Our guide to May bank holiday festivals in London
May bank holiday usually marks the start of festival season in London. Here is our guide to the music festivals happening in London during the final bank holiday in May.
Wide Awake Festival
#FLODown: Returning to London's Brockwell Park on 25 May, the Wide Awake Festival has unveiled its 2024 lineup, with King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard set to headline alongside Mercury Prize winners Young Fathers. Wide Awake prides itself as an independent festival, blending emerging talent with established favourites. Organised by Bad Vibrations, LNZRT, and SC&P—original Field Day founders and the minds behind MOTH Club and The Shacklewell Arms.
Confirmed line-up 2024: King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, Young Fathers, Slowdive, Berlin's Modeselektor, Seattle's La Luz, NTS's OK Williams, Australia's HTRK, New York's Model/Actriz and more.
Date: 27 May 2023. Price: from £54.50. Location: Brockwell Park, Brixton. Book now.
City Splash
#FLODown: City Splash Festival is back at Brockwell Park in May 2024, spotlighting Caribbean and African culture in the UK. The lineup boasts names like Capleton, Beenie Man, Shenseea, Busy Signal, and more surprises to come. Enjoy delicious food, authentic rum, a vibrant creatives market, and insightful talks—a celebration of cultural diversity. Stay tuned for updates and check out our review of City Splash 2023.
Confirmed line-up 2024: Beenie Man, Capleton, Shenseea, Busy Signal, Channel One, General Levy, Seani B, Izzy Bossy and many more.
Date: 27 May 2024. Price: from £49.50. Location: Brockwell Park, Herne Hill, London. SE24 9BJ. Book now.
Rinse FM x Project 6 Festival
#FLODown: Rinse FM's Project 6 Festival returns to Brockwell Park on 24 May 2024, celebrating 30 years of influential music with leading artists like CASISDEAD, Katy B, Freddie Gibbs + Madlib, Mala, Benga, and more. Rinse FM was born from a pirate station in 1994 and has evolved into a trailblazing force across various music genres. Last year's debut was a hit, and this year promises an unmissable celebration of groundbreaking artists and labels.
Confirmed line-up 2024: CASISDEAD, Shy FX, Katy B, Freddie Gibbs + Madlib (Piñata 10 Year Anniversary), Mala, Benga, Taylah Elaine, Vigro Deep, Juls, Steam Down, DRS (Live), Arthi, sim0ne, Brighter Days, Ella Knight, 4AM Kru, Neffa-T, Tim Reaper, Mantra, Sully, + more TBA.
Date: 24 May 2024. Location: Beckenham Place Park, Beckenham, BR3 1SY. Price: from £30. Book now.
Cross the Tracks
#FLODown: Get ready for the highly anticipated return of Cross The Tracks 2024 to Brockwell Park on 26 May. Celebrating its fifth edition, this festival is a vibrant melting pot of culture, music, and community. Featuring an outstanding lineup including Erykah Badu, Madlib (DJ), and more, it promises to be an unforgettable day of beats and vibes. In addition to the music, there will be talks, workshops, a creative market, and a feast from over 50 food vendors.
Confirmed line-up 2024: Erykah Badu, Madlib (DJ), Venna, Iniko, Neal Francis, Brainstory, Yazmin Lacey (DJ), Mackwood, Natanya, Discoballin', Aim - 20yrs of Cold Water Music, Joey Manzi b2b Nath EPS (Elevation), Faye Meana, Orion Sun, 47SOUL, El Michels Affair, SIPHO and Ella More.
Date: 26 May 2024. Location: Brockwell Park, Herne Hill, London. SE24 9BJ. Price: from £59.50 + booking fee. Book now.
GALA 2024
#FLODown: GALA festival is back for its ninth edition in Peckham Rye Park across the Bank Holiday weekend from 24 - 26 May 2024. Expect three days of warmth and release as summer unfolds. With the same size, location, and love as before, each edition of GALA gets better. Featuring top artists in house and electronica, as well as spotlighting new talents, GALA is a fan favorite within the dance community.
