Events and Festivals in London throughout the Summer

There is so much happening in London all through the summer. Plan ahead so you can make sure you don’t miss out.

Here is a guide to some of the biggest events and festivals happening from May to October 2016.

Udderbelly Festival at Southbank Centre On from now until 17^th July 2016

This is fun-packed festival of live acts inside a giant upside-down purple cow.

The enormous purple cow grace’s London’s skyline and inside presents a season of comedy, circus, music and family entertainment over the early weeks of summer.

You can also graze on tasty snacks and grab a drink at one of London’s biggest outdoor bars in the ‘Udderbelly Pasture’ set on the banks of the River Thames.

Entry to the Underbelly Pasture with its bars and food stalls is free. Tickets to attend the live shows inside the Udderbelly purple cow range from £10 to £30 depending on the choice of show.

LEN European Aquatics Championships 2016 9^th – 22^nd May

The continent’s best swimmers, divers and synchronised swimmers will battle for the championship before the start of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

More than 900 athletes are set to descend on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park for this event. It will be last time you can see the athletes selected for Team GB in action before they head to Rio.

Catch the likes of Tom Daley, Jack Laugher, Chris Mears and Rebecca Gallentree compete in this Aquatic event.

Tickets cost from £10 - £55 with half available for swimming sessions and the other half split across synchronised swimming and diving.

State Opening of Parliament 18^th May

Watch The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh travel in a Royal coach from Buckingham palace to the Palace of Westminster for the State Opening of Parliament. This is the most important event of the Parliamentary calendar.

Join the spectators as the procession makes its way along The Mall and Whitehall before heading to the Houses of Parliament.

This event is free to watch.

The FA Cup Final 21^st May

This is English Football’s biggest competition. The FA Cup Final will be played at the iconic Wembley Stadium. The event brings the nation to a standstill and attracts millions of viewers from around the globe.

Chelsea Flower Show 24^th – 28^th May

Experience the world’s greatest flower show at London’s Royal Hospital Chelsea. The grounds are transformed into show gardens, inspirational small gardens and vibrant horticultural displays.

The Chelsea Flower Show is attended by more than 150,000 visitors each year.

BP Big Screens 2016 at Trafalgar Square 18^th May – 14^th July

Experience live opera and ballet in the centre of London with the Royal Opera House’s BP Big Screens 2016 in Trafalgar Square.

This year, two operas and one ballet will be relayed directly from the Royal Opera House to big screens, together with exclusive backstage looks and competitions.

Take a picnic and a blanket, meet with friends and family and enjoy these free screenings on these three summer nights:

Wednesday 18^th May – The Royal Ballet’s Frankenstein

Thursday 9^th June – The Royal Opera’s Nabucco

Thursday 14^th July – The Royal Opera’s Il Trovatore.

If a picnic isn’t for you then you could meet your friends and family for a fantastic show and then end the evening with some sophisticated private dining London style in one of the many restaurants that offers private dining rooms.

Trooping the Colour: The Queen’s Birthday Parade 11^th June

The Trooping the Colour is an annual event that occurs on Horse Guards Parade. It is a ceremony that marks The Queens official birthday.

The ceremony is full of military pomp and pageantry as The Queen inspects the troops for the Household Division.

The Queen then leads the troops down The Mall to Buckingham Palace. The Queen salutes and guns are fired in Green park and at The Tower of London. Finally, she joins other members of the Royal Family on the Palace balcony to watch the RAF flypast.

The public can watch this event for free and are advised to stand on The Mall or on the edge of Horse Guard’s Parade from 9am.

The London City Suites by Montcalm are located a 30 minute Tube journey away from Buckingham Palace. This makes them a great place to stay if you are travelling to London for the Trooping the Colour. The hotel is far enough away from the hustle and bustle of the main event but the excitement is easily accessed from Barbican Station 2 minutes’ walk away from the hotel.

Taste of London 2016 15^th – 19^th June

For 5 summer days, London’s Regent Park is transformed into a foodie wonderland. A selection of world-class chefs and London’s hottest restaurants gather to show off the best dishes from their extensive menus.

This year, more than 40 restaurants, including several Michelin-starred eateries, will be taking part in the event.

As well as sampling delights, you can also watch cooking demonstrations, meet some leading chefs, take part in interactive masterclasses and explore themed areas.

Standard tickets are approximately £5 per ticket.

Wimbledon 27^th June – 10^th July

The world of tennis descends on Wimbledon in South-West London every summer for two weeks of tennis, strawberries and cream and good-natured queuing at the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships.

The tournament attracts around 500,000 spectators and millions of television viewers worldwide.

Tickets for Wimbledon start at £25.

Wireless Festival 2016 8^th – 10^th July

One of the UK’s biggest outdoor festivals, Wireless festival, returns this year to Finsbury Park.

See headline performances from the likes of superstar DJ Calvin Harris, Chase and Status and grime superstars Boy Better Know.

Watch many other fantastic artists and bands perform throughout the weekend including J. Cole, Jess Glynne and Craig David.

Day tickets start at £66.45.

Notting Hill Carnival August 2016 – dates and times to be announced

The streets of West London come alive every August bank Holiday weekend as London celebrates Europe’s biggest street festival.

Notting Hill Carnival has a Caribbean theme with steel bands, calypso music and tempting food stalls. Amazing floats and costumed performers wind their way through the streets of London in a sea of colour.

This event is free to watch but there may be charges for some activities happening throughout the weekend.