The C&TH Guide To Summer 2025

Long days. Balmy evenings. Sunsets that seem to last forever. There’s nothing quite like summer… and the UK is filled with endless things to do. Here are 20 ways to make it one to remember.

What’s On Across The UK This Summer?

Park Fair

Returning to The Great Tew Estate in Oxfordshire this June is Park Fair, a three-day boutique festival filled with food, shopping, wellness, fairground rides and more. Enjoy an array of culinary treats from pizza to BBQ fare, catch chef demonstrations, sip wines from the South of France at the amie Wine Bar, listen to live music, and take part in yoga and sound healing workshops. The festival has activities for all ages too: children can get involved with silent discos, arts and crafts and dance classes.

Details: 20–22 June 2025 at The Great Tew Estate (Quarry Farm, Banbury Rd, Chipping Norton OX7 4BT). parkfair.uk

Cornbury House Horse Trials

Founded by David Howden with the involvement of all the family, Cornbury House Horse Trials is an exciting event in the heart of the Cotswolds, where world-class eventing meets woodland festival vibes. With its visually stunning backdrops of Cornbury House and the Wychwood Forest (where the fabulous Wilderness Festival takes place earlier in the summer), Cornbury House Horse Trials encompasses spectacular equestrian action, as well as a celebration of local food and drink. The perfect way to round off the summer season.

Details: 10–14 September 2025 at Cornbury Park, Charlbury. cornburyhousehorsetrials.co.uk

Royal Academy’s Summer Exhibition

Running since 1769, the Royal Academy’s Summer Exhibition is the world’s largest open submission art show. It’s a chance to peep into the exciting world of current art – and even bag a future masterpiece.

Details: 17 June–17 August 2025 at Burlington House (Piccadilly, London W1J 0BD). royalacademy.org.uk

© Eamonn M. McCormack/Getty Images for Ascot Racecourse

Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup

Jockeys from across the globe will flock to Ascot for its special Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup, promising a day of incredible racing in a bid to win the ultimate team prize. The six-race contest will be followed in classic Ascot style by a star-studded concert featuring Craig David, Melanie C and Marvin Humes.

Details: 9 August 2025 at Ascot Racecourse (High Street, Ascot SL5 7JX). Tickets from £30. ascot.com

Bristol International Balloon Fiesta

A truly unique sight, Bristol International Balloon Fiesta is Europe’s largest annual meeting of hot air balloons. Don’t miss the night glows and firework finale. What a lot of hot air!

Details: 8–10 August 2025 at Ashton Court Estate (Long Ashton, Avon, Bristol BS41 9JN). bristolballoonfiesta.co.uk

Don Pasquale at Glyndebourne, 2017 (© Sam Stephenson)

Glyndebourne Festival

This year, your summer season doesn’t start until the fat lady sings. Expect big voices at Glyndebourne, and even bigger shows. Check out our full guide to the action here.

Details: 16 May–24 August 2025 at Glyndebourne (New Rd, Lewes BN8 5UU). glyndebourne.com

Cartier Queen’s Cup

Peak summer socialising, magnificent ponies and champion players: welcome to the Cartier Queen’s cup. Here, expect three weeks of prime polo action, all in the rarefied surrounds of Guards Polo Club in Windsor. Non-members are welcome at the final day of the action, and while dress codes vary between enclosures, it’s the perfect opportunity to don your finest attire, sip something celebratory and subtly assess the millinery on display.

Details: Cartier Queen’s Cup runs from 20 May–15 June 2025 at Guards Polo Club, though only the semi-finals (11 June) and finals (15 June) are open to non-members. Find out more at guardspoloclub.com

Dartmouth Royal Regatta

There is absolutely nothing worth doing as simply messing about in boats. Live by Ratty’s maxim and visit Dartmouth Royal Regatta; it was a favourite of Queen Victoria’s. Oarsome fun.

Details: 28–30 August 2025 on Priory Street (Kingswear, Dartmouth TQ6 0AB). dartmouthregatta.co.uk

Goodwood Festival Of Speed

A summer garden party – with added cars. Held in the beautiful parkland surrounding Goodwood House, this roaring, revving, rubber-burning affair is a celebration of all things automotive. Imagine legendary cars and bikes screaming up the hillclimb, piloted by heroes past and present. Wander through paddocks packed with engineering marvels, from vintage classics to the cutting edge of motorsport. Breathe in the glorious smell of high-octane fuel, soak up the electric atmosphere, and get up close and personal with automotive icons.

