August bank holiday events: 16 things to do in London and across the UK
Three days of top entertainment from comedy to Carnival
Whether you want to dance the bank holiday weekend away or sniff out some of the best food festivals, here are the events to look out for:
Notting Hill Carnival
Dance to steel pans, see amazing costumes and enjoy a slice of the Caribbean at Notting Hill Carnival, the biggest street carnival in Europe. From Saturday 24 August to Monday 26 August.
Location: Notting Hill, London
Price: free
Reading and Leeds Festival
Reading and Leeds Festivals are two of the biggest music festivals taking place over August bank holiday weekend. This year's headliners are Foo Fighters, Twenty One Pilots, The 1975 and Post Malone.
Location: Reading and Leeds
Price: from £221.40 for weekend tickets
Edinburgh Festival Fringe
Touted as the “biggest celebration of culture and arts on the planet”, Edinburgh Fringe began on 2 August and continues until 26 August. Thousands of performers take to stages across the city to offer drama, comedy, musicals and more.
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
Price: varies
Any Given Bank Holiday Sunday
From 1pm on bank holiday Sunday, The Piano Works is offering bottomless brunch, non-stop live music and £5 mojitos after 7pm. This raucous musical party will have you dancing well into Monday morning.
Location: Farringdon, London
Price: from £5
Pride Cymru
Pride Cymru returns to Cardiff for Wales's biggest celebration of equality and diversity. Events will take place Friday to Sunday of the bank holiday weekend on the City Hall Lawns. On Saturday at 11am, thousands of people are expected to take part in the main parade through the streets of the city.
Location: Cardiff, Wales
Price: from £7.50 or watch the parade for free
Wannasee Festival Penrith
Back for its fourth year, Wannasee boasts a line-up of world-class tributes to many of music’s most popular acts, from the Spice Girls to ABBA.
Location: Penrith, Cumbria
Price: from £25
Sunshine Festival 2018
The Osmonds, Busted and Scouting for Girls are among more than 100 acts to perform at the family friendly Sunshine Festival in the Heart of England.
Location: Upton-upon-Severn, Worcestershire
Price: adult weekend camping tickets from £99
Victorious Festival
Another child-friendly music festival, Victorious is set in a seaside location overlooking The Solent. It boasts some big performers, including New Order, Rudimental, James Bay, Two Door Cinema Club and The Specials.
Location: Portsmouth, Hampshire
Price: from £40
South West Four
From 24 to 25 August, Clapham Common’s dance music festival attracts superstar DJs from across the globe and boasts performers such as Martin Garrix, Chase & Status, Pendulum and Craig David.
Location: Clapham Common, London
Price: weekend tickets from £112.50
River Cottage Festival 2019
This two-day event (Saturday and Sunday) at River Cottage HQ includes music, talks, masterclasses, children’s activities and - most importantly - food. You might even spot founder Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall.
Location: Axminster, Devon
Price: weekend tickets from £95
Jika Jika! Festival 2019
Celebrate against a beautiful backdrop, with views of the River Foyle and Peace Bridge, as well as an art installation made up of 40 pairs of illuminated columns, while dancing to acts such as Green Velvet and Eats Everything, in the second Jika Jika! Festival.
Location: Derry, Northern Ireland
Price: Final release weekend tickets £67.20
On 24 August, the Hip Hop Brunch LDN team will be serving up an award-winning three-course meal and bottomless cocktails with hip hop karaoke, magic, DJs and temporary tattoo artists.
Location: A secret London location
Price: from £15 for entry only
Tropical-themed bar Floripa has been hosting bank holiday events for over 20 years. This Friday and Saturday it is promising more “notorious” nights, with a confetti cannon, fire breathers, Brazilian dancers and a free shot on arrival.
Location: Shoreditch, London
Price: From free
Country Roads Music Festival
Country and western fans will be heading to Wrexham for a weekend of dancing and family entertainment. British country artists will be performing live - and there’s a country disco to follow.
Location: Marchwiel, Wrexham
Price: Weekend camping £35
Lost Village festival
Located in an abandoned forest, long since forgotten by the outside world, the Lost Village offers food, music, theatre, an “institute of curious minds” and even an energy garden. This truly immersive experiences won Best Small Festival at the UK Festival Awards in 2017.
Location: Lincoln
Price: £195
Smithfield Street Party: A Beastly Adventure
Smithfield Market hosts this animal-themed street party to mark its 150th birthday this Bank Holiday Sunday. Explore the urban jungle, watch extraordinary aerialists fly through the sky and enjoy the plentiful food and drink the market has to offer.
Location: Farringdon, London
Price: Free