Confirmed 2024 line-up: This year's lineup includes DJ EZ, Chaos in the CBD, Interplanetary Criminal, Joy Orbison, Nightmares on Wax b2b Bradley Zero, Novelist, and SHERELLE b2b Kode9.
Date: 24 May 2024. Location: Peckham Rye Park 34 Straker's Rd, SE15 3UA. Price: from £54. Book now.
Radio One’s Big Weekend
#FLODown: Radio One’s annual Big Weekend returns this weekend to Stockwood Park, Luton (okay, not quite London, but only 35 minutes via train), with some of the biggest acts in the UK music scene, including Coldplay, Rudimental, Chase and Status, AJ Tracey, RAYE, Tems, Charli XCX, and London Grammar.
Date: 24 - 26 May 2024. Location: Stockwood Park, London Rd, Luton LU1 4LX Price: £29.50 (+£4.50 booking fee per ticket). Book now.
Can't get tickets? Don't worry, it will be streamed live on the BBC at bbc.co.uk.
EFG London Jazz Festival · Fireworks Displays in London · Skate at Somerset House · Chelsea Barracks Winter Fair · The 80s: Photographing Britain · Pitchfork Festival · 30 Years of Bugged Out! · Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair · Christmas at Kew · Christmas Lights in London · Winter Market Southbank Centre · Hacienda Sounds · Winter Light Festival · Michelangelo, Leonardo, Raphael: Florence, c. 1504 · Eva Recacha: The Picnic · Chunky Move: 4/4 · The Royal Opera: Hansel and Gretel
Claudette Johnson’s ‘Three Women’ mural, inspired by her earlier work and Picasso, celebrates the Black female experience while contributing to the station’s public art initiative.
Melek Zeynep Bulut’s Duo at the Painted Hall · An Evening with Fran Lebowitz · Celebrate Diwali with Rav & Tarunima · Fireworks displays in London · Víkingur Ólafsson & Yuja Wang: Two Pianos · Winter Market at the Southbank · Día de los Muertos with Disciples · Ekow Eshun: The Strangers · Preview: Blitz by Steve McQueen · Farah Atassi: The Lost Hours · Claudette Johnson: Three Women · Halloween with LEGO at Battersea Power Station
PATRÓN Tequila presents a month-long celebration featuring top DJs, signature cocktails, and vibrant Mexican food across London’s trendiest venues.
Frieze London came with much anticipation (and hesitation) this year…not least because of gloomy market outlooks. But the mood was cheery, and the crowd was buzzing…
Directed by Patrick Marber, who won a Tony Award in 2023 for Leopoldstadt, an exploration of Viennese Jewish history, the play features familiar TV faces and delivers an entertaining yet serious comedy that tackles weighty issue…
Frieze Sculpture · Halloween at Kew · Jan de Vylder and Inge Vinck · Gin and Jazz at Artesian Bar · LAPADA Berkeley Square Fair · London Literature Festival · Mahler 2 · Jordan Stephens · The Apprentice · Lift 109 Sound Bath · The World of Tim Burton · Francis Bacon · UMBRA · Making a rukus! · Oscar Murillo · Kioku Bar · Action for Happiness
Discover fifteen locations in London where you can enjoy the celebrations on the weekends before and after and the official Bonfire Night itself.
Captain Morgan and Pepsi MAX are celebrating their new pre-mixed drink with a two-day immersive in Shoreditch on 23 and 24 October 2024.…
In partnership with Penguin Books, Canary Wharf Group celebrates Black History Month by offering free, accessible literature from a diverse range of Black authors.
Leap Year explores Yang’s multifaceted, interdisciplinary, and inventive practice from the early 2000s to today, featuring key works from some of her most notable series…
12th edition of 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair 2024 at Somerset House, London review…
Goodbye Horses is an excellent neighbourhood wine bar, offering a memorable combination of delicious food, great wine, and a lively atmosphere.
