If you’re about to spend part of your summer in Britain, why not add one of the UK’s best Summer Festivals for the most amazing photos and memories?
You’re lucky because every year, Britain hosts some of the most thrilling gigs worldwide to mark the Summer Solstice, so just pick your favourite among festivals, events, concerts, and other theatre performances. These are all one-of-a-kind experiences for you and your friends.
From the mystical Stonehenge Summer Solstice to the world-renowned Glastonbury Festival, here’s your guide to some of the UK’s best Summer Festivals.
Festivals and Events
Glastonbury Festival, Worthy Farm
- Dates: June 26-30, 2024
- Location: Worthy Farm, Pilton, Somerset
- Highlights: Known globally, Glastonbury is the fave of all UK music festivals, featuring rock, pop, indie, dance, and more. With Dua Lipa, Coldplay, Justice, London Grammar… this year’s lineup promises big-name performances, although each year, you can also discover new artists across the multiple stages.
Edinburgh Festival Fringe
- Dates: August 2-26, 2024
- Location: Various venues across Edinburgh, mostly at Fringe Central Location
- Highlights: The largest arts festival in the world, the Fringe offers a dizzying array of theatre, comedy, dance, circus, cabaret, and more. With thousands of shows in unique venues, every visit is a unique adventure.
Stonehenge Summer Solstice Festival
- Dates: June 18-22, 2024
- Location: Stonehenge, Wiltshire
- Highlights: Join the annual celebration at Stonehenge to mark the longest day of the year. Catch the sun rising over the ancient stones while attending a vibrant gathering of music, dance, and spiritual sessions.
Latitude Festival
- Dates: July 25-28, 2024
- Location: Henham Park, Suffolk
- Highlights: A multi-arts extravaganza, Latitude combines music, theatre, comedy, poetry, and literature in a beautiful lakeside setting. Perfect for families, with dedicated areas for children’s activities and wellness.
Isle of Wight Festival
- Dates: June 20-23, 2024
- Location: Seaclose Park, Newport, Isle of Wight
- Highlights: The Isle of Wight Festival is a historic music festival that continues to draw big names and rising stars. Enjoy an eclectic mix of performances in a relaxed, festival-friendly atmosphere.
British Summer Time Hyde Park
- Dates: June 28-July 14, 2024
- Location: Hyde Park, London
- Highlights: Andrea Bocelli, Shania Twain, Kylie Minogue—Immerse yourself in a series of concerts featuring some of the biggest names in music. Past headliners at BST Hyde Park have included legends like The Rolling Stones and Adele. Don’t miss the chance to enjoy world-class music in Hyde Park, one of London’s most iconic parks!
Wilderness Festival
- Dates: August 1-4, 2024
- Location: Cornbury Park, Oxfordshire
- Highlights: This festival is the perfect enchanting blend of music, theatre, arts, and gourmet food. Set in the idyllic Cornbury Park near Oxford, Wilderness offers a holistic festival experience with activities like wild swimming, yoga, and forest feasts.
Concerts
Taylor Swift – The Eras Tour
- Dates: June & August 2024
- Location: Wembley Stadium
- Highlights: Taylor Swift’s highly anticipated ‘Eras Tour‘ showcases her entire discography, offering fans a night of musical magic with elaborate staging and heartfelt performances.
You’ll find a wider selection of concerts here.
Theatre
Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
- Dates: Until September 2024
- Location: Regent’s Park, London
- Highlights: Experience the magic of theatre under the stars at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre. Here, you’ll find everything from classic plays to musicals and enjoy them outside in a breathtaking open-air setting.
Shakespeare’s Globe
- Dates: Summer 2024
- Location: Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, London
- Highlights: Step back in time with authentic productions of Shakespeare’s plays in this iconic, open-air theatre. If you and your family or friends enjoy theatre, the Globe Theatre should be on your bucket list!
The Edinburgh International Festival
- Dates: August 2-25, 2024
- Location: Various venues across Edinburgh
- Highlights: Make your way to a prestigious celebration of performing arts featuring opera, music, theatre, and dance. The International Festival runs together with the Fringe, making Edinburgh a cultural hotspot (and a great choice!) in August.
Special Events
The Proms
- Dates: July 19 – September 14, 2024
- Location: Royal Albert Hall, London
- Highlights: Fill your ears with a summer-long series of daily orchestral classical music concerts. The Proms culminate in the famous Last Night, a must-see event for classical music lovers.
Wimbledon Championships
- Dates: July 1-14, 2024
- Location: Wimbledon, London
- Highlights: As you may know, Wimbledon is the world’s oldest but most prestigious tennis tournament. If you’re a tennis fan, we hope you grabbed your tickets on time to enjoy all the top-tier tennis matches, the traditional strawberries and cream, and the electric atmosphere of Centre Court.
With such an impressive lineup of events and activities, summer 2024 in Britain promises to be an exciting season! Exactly the type of cultural events you need to add to your visit to the UK. So mark your calendars and prepare to make the most of it!
