Looking for things to do in London in July? Check this out
You’re in plenty of time to book tickets to the best events in London, from theatre shows to art exhibitions, and there are always pop-ups opening across the city, but our handy guide features the best of what’s on in London in July so you won’t miss a thing.
Summer, summer, summertime… it’s Will Smith and Jazzy Jeff’s fave time of year and it’s another busy month in the capital. There are still some Pride events, like HOWL’s Festival and the Clapham Grand’s day-to-night party to get involved in, and there are music fests galore with the return of Kaleidoscope and BST Hyde Park. And it’s a busy one for sports fans as the World Cup is on this year and Wimbledon is back – fingers crossed for a rain-free tournament!
1. Watch the Pride Parade
The annual Pride in London parade honours the movement’s history by following the event’s original route, passing by locations key to the LGBT+ movement in this country. It starts at Hyde Park Corner, (where the first post-march picnic happened in 1972 and where the miners stood in solidarity with the LGBT+ community in 1985) before going down Piccadilly, turning onto Haymarket, going through Trafalgar Square (where the 1972 march ended) and finishing at Whitehall Place. Beyond the parade route, there’ll be a number of stages hosting performances, including the main stage in Trafalgar Square, the women’s stage in Leicester Square, and the trans and a non-binary stage in Soho Square.
Sat 4th July 2026
Central London
prideinlondon.org
2. Make String Hoppers and Sambol From Scratch at Kolamba East
We’ve teamed up with Kolamba again, this time at their East location, for a hands-on masterclass on the string hopper. If you’ve only met the bowl-shaped kind, this is the other one. Delicate nests of steamed rice noodles, pressed fresh and stacked soft, a Sri Lankan breakfast staple that carries sauce like nothing else. Kolamba cooks Sri Lankan food the way it’s eaten across the island. Bold spice, layered curries, everything built to be shared. Over the session you’ll learn the press-and-steam technique that turns rice flour into those lacy little nests, then blend your own sambol, the coconut and chilli condiment you’ll want on everything you eat for the rest of the month. Once you’ve got it down, you sit and eat. There’s string hopper biryani waiting, and you take your sambol home in a jar to keep the habit going. Get your tickets here.
Mon 6th July 2026, 7pm
Kolamba East, 12 Blossom St, London E1 6PL
kolamba.co.uk
3. Visit London Zoo After Hours
This summer, skip the post-work pint at the pub and head to London Zoo instead where they’ll be hosting exclusive after-hours events every Friday. Guests will have the chance to join in on guided tours; explore the new Heritage Exhibition celebrating ZSL’s 200 years and the pop-up Lion King exhibition; and listen in on zookeeper talks about the Galapagos tortoises, pygmy hippos, and Sumatran tigers, all while enjoying live music and food and drinks from pop-up stalls. If you’re in the mood to take the evening to another level, upgrade to the ‘Champagne Experience’ to sip on a glass of fizz while overlooking the conservation zoo’s colony of Humboldt penguins.
Every Friday, until Fri 24th July 2026, 6pm – 10pm
Outer Circle, London NW1 4RY
londonzoo.org
4. Check Out This Major Frida Kahlo Exhibition
This exhibition at Tate Modern will explore how Frida Kahlo became one of the most influential artists in the world and a cultural phenomenon. Frida: The Making of an Icon will have more than 30 of her most iconic works that introduce her ‘many selves’ on display – wife, intellectual, artist and activist, alongside garments, jewellery, photographs and memorabilia. The show will also include over 200 works by her contemporaries and artists she inspired, plus objects that represent her transformation into a global brand.