Details: Goodwood Festival of Speed returns from 10–13 July 2025 at Goodwood (Chichester PO18 0PH). Find out more and book at goodwood.com

Summer Solstice At Stonehenge

Gather at sunrise to greet the summer solstice at ancient Stonehenge. The beauty of this event is seeing the morning rays splash the Heel Stone, marking the astrological midpoint of the year.

Details: 21 June at Stonehenge (Salisbury SP4 7DE). stonehenge-tour.com

Chestertons Polo In The Park

At this swanky urban oasis, the thunder of hooves meets the clinking of champagne flutes. Chestertons Polo in the Park isn’t your dusty countryside affair: it’s a three-day-long high-octane, social whirl right in the heart of the city. Witness the exhilarating speed and skill of the players in a faced-paced format that makes it exciting for fans old and new, and try to follow the tiny white ball (it’s harder than it looks after a few glasses of bubbly). With fabulous shopping and delicious street food stands to boot, this smashing day out is a chance to dress up and hobnob with the glamorous – and it’s considerably less muddy than your usual polo match.

Details: 6–8 June 2025 in Hurlingham Park (Broomhouse Ln, London SW6 3DP). Find out more and book at polointheparklondon.com

Independent Bookshop Week

Independent Bookshop Week will return in June, our favourite annual celebration of independent bookshops and booksellers across the UK and Ireland. From spoken word events in support of refugees to inspiring talks from a range of authors, garden BBQs to mystery bookshop crawls, and a plethora of mesmerizing bookshop windows, there’s plenty to enjoy.

Details: 14–21 June 2025 across the UK. See all of the events at booksaremybag.com

Open-Air Theatre

As theatre settings go, it doesn’t get much better than the Minack Theatre, situated on the rugged cliffs of south-west Cornwall. Upcoming shows for this summer include a musical version of Little Women, a retelling of Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre and David Mynne’s The Odyssey. minack.com

Find more open air theatres here

Wild Feasts At Oxmoor Farm

Enjoy an al fresco feast prepared by celeb chefs at Oxmoor Farm. You’ll be one of 50 served up bountiful plates by the likes of Amber Francis and Michelle Trusselle in the rolling Chiltern Hills.

Details: All summer long at Oxmoor Farm (Great Hampden, Great Missenden HP16 9RD). oxmoorfarm.co.uk

Henley Royal Regatta

Splash around to cool down at the most prestigious regatta in the world. Henley’s 300 races take place over a serene six days along a picturesque stretch of the River Thames. Expect festival vibes with music and food, too.

Details: 1–6 July 2025 in Henley-on-Thames (White Hill, Henley-on-Thames RG9 2LY). hrr.co.uk

Discover Secret Cycling Routes Near London

Two-wheeled travel convert? Show off your new hobby alongside veteran British cycling coach Charlie Codrington, who runs off-road guided bike tours for all levels of experience through his company Hidden Tracks Cycling. hiddentrackscycling.co.uk

Brighton Pride

The UK’s biggest Pride festival is back and better than ever. There’s usually a star-studded line up – Christina Aguilera, Paloma Faith, Jake Shears and Sophie Ellis-Bextor have all performed in recent years, amongst many others – as part of a weekend stacked with events, including the famous Pride Parade.

Details: 2–3 August 2025 in Brighton. brighton-pride.org

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Pub In The Park

Tom Kerridge’s much-loved food and music festival is back for 2025, visiting Marlow, Chiswick, Reigate and St Albans across four weekends, packed with fun for the whole family to enjoy.

Details: Throughout summer across the UK. Find all the details at pubintheparkuk.com

Rooftop Film Club

Elevate your cinema experience – literally – at Rooftop Film Club, which sees films old and new screened across two London rooftops: Bussey Building in Peckham and Stratford’s Roof East. With huge screens, comfortable deckchairs and bottomless popcorn, outdoor film setups don’t get much better than this. rooftopfilmclub.com