finally happening.

The London Craft Beer Festival is celebrating its tenth birthday this year, which means it’s inviting some of their fave breweries from the past decade to pour out some sweet suds. The line-up includes 100 craft breweries, from London locals like Hackney Church Brew Co to international offerings from more than 25 US beer makers. 

All Points East is back next year to take over Victoria Park for six (hopefully sun-kissed) days. The line-up is as eclectic as ever, featuring some seriously hot acts including Greentea Peng and Remi Wolf, as well as long-cemented favourites like Gorillaz, Disclosure, and James Blake. 

Line-up includes: Kraftwerk, Gorillaz, Tame Impala, The National, Disclosure, Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds, James Blake, Greentea Peng, Joy Orbison, Remi Wolf and more. 

Positioned among the stunning Brutalist surrounds of the Barbican’s Sculpture Court there’ll be plenty of atmosphere, even beyond the screen, at its summer alfresco cinema experience. Settle down for iconic concert film ‘Pink Floyd Live at Pompeii’, Japanese production ‘Mothra’, Studio Ghibli’s stunning fantasy ‘Princess Mononoke’ and French animator René Laloux’s ‘La Planète Sauvage’. 

Four Tet is playing his only extended festival set this August in Finsbury Park. As well as two stages of music decked out with rumbling sound systems, there will be plenty of refreshments to keep you dancing all day long: including a natural-wine bar, street food, cold craft beers, cocktails and some oh-so-mysterious ‘special surprises’. He’s invited a bunch of his pals along to play, to be announced on the line-up in due course. If history is anything to go by, this one is going to be a biggie. 

Somerset House is undergoing a dizzying, kaleidoscopic transformation for ‘This Bright Light’. Visit throughout August for a ferris wheel, vogueing, day-and-night performances, music, dance, talks and workshops.