Top 10 Outdoor Events in London This Summer (That Locals Actually Attend)

Hey there, summer lovers!

If you're heading to London this summer or you're a local looking to make the most of those long sunny days, you're in for a treat. While tourists rush to Big Ben and the London Eye, Londoners know where the real fun happens — outdoors, in parks, courtyards, riversides, rooftops, and hidden gardens across the city.

Forget the guidebooks. This is your inside scoop on outdoor events that real Londoners actually show up for. From film screenings under the stars to wild flower festivals, here's your essential summer bucket list for 2025.

1. Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre

📍Regent’s Park, NW1 4NU
Running all summer (May to September)

There’s nothing quite like catching a play in the open air, surrounded by birdsong and twilight skies. This iconic outdoor theatre is a London summer staple, and the 2025 lineup includes “Twelfth Night”, “The Secret Garden”, and a new musical adaptation of “Pride and Prejudice”.

Bring a picnic or grab a glass of rosé from the on-site bar. Just bring layers—London evenings can get chilly, even in June!

2. Kew The Music

📍Kew Gardens, Richmond
8–14 July 2025

Live music surrounded by botanical wonder? Yes, please.

Kew the Music is a dreamy outdoor concert series held inside the world-famous Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew. Think candlelit gardens, classic artists (like Paloma Faith or Tom Jones), and picnic vibes with prosecco flowing.

Locals love it because it’s not too wild, not too quiet – just pure summer magic.

3. Luna Cinema Outdoor Screenings

📍Various Parks in London
All summer long

Watching a movie on a giant screen in a historic park is peak London summer. Luna Cinema sets up its screens everywhere—from Kensington Palace Gardens to Greenwich Park—showing everything from cult classics to recent blockbusters.

Pack your blanket, some snacks, maybe even a bottle of wine. (Just check the rules for the venue first!)

4. Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival

📍East Molesey, KT8 9AU
2–7 July 2025

This is not your average flower show.

Run by the RHS (Royal Horticultural Society), the Hampton Court Garden Festival is a mix of floral installations, wild planting inspiration, food stalls, and royal gardens in full bloom. Londoners who love gardening, Instagrammable moments, and chilled wine all flock here.

Tip: Go in the evening for their special late openings—fewer crowds, cooler temps, and live jazz.

5. British Summer Time Hyde Park (BST Festival)

📍Hyde Park, W2
Late June to early July

If there’s one music festival that draws locals and tourists alike, it’s BST Hyde Park. Massive headliners like Adele, Bruce Springsteen, and Coldplay have graced this stage in the past.

But here’s the local hack: Open House, the free midweek programme. It includes outdoor film nights, craft beer tastings, fitness classes, street food, and chill vibes — and it’s all free.

6. Somerset House Summer Series

📍Somerset House, Strand
Mid–Late July

A stunning neoclassical courtyard by the river + an intimate crowd + a killer sound system = one of London’s most beloved summer gigs.

This isn’t Glasto. It's stylish, sophisticated, and has a solid lineup of indie, soul, and alt-pop artists. Expect a cool crowd sipping gin cocktails and enjoying live music with the moon above.

7. Columbia Road Flower Market

📍Bethnal Green
Every Sunday, year-round (but peak in summer)

It’s not technically an "event," but it feels like one.

On summer Sundays, Columbia Road bursts into life with flower stalls, street musicians, and crowds of locals clutching peonies and lavender bunches. Come for the flowers, stay for the quirky shops and nearby coffee joints.

Tip: Arrive before 10 AM or after 3 PM (when bargains begin).

8. Pub in the Park, Chiswick

📍Chiswick House and Gardens
6–8 June 2025

What do you get when you combine Michelin-starred food, craft beer, and live music in a stately garden?

London’s favourite summer food festival. Pub in the Park brings together celebrity chefs (think Tom Kerridge and friends), gourmet pop-ups, and big-name bands for a proper weekend feast.

It’s chill, it’s local, and the food? Unreal.

9. Greenwich + Docklands International Festival (GDIF)

📍Greenwich & East London
23 August – 8 September 2025

This is London’s best-kept cultural secret.

GDIF transforms East London into a stage with massive outdoor spectacles—acrobats flying from cranes, light shows, and dance on the River Thames. It’s all completely free, and draws an inclusive crowd of families, artists, and culture lovers.

Go in the evenings—it’s unforgettable.

10. Notting Hill Carnival Warm-Ups

📍West London
Late August (Main carnival is August Bank Holiday Weekend)

The big carnival happens in August, but locals start celebrating weeks in advance. Community parties, Caribbean food pop-ups, and impromptu DJ sets pop up all over West London in July and August.

If you want the vibe without the massive crowds of Carnival Day, these smaller events are the way to go.

Bonus: Canal Boat Cinema & Floating Markets

Keep an eye out for pop-up events on the Regent’s Canal, from floating cinemas to weekend markets on barges. They move around places like Little Venice, Camden, and King’s Cross. Super chill, very photogenic, and very London.

Final Thoughts

London summers aren’t just about the weather (though the sunshine helps). It’s about how the city transforms — into a living, breathing festival of food, music, culture, and joy.

And trust us — Londoners show up for these events.

Whether you’re in the mood for a candlelit concert, a movie under the stars, or dancing in the streets, there’s something happening outside nearly every weekend.

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