25 brilliant ways to celebrate the August bank holiday in London

Summer in London wouldn't be summer in London without the Notting Hill Carnival. Taking place on August bank holiday weekend each year since 1966, it’s grown into Europe’s largest street festival, attracting more than two and half million people annually.

With parades, masquerade, floats, dancing, steel bands and soundsystems, as well as dozens of Caribbean food stalls, Carnival is proper treat for every one of your senses. Click through to find everything you need to know about this year’s event, including the parade route, details on the different sound systems in attendance, and a schedule for proceedings.

It was a hit when it debuted last summer, so it’s no surprise that Secret Cinema is bringing back its 2.5 hour theatrical screening of Grease back for the summer nights of 2026. Returning to Battersea Park, the show that launched a thousand Instagram snaps saw the immersive titants blessedly return to a format wherein the audience actually had to watch the movie (a point that had increasingly become an afterthought in recent Secret Cinema events). 

Expect fancy sets recreating Rydell High and its neighbouring fairground in a super fun show that supplements the recorded John Travolta, Olivia Newton John et al with live dancers and singers. If you like the film Grease and dressing up as if you were in the film Grease (and can look at the ticket prices without swooning like you’ve just been given a hickey by Kenickie) you’ll have a cool time.

There might be a lot to be said for London’s outdoor swimming spots, but sometimes you can’t beat a paddle in the waves, some refreshing sea air, and a hearty portion of fish ‘n’ chips. You’ve probably already been on a jaunt down to Brighton, but the British seaside has plenty of more secluded, photogenic destinations absolutely steeped in charm, too – and many of the UK's best beaches can be found within two hours of the capital. Hop on a train and soak up some sun, stat. 

London’s spectacular free Greenwich + Docklands International Festival is back for 2026, taking place over three weeks at the end of the summer as the skies darken and its huge outdoor shows look particularly impressive at night. 

The festival’s second of three weekends falls over the Bank Holiday, and features two performances of Meet My By the Fountain at Romford Market (Aug 28 and 29), a stunning son-et-luminaire bringing Romford’s ‘lost’ Liberty Fountain back to life in probably the most ‘wow’ show of the festival, while Argentina’s Efectos Especiales Aug 29 and 30) will seek to thrust you into an actual action movie on the streets of Greenwich Peninsula. 

Another year, another spectacular line-up of classical music as the BBC Proms take over Royal Albert Hall. This year’s orchestral extravaganza features 86 concerts across eight weeks, with over 3,000 artists taking to the stage. There’ll be the chance to hear visiting ensembles from all over the world, including The Met Orchestra, LA Philharmonic, Berlin Philharmonic and the Spanish National Orchestra, as well as innumerable concerts and recitals from the classical music world’s biggest stars. 

The bank holiday features some wonderfully eclectic programming, including Amsterdam-based psychedelic rock band Altın Gün joining forces with Jules Buckley and the BBC Symphony Orchestra (Friday August 28), Stravinsky and Prokofiev performed by the Oslo Philharmonic (Saturday August 29) and a concert of Alan Menken’s Disney scores featuring music from classics like Aladdin and The Little Mermaid (Sunday August 30). 

Lavender season is here and as August draws to a close, the richly-scented purple blooms – tough enough to survive the hotter days – are in full form. Enjoy them at London’s glorious lavender fields, where the mauve flowers on mass create epic backdrops, perfect for a scenic picnic or your Instagram feed. Kennington Park, Kew Gardens and Vauxhall Park are top destinations for lavender-fanciers. Or make a day of it and head to whole farms dedicated to the mauve blooms just outside the capital, in Kent, Surrey and Hertfordshire.

Nestled round the back of Elephant & Castle in a former workhouse that was once home to a young Charlie Chaplin and his family, Lambeth’s Cinema Museum is an Aladdin’s cave of movie memorabilia, artefacts and film-making equipment. But the museum is under threat and faces potential closure. Help support it by heading along to this screening of 1982’s Creepshow hosted by Ghost Light Cinema. 

Settle in for a big viewing session at the legendary Prince Charles Cinema in Leicester Square. As ever, the picture house’s wild-card programming is on point this bank holiday weekend, and they’re treating cinema-goers to back-to-back screenings of every episode of David Lynch’s Twin Peaks season one. Starting at 10.30pm, strap in for an all-night marathon, and yes, there’ll be plenty of damn coffee available to keep you awake all night.