Things to do in London in July 2026
London enters a peak season of cultural activity in July , with festivals, live music, sport, exhibitions and outdoor events taking place across the capital. From major summer concert series and internationally recognised festivals to neighbourhood fairs and art exhibitions. This guide highlights some of the key things to see and do in London during July 2026.
Summer concerts
Somerset House Summer Series. Image credit James Bryant
#FLODown: July is a major month for summer festivals and concerts in London, with a packed programme of open-air shows and citywide music events. BST Hyde Park runs from 27 June to 12 July 2026, with headline performances from Garth Brooks, ATEEZ, Maroon 5, Mumford & Sons, Duran Duran, Pitbull and Lewis Capaldi. Somerset House Summer Series takes place from 16–26 July 2026, featuring acts including Naïka, Palace, The Flaming Lips, The Cribs, Agnes Obel, Black Country, New Road, Venna, Raf-Saperra and Benjamin Clementine in its iconic courtyard setting. Kaleidoscope Festival returns to Alexandra Palace on 11 July 2026, while Labyrinth on the Thames at the Old Royal Naval College runs from 31 July to 16 August 2026, with headline sets from Dom Dolla, Peggy Gou, Overmono, Adriatique, Moby and Michael Bibi.
Click here to discover day parties and festivals to see in London this summer.
BBC Proms
Nengi Omuku, A quiet nation, 2026, oil on sanyan, 117 x 77 cm, 46 x 30 ¼ in
#FLODown: July in London means the Proms are back, bringing almost two months of live music to enjoy across the city. The BBC Proms is the world’s largest and longest-running classical music festival, held every summer at the Royal Albert Hall and at venues across the UK. The season opens with the First Night of the Proms on 17 July 2026 and concludes with the Last Night of the Proms on 12 September 2026, with daily concerts throughout the summer featuring a wide range of music from film scores to themed performances by leading orchestras and musicians from around the world. A key part of the Proms is its accessibility, with affordable “promming” tickets allowing audiences to stand in arena or gallery spaces.
Date: 17 July - 12 September 2026. Location: Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Gore, London SW7 2AP. Price: From about £10 (promming tickets). Book now
Backyard Biennial: East
The Ropery, The Historic Dockyard Chatham. Image credit Amelia Oakley
#FLODown: Backyard Biennial: East is a free, eight-week summer arts festival taking place from 15 July, initiated by Whitechapel Gallery in collaboration with over 40 local partners across East London. The programme taking place across multiple venues and includes exhibitions, performances, screenings, workshops, walks, residencies and community events, all designed to celebrate the East End’s cultural identity and diverse communities. Developed through community-led collaboration, the biennial reimagines how audiences engage with art beyond traditional gallery spaces.
Date: 15 July – 6 September 2026. Location: Multiple venues across East London (initiated by Whitechapel Gallery, 77–82 Whitechapel High Street, London E1 7QX). Price: Free. Click here for full programme of events.
{PAIRED} Richie Hawtin x Leo Carreira
Zaha Hadid designed restaurant space at the Serpentine.
#FLODown: {PAIRED} launches its new summer series at Serpentine North Gallery on 18 July, bringing together Lisbon- and London-based chef Leo Carreira and electronic music pioneer Richie Hawtin for a one-off chef x DJ experience. Set inside the Zaha Hadid-designed restaurant space at Serpentine, the event features a bespoke multi-course, seafood-led menu with a soundtrack shaped by Hawtin, alongside curated Japanese sake pairings. Created by Carousel and AVA, {PAIRED} explores how food and music influence one another, with each shaping the other throughout the evening. The night also includes a private viewing of the David Hockney exhibition at Serpentine North, followed by an intimate after-party.
Date: 18 July 2026. Location: Serpentine North, W2 2AR. Price: from £175. Concessions available. Book now
Daiquiri Month
Image credit Grant Walker
#FLODown: Ron Santiago de Cuba™ is celebrating Daiquiri Month throughout July 2026, with some of London’s best bars marking the occasion ahead of International Daiquiri Day on 19 July. The month-long campaign honours the iconic Cuban cocktail with exclusive Daiquiri menus, limited-edition serves, live music, giveaways and themed events at participating venues including Nightjar, Callooh Callay, Little Bat, Homeboy Bar, Be At One and The Cocktail Trading Co. Made with Ron Santiago de Cuba™ rum, the celebrations showcase both classic and innovative twists on the Daiquiri.
