August Bank Holiday weekend often marks the slow wind-down of summer. School is around the corner, uniforms need sorting, and routines are starting to creep back in.
But before all that, there’s still one last long weekend to enjoy together. Whether you’re after something cultural, creative, energetic or just a bit different, there’s plenty happening for families across London.
This guide features 20 events, including festivals, theatre, quirky art, sleepovers, face painting and more. Whether you’re up for a big day out or just looking for something simple and local, we hope you find an experience to enjoy here below.
20 August Bank Holiday Events in London
Notting Hill Carnival Family Day
Date: Sun 25 Aug (Carnival runs Sat 23 – Mon 25 Aug)
Ages: all ages
Where: Notting Hill, W11
Prices: free
Europe’s biggest street party returns this weekend, celebrating Caribbean culture with music, dance and colourful costumes. If you’re going with kids, we recommend visiting on Family Day this Sunday which will include the Children’s Parade and Carnival. Live Stages keeping the celebrations going all afternoon, and it’s free!
Peace Doves
Date: Until 13 September
Ages: all ages
Where: Southwark Cathedral, SE1
Prices: free (donations welcome)
Thousands of shimmering paper doves, each scripted with messages of peace, float above in a beautifully serene installation, making it an evocative pause in the busy capital.
Wander through the soft light and hopeful words which give time to pause. It’s a free gallery of kindness that both kids and grown-ups will find surprisingly moving.
Beach at JW3
Date: Sat 6 Jul – Sun 1 Sept
Time: 10.00am – 6.00pm
Ages: all ages
Where: JW3, Finchley Road, NW3
Prices: free
JW3 has brought back its pop-up beach for the summer, complete with sand, paddling pools, and deckchairs. It’s free to visit and open to everyone, with space for kids to play and grown-ups to sit and relax. Covered overhead, so it’s a good option whatever the weather.
Visit a Felt Fish & Chip Shop
Date: until Sun 14 Sept
Time: 11.00am – 6.00pm
Ages: all ages
Where: Lyndsey Ingram, W1
Prices: free
Artist Lucy Sparrow has recreated a traditional British chip shop entirely out of felt, from the vinegar bottles to the battered cod. It’s playful, nostalgic and full of clever details that both kids and adults will enjoy spotting. Free to visit and open daily, it’s a fun stop if you’re in central London.
Join the Zoo Crew
Date: Daily until 1 Sept
Ages: all ages
Where: London Zoo, Regent’s Park, NW1
Prices: included with Zoo entry
Over the summer, children visiting London Zoo can join the Zoo Crew – an interactive trail where they take on pretend animal care tasks like feeding, research, and even cleaning up. There are activity stations throughout the zoo, along with photo ops and explorer kits to borrow. It’s a fun way to explore the zoo with a bit more structure for kids who like to get involved.
Face Painting on the IFS Cloud Cable Car
Date: Saturday 23 & 30 August
Time: 10.00 am – 5.00 pm
Ages: all ages
Where: IFS Cloud Cable Car Royal Docks Terminal, London E16
Prices: face painting £3–£6; cable car tickets sold separately
On Saturdays during the summer, face painters are set up at the Royal Docks terminal of the IFS Cloud Cable Car, ready to transform kids into tigers, butterflies, and everything in between. It’s a fun extra before taking off over the Thames with skyline views of London. No need to book ahead- just turn up and join the queue.
Greenwich Fair
Date: Sat 23 – Sun 24 Aug
Time: various times
Ages: all ages
Where: Greenwich Park, SE10
Prices: free
Running over the weekend, Greenwich Fair is a festival of family-friendly street theatre, circus, dance and games. It’s hosted in Greenwich Park with all shows free and unticketed. Highlights include The Elephant and the Drummer (puppetry and music) and Epiphytes, a high-wire aerial show inspired by trees.
DroneArt Show: A Music and Drone Show
Date: Fri 22 – Sun 24 Aug
Time: 8.00pm
Ages: all ages
Where: Sandown Park Racecourse, KT10
Prices: from £33.00 per person
This night-time show outdoes fireworks, with hundreds of drones flying in sync to music and creating colourful shapes and animations in the sky. It’s a different kind of show that appeals to tech fans and curious kids alike. Just look up and enjoy.