Throughout July 2026
Tate Modern, Bankside, London SE1 9TG
tate.org.uk
5. Celebrate Rough Trade’s 50th Birthday
The indie institution is marking half a century in the game with a three-day weekender this July, bringing together the artists, sounds and scenes it’s helped shape since the late ’70s. Expect a mix of live music, film, books and more, all spread across the Southbank Centre Headliners include Pulp, playing a one-night-only show in the Royal Festival Hall, mixing new material with the classics, and Scritti Politti, who’ll be bringing their leftfield pop energy across two sets. Elsewhere, there’s rising eight-piece caroline alongside My New Band Believe, plus a full programme of cross-arts events. It’s not just gigs either. There’s an Evening with Rough Trade Books, live performances tied to new writing, and a screening of Ken Loach’s Kes with a live orchestra and an intro from Jarvis Cocker.
Fri 17th – Sun 19th July 2026
Southbank Centre, Belvedere Rd, London SE1 8XX
southbankcentre.co.uk
6. Show Your Support at London Trans+ Pride
London Trans+ Pride, which was established in response to the daily injustices trans+ people face and to create an event where all trans+ people can freely express themselves, is coming back for 2026. LT+P continues the legacy of Pride being a protest, so the march will serve as a way to protest for justice and liberation. The theme is Our Future, Our Fight, with the organisation calling for urgent support as the trans community faces continued attacks. Last year’s event saw 100,000 people come together, making it the largest trans pride event ever, and hopefully this year’s will be even bigger.
Sat 25th July 2026
Trafalgar Sq, London WC2N 5DS
@londontranspride
7. Make Your Own Japanese Pickles at Koya City
We’re teaming up with Koya City to help you create your own Japanese pickles like a pro. INSIDERS get access to an exclusive pickling masterclass and Koya’s in-house expert Kaori Akiyama will teach you all the secrets behind creating the perfect pickles. As well as rolling up your sleeves and making your own pickles to take home with you, you’ll also get to taste a range of different Japanese pickles that the Koya team produces. Get your tickets here.
Sat 25th July 2026, 10.30am – 12pm
Koya City, 10-12 Bloomberg Arcade, London EC4N 8AR
koya.co.uk
8. See the World Premiere of Trainspotting The Musical
Thirty years on from the iconic film, Trainspotting The Musical, written by Irvine Welsh and directed by Caroline Jay Ranger, is getting its world premiere at the Theatre Royal Haymarket this summer. Renton (played by Robbie Scott in his West End debut), Sick Boy, Begbie, Spud, Tommy and Kelly will be joined by a live band, with some of the famous tracks from the movie being joined by new original songs.
From Weds 15th July 2026
Theatre Royal Haymarket, Haymarket, London SW1Y 4HT
trainspottingthemusical.co.uk
9. Soak Up Korean Culture at the London Hallyu Festival
London Hallyu Festival 2026 is landing in Haringey this July, bringing together K-pop, K-food and K-goods for a three-day outdoor celebration just ahead of the BTS concerts at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Running from 4th – 6th July, the festival is designed as a pre-concert hangout for Hallyu fans, with a programme spanning K-pop random play dance, fan contests, photo zones, K-culture experiences and a goods market during the day. In the evenings, there’ll be a live set from rising K-pop band Catch The Young, followed by DJ parties to keep things going into the night. The K-Food Zone is promising plenty of street food staples too, including K-chicken, hotteok, tteokbokki and sundae, alongside stalls selling fandom merch and Korean lifestyle products that aren’t always easy to find in the UK.
Sat 4th – Mon 6th July 2026
Down Lane Park, Haringey, London N17 9AU
lohaf.org
10. Celebrate Women in Wine at This New London Wine Fair
Wine lovers, get this date in your diaries! Wine Fare, the trailblazing wine fair that celebrates women winemakers is coming from San Francisco to London for the first time this summer thanks to The Vinguard, Finley’s and Served by Regal. On Sat 11th July, Wine Fare will be taking over 83 Rivington Street in Shoreditch with a load of wines and an incredible line-up of female winemakers from around the world. As well as getting the chance to taste as many wines as you want (yes unlimited tastings are included in the ticket), you’ll be able to meet the women who are shaking up the scene too.
Sat 11th July 2026, 12pm – 5pm
83 Rivington Street, London EC2A 3AY
@winefarelnd
