Summer holiday season is here and London’s events calendar is jam-packed. From outdoor cinema screenings and art exhibitions to a sleepover at the zoo and gin tasting, here’s what’s on in the capital this August
1.Late opening at The View from The Shard 28 July – 3 October
Still haven’t made it up to the top of Europe’s tallest building? Make the most of the extended opening hours at The Shard this summer. There will be additional timeslots at 21:30 and 22:00 on Friday and Saturday throughout August, giving guests an extra 90 minutes to enjoy specatcular views of the capital after sun set. www.theviewfromtheshard.com
The View from The Shard
2.Prudential Ride London 1 – 2 August
Developed by the Mayor of London, Prudential RideLondon is a festival of cycling livening up the capital on 1-2 August. The weekend will include the 10th Brompton world championships and is the flagship event of the Mayor and TFL’s cycling programme. According to Harry Scrope, Managing Director of Brompton Bike Hire, it’s the perfect time to highlight cycling’s popularity: ‘Many of us are now taking to the saddle to commute to exercise and for sport. Cycling levels across TFL roads in Q3 of last year were 10% higher than in the same quarter the previous year, and the highest since records began in 2000.’
Find out more at prudentialridelondon.co.uk
Prudential Ride London takes place in August
3.Hamlet, The Barbican from 5 August
The hottest ticket in town, Lindsay Turner’s production of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, staring Benedict Cumberbatch, begins performances at the Barbican Theatre on 5 August. As a country arms itself for war, a family tears itself apart. Forced to avenge his father’s death, but paralysed by the task ahead, Hamlet rages against the impossibility of his predicament, threatening both his sanity and the security of the state. hamlet-barbican.com
Benedict Cumberbatch will play Hamlet
4.The Gin Library at the Charles Dickens Museum 6 August
On Thursday 6 August, the London Gin Club will set up shop inside Charles Dickens’ former home to offer an evening of gin tasting in this historic corner of Bloomsbury. There’ll be a selection of artisan gins to sample inside the building’s original Victorian kitchens. Tickets, £24 each, must be pre-booked and include the tasting session, a book binding workshop and entry to the Museum and bar. dickensmuseum.com
5.Some Like It Hot at Opera Holland Park 6 – 8 August
Billy Wilder’s 50s classic Some Like It Hot will screen at Opera Holland Park’s beautiful theatre space in a collaboration with Luna Cinema. For the handful of people who have yet to see it, Some Like It Hot is one of Marilyn Monroe’s best comedy roles. She stars alongside Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon as two musicians who disguise themselves as women to escape violent gangsters after witnessing the St. Valentine’s Day massacre. Some Like It Hot will screen at OHP on 6 August at 8pm, followed by Jaws on 7 August and Pretty Woman on 8. Tickets are between £10 – £27.50, available from bookings.operahollandpark.com
Opera Holland Park
6.Casablanca at the Royal Opera House 7 – 8 August
Love a classic movie? On Friday 7 and Saturday 8 August, the Royal Opera House will screen this Oscar-winning romantic drama starring Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, and Paul Henreid. The screening will be accompanied by a live orchestra, wild strawberry cocktails and popcorn. Bliss. Tickets are available from £25 at roh.org.uk
Enjoy a screening of this 40s classic, Casablanca
7.The Refinery, Newburgh Quarter 8 August
Tucked behind Carnaby Street, Newburgh Quarter is a hidden gem away from the hustle and bustle of Soho and Oxford Street. Home to some of London’s best independent brands, it’s a great shopping location, too. Explore the area (and enjoy free food and drinks) at this one-day event with masterclasses at the Levi’s Vintage Store, piñata and clay workshops at Lazy Oaf, BBQ grill masterclasses at Kua ‘Aina and gin tastings at bespoke eyewear store Cubitts. From 12 – 5pm on Saturday 8 August. carnaby.co.uk
Explore Carnaby Street’s hidden gem
8. Gladiator Games, The Guildhall Yard 8-16 August
Gladiator Games will take place at London’s Roman amphitheatre off Gresham Street, in the same location where gladiators fought 2,000 year ago. The audience will get the chance to see swords, spears and armour clashing when the gladiators take the arena. Family activities are offered before the battles and visitors of all ages can experience Roman life with pottery classes, music lessons and cookery sessions. Children’s tickets start at £10, adults at £15, and can be purchased at museumoflondon.org.uk
9.Summer Exhibition, Royal Academy until 16 August
For 247 years the Royal Academy summer exhibition has offered a snapshot of contemporary art – and this year’s exhibition is a riot of colour, variety and discovery with over 1,100 works spilling out from their galleries. This year the exhibition is co-ordinated by Michael Craig-Martin RA. royalacademy.org.uk
10. The Mortlach Design Talk, The Zetter Townhouse 18 August
Whisky anyone? Guests attending this free event will be welcomed with a Mortlach Rare Old cocktail made especially for this design-focused event by Zetter Townhouse’s bar team. There will also be an exclusive Q&A session with British accessories designer Beatrix Ong , who will be talking the inspiration behind her summer collection. Free tickets available from thezettertownhouse.com
11. Meltdown, Southbank Centre 17-28 August
Award-winning musician David Byrne follows in the footsteps of Jarvis Cocker, Patti Smith, David Bowie and Yoko Ono as the director of the 22nd Meltdown festival. The two-week celebration of music kicks off on 17 August with Flamenco Singing from Scratch, followed by performances from Bianca Casady & The C.I.A and Spanish flamenco superstar Estrella Morente. Throughout the festival, The Saison Poetry Library will also be housing over 250 of Byrne’s personal books for visitors to read and borrow. Find out more at southbankcentre.co.uk