Spot’s Birthday Party
Date: Fri 22 – Mon 25 Aug
Time: 10.30am | 1.00pm | Fri 2.00pm
Ages: 2 yrs+
Where: Rose Theatre, KT1
Prices: from £7.50 per person
Spot the Dog is having a birthday, and everyone’s invited to join in the fun. This gentle show features songs, puppetry and plenty of chances for little ones to get involved as Spot goes on a birthday adventure to find his friends. It’s based on the much-loved books by Eric Hill and designed especially for early years, making it a great pick for a first theatre outing.
Public Night Voyage: Summer Sleepover
Date: Sat 23 Aug
Time: 5.00pm – 9.00am
Ages: 5-10 yrs
Where: The Golden Hinde, SE1
Prices: from £49.00 per person
Sleep on a real pirate ship? Yes, please! This overnight experience combines history, adventure, and bedtime stories below deck. It’s educational without being boring, and your kids will be talking about it until Christmas.
Comedy Club 4 Kids
Date: Sun 24 Aug
Time: 3.00pm
Ages: 6 yrs+
Where: Park Theatre, N4
Prices: from £15.00 per person
This stand-up show features real comedians performing sets specially tailored for kids aged six and up. No rude bits, just jokes that both children and adults get. It’s lively, silly, and genuinely funny without talking down to the audience. A good pick if you’re after something that feels a bit different.
CBeebies Prom: A Magical Bedtime Story
Date: Mon 25 Aug
Time: 12.30pm & 3.30pm
Ages: all ages
Where: Royal Albert Hall, SW7
Prices: from £12.20 per person
This family-friendly concert brings together classical music, storytelling and familiar CBeebies presenters in a gentle, calming performance. Expect lullabies, soft lighting and a simple story designed with young audiences in mind. A peaceful way to wind down the weekend.
Battersea Park in Concert
Date: Sat 23 – Mon 25 Aug
Time: 4.30pm – 9.30pm
Ages: all ages
Where: Battersea Park, SW11
Prices: free
If your idea of a perfect bank holiday is sitting in the park with a live orchestra, check out Battersea Park in Concert. Performances include A Night at the Movies and Jools Holland with rhythm & blues. Families can book a luxury picnic hamper, plus there are activities, make & play, games and more for kids.
Children’s Puppet Festival
Date: until Sun 31 Aug
Time: various times
Ages: 3 yrs+
Where: Little Angel Theatre, N1
Prices: from £15.00 per adult
This summer-long festival celebrates the art of puppetry with a rotating programme of shows and activities for families. Over the Bank Holiday weekend, you can catch Hickory Dickory Dock for little ones and The Elves and the Shoemaker for slightly older children. It’s a great way to introduce kids to theatre in a playful, imaginative setting.
Ship Shapes
Date: Mon 25 Aug
Time: 11.00am – 1.00pm | 2.00pm – 4.00pm
Ages: all ages
Where: Cutty Sark, SE10
Prices: from £22.00 per adult
This drop-in workshop invites kids to get hands-on with model-making and explore how ships are designed to move through water. Held on board the historic Cutty Sark, it’s part of the ship’s summer holiday activities and combines craft, science and maritime history. Entry includes access to the rest of the ship, so there’s plenty to explore after the workshop.
Dance Your Way Home: Public Art
Date: Wed 20 Aug – Mon 25 Aug
Ages: all ages
Where: Southbank Centre (multiple locations, SE1)
Prices: free
This is a free trail of art installations around the Southbank Centre designed to get you moving through photographs, murals, sculptures, and murals with themes of dance, community, and connection. Artists like Denzil Forrester and Annie Frost Nicholson appear throughout the site, and Jeppe Hein’s Appearing Rooms fountain returns for a splashy pause. It’s an easy, walk-through way to enjoy art and fresh air, whatever your pace.
Hampton Court Palace Food Festival
Date: Sat 23 – Mon 25 Aug
Time: 10.00am – 6.00pm
Ages: all ages
Where: Hampton Court Palace, KT8
Prices: from £28.00 per adult
Set in the grounds of Henry VIII’s former home, this food festival brings together street food stalls, artisan producers, and live demos from well-known chefs. There’s also live music, face painting, and space for kids to run around while adults sample treats. Entry includes access to the palace gardens, so there’s more than just food to explore.
Whether you choose dreamy events like the Peace Doves or the giant Sleeping Beauty installation, or the colour, fun and dance of Notting Hill Carnival, there’s something joyful to discover this August Bank Holiday.
From hands-on workshops and city beaches to music, food, and quiet moments, the city’s got a mix of options for families. We hope this list helps you find something to enjoy over the long weekend – whatever that looks like for you. 💛