Top 10 London Festivals for the summer

What music festivals are lined up in London this summer?

This summer, you're looking for music festivals where you can dance, listen to music all day and make the most of your holiday. If you don’t know where to go, we can help you. There are plenty of festivals to discover for all kinds of music tastes :

• Field Day ;
• Mighty Hoopla ;
• British Summer Time ;
• Wireless ;
• Kew The Music ;
• Meltdown Festival.

Now, you just have to choose!

Field Day

Now considered one of London's most popular festivals, Field Day is part of a bigger music and entertainment festival, All Points East, taking place in Victoria Park (east London) from 18th August to 28th August 2023.

For the 16th edition of Field Day, the one day festival has put together an exquisite line-up, from Arca, Bonobo to Aphex Twin behind the decks. This summer, electronic music comes to London on the 19th of August with live performances, DJ sets and cutting edge sounds. You can enjoy the outdoor party with both established and new artists throughout the day on Saturday to celebrate the end of summer.

To quench your thirst and grab a bite to eat throughout the day, over 60 food stalls bring together the best of London's street food.

You could also be interested in the other artists present on other days of the festival, such as Kehlani, The Strokes, Aurora, Girl in Red, Stormzy, Jungle, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Confidence Men, Haim and many other talented artists.

Mighty Hoopla

Feel like dancing until dawn? The extravagant Mighty Hoopla is coming to Brockwell Park on 3 and 4 June. Bringing together the best of pop and alternative culture, the festival promises many surprises.

Many talented artists will perform such as Kelly Rowland, Years & Years and the new ‘It’ girls : FLO. But that's not all! More than 200 artists have been announced and will be spread over seven different stages.

Just fifteen minutes from the Hoopla festival site, the official after party returns to Electric Brixton on 3 June, where it will continue until 5am. The programme highlights queer culture. The festival makes a point of showcasing artists and performers from the LGBTQIA+ community.

If you were expecting a classic festival, you are wrong. Cabaret collectives, touring comedians, bands, collective karaoke and secret discos will be part of your weekend party.

British Summer Time

The British Summer Time, or BST Hyde Park, is back this year for its 10th edition. From 23th June to 09th July, be ready to live a unique experience with exceptional artists globally known.

The lineup gathers the best artists for all kinds of music tastes: P!nk, Lana Del Rey, BlackPink, Billy Joey, Guns N’Roses, Gwen Stefani, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Take That and many other great artists.

But, there is more to it. On the spot, you can enjoy your summer days with various activities organised for the 8 days, with outdoor cinema, yoga sessions, LGBTQ+ cabaret, family rave and workshops for children. Of course, there are food and drinks with themed bars, local and home-made food by producers and restaurateurs.

How to get there?

Yellow route: hop off at stop 16 Hyde Park - Queen Elizabeth Gate, 17 Marble Arch, or 18 Oxford Street

Blue route: hop off at stop 16 Hyde Park - Queen Elizabeth Gate or 18 Oxford Street.

Wireless

If Hip-Hop and Rap are your thing, you should definitely get a ticket for the Wireless Festival. London's number one urban and hip-hop music festival has a stellar line-up that should bring fans from all over the UK, as usual.

From the 7th to the 9th of July 2023, head to Finsbury Park to enjoy the sounds of Playboi Carti, Travis Scott, 50 Cents, FLO, Ice Spice, Lil Uzi Vert and more.

Kew The Music

If you fancy enjoying a concert in a more relaxed atmosphere, Kew The Music is for you! Bring your own picnic (or opt for one of the outdoor bars if you prefer), choose the perfect spot to put your tablecloth or chairs and enjoy the music in the Kew Royal Botanic Gardens. For a special night out, VIP tickets are available, including a delicious pre-concert barbecue as the London sun sets. There is also a grandstand to watch the artists perform.

This year, from 11th to 16th July, world-renowned artists are taking part, including Bastille, The Vamps, Jack Savoretti, The Human League, Haçienda çlassica, Jools Holland and many more.