Talking Heads star David Byrne will host this year’s Meltdown
12. London Craft Beer Festival, Oval Space, Bethnal Green 13-16 August
Sip on the world’s most-loved craft beers at summer’s sought-after drinks festival. Taste beers from the USA, Spain and Norway along with top tipples from the latest craft brewers on the London scene. There’ll be a DJ and tasty street food options to enjoy too. All-inclusive tickets are £38.50. londoncraftbeerfestival.co.uk
13.Spotlight Seven Dials, Covent Garden 15 August
With six live bands, in-store discounts and promotions plus an array of London’s most popular street food, Spotlight festival is bigger than ever this year. Streets around this shopping hub will be traffic free until 7pm and best of all, this one-day event is free! sevendials.co.uk
14.BFI’s Summer Love Weekend, The British Museum 27 – 29 August
The BFI is gearing up for an autumn season rekindling the nation’s passion for film and TV’s most enduring love stories, but whets the appetite with a special Summer Love Weekend at the British Museum from 27-29 August, screening A Room With a View, Badlands and The Princess Bride. bfi.org.uk/love
15. Notting Hill Carnival 30-31 August
Europe’s largest street festival returns for the August bank holiday. With free entrance, traditional Caribbean food and local bands adding to the atmosphere, this two-day event is quite the party. Don’t miss the colourful display of carnival costumes and if you want to bring all the family, make the most of Children’s Day on Sunday morning. thenottinghillcarnival.com (Find out what’s on this year in our locals’ guide to carnival here.)
It’s time for a carnival!
16. Ravilious, Dulwich Picture Gallery until 31 August
The Dulwich Picture Gallery’s much-talked about exhibition ends on 31 August. It’s the first major focus on watercolours of celebrated British artist Eric Ravilious (1903-42), chiefly known for his iconic work for Wedgwood. Over 90 watercolours are on display – including famous works such as The Westbury Horse. dulwichpicturegallery.org
17. Regent Street Cinema throughout August
Stuck for things to do on a rainy day in August? The Regent Street Cinema was the first to show moving pictures in the UK when it opened in 1848. After a recent restoration, it boasts a jam-packed screening schedule this summer – and there are some real classics to look forward to on the calendar. Highlights include The Godfather trilogy, a Blade Runner double bill and one for the little ones, Shaun the Sheep. Find out more about what’s on at regentstreetcinema.com
Regent Street’s restored cinema
18. BedBugs Sleepovers, London Zoo throughout August
Here’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience is for fans of creepy crawlies. This summer, London Zoo is opening up its bug house overnight for little ones to explore everything from beautiful moon jellyfish to rare golden mantella frogs by torchlight. The schedule includes an animal talk, snack time and a torch-light night tour before lights out and breakfast the next morning. The event runs from 7pm – 10am and is suitable for children aged between 7 – 11. Tickets are available for £65 per child from zsl.org.
19. Fans of the Belle Epoque at The Fan Museum, Greenwich until 2 September
This exhibition evokes the extravagance and theatricality of this alluring period (c 1890-1910). Running until 2 September, it features a spellbinding assortment of the exquisitely-crafted fans favoured by wealthy American heiresses and the cream of European society. The very best of the Museum’s collections of late 19th and early 20th century fans will be on show, including lavish examples from the go-to fan makers of the period and exuberant designs by gifted painters. thefanmuseum.org.uk
20. Thomas Hirschhorn’s In-Between, South London Gallery, Peckham until 13 September
Thomas Hirschhorn’s In-Between, running now until 13 September at the South London Gallery, is his first major solo show in London in many years. A new artwork made for the SLG’s main gallery continues the artist’s exploration of the aesthetic of ruins, inspired by the quote, ‘Destruction is difficult. It is as difficult as creation’ (uttered by Italian Marxist theorist, Antonio Gramsci). Hirschhorn uses cardboard, plastic and all sorts of other miscellany, combined with references to radical theorists, to create provocative artworks with political undercurrents. Free. southlondongallery.org
21.Unlock London: A City in Pictures, Le Meridien Piccadilly until 30 September
Le Meridien Piccadilly has partnered with the Institute of British Architects to curate Unlock London : A City in Pictures, an exhibition showcasing 17 black and white images of London’s most iconic landmarks taken by leading architectural photographers from the 30s through to the 60s. The exhibition will be on display at the hotel’s Terrace Grill & Bar until 3 September and foodies take note – chef Michael Dutnall will also be serving up a limited edition afternoon tea inspired by the eras captured in the photographs. lemeridienpiccadilly.co.uk
Le Meridien will showcase London’s most iconic landmarks in a photography exhibition
22. Bloom, Horniman Museum and Gardens, Forest Hill until 6 December
Bloom is a celebration of the extraordinary world of plants by artist and academic Edward Chell at the Horniman Museum and Gardens’ Natural History Gallery. The series of detailed plant silhouettes, painted onto individual gesso panels, respond to a set of the Horniman’s rare books by 19th century British naturalist and early photographer Anna Atkins. Chell’s panels link the blue of Atkins’ cyanotypes, or ‘sunprints,’ to the blue and white china so prevalent in the 18th and 19th centuries. Free entry. horniman.ac.uk