From day fests to food fests, the city is alive with festivals in 2023
It happens every year: you’re bored at the weekend, mindlessly scrolling through Instagram when suddenly you are hit by an influx of posts and stories: seemingly everyone you know is out enjoying themselves at a festival you’ve never even heard of! When did they all plan this? How did they find out about it? It’s a tale as old as time. If you’d like to be a step ahead of the curve in for 2023, read on. These are the best of London festivals 2023 – from music to food, art to literature – for the festival hopefuls looking for fun in the city.
The Ultimate London Festival Calendar
- March: Just For Laughs, WOW London
- April: Marylebone Food Festival
- May: Pub in the Park, Balance Festival, Wide Awake Festival
- June: Mighty Hoopla, Meltdown, Hampton Court Palace Festival, Fitzrovia Arts Festival
- July: Wireless Festival, Kaleidoscope Festival
- August: All Points East, YAM Carnival
- September: London Design Festival, Meatopia
- October: London Literature Festival, Queen’s Park Book Festival
London Festivals 2023: The Best in Music, Food, Art & Culture
Just For Laughs
When? 2–5 March 2023
Where? The O2
What? Ryan Reynolds, Graham Norton, Jonathan Ross, Rosie Jones, Michelle De Swarte: 2023’s Just For Laughs comedy festival has a star-studded line-up. Expect intimate shows, live podcast recordings, cast panels, and lots and lots of laughs.
BOOK IT: Full festival passes are £55.75, or shows can be booked individually. london.hahaha.com
WOW – Women of the World
When? 10–12 March 2023
Where? Southbank Centre
What? As London festivals go, WOW is one of the most wholesome. Now in its 13th year, Women of the World celebrates women, girls and non-binary people across three days filled with speakers, activists, musicians and comedians. Opened by WOW Founder Jude Kelly and special guests broadcaster Sandi Toksvig and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner June Oscar, the 2023 lineup includes the likes of activist, model, writer and broadcaster Munroe Bergdorf, businesswoman and activist Mary Portas, Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and author Liv Little, alongside many more.
DISCOVER MORE: southbankcentre.co.uk
Marylebone Food Festival
When? 25 – 30 April 2023
Where? Marylebone, London
What? Hosted by food critic Jay Rayner alongside a handful of top London chefs, the Marylebone Food Festival will see restaurants, bars and food stores across the neighbourhood hosting special events across a five-day period. The kick-off seven course dinner tends to sell out quickly (so prepare yourself), but there will be plenty of masterclasses, supper clubs, tastings and themed nights to enjoy after the fact. Proceeds from the event will go towards charity partner The Food Chain, which supports people living with HIV in London.
BOOK IT: marylebonefoodfestival.com
Pub in the Park
When? 12–14 May 2023
Where? Wimbledon
Tom Kerridge’s Pub in the Park sees a top line-up of chefs and music artists touring around the country, all with one mission: to celebrate everything there is to love about the glorious British pub. The chef line-up for 2023 is yet to be announced, but you can always guarantee a great turnout – last year featured names like James Martin and Michael Roux Jr, plus pop-ups from numerous UK restaurants. Music is a big part of this one too, with performances from Sam Ryder, Clean Bandit, Tinie Tempah and The Jacksons on the cards for 2023.
BOOK IT: pubintheparkuk.com
Balance Festival
When? 19–21 May 2023
Where? The Old Truman Brewery, London
What? Work out with global fitness experts, learn from top wellness gurus and sample some of the hottest health foods of the moment at Balance Festival, which returned to The Old Truman Brewery in London this June. As well as classes from London’s top fitness studios (Barry’s, Boomcycle, and KXU), expect a meditation dome, a market and start-up village to see the latest venues in the wellness sector.
BOOK IT: balance-festival.com
Wide Awake Festival
When? 27 May 2023
Where? Brockwell Park
What? With emerging talent front and centre, Wide Awake Festival debuted in 2021 ‘for music fans looking to discover something different’. This year’s line up is headed up by Caroline Polachek, alongside the likes of Ty Segall, Osees, Oneohtrix Point Never, Daniel Avery and Shygirl.
BOOK IT: Tickets from £10. wideawakelondon.co.uk
Mighty Hoopla
When? 3–4 June 2023
Where? Brockwell Park
What? Staying in Brixton’s Brockwell Park, this LGBTQ+ friendly music festival always promises a good time. And 2023’s line-up is a stonker: Kelly Rowland, Years & Years and Aqua are all confirmed, alongside deep-cut Vengaboys and many more.
BOOK IT: Tickets from £69.50. mightyhoopla.com
Christine and the Queens’ Meltdown
When? 9–18 June 2023
Where? Southbank Centre
What? The Southbank Centre’s annual celebration of music, art, performance and film is this year being curated by French phenomenon, Christine and the Queens – following in the footsteps of previous big-name curators, from David Bowie to Patti Smith, Morrissey to Jarvis Cocker. ‘What an honour to be picked by the fantastical teams of the Meltdown festival to be a curator,’ says Chris. ‘I will pick musicians that have some gut-wrenching quality, and I wish for all of us to stroll around in those ten days being rejuvenated by artistic gestures.’