Date: 1–31 July 2026. To discover more, visit ronsantiagodecuba.com
YFX Festival
TeesDance Youth Company, Making Moves National Platform 2025, Jack Thompson
#FLODown: Sadler’s Wells will present the second edition of its annual YFX Youth Festival from 15–18 July 2026, celebrating the creativity and talent of young dancers from across England. Taking place at Sadler’s Wells East, the festival will feature performances by youth dance companies, the National Platform of the Making Moves programme, England’s National Youth Dance Company performing Memory Keepersby Alleyne Dance, and a special takeover by Olivier Award-winning hip hop company Boy Blue. Alongside the performances, the festival there will be free workshops, hip hop battles, panel discussions and a symposium exploring the future of youth dance, bringing together young performers, artists and dance professionals from across the country.
Date: 15–18 July 2026. Location: Sadler’s Wells East, Stratford Walk, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London, E20 2AR. Click here for the full programme.
Hampstead Big Fair
Hampstead Big Fair To take place on 5 July 2026.
#FLODown: Hampstead’s leafy North London haven is hosting its own traffic-free mini festival as Heath Street is transformed for the Hampstead Big Fair. With over 110 stalls offering artisan crafts, designer fashion, and a range of international food and drink, it’s a celebration of community and culture. Visitors can enjoy entertainment throughout the day, including a funfair, circus school, sport zone, and live music across multiple stages, creating a lively atmosphere for all ages.
Date: 5 July 2026, 12–5pm. Location: Heath Street, Hampstead, London, NW3. hampsteadsummerfestival.com
An evening with Britain’s 4x100m Relay Stars
Image courtesy of The Ivy Collection
#FLODown: The Ivy Collection, in partnership with UK Athletics, is hosting an exclusive evening with the Novuna Great Britain and Northern Ireland 4x100m relay team as part of its Summer of Sport series. Taking place on 13 July 2026 at The Ivy Tower Bridge, the event offers guests a rare opportunity to hear from some of Britain’s top athletes ahead of a major summer of international competition, including the European Championships and the Novuna London Athletics Meet. The evening will feature a live Q&A session exploring life as an elite sprinter, followed by a three-course dinner where guests can dine alongside the athletes and continue conversations in a relaxed setting. The event aims to bring fans closer to the dedication, teamwork and preparation behind elite athletics on the world stage.
Date: 13 July 2026, 6pm. Location: The Ivy Tower Bridge. Price: £65 per person, inclusive of a welcome drink and three-course menu. ivycollection.com
Summer in the Square 2026
Summer in the Square returns from 7–12 July 2026.
#FLODown: Marylebone’s Summer in the Square returns from 7–12 July 2026, transforming the usually private Portman Square Garden into a free, six-day community festival in the heart of London. Now in its 13th year, the event features live Wimbledon screenings, food, wellness and family activities, celebrating local businesses and creativity. Visitors can enjoy workshops ranging from creative writing with Cecilia Knapp and botanical scent-making to yoga, pilates and watercolour sessions, alongside a rotating line-up of acclaimed chefs, street food, cocktail masterclasses.
Date: 7–12 July 2026. Location: Portman Square Garden, Marylebone, London W1. makeitmarylebone.co.uk
Portrait of a City: A Century of American Photography
Lewis Hine, Riding the Ball High up on Empire State, c.1930. Courtesy of The Savings Bank Foundation DNB Collection, on deposit at Lillehammer Art Museum
#FLODown: Dulwich Picture Gallery’s summer exhibition surveys a century of American photography through the lens of urban life. Spanning the early 20th century to the 2010s, the show brings together 34 photographers working across cities including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and San Francisco. Figures such as Alfred Stieglitz, Dorothea Lange, Diane Arbus, and Garry Winogrand document shifting social conditions, from industrial growth and migration to protest and everyday street life. The exhibition traces how photographers adapted portraiture beyond the studio, using the city itself as both backdrop and subject.
Date: 28 July - 4 October 2026. Location: Dulwich Picture Gallery, College Road, London SE21 7AD. Price: Adults from £16. Book now
Click here for our guide to art exhibitions opening in London in July 2026.
