You’ve got three days off – use them wisely
It’s the second of the two May bank holidays coming up and that means an extra-long weekend for us to enjoy – we love an alarm-free Monday.
The weather forecast is currently looking good, with temperatures at 25 degrees and a lot of promising sun symbols showing. That means it may well be time to wheel out the BBQ if you haven’t already and you can defo squeeze in a pub garden or a rooftop bar sesh.
If the weather does take a turn, you can take advantage of all these new openings and check out some of the mega exhibitions running in London right now – the Catherine Opie show of portraits and the display on Hawai’i at the British Museum are in their final days. And we’ve got even more things for you to do over the bank holiday weekend below.
Celebrate Modern Shrines at Somerset House
With HOLY POP!, Somerset House is diving into the world of modern shrines, exploring the way that we honour heroes and celebrities and the way that ritual idolisation can create community in an increasingly secular society. Featuring pieces that showcase personal devotion and communal mourning, referencing the likes of David Bowie, Princess Diana, Andy Warhol and Harry Potter’s Dobby the Elf, the exhibition is a celebration of the objects that bring us together and our fascination with pop culture.
Sat 23rd – Mon 25th May 2026
Somerset House, Strand, London WC2R 1LA
somersethouse.org.uk
Party in Peckham at GALA Festival
GALA is back in Peckham to get your May bank holiday started. The fest is kicking off with a big homecoming headline slot from Giggs, who’ll be joined by the likes of CASISDEAD, D Double E and Novelist. Across the rest of the weekend, you’ll be able to catch sets from Todd Terje, Seth Troxler, Saoirse, DJ Seinfeld, Logic1000, Sonja Moonear, Conducta, Gilles Peterson, Hamdi, Moxie, George Daniel, Or:la and more.
Fri 22nd – Sun 24th May 2026
Peckham Rye Park, 34 Straker’s Rd, London SE15 3UA
thisisgala.co.uk
Spend the Day at the Beach – in Walthamstow
You don’t need to go to the seaside this summer (well, unless you want to of course) because it’s coming to you. Walthamstow is becoming Walthamstow-on-Sea as the Big Penny Beach Club rolls into the neighbourhood. Big Penny Social is transforming its terrace into a beach club kitted out with an on-site gelateria, a spritz bar, beach volleyball, a DJ stage, and plenty of frozen cocktails and fish & chips.
Sat 23rd – Mon 25th May 2026
1 Priestley Way,London, E17 6AL
bigpennysocial.co.uk
Head to Brockwell Park for Field Day
A stalwart of the London festival scene, Field Day is putting together another killer edition for 2026. Dance in the park to Floating Points, Honey Dijon, Andy C, Joy Orbison, MJ Cole, Horse Meat Disco, Gabriels, Eliza Rose and more.
Sat 23rd May 2026
Brockwell Park, London SE24 0NG
fielddayfestivals.com
Bag Half Off Your Bill at The Black Book
Tucked into the heart of Soho, The Black Book was built for people who want to drink well. The idea is simple: make great wine more accessible. Expect a tight, thoughtful by-the-glass list for casual drinking, alongside something far more serious if you want to push the boat out. It’s also one of the few wine bars in Soho with a late licence – it’s open until 1am Wednesday and 3am Thursday, Friday and Saturday. And with a new menu now in play, there’s more reason to stay. Alongside the wine, there are cocktails and a line-up of snacks to keep things going. Here’s how you can get involved.
Sat 23rd – Mon 25th May 2026
23 Frith St, London W1D 4RR
blackbooksoho.co.uk
Explore What the Future Could Look Like at The Barbican
Filmmaker, artist and speculative futurist Liam Young is taking over the Barbican to imagine what the future of humanity could look like. With In Other Worlds, his first major UK solo exhibition, Young will be transforming the Silk Street Entrance, The Curve and Car Park 5 into an immersive experience blending world-building, fiction, design and climate science. Created in collaboration with leading voices from film, TV, literature and science, the show features a range of films, audio stories, tapestries, soundscapes and costumes, and constructs a series of imagined futures for our planet, rooted in the consequences and opportunities of the decisions we make today.
Sat 23rd – Mon 25th May 2026
Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London EC2Y 8DS
barbican.org.uk
Make it a Soulful One at Cross The Tracks
Jazz, funk and soul fans rejoice. Cross The Tracks returns to Brockwell Park in 2026 with another huge line-up. Headlining this year is the legendary Little Simz, joined by the soulful groove of KOKOROKO, rising star Obongjayar, neo-soul from Lady Wray and South London singer-songwriter Joy Crookes, as well as fresh talent such as Brooke Combe, Bricknasty, Bel Cobain, Sholto, The Womack Sisters and more. Alongside the stellar line-up, Cross The Tracks will once again bring together a creative market, workshops and talks, a craft-brewery fair, and over 50 street food vendors – everything you need for a soulful bank holiday in South.
Sat 23rd May 2026
Brockwell Park, London SE24 0NG
xthetracks.com
Watch War Horse Gallop Back Into London
Nearly two decades after it debuted on the National Theatre stage, War Horse is returning from a tour and galloping back to the National Theatre. Based in Michael Morpurgo’s beloved novel, which follows Albert’s journey to the trenches of wartime France to bring his horse Joey home, the show won fans around the world for its incredible puppetry.
Sat 23rd & Mon 25th May 2026
National Theatre, South Bank, London SE1 9PX
nationaltheatre.org.uk
Catch Boundary-Pushing Cinema at Queer East
Queer East is back for its seventh edition this spring, taking over venues across London from 1st May to 6th June 2026. It’s bringing us five weeks of films, shorts, documentaries, live performances, talks and workshops spotlighting queer stories from East and Southeast Asia and their diasporas. Across the bank holiday weekend, you can catch the UK premiere of Open Endings at the BFI Southbank, CONG/SPIRACY and Cactus Pears at Rich Mix, and film and performing arts industry days.
Sat 23rd & Sun 24th May 2026
Various locations
queereast.org.uk
