What's on in London this month

The best things to do this August as a student

August in London brings Notting Hill Carnival on the Bank Holiday weekend, headline shows at Victoria Park, CATS at Regent's Park, and your last chance to catch some of the year's biggest exhibitions before they close. Here's everything worth knowing this month 👇

📅 Saturday 29 – Monday 31 August

Europe's biggest street festival marks its 60th year on the streets of west London. Saturday brings the UK National Panorama steel band competition as a warm-up. Sunday is Families and Children's Day, Monday is the big one: the adults' parade with music, food and fun in Ladbroke Grove.

It's a huge weekend with over two million people expected, so plan your travel, keep valuables close and expect some road closures near Ladbroke Grove and Westbourne Park.

👉 Get the full Carnival 2026 schedule and route info

📅  Throughout August

The Open Air Theatre keeps going strong this month. Andrew Lloyd Webber's CATS is on the stage all August, so there's still plenty of time to catch it under the stars. Expect the West End's longest bar, a pizza oven on site and the best time in Regent's Park.

• CATS, Andrew Lloyd Webber's highly anticipated revival runs throughout August until 19 September.

👉 Book your tickets for Regent's Park Open Air Theatre.

📅 21 – 30 August

East London's biggest music festival returns to Victoria Park across two weekends, with Lorde, Tyler, the Creator (across two nights) and Twenty One Pilots headlining, plus Jorja Smith and Tems sharing a bill. In between the two ticketed weekends, "In The Neighbourhood" opens the site for free, with outdoor cinema, live music, street food and family activities.

👉 Check the full lineup and grab tickets for All Points East

Tracey Emin: A Second Life at Tate Modern

📅 Until 31 August 2026

The largest Tracey Emin retrospective ever staged brings together 40 years of her work, including her Turner Prize-nominated My Bed, alongside pieces never shown before. Tickets from £20, or £5 with Tate Collective if you're 16 to 25.

👉 Find out more

Zurbarán at The National Gallery

📅 Until 23 August 2026

The first ever UK exhibition dedicated to Spanish Baroque painter Francisco de Zurbarán. Check out over 40 paintings on loan from galleries across Europe and the US. Tickets from £20.

👉 Find out more

Summer Exhibition at The Royal Academy of Arts

📅  Until 23 August 2026

The Royal Academy's yearly summer exhibition is back, bringing together over 1,800 works spanning painting, sculpture, photography, film and digital art from emerging artists, household names and members of the public. Tickets from £23.50.

👉 Find out more