• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About
    • First Time Here?
    • Archive
    • London Blogs
  • Blog
  • Travel
    • London Theater Tickets
    • Shopping
    • Tips
    • Tours
    • Transport
    • Maps
    • Parks
    • Resources
    • Restaurants
    • Top 10 London
  • Culture
    • Art
    • Buildings
    • Food
    • London Books
    • Movies
    • Museums
    • Music
    • Pubs
  • Londonism
    • Reviews
    • Fun London
    • Iconic London
    • Life in London
    • London Realities
    • Moving to London
    • Politics
  • The Tube
  • London History
    • Great London Buildings
    • Great Londoners
  • Contact
  • Guidebooks
    • 101 London Travel Tips – Guidebook
    • 101 Free Things to do in London

Londontopia

The Website for People Who Love London

You are here: Home / Guides / Summer in the City: Top Ten Things to Do in London This Summer

Summer in the City: Top Ten Things to Do in London This Summer

May 24, 2018 By John Rabon

When the sun is out the fun is out in London.  The city has a lot going on normally, but things really kick up a notch once summer temperatures rise.  The summer months tend to be the time when you’ll see the most festivals and outdoor events going on in London including a number of plays, markets, and concerts.  This is also the time of year when many historical buildings open their doors to the tourists that flood the city every year, so you have the opportunity to see buildings you couldn’t otherwise, including some of the royal residences.  Whatever you’re in the mood to do in London this summer, we’ve found our top ten to help you make up your mind.

Pride in London

This month-long celebration of London’s LGBTQ community kicks off June 9th and runs until July 7th.  In the lead up to the Pride Parade that closes the festival on 7/7, there are plenty of events going on from self-defense classes, drag performances, talent shows, lectures, and more.  You don’t have to be LGBTQ to attend any of the festival events or watch the parade, so you can learn more about this wonderful community or show your support as an ally.

Vauxhall Art Car Boot Fair

Certainly one of London’s most eccentric art events, the ACBF sees the city’s artists selling their works out of the boots (that’s trunk for Americans) of Vauxhall cars.  The pieces sold are generally made just for the event, so you can guarantee you’re not going to find them anywhere else.  Past fairs have seen sellers including Sir Peter Blake, Holly Morgan, and Marcus Harvey.  This year’s ACBF will take place on September 16th, making it a perfect way to close out the summer season.

Beach at Brent Cross/Camden Beach/

When you’re stuck in the middle of the city, you may not be able to go to the beach.  To fix that, several spots in London bring the beach to you.  Brent Cross Shopping Centre plays home to the biggest urban beach in the city filled with sand, water, rides, and street food.  Roundhouse sets up its own Camden Beach with deckchairs and music so you can lay out and get your tan on while your kids play.

Ladbrokes Challenge Cup Final at Wembley

The biggest event of the Rugby League’s season comes to Wembley Stadium on August 25th as the league’s two best teams will square off for rugby supremacy.  Hull FC took on the Wigan Warriors last season and were victorious, but it’s unknown at this point who will end up taking home the cup.  No matter who plays, it’s worth going to if you love sport and there will be plenty of events going on before the final kicks off.

Southbank Centre Meltdown Festival

Southbank Centre is one of the city’s best performance venues, seeing everything from classical music to spoken word and literature festivals throughout the year.  Come June 15-24, the Meltdown Festival kicks off, featuring a celebration of popular and unique music that fills our modern lives with color and life.  This year’s curator for the festival is Robert Smith, the lead singer and lead guitarist of the alternative rock legends The Cure.

Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships

The most well-known and watched tennis championship in the world kicks off on July 2 and goes until July 15 as the best of the best bring their rackets to these glorious grounds.  They also bring with them thousands of cheering fans both at Wimbledon Stadium and throughout the city.  If you can’t get tickets to get in, you can believe that plenty of pubs around London will have the Championships on television.  Players consider it one of the more challenging contests in the Grand Slam thanks to the grass courts, and so covet the Wimbledon crown above all others.

