Perhaps the greatest classical music festival in the world (and plenty more besides), the BBC Proms returns for another eight-week stint in 2026. Here's what you need to know.
What is the BBC Proms?
The first ever Prom was in 1895, established by the conductor Henry Wood who wanted "to bring the best in classical music to the widest possible audience". The BBC began organising and broadcasting the Proms in 1927. Over the decades, it's burgeoned into an eight-week jamboree of concerts, workshops, talks and family events. In 2026, 86 shows take place across eight weeks — some 3,000 musicians getting involved in London and beyond.
When are the BBC Proms?
Friday 17 July-Saturday 12 September 2026.
Where do the BBC Proms take place?
The majority of Proms concerts take place at the flagship venue, South Kensington's Royal Albert Hall (RAH). This dazzling bowl of Victorian splendour holds an audience of over 5.5k. To paraphrase the Beatles, now you know how many folks it takes to fill the Albert Hall.
It's not all about London these days. There are also Proms at venues including the Bristol Beacon, Gateshead's Glasshouse International Centre for Music, the Fire Station in Sunderland and Middlesbrough Town Hall. Mold in North Wales (which we know best for its delicious Polly's beer) also makes its Proms debut in 2026. But as we're Londonist, our guide focuses on the capital.
2026 Proms highlights — what are they?
That very much depends what you're into. The Proms has evolved over time to cater to an increasingly diverse audience, offering everything from Debussy to disco. Here are a few 2026 shows that've got us drooling:
🎸 Prog Rock - A Fanfare for the Common Man: Dust off those tubular bells! BBC 6 Music's Stuart Maconie hosts an evening dedicated to the much-loved (and, let's be honest, often mocked) genre of prog rock — with classical interpretations of tracks from the likes of Genesis, Jethro Tull and Mike Oldfield. 18 July
🌊 Also sprach Zarathustra: Everyone knows the kettle drum-thudding drama of Also sprach Zarathustra, the final piece on the roster on 21 July. But our ears are pricked up for the opener, the UK premiere of Tales of a Summer Sea, written by Betsy Jolas, who'll be nigh-on 100-years-old when this is performed — the same age at the Proms itself! In all, this Proms season features 20 premieres. 21 July
🎻 Mahler's First by Heart: Nicholas Collon and the Aurora Orchestra lift the bonnet on Mahler's Symphony No. 1, what's described as 'a musical distillation of the composer's life in sound'. Learn the story behind the music in the first half, followed by a rendition by heart in the second. An evening performance of this show is followed by another the next morning. 1 and 2 August
🪘Under African Skies - The Songs of Graceland: It's 40 years since Paul Simon released his Grammy Award-winning Graceland album, and in tribute, his original collaborators, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, take to the Albert Hall stage to perform renditions of the tracks, along with some of their influences. 5 August
🇺🇸 American Classics: This year's Proms includes a number of nods to the 250th year of the Declaration of Independence, one of which is this showcase of tunes conducted by Marin Alsop, including Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue and Copland's Appalachian Spring. 24 August
🌍 Dvořák's 'New World' Symphony: Three BBC Young Musician 2016 finalists reconvene for this night of music 'full of rhythmic energy and joy', the icing on the cake of which is Dvořák's majestic symphony — one that every man and his dog will recognise. (Please note, you cannot take your dog to the Proms.) 6 September
How do I get BBC Proms tickets?
Tickets for all London performances go on general sale on Saturday 16 May 2026 via the Proms website. If you're hoping to go to a number of shows, there's a handy Proms Planner on which you can map out what you want to see. It'll then place relevant tickets in your basket when they're released. You'll need to create an online account for this by 15 May. Or you can order a physical paper Proms guide for £9.99, and have a good old leaf-through.
If you want to be a proper 'prommer', read onto the next section...
How do I get cheap BBC Proms tickets?
That'd be the 'promming' tickets. Until recent years, you'd have to pretend you had a headache at work, leave the office early, and queue to buy tickets on the door. That's no longer the case. Around 1,000 promming tickets are made available online for each performance* on 9.30am of the day of the concert. You can buy a maximum of two per person, and they cost £8 each (including booking fee).
Alternatively, you can show up at Door 12 of the RAH from 9.30am on the day, and try to get your ticket that way. Tickets are sold up until five minutes before the performance starts. No guarantees you'll get in though.
*Except for a handful of Proms, tickets of which will be available from 9.30am the day before the Prom.
What exactly is promming anyway?
It's short for promenade, and in this case means you don't get a seat*. You choose whether to head up into the gallery (spectacular views, and you can indeed stroll around a bit), or into the arena (tends to be more cramped, but you can see the performers up close, and it's quite the atmosphere).
You can take a picnic in with you but any booze may be confiscated. (Boo! Especially given the price they charge for a glass of wine in the RAH these days...)
*A limited number of seats are available for those prommers unable to stand for an entire concert.
Are kids welcome at the Proms?
Yes, although it's recommended that any children you bring to the Proms are aged five and above. Those aged 7-18 are actively encouraged to attend, with half-price tickets available for every show, bar the Last Night of the Proms.
A handful of Proms are especially suitable families with young children:
🧪 BBC Proms: Horrible Science - The Big Band Proms Experiment: CBBC's hit sketch show plays out live on stage, featuring tracks from the likes of Star Wars and The Planets. There's a matinee and evening performance. 25 July
😌 BBC Proms: Relaxed Prom: Works by Vaughn Williams through to Radiohead are performed at this Prom where children of all ages are welcome, and there's zero pressure to keep schtum/stay still. 9 August
👸 BBC Proms: Enchanted - Alan Menken’s Music for Disney: Though it's not strictly a kids' Prom, this one — featuring instantly-recognisable Menkin scores from the likes of The Little Mermaid, Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast — is sure to have audience members of all ages swaying along. 31 August
Do I need to dress smartly?
Top hats and tailcoats please. Only joking. Wear what you like, within reason. We've even seen some prommers stalk about barefoot in the gallery (arguably pretentious, but maybe it helps them contemplate Shostakovich or something).
When is the Last Night of the Proms?
This year's flag-waving finale is on Saturday 12 September, with tenor Nicky Spence and pianist Yuja Wang leading the charge in this wildly popular night of classical bangers, feat. Fantasia on British Sea Songs, Rule, Britannia!, Land of Hope and Glory, Jerusalem and the like.
For a chance to get tickets, you'll need to enter this ballot. (If you've attended more than five 2026 Proms, you can enter a special, separate ballot.) Tickets are not particularly cheap for Last Night of the Proms, although maybe you'll be one of the lucky prommers.