DISCOVER MORE: southbankcentre.co.uk
Hampton Court Palace Festival
Hampton Court Palace Festival
When? Throughout June
Where? Hampton Court Palace, Richmond-upon-Thames
What? More low-key than many entries on this list, at Hampton Court Palace Festival, artists perform to a beautiful backdrop in Henry VIII’s open-air Base Court for an intimate audience of 3,000. This year’s line-up includes Grace Jones, Kaiser Chiefs, Björn Again and Rick Astley, with more to still be announced. It’s also the perfect festival if a picnic on the lawn pre-show is on your check-list. We’re very much in.
BOOK IT: hamptoncourtpalacefestival.com
Fitzrovia Arts Festival poster, 2022, jesse brown, watercolour on paper courtesy of Rebecca Hossack Art gallery
Fitzrovia Arts Festival
When? TBC June 2023
Where? Fitzrovia
What? The rich and artistic past of Fitzrovia is celebrated in the Fitzrovia Arts Festival, which returned for its sixth edition last summer. Internationally-acclaimed artists, performers and writers who live in the area (and famous residents from the past) were celebrated with a programme of concerts, exhibitions, poetry readings, talks, walks and performances across multiple venues in the area. Keep an eye on the website for updates for the 2023 edition.
DISCOVER MORE: fitzroviaartsfestival.com
Wireless Festival
When? 7–9 July 2023
Where? Finsbury Park
What? One of the most well-known London festivals, Wireless is a celebration of the newest and best in hip hop, grime and R&B, welcoming the likes of Stormzy, Travis Scott, SZA, Nicki Minaj and Cardi B to the stage in recent years. This year’s line-up is yet to be announced, so watch this space.
BOOK IT: Early bird tickets are on sale now. wirelessfestival.co.uk
Lloyd Winters
Kaleidoscope
When? 15 July 2023
Where? Alexandra Palace
What? The iconic Ally Pally is back with its very own festival, Kaleidoscope, for summer 2023. As if the spectacular backdrop wasn’t enough, Hot Chip is headlining this summery music day festival, with more acts to be announced soon.
BOOK IT: Adult tickets are £59.15. kaleidoscope-festival.com
Tom Hancock
All Points East
Where? Victoria Park, London
When? 18–20 & 25–27 August 2023
What? All Points East takes place annually in Victoria Park across two weekends in August. Music traditionally leans towards the alternative genre, though there’s a bit of everything: the 2022 line-up included Gorillaz, The Chemical Brothers, Disclosure and Tame Impala. 2023’s first announced headliner is none other than Stormzy.
BOOK IT: allpointseastfestival.com
Yam Carnival
When? TBD August 2023
Where? Clapham Common
What? One of the newer London festivals, Clapham Common’s YAM Carnival, was designed to celebrate Black culture from around the world, and 2022 was headlined by none other than Wizkid. What better way to spend an August weekend? 2023 details to be announced.
BOOK IT: yamcarnival.com
Sabine Marcelis’ rotating chairs, from London Design Festival 2022. (Image courtesy of London Design Festival)
London Design Festival
When? 16–24 September 2023
Where? South Kensington
What? The London Design Festival will return to the capital this September for its 20th edition, complete with an eclectic mix of events, exhibitions and installations. Highlights will include a landmark outdoor exhibit from Rotterdam-based designer Sabine Marcelis, located in St Giles Square, plus a project at Greenwich Peninsula from Stanton Williams and Webb Yates in collaboration with experimental design, inspired by the Neolithic stone structures that ‘create a space separate from the outside world’.
DISCOVER MORE: londondesignfestival.com
Meatopia
When? TBD September 2023
Where? Tobacco Dock
What? Now over 10 years old, Meatopia is a London festival dedicated to meat, with a focus on quality and sustainability. Taking place in Tobacco Dock each year, the event sees over 60 of the world’s best live-fire chefs gather to cook up exclusive dishes over sustainably-sourced wood and charcoal, with previous names including Ottolenghi, Niklas Ekstedt and Francis Mallmann. All this is to be enjoyed alongside live music from roaming brass brands and DJs, plus craft beers and cocktails.
DISCOVER MORE: meatopia.co.uk
London Literature Festival
When? TBC October 2023
Where? South Bank Centre
What? There’s always a heavy-weight line-up of the biggest authors and speakers at this London festival, one of the most talked-about literary festivals of the year. Previous speakers have included the likes of Hilary Clinton, Philip Pullman and Tom Hanks take to the stage for individually-ticketed events. The equally sensational programme for 2022 includes Graham Norton, Anne-Marie, Malorie Blackman, plus a panel of climate voices hosted by Greta Thunberg. Keep your eyes peeled for 2023’s announcements.
DISCOVER MORE: southbankcentre.co.uk
Queen’s Park Book Festival
When? TBC October 2023
Where? Queen’s Park, London
What? Queen’s Park Book Festival boasts a wonderful literary history as a home to authors, artists, poets, and actors, carrying on this legacy by creating a platform for other young aspiring writers to be discovered. Visitors this year had the chance to see names like Robert Harris, Clover Stroud and Juliet Rosenfeld, plus Oskar Jensen and Dr John Woolf discussed the hidden stories of marginalized Victorians.
DISCOVER MORE: queensparkbookfestival.co.uk
Featured image: Kaleidoscope Festival (c) Lloyd Winters.
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