Going Out: Things To Do In London This August

August is one of the best months to be in London. With summer now in full swing, the city’s beer gardens, restaurant terraces, lidos and parks fill up with merry rosé drinkers and picnickers, and there’s a distinct buzz in the air. Open-air theatre season is underway, live concerts pop up in parks and al fresco dining is now the norm.

So what to bookmark for the month ahead? Read on for the C&TH pick of what to do in London in August – and for more inspiration, sign up to our Staying In, Going Out newsletter which will deliver all this and more straight to your inbox everyday.

August 2026 In London: Events, Pop-Ups, Openings

See The Newly Opened Buckingham Palace State Rooms

Summer signals the reopening of Buckingham Palace’s State Rooms for public perusal. Some of the most recognisable royal backdrops in the palace – where members of the royal family receive and entertain guests – the State Rooms were originally decorated for George IV, and now feature some of the greatest treasures from the Royal Collection. Think paintings by Van Dyck and Canaletto, sculpture by Canova, Sèvres porcelain and more. On your next visit, make sure to also swing by the newly transformed Picture Gallery, which has put 120 masterpieces on the walls to coincide with the State Rooms’ reopening.

Where? Buckingham Gate, London SW1A 1AA 

Details: Open until 27 September 2026, rct.uk

Check Out The Macallan Boutique At Harrods

Whisky lovers, take note. The Macallan has unveiled its first UK boutique, tucked inside Harrods where the old Baccarat Bar used to be. It’s now home to one of the most extensive ranges of the brand’s Single Malt Scotch outside the Estate itself, rare releases and limited editions included. To mark the opening, Spanish illustrator and longtime Macallan collaborator Javi Aznárez has created a Harrods-exclusive edition of The Macallan Rare Cask 2026, just 100 bottles, released first come, first served on opening day. Beyond the bottles, there’s plenty more to take in: artwork from David Carson and Sir Peter Blake, a personalisation station for engraving and gift wrapping, and a sampling bar that transforms into a private dining space for Estate-inspired tastings. Whisky connoisseurs, consider your afternoon plans sorted.

Where? 87-135 Brompton Rd, London SW1X 7XL

Details: themacallan.com 

Go To Cocktails in the City

London’s favourite cocktail festival returns this August with two weekends of fun in a private Georgian garden (the first took place in July, but you can still attend the second). Get involved with tastings from some of the city’s top bars, play petanque, mix up your own tipples (with the help of the experts), dance at a silent disco and listen to live music – plus don’t miss the food village offering dumplings, tacos and more.

Where? Bedford Square Gardens

Details: 6 – 8 August 2026, cocktailsinthecity.com

See Live Music At Battersea Park In Concert

No plans for the Bank Holiday weekend? Get tickets to Battersea Park in Concert, a weekend of outdoor concerts in one of the city’s prettiest green spaces. Highlights for 2026 include a performance from the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra – including a night dedicated to movies and musicals – as well as the return of Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Orchestra. Alongside the music, guests can bring their own picnic, or pre-order one from Pique, plus book wine tasting sessions from French vineyard Domaine des Jeanne. 

Where? Battersea Park

Details: 28 – 31 August 2026, batterseaparkinconcert.com

Try A Cult Brooklyn Pizza At The Standard

Best Pizza is one of the hottest pizza joints in Williamsburg, New York – and this summer, it’s coming to London. See what the fuss is about by heading to Double Standard at The Standard, London, where the restaurant is popping up with its signature pies. On the menu? Classics like the Margherita, White Pie and Marinara, as well as a special made just for Londoners: the Soppressata Coppola. Pair with drinks from Two Tribes brewery – and be sure to finish with a classic tiramisu.

Where? 10 Argyle Street, King’s Cross, London, WC1H 8EG 

Details: 7 August – 13 September 2026, standardhotels.com

Reset Your Circadian Rhythms At The Emory

No need to book a long-haul flight to give your body a full reset: London’s all-suite hotel The Emory has launched its very own retreat. The City Circadian Reset echoes the philosophy of the hotel’s longevity-focused wellbeing club Surrenne Belgravia, focusing on a concentrated period of self-restoration designed to correct the body’s circadian rhythm – a 24-hour clock which regulates sleep, alertness, metabolism and hormone release. During the experience you’ll be given a bespoke retreat programme, a fitness consultation, daily studio classes (including the famous Tracy Anderson method), personal training, spa treatments and a full anti-inflammatory menu from nutritionist Rose Ferguson. Mornings will begin with sunlight first thing via a walk around Hyde Park, while the Surrenne team will help you ease mindfully into sleep with in-suite cacao ceremonies. Your suite, meanwhile, will contain a mini-bar complete with electrolytes, 111SKIN eye masks, kombucha, magnesium and cold pressed juices – plus you can select a wellness book from the Longevity Library to read during your stay. 

