Where Can Londoners Get Their Al Fresco Film Fix This Summer?

Make the most of sunnier evenings by catching one of your favourite movies in the great outdoors. From cathedrals to castles, parks to palaces, screens are popping up all over the capital. Check out our guide to the best outdoor cinemas for 2026.

Best Outdoor Cinemas In London 2026

Everyman On The Canal, King’s Cross

This is one of London’s most popular annual outdoor cinemas (welcoming around 1 million visitors every year), in part thanks to its stellar location: right by King’s Cross station. But Everyman on the Canal also benefits from Coal Drops Yard’s unique waterside location beside Regent’s Canal, with a big screen popping up on one side of the bank while Londoners and tourists alike can gather to sit on the steps opposite. (On the sunnier days, you’ll also spot thrifty locals bobbing beside the big screen, watching the film from small boats they’ve rowed down the canal.) The highlight every year is live Wimbledon screenings, but in 2026, we can also enjoy DJ sets and a stellar film agenda including Greece, Dune: Part One, Paddington and The Devil Wears Prada. There are also food trucks from which you can buy frozen margaritas, ice cream sundaes, chocolate strawberries, and of course fresh cinema-worthy popcorn.

Details: 29 June to 16 August 2026 just off Granary Square. Find out more at everymancinema.com

Barbican Outdoor Cinema

Barbican Outdoor Cinema

As you can probably tell from the location, this limited time summer cinema pop-up always boasts a more highbrow line-up of films, and in 2026 that includes everything from Madonna’s 80s cult classic Desperately Seeking Susan to Jean-Luc Godard’s French New Wave classic Piero Le Fou and Denis Villeneuve’s epic sci-fi Arrival. All of this on a giant screen in the Barbican Sculpture Court, a picturesque brutalist location. On the food front, as well as traditional popcorn, guests can enjoy gourmet hot dogs, Middle Eastern comfort food and Japanese desserts, along with beer, wine, and soft drinks. Once you’ve got your ticket, seating is first come, first served up to 60 minutes before the screening begins, with guests encouraged to bring their own cushions and blankets to make the evening even more comfortable.

Details: 19–30 August 2026 at the Barbican. Tickets are £18pp and find out more and book at barbican.org.uk

Everyman In The Garden

As if we needed another reason to book a stay at luxurious Hertfordshire hotel The Grove, its pop-up outdoor cinema is returning this summer: Everyman in the Garden. The screen is located in the beautiful Walled Garden, with a programme of films old and new being shown Wednesday to Sunday from July through to September. Expect to watch classics like Mamma Mia!, The Devil Wears Prada and Notting Hill or newbies like The Housemaid, The Naked Gun and F1: The Movie, with various dinner packages available across the hotel’s impressive array of restaurants. Cosy up in one of the beanbags, pop your headphones on and grab a drink and some snacks from the pop-up bar. Popcorn and prosecco? Don’t mind if we do.

Details: 22 July–6 September 2026 at The Grove (Chandler’s Cross, Watford WD3 4TG). Find out more and book at thegrove.co.uk

Summer Screens In Canary Wharf

A hot pick if you prefer to decide last minute that an alfresco film is for you (we all know the British weather) is Canary Wharf’s Summer Screens, which are best known for streaming live sports in the concrete jungle all summer long. However, there are also plenty of films on the agenda, from Wicked: For Good to Monsters Inc and Lilo and Stitch. Held in Canada Square Park, deck chairs and floor space are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Details: 4 June– 1 September 2026 at Canada Square. Find out more at canarywharf.com

Rooftop Cinema Club

London’s coolest outdoor cinema spot will return to both of its in-demand spots this summer: Roof East in Stratford and Bussey Building in Peckham. Grab your bottomless popcorn and settle in for your favourite on a programme that spans indie classics, modern standouts and all-time greats. Screenings span weekdays and weekends, so you can perk up a terrible Tuesday at work with a dreamy date night (double lounge seats are bookable) or relax into the weekend by watching a comforting classic. Part of Roof East, in Stratford you can also enjoy street food stalls, including pizza, stuffed Turkish flatbreads and fried chicken. You’ll also be given wireless headphones to make sure you’re not distracted by the outside world.

Details: Screenings most days at both venues, from 7 May in Stratford (Roof East, Great Eastern Road, London E15 1BB), and from 30 April in Peckham (Roof A, Bussey Building, 133 Rye Lane, London SE15 4ST). Both venues usually close for the season in October. Find out more and book at rooftopcinemaclub.com