Looking for things to do in London in June? 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 June so you won’t miss a thing. With Pride celebrations taking over town, June might just be the most colourful month of the year. Mark the 75th anniversary of Windrush by checking out this exhibition at the Migration Museum in Lewisham and this play from Lenny Henry over at the Bush Theatre. There’s no better time to get the bevs in, with World Gin Day, Beer Day Britain and English Wine Week all falling this month – why not get outside on a terrace or on a rooftop bar and enjoy a drink in the sunshine? Or you could head to the park and DIY your own spread during Picnic Week instead.
1. Get Down to Brockwell Park for Mighty Hoopla
Mighty Hoopla is returning to Brockwell Park for 2023 with another two-dayer and a lineup that’s even bigger than ever. Of course, it’s gonna be a total pop-fest as usual, with plenty of nostalgiac acts set to make an appearance. Kelly Rowland and Years & Years (the musical project of Olly Alexander) will be headlining, with the likes of Roisin Murphy, Aqua, Jamelia, Kelis, Natasha Bedingfield, Rachel Stevens, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Danny Beard, Lisa Scott-Lee, Soul II Soul, Vengaboys, Confidence Man, Jake Shears, Michelle McManus, Dagny, and Beverly Knight all performing.
Sat 3rd & Sun 4th June 2023
Brockwell Park, Norwood Rd, London SE24 9BJ
mightyhoopla.com
2. Shop Black-Owned Businesses at This Market
The Black Culture Market is back this summer, giving Londoners the chance to support emerging entrepreneurs and businesses of African and Caribbean descent. Taking place at The Department Store in Brixton, the market will be stacked with stalls selling unique prints, jewellery, male grooming kits, skincare, gifts & cards, clothes, accessories and more – all from independent Black makers. It’s totally free to attend the market, but you need to register to enter.
Sat 3rd & Sun 4th June 2023
Downstairs at The Department Store, 248 Ferndale Road, London SW9 8FR
blackculturemarket.co.uk
3. Buckle Up for a Tarantino Cabaret Experience
It’s had a sold-out run over in LA and now movie-musical Tarantino Live: Fox Force Five & The Tyranny of Evil Men is coming to London. The show follows the Fox Force Five, a kickass group of women (who fans’ll remember as the TV show Mia Wallace references in Pulp Fiction) as they fight The Tyranny of Evil Men, and features action-packed sequences of some of Tarantino’s most iconic scenes, from the samurai sword fight in Kill Bill to the twist dance in Pulp Fiction to the ear cutting in Reservoir Dogs.
Tues 6th June – Fri 30th June 2023
Riverside Studios 101 Queen Caroline Street, London, W6 9BN
tarantinolive.com
4. Head to a Festival Curated by Christine and the Queens
Meltdown Festival has been curated by the likes of Yoko Ono, David Bowie, Nile Rodgers and Grace Jones, and now Christine and the Queens is taking the reins for 2023. He’s drafted in the likes of Django Django, Yemi Alade, Warpaint, KOKOROKO, Sigur Ros with the London Contemporary Orchestra, Bat For Lashes, Lynks, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, Serpentwithfeet, Petite Noir, Let’s Eat Grandma and Nxdia, with The Chateau, Tom Rasmussen, Jay Jay Revlon, Amor Ante, Pxssy Palace, BitterSuite, Taos Bertrand and more performing and DJing.
Fri 9th – Sat 18th June 2023
Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX
southbankcentre.co.uk
5. Try Pie in a Whole New Way
We think a pie is an acceptable meal any time of year but summer is BBQ season so it makes sense that Will Lewis of Willy’s Pies is giving the pastry a little rest for the season and busting out the grill instead. And he’s not doing it alone either as he’s invited some of London’s top cooking talent down to Netil Market in London Fields to cook up some spesh BBQ menus – this June the guests will be Keegan Misanchuk of Brat and Kelly Pochyba.
Sat 10th & Sun 11th, Sat 24th & Sun 25th June 2023
13-23 Westgate St, London E8 3RL
@willys_pies
6. Surround Yourself With Vibrant Street Art
Earlier this year, the Saatchi Gallery welcomed an exhibition dedicated to street art as BEYOND THE STREETS LONDON took over the entire 70,000 sqft space, and now, the city’s about to get another. The Colors Festival, which has already had successful runs in Manchester and Paris, brings together paintings, photography and illustrations by more than 40 street artists from around the world.
Thurs 1st – Fri 30th June 2023
Camden Market Hawley Wharf, 1 Dockray Place, London NW1 8JZ
colorsfestivals.com
7. See ‘The Pillowman’ on the West End
His latest film The Banshees of Inisherin is receiving a wave of critical acclaim and now Martin McDonagh (also the man behind In Bruges and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) is bringing his Olivier Award-winning play, The Pillowman, to the West End for its first major revival.
Sat 10th – Fri 30th June 2023
Duke of York Theatre, 104 St Martin’s Ln, London, WC2N 4BG
pillowmanplay.com
8. Eat at *the* BBQ Pop-Up of the Summer
It’s not summer in London without a BBQ pop-up from Jimmy Garcia, so he’s bringing his BBQ Club back to the Southbank. The club will serving up a six-course menu, including dishes like BBQ asparagus with house labneh, scallop with burnt lime butter & sobrasada, BBQ chicken supreme with coal fired leeks & wild allium emulsion, and beer braised bone marrow & beef cheek doughnut with flat iron yakitori, and you’ll be involved in the cooking, with at least one element of each course coming from the Big Green Eggs on each table. The restaurant will also be doing Sunday lunch barbecue-style with slow-cooked lamb shoulders, grilled veggies and summer salads. If you’re after something a little more casual, the club’s two bars, rooftop terrace and garden patches will be offering a street food menu featuring burgers, lamb kebabs, BBQ trout, halloumi fries, chicken wings and tomato & burrata salads, so you can just walk up, grab your goods and find a sunny spot to sit in.
Thurs 1st – Fri 30th June 2023
The Queen’s Walk, London SE1 8XX
jimmyspopup.com
9. See the Hayward Gallery’s New Climate-Focused Exhibition
The Hayward Gallery has announced that their latest exhibition will centre around the climate crisis, featuring art that’s intended to deepen our connection to the natural world. The climate crisis lingers in the minds of most people at this point, regardless of where they live or what they do, and art has long been linked to climate activism. So, Dear Earth will set out to reframe our responses with this collection of pieces that reveal a number of different perspectives on the crisis.
Wed 21st June – Fri 30th June 2023
Hayward Gallery, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Rd, London SE1 8XX
southbankcentre.co.uk
10. Visit London’s Own Lavender Farm
If you’re looking to up your insta game, Mayfield Lavender Farm is the place thanks to its seriously photogenic rows and rows of lavender – there’s even a red London phone box on site for photo ops. The farm will be open from June to August this year, with July and August the peak time for those purple blooms. There’s even a cafe on site so you can kick back with a lavender cider and a cake once you’ve gotten all the shots for the gram.
Sat 10th – Fri 30th June 2023
1 Carshalton Rd, Banstead SM7 3JA
mayfieldlavender.com
