13 of the best August Bank Holiday events around the UK.
Gastronomic feasts, outdoor classical music concerts, family events and a city transformed into a global platform for the arts. There’s no shortage of things to do this August Bank Holiday around the UK. Discover our top picks below!
Edinburgh Fringe Festival
The world-renowned Edinburgh Fringe Festival is best known for its comedy chops. Sara Pasco, Paul Merton, Dara Ó Briain and Miriam Margolyes are some of the big names to be found in the Scottish capital this Summer. But Fringe, as it’s widely known, has evolved into a global platform for the arts and creative freedom. Theatre, music, dance, spoken word, circus and children’s shows are all waiting to be discovered in between punchlines. Almost 4,000 acts are heading to Edinburgh throughout the month, with the August bank holiday marking its climax.
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Birmingham Restaurant Festival
This annual culinary celebration showcases the vibrant food scene in one of the UK’s most diverse cities. Here you’ll find the best of British seasonal produce, flavours of the far east, South American soul food and much more besides. Local restaurants offer special menus at affordable prices and a highlight will be Purnell’s – the Yummy Brummie’s Michelin-starred, flagship restaurant. Trentina, is a gem of the Jewellery Quarter, serving freshly made pasta and charcuterie. And Tattu is known for its contemporary Chinese cuisine presented in an opulent setting. It’s a gastronomic feast of a weekend to keep your tastebuds tingling!
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Victorious Festival Southsea
Set in the beautiful location of Southsea, Portsmouth, this three-day festival brings together two great British summertime traditions in one heady combination. The seaside holiday and the music festival collide with Fatboy Slim, Jamie T and Biffy Clyro headlining. Other big names include Idles, Snow Patrol, Pixies, Wet Leg, Arlo Parks and The Lathums. The smaller stages have plenty to offer too. Head to the castle stage to see Maximo Park and Jess Glynn. Relax Under the Trees with indie legends and discover new talent on the introducing stage. A comedy tent and an on-site skatepark kickflip this unique festival to the next level.
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Bury St Edmunds Food and Drink Festival
Suffolk’s Foodie Capital hosts this two day event with delicious treats at every turn. The Stoves Cookery Theatre will showcase the town’s popular local and celebrity chefs. A farmers’ market on Angel Hill will allow you to take the flavours of the weekend home to your own kitchen. There will be dozens of food and drink stalls with something to tempt everyone’s tastebuds. Expect world foods from Thailand, India, Japan, Greece, Eastern Europe and Brazil. This family friendly event also offers a variety of entertainment including face painting, street performers, virtual reality and the Stealth Racer at the arc shopping centre.
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Liverpool International Beatleweek
This annual week-long event celebrates the music of the Fab Four in the city where it all began. 70 bands from 20 countries will descend on Liverpool to pay homage to the Beatles, attracting fans from around the world. The famous Cavern Club, where John, Paul, Ringo and George developed their sound, will be at the heart of the programme. Other music venues will keep the Mersey sounds reverberating across the city. The event also includes the Annual Beatles Convention. Expect live music, special guests, talks, plays, films, a flea market and exhibitors selling Beatles memorabilia.
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Dartmouth Royal Regatta
If you’re an experienced rower or sailor this 180 year old event will need no introduction. But you don’t need to know your winch from your baggywrinkle to enjoy a weekend of refined fun on the portside. A Victorian bandstand and stage host the prestigious opening ceremony and a full programme of entertainment. The Royal Regatta River Parade is a sight to behold with prizes awarded for the best dressed vessel and crew. Things take a more playful turn in the Kontiki raft race. A dog show and a Regatta Ball round off this impressive event.
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Castle Food & Drink Fest, Newcastle-Under-Lyme
A brand new event for 2024, Castle Food & Drink Fest promises a day filled with mouth watering street food and artisan markets. You’ll also find plenty of activities and crafts for children, food demonstrations, workshops and live music. Indulge in handmade dumplings, Filipino street food, wood fired pizzas, hog roast and samosas and onion bhajis the size of cannon balls. You’ll find artisan bakes, sweet treats, handcrafted spirits and much more besides. Local artists and crafters will also be setting their lovingly made wares. Held on the Ironmarket and High Street, the festival will showcase the burgeoning food scene in this Staffordshire market town.
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Foodies Festival Oxford
Food is at the heart of this annual event but an impressive music lineup makes this a British summer festival in every sense. Blue, Sister Sledge and Symphonic Ibiza bring the tunes while a line up of Masterchef champions, Michelin-starred and top local chefs bring the tastes and flavours. The Drinks Theatre offers adults the opportunity to sample new wines, champagnes and cocktails. The Kids Cookery Theatre allows younger audiences to join in on the action. Celebrity Chef Nigel Brown hosts a Thai cookery school and Great British Bake Off contestants will teach you how to become a star baker!
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Iconic Bricks: Dinosaurs!
Featuring 18 life-sized brick models of dinosaurs including a Triceratops, a colourful Stegosaurus and a huge Iguanodon. This touring show arrives in the gorgeous grounds of Sewerby Hall and Gardens this summer. The models have been built by the Iconic Bricks team, led by Duncan Titmarsh, creator of the world’s largest LEGO model. The perfect bank holiday adventure, families will get an insight into the builds and get up close to the painstakingly hand-built models. Explore the beautiful Grade-I listed house, 50 acres of early 19th Century parkland and the onsite zoo while you’re at it.
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Manchester Pride
The biggest Pride event in the north features a massive party in the Gay Village with Jessie J headlining. Three venues in the village join pop up stages and an indoor arena for a warehouse style clubbing experience. Seven-foot drag supermodel, Banksie, kicks off the bank holiday in true Manc style, hosting a runway showcasing glamorous queer couture and fashion realness. Other acts include Katy B and reigning Drag Race UK winner Ginger Johnson. The worker bee, deeply rooted in Manchester’s industrial heritage, is the focal symbol for this year’s ‘Buzzin’ to be Queer’ Pride Parade.
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All About Dogs Norfolk
Is there a better way to spend a bank holiday than surrounded by fur babies? Enjoy top displays from some of the UK’s leading dog display teams and watch Britain’s Got Talent’s Lucy Heath & the Trickstars. Relax on the village green with live entertainment including dog quizzes, live music, fun competitions and educational talks. Have a go at activities including lure racing, dock diving, flyball and recall. There will be rare breeds available to meet, expert advice on hand and exhibitors galore. You and your furry friend can even camp out at this ultimate doggy fest.
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Battersea Park in Concert
A long summer’s weekend of open-air picnic concerts unfolds in London’s famous Battersea Park. Myleene Klass hosts the 60-piece Royal Philharmonic Orchestra who will regale audiences with Bach, Williams, Mozart, Tchaikovsky and more before a spectacular fireworks finale. The Olivier Award-winning star of Wicked, Cassidy Janson, joins other West End stars and the 40-strong London Concert Chorus to perform over 25 songs from musical theatre. And the UK’s finest big band comes directly from Soho’s legendary club, Ronnie Scott’s. They celebrate the music of Ella Fitzgerald, Stevie Wonder, Cab Calloway, Frank Sinatra, Chaka Khan and many more.
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Notting Hill Carnival
The UK’s biggest celebration of Caribbean culture attracts millions of attendees and promises to be a colourful display of diversity in the capital. Rich Caribbean tradition is brought to life through vibrant parades, colourful costumes, and tempting food stalls – all soundtracked by calypso, soca and reggae. Live stages host a great line-up of artists, with one especially for families and young children hosting entertainers and interactive performances. Saturday is dominated by steel band competitions, Sunday is programmed with a special family parade, and Monday brings the main parade.
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