Where? The Emory, Old Barrack Yard, London SW1X 7NP 

Details: From £5,010pp for two nights, maybourne.com

See LUMINISCENCE

A spine-tingling new immersive concert experience has landed in the heart of London. Combining live choral singing, orchestral music, dazzling 360° projections and narration from none other than Hugh Bonneville, it is unlike anything you will have experienced before (unless you were one of the 2 million spectators to see the show first in France, then in Manchester). Taking over the historic Westminster Cathedral for a limited run, LUMINISCENCE tells the history of the striking neo-Byzantine landmark, in turn also briefly detailing the history of the capital. The swooping columns and distant ceilings of this, Britain’s largest cathedral, are transformed with sweeping projections which metamorphose across the vast domes, trickle down the brick walls, and breathe new life into the vast interiors left bare for more than 120 years. Between songs masterminded by Beethoven, Verdi, Debussy, Vivaldi, Bach, brought to life by the spellbinding Lux Aeterna choir, Bonneville’s pre-recorded narration explains it all.

Where? 42 Francis Street, London, SW1P 1QW

Details: Until Saturday 26 September, tickets from £32.50, luminiscence.com

Check Out Canary Wharf’s New Lido

When London gets toasty, the best way to cool down is by heading to one of the city’s lidos. New for 2026 is Canary Wharf’s Sea Lanes, a natural, Olympic-sized pool located in the north-west corner of Eden Dock. Filled with filtered dock water – which will be continually tested to meet ‘Excellent’ EU Bathing Standards – it was built in response to increased demand for outdoor swimming in the city. After a dip, enjoy some R&R in one of the wood-fired saunas before grabbing a bite to eat in the on-site cafe.

Where? 15, Newfoundland Place, Canary Wharf Estate, London E14 4HD 

Details: sealanescanarywharf.co.uk

Book Into The LUNA X Behind Seafood Pop-Up

For one night, and one night only, two of East London’s most exciting chefs will be joining forces. Leonard Tanyag, executive chef of LUNA Omakase, is teaming up with Behind’s Michelin starred chef Andy Beynon for an exclusive omakase experience. Taking place on 7 July in two intimate sittings (at 6pm and 8:30pm), this 12-course tasting menu will see dishes inspired by the restaurants’ most celebrated food, techniques and seafood philosophies. Want to get your mouth watering? For a taste of the evening, sample dishes include the Otoro Handroll (fatty bluefin tuna with fresh wasabi, citrus truffle, nikiri soy and tobikko) and the Tarabagani Onigiri (baked king crab with spicy aioli, tobikko, spring onion, yuzu, sweet soy). Heaven. 

Where? LUNA Omakase, 9th Floor, 100 Liverpool Street, London EC2M 2AT

Details: £230 per person, book it at opentable.co.uk

Dine At The Peninsula’s Rooftop Summer Pop-Up

The London rooftop to know about this summer? The Peninsula’s Soleil by Claude pop-up bar, which returns on 14 July following a successful run last year. Taking over the Brooklands space on the hotel’s eighth floor, the restaurant features al fresco seating and views across the London skyline – with a new menu to boot. Enjoy dishes like sea bass carpaccio and lobster rolls ahead of mains like steamed John Dory and lemony roast chicken, followed by ice cream from the revolving trolley. Pair with champagne and cocktails like the Coconut Negroni, a mix of rum and bitters infused with rosemary, olives and orange.

Where? The Peninsula, 1 Grosvenor Pl, London SW1X 7HJ

Details: 14 July – 2 September 2026, peninsula.com

Experience Kettner’s First Ever Afternoon Tea

Despite being one of London’s most traditional restaurants, Kettner’s in Soho has never offered afternoon tea – until now. This June, the restaurant launched its first ever take on the age-old British tradition: think finger sandwiches filled with cucumber and dill, smoked salmon and cream cheese rostis and lobster vol au vents followed by a selection of French-inspired pâtisserie including vanilla madeleines with cognac, and mini apple tarte tatin. Upgrade with champagne pairings for a luxe summer afternoon treat.

