Doesn't matter if it's a chilly 9°c; if the sun's out, us Londoners are out too — and we'll deal with the resulting pneumonia later. Want to make the most of being outside this summer? Here's our guide to experiencing the city's outdoor culture — think cinema, theatre, live music and art al fresco — plus plenty of other outdoor activities.
Outdoor cinema in London: summer 2026
Outdoor cinema has been A Thing in London for a few years now. We've watched films in parks, gardens, palaces, swimming pools and on rooftops across the capital. And y'know what — it never gets old (though it does sometimes get cold).
Summer 2026 is shaping up to be a good'un — Adventure Cinema is among the roving movie theatres popping up in the capital, while Rooftop Cinema Club (formerly Rooftop Film Club) returns to two London venues. Keep an eye on our guide to outdoor cinemas in London for updates, and get booking!
Outdoor theatre in London: summer 2026
Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
You could spend hours wandering Regent's Park, and still never stumble across its Open Air Theatre, nestled within the park's Inner Circle. The auditorium is exposed to the elements, with tiered seating for some 1,200 audience members.
There are usually three or four shows on the programme each summer, and at least a couple tend to be family-friendly (Peter Pan has been a favourite in the past). The 2026 season begins in early May and runs through until September. For 2026, we're treated to no fewer than four different theatre productions; Sherlock Holmes, Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, an all-singing, all-dancing production of CATS, and family show Anansi the Spider, in a collab with Southwark's Unicorn Theatre. That's alongside contemporary dance show A Life In Four Seasons, one-off shows from comedians James Acaster and Tim Loganberry, and a Family Day during May half term.
Regent's Park Open Air Theatre, 2 May-12 September 2026.
Shakespeare's Globe
Probably London's most famous theatre, Shakespeare's Globe is another open-air experience, replicating the original playing conditions Shakespeare and his actors would have known. The roof takes a wooden 'O' shape (hence its nickname 'this Wooden O'), leaving the audience exposed to the elements, and there's room for up to 700 'groundlings' to stand in the yard (seating is available too).
A Midsummer Night's Dream (not to be confused with the production in Regent's Park, above), Much Ado About Nothing, Love's Labour Lost and As You Like It are on the programme for Summer 2026 at Shakespeare's Globe. In addition to these works from the Bard's own quill, look out for family-friendly show A World Elsewhere, and Brecht's Mother Courage and her Children. Top tip: if you're on a budget, hold out for the £5 Rush, which sees a limited number of last-minute £5 groundling tickets for the following week made available every Friday at 11am.
The above are the only full season outdoor theatre experiences we know of, though some venues offer pop-up theatre experiences throughout the summer:
🎭 Shakespeare in the Squares brings the Bard to an assortment of green spaces in the capital, celebrating its 10th year in 2026. Love's Labout Lost is this year's play, on from 3 June-12 July 2026.
🎭 Chiswick House: Shakespeare's Othello is scheduled for 30 June 2026, followed by The Tale of Peter Rabbit on 2 August 2026. Keep an eye on the website for further announcements, as they usually offer several shows each summer.
🎭 The Handlebards: Cycling Shakespeare theatre company The Handlebards perform in outdoor locations all over Europe, juggling two shows (Much Ado About Nothing and Macbeth) this year. London venues include Severndroog Castle (24 May), Dulwich Picture Gallery (3 June), Southwark Cathedral (4 June), Strawberry Hill House (4 July), Royal Hospital Chelsea (7 July) and The Charterhouse (14 July).
🎭 Fulham Palace: The walled garden at this west London palace hosts a performance of The Jungle Book (20 June) and Pinocchio (5 July). See below for live al fresco music at the same venue.
🎭 The Arts Centre Hounslow once again brings a six-week outdoor theatre, comedy and live music season to the Walled Garden at Boston Manor Park, with productions including The Wind in the Willows and The Pirates of Penzance (14 July-27 August 2026)
🎭 As part of East London Shakespeare Festival, yet another rendition of A Midsummer Night's Dream is performed on the Tea Lawn at Lauderdale House in Highgate (15-16 July 2026)
🎭 The Greek Theatre Players perform The Merry Wives of Windsor at Walthamstow's secret amphitheatre 22-25 July 2026.
🎭 GDIF 2026: Free outdoor performing arts festival Greenwich + Docklands International Festival (GDIF) will return for 2026; we're awaiting exact details. Usually August-September.
Outdoor live music in London: summer 2026
London's not short of a music festival or two — dozens take over parks and commons for days or weekends of live music across all genres, and we've covered them in our guide to London music festivals 2026. But what about when you're looking for something a little more sophisticated? Read on...
