8 Things to do in London in August 2021
With some of our favourite events returning to the city and a feeling of life returning to normal in the air, August is shaping up to be a good one. To get you back into the swing of the great British summertime, check out of our list of not-to-missed events this month!
Van Gogh Alive at Kensington Gardens
When: Until 24 September 2021
Where: Hampton Court Palace
Price: From £24
Image: Van Gogh Alive
#FLODown: The Van Gogh immersive experience has landed in London. Located in a 25,000 ft2 purpose-built venue in Kensington Gardens, this family-friendly experience is one of the most visited immersive, multi-sensory experience in the world.
Expect to transcend time and space as you accompany Van Gogh on a journey through the Netherlands, Arles, Saint Rémy and Auvers-sur-Oise, where he created many of his timeless masterpieces. With a thrilling display of over 3,000 inspirational images, prepare yourself for what has been described as an "unforgettable multi-sensory experience".
Location:
Kensington Gardens, East Albert Lawn, Kensington Gardens, SW7 2AP
Opening hours:
Sunday to Thursday: 10am – 8pm*
Friday to Saturday: 10am – 9pm*
*Last entry
Hampton Court Palace festival
When: 13 – 24 August 2021
Where: Hampton Court Palace
Price: Starting from £82.50
Image: @hcpfestival
#FLODown: Hampton Court Palace Festival will be returning with confirmed acts including Bastille ReOrchestrated, Tom Jones, Van Morrison, Keane, Nile Rodgers & Chic and Bjorn Again. Taking place in the stunning Tudor Courtyard, the Hampton Court Palace Festival provides an incredible line-up, a spectacular setting and an opportunity to explore the beautiful East Front Gardens with a picnic before the concert.
Tickets are available to purchase now. VIP concert and dining packages are available which include exclusive after-hours access to the Palace's State Apartments, a welcome drink and a three-course dinner served where royalty once dined and entertained.
Location:
Hampton Court Way, Molesey, East Molesey, KT8 9AU
Beyonce Brunch
When: Saturday 7th August 2021 and 32 other Saturdays
Where: Secret locations all in the heart of London's West End
(location and menu announced the week before via email)
Price: From £65
Image: @beyonce
#FLODown: Make up for all those missed brunches with this 5-hour non-stop celebration of Queen B. The Beyonce Brunch promises one hour of bottomless cocktails and a 2-course brunch with incredible performances from a world-class vocalist & dance troupe. Whether you’re looking for a gals brunch or the perfect hen do event, this is the perfect session for all Bey fans.
BBC Proms
When: Until 10 September 2021
Where: Royal Albert Hall
Price: Starting from £7.12
Image: MTotoe
#FLODown: With 52 concerts over 44 days featuring 30 orchestras and ensembles and more than 2,000 musicians, the BBC Proms is returning in full force for a season of live music on a scale not seen since before the pandemic! Tickets are available to purchase now. Every Prom will be live on BBC Radio 3 and BBC Sounds with 20 Proms on TV and iPlayer.
Proof of Covid status (negative test, double vaccination or natural immunity) is a requirement of entry for all BBC Proms 2021. Click here for more information.
Location:
Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Gore, South Kensington, London SW7 2AP
Buckingham Palace Garden Tour
When: Until 19 September 2021
Where: Buckingham Palace
Price: Starting from £16.50
Image: Mtotoe
#FLOLondon: For the first time this summer, the Palace Gardens are open to the public. Explore the gardens by touring the 156-metre Herbaceous Border, the Horse Chestnut Avenue, the Plane trees planted by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert and the famous lake with an island that’s home to the Buckingham Palace bees. The Gardens are London’s largest private garden and are also the location for the Queen's famous garden parties, which welcome thousands of guests each summer.
Once you’ve finished your tour you can enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to picnic on the lawn with views of the Palace. Garden tour not enough of a royal experience for you? Book a guided tour of Buckingham Palace to visit the lavishly furnished State Rooms, one of the world's few remaining working royal palaces, and see some of the Royal Collection's greatest treasures. Please note: These tickets are not included in the garden tour.
Doyle Wham x 14 Cavendish
When: 23 July – 13 August 2021
Where: 14 Cavendish
Price: Free
Image: Morgan Otagburuagu - Being Black and Colourful I, 2020 (Courtesy of the artist and Doyle Wham)
#FLODown: Doyle Wham, the UK’s first contemporary African photography gallery, are collaborating with 14 Cavendish to present a group exhibition showcasing the incredible works of four photographers from Nigeria, Kenya, Gabon and Côte d’Ivoire.
Set against a unique architectural backdrop, the exhibition will offer a rare insight into current photographic trends emerging from the African continent and its diaspora, a new series by Aïcha Fall, Yannis Davy Guibinga, Morgan Otagburuagu and Shitanda will enjoy its worldwide debut with Doyle Wham x 14 Cavendish.
Find out more.
Location:
14 Cavendish Square, W1G 9HA
Opening hours:
11am - 7pm daily
DODGE: Drink, Dine & Dodgems
When: Until 22 August 2021
Where: Somerset House
Price: Free entry to the site; £5 per person for dodgem rides
Image: @somersethouse
#FLODown: Somerset House is treating us to an incredible art-infused fairground. Alongside this, DODGE: Drink, Dine & Dodgems will also feature immersive art installations by artist and designer Yinka Ilori, an outdoor dining experience by Jimmy Garcia and late-night DJ sessions from Dodge Lates. Find out more.
Location:
Somerset House, Strand, London, WC2R 1LA
Exhibition at Japan House - Tokyo 1964: Designing Tomorrow
When: 5 August – 7 November 2021
Where: Japan House London
Price: Free. Tickets must be pre-booked online.
Image: Tokyo 1964 Official Poster (No 2) Starting Line, Credit , Courtesy of Prince Chichibu Memorial Sports Museum
#FLODown: Japan House London is opening a brand new exhibition: Tokyo 1964: Designing Tomorrow. The exhibition will celebrate the lasting design legacy of the iconic 1964 Olympic Games, showcasing the revolutionary cultural, architectural and graphic design legacy of the historic Tokyo 1964 Olympic Games via untold stories, artefacts and designs. The exhibition will explore how Japan realised the opportunity of the Games to tell a fresh story and showcase Japanese creativity and design thinking to the world following the Second World War.
Never before seen in the UK, visitors will discover a number of world firsts, including the pioneering use of the pictogram as a universal language for a global event, the launch of the bullet train (Shinkansen), the emergence of ‘hi-tech’ infrastructure, colour broadcasting and even the first use of the word ‘Paralympic’. Find out more.
Location:
101-111 Kensington High St, London W8 5SA
Opening hours:
Monday-Saturday: 11am - 6pm, Sunday: Noon - 6pm