Ensemble Festival 2026
Garbh - Copy of Photo credit ® Anne Tetzlaff
#FLODown: The seventh edition of Ensemble Festival returns to London in July 2026 at Royal Victoria Docks for a free two-day outdoor celebration of circus, dance and theatre. Presented by Certain Blacks, the festival features UK and international artists with a programme including Fragments of Us by Talawa Theatre, FUBUNATION and Sonia Hughes, Garbh by Shyam Dattani and Mira Salat, and ElevateHer by Daughters of the Wire. Other highlights include The Torch by Nigel “Kobby” Taylor, Stick and Stone by Ferdinando + Bernstein, and performances from Brainfools, Cormac Mohally and Catalan street theatre artists.
Date: 25 - 26 July 2026, 12pm – 8pm. Location: Royal Victoria Docks, London, E16 1FA. Price: Free. certainblacks.com
World Cup 2026
FIFA World Cup 2026 is taking place form 11 June - 19 July 2026.
#FLODown: The World Cup only comes around once every four years, and with England taking on DR Congo in a tense knockout clash on the very first day of July, it’s the perfect excuse to soak up the atmosphere of a London summer. Across the capital, thousands of fans will gather in pubs, beer gardens and dedicated fan zones to cheer on the Three Lions, with some of London’s biggest places to watch the match including Vinegar Yard near London Bridge, Hackney Bridge in east London, Flat Iron Square in Borough, Big Penny Social in Walthamstow and Between the Bridges on the South Bank. Whether you’re after a huge outdoor fan zone, a buzzing beer garden or a packed sports venue, there are plenty of places across London to catch every kick, tackle and goal as England look to progress in the tournament.
Wimbledon 2026
Wimbledon Championships from 29 June - 12 July 2026.
#FLODown: Wimbledon is usually in full swing come July, with the finals taking place on 12 July. It typically brings big screens and lots of fun activities popping up across the city. If you didn’t manage to get yourself tickets this year, click here to discover big screens around the city where you can watch the games.
Camden Schools Art Biennale 2026
Camden Schools Art Biennale at the Lethaby Gallery, Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London, 2024. Image credit Jamie Johnson.
#FLODown: The Camden Schools Art Biennale returns for its second edition from 14–26 July 2026 at the Lethaby Gallery, Central Saint Martins, showcasing the creative work of pupils from schools across Camden. Building on its 2024 launch, the Biennale is a partnership between Camden Council, Central Saint Martins (University of the Arts London), and Camden Learning. Over 20 artists and organisations have collaborated with pupils from Early Years through to A-Level, producing hundreds of works across sculpture, painting, drawing and film. The 2026 programme also introduces a new outdoor 2D “sculpture park” across King’s Cross, alongside a free public events series of workshops, talks and artist-led activities designed to connect schools, families and the wider community through creative practice.
Date: 14–26 July 2026. Location: Lethaby Gallery, Central Saint Martins, King’s Cross, London. arts.ac.uk
Yvonne Rainer: Trio A
Still from Yvonne Rainer, Trio A, 1978 © Yvonne Rainer
#FLODown: Tate Modern will present free live performances of Yvonne Rainer’s Trio A, marking 60 years since the work was first created. The piece will be staged in the Turbine Hall over two days and performed continuously by a group of dancers led by Sara Wookey, its first live UK presentation in more than a decade. Known for its minimalist approach and rejection of traditional narrative, Trio A is a key work in the development of post-modern dance and contemporary performance. Alongside the performances, the programme includes a screening of Rainer performing Trio A in the Tanks Lobby and an artist talk in the Starr Cinema, offering further insight into her practice and influence. The event is part of Tate Modern’s wider summer season of performance, participatory art, and experimental live works across the Turbine Hall and Tanks.
Date: 10–11 July 2026. Location: Turbine Hall, Tate Modern, Bankside, London SE1 9TG. Price: Free. More information at tate.org.uk
Laughterama at Somerset House
Image courtesy of Somerset House
#FLODown: Somerset House in London will host Laughterama, a new open-air comedy festival bringing together leading UK comedians and emerging talent. Presented in partnership with 57, it marks the venue’s first comedy festival. Across five nights in the Edmond J Safra Fountain Court, the programme features mixed-bill stand-up shows with headline acts, including Josh Widdicombe, Sara Pascoe, Dara Ó Briain, Fern Brady, Tim Key, Tom Allen and Phil Wang, alongside international performers, podcast favourites and rising stars, following the success of the Manchester edition.
Date: 29 July – 2 August 2026. Location: Somerset House, Edmond J Safra Fountain Court, Strand, London WC2R 1LA. Price: from £34. Book now