Where? 29 Romilly St, London W1D 5AL 

Details: Available Tuesday – Sunday from 2 – 6pm, £55pp, sohohouse.com

See CATS At Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre

Nothing screams summer like a spot of open air theatre. The show to see this year? The first ever UK revival of Andrew Lloyd-Webber’s classic musical CATS, which is being performed amid the enchanting setting of Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre. Based on T.S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats and with a score featuring hits like the chart-topping ‘Memory’, it’s set to be one of the hottest tickets on the 2026 theatrical calendar.

Where? The Regent’s Park, Inner Cir, London NW1 4NU 

Details: 25 July – 19 September 2026, openairtheatre.com

Try Cham-Pong At The Goring

Beer pong not your thing? What about if the beer was swapped for champagne? That’s what’s on offer at The Goring, which is launching a champagne-fuelled ping pong pop-up to celebrate 100 years of the sport. A ping pong table will appear in the hotel’s private garden, with guests invited to buy a bottle of Bollinger and try their hand at a game or two, bouncing the balls into coupes by hand or using a bat. Perhaps having that precious cargo to protect will make you a better player…

Where? 15 Beeston Pl, London SW1W 0JW

Details: From 17 July 2026, thegoring.com

Catch A Film At Everyman On The Canal

Organise an al fresco movie night at London’s canalside pop-up cinema. This year’s programme includes a variety of films old and new, from rom com classics like Clueless to family-friendly favourites including The Incredibles and Ratatouille, plus recent releases including Wicked: For Good. While you watch, enjoy treats like summer popcorn and spritzes. The best bit? It’s free! There’s limited space, though, so arrive with plenty of time to nab a spot.

Where? Granary Square, King’s Cross, London 

Details: Until 16 August 2026, everymancinema.com

Try Anya Hindmarch’s Quirky Ice Cream Pop-Up

London’s wackiest ice cream spot is back for the summer, popping up at Anya Hindmarch’s Village in Chelsea for its fifth edition. Forget your classic chocolate and vanilla: at The Ice Cream Project, scoops are inspired by pantry items, vintage drinks and condiments, and this year’s menu is suitably unusual. Flavours include sweetcorn, golden syrup studded with chunks of Yorkshire pudding, stock cubes and even toothpaste… but don’t knock them until you’ve tried them. If that all sounds a bit too left-field for your palate, stay in more familiar territory with the Walker’s Shortbread, which sees vanilla ice cream stirred with crumbs of shortbread fingers, or the Illy Coffee made with Arabica coffee beans and Devonshire cream. Feeling brave? Head to the Anya Cafe next door for a blind tasting of all 15 flavours.

Where? 11 Pont St, London SW1X 9EH

Details: Until 16 August, anyahindmarch.com

Check Out Rob & Nick Carter’s Exhibition

The latest exhibition from husband-and-wife artist duo Rob and Nick Carter explores the boundaries between historical painting and digital time – a theme the pair first began looking into back in 2008 by translating static masterpieces into ‘moving paintings’. A new cycle of works use human-guided AI as a kind of digital brush, looking at artists who investigated light and form through repetition including Monet and Kandinsky. 

Where? RNat5A, 5A Bathurst Street, London W2 2SD

Details: Until 30 October 2026, robandnick.com

Visit The New Bar des Prés

There’s a new address for Chef Cyril Lignac’s beloved Bar des Prés, moving the famed spot deeper into the heart of Mayfair. You’ll now find Lignac’s signature French/East Asian cuisine in a glamorous dining room on South Audley Street, with elegant interiors – think polished wood, tactile textiles, and silk-toned walls – conceived by Lázaro Rosa Violán Studio. The menu’s big hitters remain: the moreish crunchy crab and avocado galette, the flavour-packed California rolls, the playful vanilla mash. And there are new dishes to discover, too, including an unctuous smash burger. There are no bad choices on this excellent menu, and regardless of what you choose, everything is finished with French flair and East Asian precision – including those interiors, which commence the cross-continental conversation when you cross the threshold.

Where? 41A South Audley Street, W1K 2PS

Details: Open everyday for lunch and dinner. Book your table at bardespres.com

Check Out The Frida Kahlo Exhibition

Over 70 years since she died Fridamania remains rife, with the Mexican painter’s face still plastered all over homeware, tote bags, fridge magnets and more. So how did we get here? This June, the Tate Modern is exploring how Frida Kahlo became one of the most influential artists of all time in a major exhibition (the first dedicated to the artist in eight years). It will feature over 30 of Kahlo’s works spanning paintings, documents, photographs and memorabilia, alongside 200 pieces from the artists she inspired from later generations. 

Where? Tate Modern, Bankside, London SE1 9TG 

Details: 25 June 2026 – 3 January 2027, tate.org.uk