London Cocktail Week · Esther Mahlangu: Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu · My English Persian Kitchen · Decorative Art Fair · András Schiff: Haydn, Schubert & Mozart · Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland · Barter and Bazaar: The Journey of Exchange · Nicola L. · Mike Kelley: Ghost and Spirit · Sonia Boyce: An Awkward Relation…
Frieze London and Frieze Masters · Halloween at Kew Gardens · BFI London Film Festival · LAPADA · London Literature Festival · Princess Essex at Shakespeare’s Globe · Fabric at 25 · András Schiff: Haydn, Schubert & Mozart · London Cocktail Week · Wildlife Photographer of the Year…
Eugene Onegin, The Royal Opera · British Art Fair 2024 · Rasheed Araeen’s Discosailing: A Ballet on Water · Edward Gardner Conducts Rachmaninov · Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, The Royal Ballet · Debenhams Exclusive One-Day Luxury Pop-Up Spa · Free Pizza from Yard Sale Pizza · Chelsea History Festival · Friday Late: Fashioning Futures · Christie’s Late: Voices of Black Artistry · Yayoi Kusama….
Bermondsey Street Festival · Frieze Sculpture 2024 · London Design Festival 2024 · Future of Food Festival · Ara Malikian · Totally Thames 2024 · La traviata, The Royal Opera · Qudus Onikeku’s Re:INCARNATION · Michael Craig-Martin · Yelena Popova: Of Dust and Breath · Pamela Phatsimo Sunstrum: It Will End in Tears · Lap-See Lam · Tracey Emin: I followed you to the end · Van Gogh: Poets and Lovers · Eva Rothschild · …
Slice teams up with Yard Sale Pizza for free Pizza on the 24 September at their Hackney Road Store….
The exhibition ‘MARY MARY’ will feature sculptures by nine women artists on the roof terrace above Temple tube station from October 2024 to September 2025…
Hayu FanFest will make its debut in London on 26 October, featuring exclusive panels, star-studded meet-and-greets, and a special appearance by Andy Cohen…
London's bustling art week returns next month, with Frieze London and Frieze Masters launching at The Regent's Park from 9 to 13 October 2024. During this time, several other art fairs will also be taking place across the city…
Queen’s Park is set to bid farewell to summer with a vibrant street party on Lonsdale Road, scheduled for Friday, 13th September, from 4-10pm. This exciting event will unite the local community with a lively set by Hed Kandi DJ John Jones …
London Podcast Festival 2024 · Birkenstock 250th Anniversary Exhibition · Rolf Hind: Sky in a Small Cage · Totally Thames 2024 · Unlimited Southbank Centre · London Mural Festival 2024 · Cornelius + Ichiko Aoba · The Marriage of Figaro, The Royal Opera · Rooftop Book Club · The Vinyl Factory: REVERB · Ernest Cole: House of Bondage · Roger Mayne: Youth …
A significant piece of London’s nightlife history is making its way to the new London Museum, set to open in 2026. The iconic sign from the renowned nightclub fabric, which celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2019, will be featured in the museum’s permanent installation…
Babur is a respected family run restaurant in an unassuming neighbourhood which opened back in 1985 and has clearly stood the test of time. The kitchen is led by two talented chefs (formerly of the renowned luxury Oberoi Hotel Group) head chef Jiwan Lal and sous chef Praveen Kumar Gupta, who both helped Babur receive London’s Best Asian Restaurant at the Asian Restaurant Awards in 2022.
One Tree Hill Nature Reserve offers a peaceful retreat from busy London. Located in Honor Oak It can be reached by the Overground train arriving at Honor Oak, a small reserve of 7 acres with interesting history, wildlife and stunning panoramic views towards the city.
Lumen Studios present NONOTAK’s ECLIPSE in London with a 1,000-square-metre immersive light and sound exhibition.
Shifters, currently on at The Duke of York’s Theatre following a sold-out first run at Bush Theatre, is the story of Dre and Des: two childhood friends who reunite at the wake of Dre’s Nana after eight long years apart.
Kinnari Saraiya is a London-based Indian artist, curator, and researcher whose work focuses on trans-altern and post-humanist ideas from the Global South. She is currently a curator at Somerset House and has held positions at the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, Frieze Art Fair, and Bowes Museum....