Notting Hill Carnival

London’s largest celebration of its Caribbean citizens and culture takes place in Notting Hill from August 26 to August 27.  The streets of this London district will be filled with colors, music, and food for two days.  Sunday is typically “family day,” with a more toned-down celebration and activities for the kids.  The big event is the Carnival Parade on Monday, which is usually a bank holiday.  Be sure to check the website for events going on throughout both days.

BBC Proms

Perhaps the biggest concert series in London during the summer, the BBC puts on the Proms every year as part of the musical and cultural education the Royal Albert Hall was built to promote.  More than just concerts, the BBC puts on a number of events outside of the RAH during the Proms season from talks on the influence of music to workshops for aspiring performers.  Concerts this year include everything from young prodigies to a celebration of BBC’s Radiophonic Workshop.

Trooping the Colour

The official birthday of Queen Elizabeth II takes place in June every year, and the Household Cavalry marks the occasion with the Trooping of the Colour.  This display of military precision involves 1400 parading soldiers, 200 horses, and over 400 musicians moving from Buckingham Palace down the Mall to the Horse Guard’s Parade.  Members of the Royal Family also join in the parade either on horseback or in carriages, so you’re bound to catch a view of everyone from the Queen herself to newly married couple Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

Buckingham Palace Summer Tours

During the summer, Queen Elizabeth goes on holiday like most Britons, and while she is away, Buckingham Palace opens to the public for one of the few times of the year.  Beginning July 21, visitors can take a tour of this palace that’s been home to monarchs since Queen Victoria and see the gorgeous State Rooms while getting a glimpse into how a modern working palace functions.  Buckingham Palace is only available to tour until the end of September, so there’s a small window if you’re planning your trip.

John Rabon
Author: John Rabon

John is a regular writer for Anglotopia and its sister websites. He is currently engaged in finding a way to move books slightly to the left without the embarrassment of being walked in on by Eddie Izzard. For any comments, questions, or complaints, please contact the Lord Mayor of London, Boris Johnson's haircut.

close

Free London News

Get the latest news on London history, culture, travel, exhibitions, and more right in your inbox!

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Share this:

  • Print
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Reddit
  • Pocket

Filed Under: Featured, Guides, Tips, Top 10 London, Travel

Subscribe to Our Free London Updates

Free London News

Get the latest news on London history, culture, travel, exhibitions, and more right in your inbox!

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

About John Rabon

John is a regular writer for Anglotopia and its sister websites. He is currently engaged in finding a way to move books slightly to the left without the embarrassment of being walked in on by Eddie Izzard. For any comments, questions, or complaints, please contact the Lord Mayor of London, Boris Johnson's haircut.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Dan Rosato says

    Jun 7, 2018 at 8:30 am

    The trooping of the colour is actually really enjoyable. Not a royalist myself, but worth seeing.

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to Our Free London Updates

Free London News

Get the latest news on London history, culture, travel, exhibitions, and more right in your inbox!

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Get the Anglotopia/Londontopia App

Our Advertisers

If you are a mobile gamer, you may want to take a look at UK’s new mobile casinos and slots reviewed by NewCasinoUK.

Join the London Forum

  • Mudlarking
  • MY FAVOURITE PLACE IN LONDON
  • What's Your Favorite Place in London?
  • Paddington Station

London Guide

  • Ten Cheap Things You Can Do in London on a Budget
  • Ten London Exhibitions to Look Forward to in 2023
  • London’s Non-Free Museums: Your Guide to London’s Museums That Charge Admission
  • Trip Planning: Top 10 Exhibitions To Plan Your 2018 Trips to London Around
  • London Guide: Our Favorite Restaurants in London – London Restaurant Recommendations for Americans – What’s Your Favorite?

