Top London Events for August 2018

This August is promising sun, fun and plenty to do—from carnivals to gin festivals!

Whether you’re a gin fiend or a beer hound, London has drink events to keep you merry and food ones to keep you full. Spend evenings by the river with free courses, classes and screenings, and weekends at carnivals—London has it all, and you can take part!

Fulham Beach Club

Bringing a bit of the beach to the London streets, this year the Fulham Beach Club is back with pop-up bars and restaurants, excercise classes and some very English pastimes. While they have scrapped the BYOB policy, entry is free for those who live in SW6 and SW18 on weekdays and Sunday, but only a fiver for other London residents.

Great British Beer Festival

An annual event run by the Campaign for Real Ale, this festival has been running for over 40 years, so it attracts the best breweries around. There are over 900 drinks to choose from and it’s nicknamed the biggest pub in the world, so grab a stool and spend an afternoon sipping the best of Britain (and the rest of the world too).

Comida Fest Vol. 2

This is the second installment of the giant street-food festival with plenty of music and entertainment to keep you entertained as you eat your way from stall to stall. There will be over 30 vendors with all sorts of seafood, BBQ and sweet treats to try, so make sure you arrive hungry!

Summer Gin Festival

Jumping on the gin-laden bandwagon, this festival is the successor of the popular event held in February and will have over 100 varieties available. There will be exclusive special additions and real-life gin distillers to chat to about the creation of this much-loved drink. The event is strictly for over 18s and will be split into six sessions running over four days.

A Suffragette Story Tour

Step aboard an old London Routemaster as Rachel Kolsky, author of Women’s London, takes you on a journey following in the footsteps of the most influential suffragette activists. Visiting the sites of rallies and protests, hearing stories of success and struggle and learning the difference between suffragists and Suffragettes – it’s all happening on this trip.

Notting Hill Carnival

Probably London’s biggest event, this year’s Notting Hill Carnival is back and bigger than ever. Taking over the streets of London for the Bank holiday weekend, the festival is more kid-friendly on the first day and decidedly messier. The grand finale will feature over 60 bands performing in Powis Square on Monday and although parades finish at pm, you’ll be sure to find plenty of after-parties to keep the spirit going.

Spin – The Cycling Festival

With everything you could ever need for your cycling commute of weekend trips out of the city, this is one of the biggest trade shows in London. There will be three packed days with stalls, expert talks, campaigners and workshops on framebuilding.

Last Chance Events

Summer by the River Festival  |  Until August 30th  |  London Bridge

Ongoing Events

Skylight Summer Opening  |  Until Sept 16th  |   Wapping

Underbelly Festival  |  Until Sept 30th  |  South Bank

Deptford Market Yard  |  Until December 22nd  |  Deptford

Votes for Women Centenary Exhibition | Until Jan 9th 2019 | Barbican | Free

Poster Women: A Century of Art and Design  |  Until Jan 2019  |  Covent Garden  |  Free upon entry

Written by: Lily Crossley-Baxter

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Filed under: Things to Do

Tags: August, Carnival, Cocktails, Drinks, Entertainment, Festivals, Food Festivals, Free Events, Gin, Notting Hill Carnival, Summer