Opera Holland Park 2026
For a couple of months each summer, a temporary canopied auditorium pops up in Holland Park, festooned with all manner of lighting and sound gear. It acts as the base for Opera Holland Park, a performing arts charity which works in schools, care homes and the like throughout the year, but comes into its own for its summer festival — and 2026 is its 30th season.
Both classic and newer shows are performed — the summer 2026 season includes classics such as Puccini's La fanciulla del West and Turandot, Mozart's Cosi fan tutte and Strauss's Die Fledermaus as well as a new take on Alice in Wonderland, and performances by the Royal Ballet School. There are even free lunchtime recitals on selected Fridays, taking place on the steps in Holland Park and open to anyone.
Technically, it's a covered venue, although the canopy does have open sides, so we're calling it al fresco. There's no dress code but organisers recommend layers in case it gets chilly.
Opera Holland Park. Summer 2026 season begins 26 May.
Hampton Court Palace Festival 2026
If you thought Kew was an impressive concert venue, what about seeing world-famous musicians performing against the backdrop of Hampton Court Palace? The Hampton Court Palace Festival is a series of outdoor concerts taking place in the Tudor courtyard each summer — all tickets are seated. The East Front Gardens open before the show each night, where concertgoers can enjoy a picnic. Or there are King's Dining VIP experiences, giving you access to the State Apartments, where you can dine like royalty.
For 2026, David Gray, Elvis Costello, Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Nile Rodgers & Chic are on the line up with more to be announced.
Hampton Court Palace Festival, 10-20 June 2026.
See also:
🎷 LSO's BMW Classics: The London Symphony Orchestra gives a FREE, open-air concert in Trafalgar Square (13 June 2026), performing an all-British programme led by conductor Sir Antonio Pappano.
🎷 Jazz on the Lawn at Fulham Palace (17 July and 18 July 2026)
🎷 Bermondsey Square hosts a free afternoon of live jazz, laid on by local talent, and led by vocalist Stephen Pierre. (19 July)
Outdoor art in London: summer 2026
London has an array of permanent outdoor art and sculpture trails — The Line is one such example. But here are a handful that are only around for a limited time:
The National Gallery: Art On Your Doorstep in Croydon
As part of its UK-wide outdoor exhibition scheme, replicas of National Gallery artworks are on display in Croydon until 5 July 2026. The 30 pieces, which include recreations of George Stubbs' Whistlejacket and Van Gogh's Sunflowers are at locations including Queen's Gardens, Croydon Minster and Park Hill Park in the centre of Croydon, as well as various locations further afield in the borough — download a map here. FREE. The exhibition then opens in Brentford in September 2026.
The Serpentine Pavilion 2026
Every year, a temporary Serpentine Pavilion pops up in Kensington Gardens, close to The Serpentine Gallery. The structure is designed by a different team of architects and artists each time, and open to the public for a couple of months. Most memorable for us was The Mastaba, a floating plastic pyramid on the Serpentine Lake by Christo and Jeanne-Claude.
The 2026 Serpentine Pavilion is the rather apt 'a serpentine' by LANZA atelier, consisting of crinkly walls which replicate the shape of a snake. It's FREE to visit and will be in situ 6 June-25 October 2026.
Sculpture in the City 2026
Usually running from summer through to the following spring, Sculpture in the City is a free art trail through the Square Mile. Artworks range from standalone sculptures in squares and public spaces, to smaller works mounted onto the walls of buildings or suspended from ceilings at Leadenhall Market, to video projections, plaques and more. The 14th edition finishes in spring 2026 — keep an eye on the website for details of the next round, which should be on display from July.
Frieze Sculpture Park 2026
Every October, as Frieze Art Fair takes over vast swathes of Regent's Park with huge marquees, sculptures also pop up in other parts of the park for the accompanying Frieze Sculpture Trail. This is a free open-air sculpture exhibition open to everyone. Artists, themes and individual sculptures vary annually — check the website later in the year for details. FREE, open 16 September-1 November 2026.
New Fourth Plinth sculpture
Plus, from September 2026 (exact date TBC), Trafalgar Square's Fourth Plinth will be displaying its latest artwork, Tschabalala Self's Lady in Blue.
A couple of things to note:
- Dress appropriately for an outdoor setting — layers are your friend. Even if it's been a scorching hot day in London, things get chilly as soon as the sun sets, and many of the above events go in late into the evening.
- Check venues' booking conditions; most don't offer a refund for iffy weather unless it's bad enough that the performance or screening can't go ahead for safety reasons.