Connect With Us

  • Facebook
  • RSS Feed
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Support Londontopia

Search our Extensive Archive

Top 10 London

  • Ten Unusual Exhibits to See in London
  • London Pubs: Ten Thameside Pubs for a Pint and a View
  • Top 10 London: Ten More Things to Do Along the River Thames
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Shopping Centers in London
  • Museums of London: Ten Overlooked London Museums
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Haggerston
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Haringey
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Redbridge
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Hillingdon
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to Do in Canonbury

Recent Posts

  • What’s On in London Events for February 2023
  • Only Fools And Horses musical to close in West End after four years
  • Artist Ai Weiwei to launch first design-focused exhibition at London’s Design Museum
  • London Travel Alert: Staff at British Museum to walk out during half-term break
  • Poet Lemn Sissay ‘over the moon’ to receive Freedom of the City of London
  • English Heritage has unveiled six new blue plaques for London
  • National Portrait Gallery to reopen in June with two special exhibitions
  • Exploring The Cosmic House in London
  • Ten Social Media Accounts to Follow for Londonphiles
  • New Royal Academy Exhibition: Treasures from Spain and the Hispanic World

Best Posts on Londontopia

  • 101 London Travel Tips
  • Top 100 London Attractions
  • How to Find the Cheapest Airfares to London
  • 10 Things NOT to do in London
  • Best London Guidebooks
  • 101 Free Things to do in London
  • London Lingo – A London Word Dictionary
  • Top 7 Tips for Doing London on the Cheap
  • Top 11 Myths American Believe about London
  • Guide to Eating in London
  • Best Times of Year to Travel to London
  • London Packing Tips
  • Top 11 Movies Set in London
  • Top Attractions off the Tourist Track
  • Top 5 Most Amazing London Hotels
  • Top 10 Hostels in London
  • Best Views in London Restuarants
  • London Taxi Ettiquette
  • Top 12 London Views
  • Great Fire of London
  • A Guide to Five of London’s Bridges
  • 10 Random Facts and Figures about Trafalgar Square
  • Top 100 British Slang Words

London Places to Explore

Bloomsbury Buckingham Palace Canary Wharf City of London Covent Garden Cutty Sark Greenwich Hampstead Hampton Court Palace Heathrow Houses of Parliament Hyde Park Imperial War Museum Islington Kensington Kensington Palace Leicester Square London London Eye London Transport Museum Museum of London National Gallery Notting Hill Piccadilly Circus Putney Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park Regent's Street Royal Academy Selfridges Somerset House Southbank Southwark St Pancras St Paul's Cathedral Tate Britain Tate Modern The City Tower Bridge Tower of London Trafalgar Square V&A Wandsworth West End Westminster Westminster Abbey

SIGN-UP FOR FREE LONDON WEEKLY UPDATES!

Please enter a valid email address
That address is already in use
The security code entered was incorrect
Thanks for signing up

Recent Videos

Walk Around London Virtually Right Now – Watched Walker is the YouTube Channel We All Need Right Now

Jason Hawkes Shares a Beautiful Video of London From Above That We All Need Right now

London Tube: You’ve Got to Watch This Amazing Mesmerizing Animation That Shows the Real Geography of the London Underground

Video: The Basics of Crossrail – London’s New Underground Line

London History: The Place Where Old London Double Decker Buses Went to Die

London Video: A Look at the Great Smog of London

Tube and London bus fares to rise by nearly 6% from March

What is Crossrail 2 and What is Its Current Status?

London Alert: Strike by London Underground workers to go ahead after last-minute talks fail

London Mayor hails Elizabeth line as direct routes and Sunday services begin

Elizabeth line fully opens and offers more direct journeys

Tube poet encourages writers to ‘bring who they are to the field’

Footer

About Londontopia

Londontopia is simply the website for people who love London. It was founded by Jonathan & Jackie Thomas from Anglotopia.net as a place to post articles solely focused on London and its environs. Keep up with all the latest London news at Londontopia! This site is geared towards people who love to visit London and our primary audience is North American but everyone is welcome!

When We’re in London Next

We don’t currently have any travel plans to London but hope to visit at some point in 2021.

  • SEO Backlinks
  • Travel Blog

SIGN-UP FOR FREE LONDON WEEKLY UPDATES!

Please enter a valid email address
That address is already in use
The security code entered was incorrect
Thanks for signing up

Copyright © 2023 Anglotopia, LLC · Website Developed by Anglotopia, LLC · Log in