Meltdown Festival

The unique Meltdown Festival is curated by a different artist each year and the year's lineup can include everything from a mix of funk, disco, jazz, soul, classical, to pop and R&B music, amongst other genres. There is something for everyone. It is the oldest artist-led music festival in the UK.

For its 28th edition, Christine and the Queens takes the reins. This year's headliner, a French icon of music known globally, brings together artists from all over the world from 9th to 18th June 2023 at the Southbank Centre.

How to get there?

Yellow route: hop off at stop 4 Waterloo Station or 3 London Eye.

Blue route: hop off at stop 22 Westminster Bridge.

Are there colourful summer festivals in London?

Are you searching for colourful and fun-filled summer festivals? Then you should try the Notting Hill Carnival or London Pride.

Notting Hill Carnival

For a colourful celebration of Calypso and Caribbean music, Notting Hill Carnival is not to be missed. Enjoy steel band performances, storytelling, poetry, comedy and performances from a range of musical genres. This vibrant summer festival is open to everyone and is complete with Caribbean food and drinks and colourful parades celebrating the culture.

The carnival is back to delight your eyes and ears with its parades full of colours, feathers, frills and sequins, as well as its live performances on stage. See you on 27th and 28th August in Notting Hill in West London.

How to get there ?

Blue route: hop off at stop 33 Notting Hill Gate.

London Pride

This year is the 51th edition of London Pride. The Pride Parade will follow its historical route, that of 1972, the year in which the first Pride march in the United Kingdom took place.

The Pride Parade is expecting around 30,000 participants on 1st July. They will march from Hyde Park Corner to Whitehall Place through the streets of the English capital, passing through historic and iconic places for the British LGBTQIA+ community. You can watch the parade along the route.

Before the closing parade, several events will punctuate this month of celebration. On 1st July 2023, after the parade, several shows are expected at Trafalgar Square, Golden Square, Leicester Square, and Dean Street. The winner of Pride's Got Talent will have the opportunity to perform on the stage of Trafalgar. Pride’s Got Talent is a competition dedicated to music and cabaret, by artists belonging to the LGBTQIA+ community.

How to get there ?

Blue route: hop off at stop 16 Hyde Park - Queen Elizabeth Gate or at stop 24 Horse Guards Parade.

What are the summer tasting festivals in London?

For more gourmet festivals, we have what you are looking for. We recommend a visit to the Taste of London for food lovers or London Craft Beer Festival for craft beer enthusiasts.

Taste of London

Enjoy 5 days of food at Taste of London at Regent’s Park. As it does every summer, the festival offers you the chance to enjoy London food and drink at its gastronomic garden party in the heart of the capital.

Sample dishes from some of London’s best restaurants, take part in a masterclass and purchase some mouthwatering and insolite food and drinks from the farmers market. Take part in VIP taste experiences and learn new ways to prepare your meals from some of the world’s best chefs. Don't miss this event for all food lovers, from 14th to 18th June!

How to get there ?

Blue route: hop off at stop 37 Praed Street.

London Craft Beer Festival

This year, the London Craft Beer Festival is back for its 11th edition at the iconic Tobacco Dock on 11th and 12th August. For the occasion, the festival brings together the most popular breweries of recent years as well as the trendiest.

With a London Craft Beer Festival ticket, you get to try unlimited samples of more than 800 different beers from over 100 world-class breweries during your session. Breweries include Tiny Rebel and Little Monster (winner of Raise The Bar 2023), amongst many others, along with a selection of pop up kitchens and a street food bazaar, not to mention London's best chefs ready to treat you.

If you are not a fan of beer, cider, wine and spirits bars, as well as the non-alcoholic drinks, will appeal to you. There is also live music with some great headline acts.

How to get there ?

Yellow route: hop off at stop 9 Tower of London.

From dance music to craft beer, there is a summer festival in London for everyone. Whichever one you choose, you are sure to have the time of your life! Don't forget to see and visit London's hotspots between days of celebration! You can see them on our various tours through the Old Smoke.