TYPE IN YOUR SEARCH AND PRESS ENTER
We've made it to the halfway point. You know what that means, summer is well and truly here and London is full of loads of fab things to do this July.
Sam Barker - Staff Writer
With summer’s grip firmly wrapped around us, the long sunny days and (patches of) glorious weather have us raring to get out and about and actually do things! Whether you’re sipping pints, trying out world-class restaurants, or heading off to the beach, there’s something going on to keep you entertained. So without further ado, get a load of these amazing things to do in London in July 2022!
As Pride month draws to a close, it can hardly be said to be fizzling out or winding down. Instead, the month caps itself off with plenty more celebration, in particular the Pride parades. July sees the London Pride Parade taking over the streets on July 2, before the London Trans+ Pride Parade makes its way through London on July 9. They’re celebrations of identity and, obviously, pride – but they’re also protests, as the LGBTQIA+ community continue to fight for their rights. Join in, make your voice heard, and remember to love each other.
It’s the obvious choice, right? Okay, so maybe it’s a bit cheeky to start off a roundup of things to do in London by saying “get out of London”, but you simply have to make the most of the weather! Fortunately for you, we’ve got a handy guide to some of the best beaches near London. Make the most of the upcoming heatwaves that are purportedly on the horizon. Although, at what point do we just call multiple consecutive heatwaves ‘summer’?
Become part of a government organisation uncovering the stories hidden in Churchill War Rooms in this immersive theatrical experience. In Operation Black Door, every second matters, and every decision you make is crucial to your success. Can you crack the code and unlock the secrets of Operation Black Door?
If ticket sales are any indicator (and let’s be honest they usually are), London is already buzzing with excitement for the Women’s EURO Championship. And for those who unfortunately have to miss out on seeing the action in person, there’s plenty of places around London keeping you up to date with the action. With England the favourites to win, you can catch all the England games at Truman’s Social Club, keep up to date with how the other teams are faring as well across all three London Boxpark locations, or catch it at your local pub – there’s sure to be plenty near you showing the matches.
Sticking with sports for the moment, anyone for tennis? Ah who are we kidding, it’s everyone for tennis when Wimbledon rolls around and SW19 becomes the most desirable postcode in town. If you didn’t manage to grab a ticket, you know Wimbledon fever will be spread across all of London’s boroughs. For a VIP viewing experience check it out on the big screen in London Bridge. Alternatively, head to Chelsea’s The Cadogan Arms, or Fitrovia’s The George, where special food and drinks menus accompany the viewing. Alternatively pop to Vinegar Yard’s Summer of Screenings – where they’ll also be showing Love Island, so you can catch all the grand slam serves and poolside swerves.
Tim Hortons is finally opening up a London location on Canada Day (that’s July 1 for those of you who aren’t aware). Take your Canadian friends so they can be hit by a wave of nostalgia. And be sure to try out an ‘iced-capp’ and find out why the chain is so beloved and talked about. Oh, and obviously don’t skip the donuts – it’s kind of their thing.
Joy King Lau deserves a fitting tribute before they close their doors for good at the end of service on July 3. What better way to pay honour to them than to go back for one final meal to say goodbye. We’ll miss you old friend.
Realistically, it’s just an excuse to eat and drink – as if we needed one anyway!
🍔Riding House has an exclusive 4th of July set menu, with All-American BBQ classics such as “dry-aged brisket, smoked applewood cheeseburger sliders, soul fried chicken wings with pepper sauce and shrimp skewers with chili and fennel.” There’ll also be classic sides, tasty desserts, and limited-edition American inspired cocktails.
🎂The famed Hummingbird Bakery is ringing in the 4th of July with a spread of star-spangled cupcakes, tray bakes, and cakes. They’re pulling flavours and topping ideas from all across the United States, from North Carolina to Florida, and the all-encompassing good ol’ American apple pie.
This live, immersive experience finds Beatrix Potter enlisting your help to find the mischievous Peter Rabbit. The experience brings Beatrix Potter’s fictional world to life in Blenheim Palace‘s beautiful walled garden as you attempt to foil Mr. McGregor’s rabbit pie-shaped plan.
There’s live shows with side-splitting comedy and crowd-frenzying music, outdoor bars with a plethora of choices, and street food to chow down on. It’s basically a whole day of activities all rolled into one convenient little (or not so little) package! You’ve still got plenty of time to catch it all, or keep going back for more, as the Underbelly Festival is running until July 16 at Cavendish Square and until July 31 at Earls Court.
Now, we all agree that chocolate in liquid form is the best type of chocolate, right? Milkshakes, hot chocolate, mochas even. So therefore the best way to celebrate such a joyous day as World Chocolate Day would be to sip at an offering from UK’s cult hot chocolate brand, Knoops. With iced chocolates on the menu (think all the richness of a hot chocolate, but iced and cooling) across a range of strengths, you’ll be skipping your way through World Chocolate Day. Until the sugar crash hits.
Summer isn’t the only thing in full bloom this month. Mosey on down to the idyllic surrounds of Hampton Court Palace for a festival perfect for the green-fingered and flower-eyed among you. These gardens are great for the ‘gram, and it’s a super spot for a lazy afternoon wander amongst the tulips. More on their website.
Because, you know, who wants to be stuck inside a cinema with the wonderful summer weather?
🎬Head to the Rooftop Film Club and take in one of the cult-favourite films or blockbusters they’ll be showing through the summer. We highly recommend the ‘Second Summer of Cage‘ films – who doesn’t need more Nicholas Cage movies in their life?
🎬Or check out a canalside movie in King’s Cross at the Screen on the Canal viewing festival. You’ll even get a chance to sing your heart out at an Encanto sing-along performance.
Whether you’re a green-fingered gardener with an empty canvas, or simply obsessed with houseplants, London’s array of garden centres will prove an absolute delight. Just be sure to take that antihistamine before you go!
Head to a private garden in Central London for Cocktails in the City, where 20 of the best bars in London will be gathering to mix up drinks for you. And the other people there, of course. It’s not just for you – though it may well feel like it. Sip your way through trendsetting cocktails and wholly unique drinking experiences as you enjoy the entertainment and workshops on offer.
Okay so some of the globe’s most famous music festivals may have taken place last month (Glastonbury and Primavera) but there’s still plenty of London music festivals to fill your July schedule with.
🔥BST Hyde Park (June 24 – July 10) – Still going strong into July, with headliners such as Adele, Rolling Stones, Pearl Jam, and Duran Duran.
✨Wireless Festival (July 1-3 & July 8-10) – The likes of Tyler The Creator, Nicki Minaj, SZA, Cardi B, and J Cole are headlining. We’re still not sure what Chris Brown is doing on the roster though.
💫Kew The Music (July 5–10) – Fancy listening to Bananarama or Van Morrison while you picnic in one of the most beautiful places in London?
🔥Somerset House Summer Series (July 7–17) – From Carly Rae Jepsen to Arlo Parks, to Mabel and more
✨Kaleidoscope (July 23) – Ally Pally making the joy of festivals, and all of the experience, into a one-dayer event
💫Higher Ground Festival (July 24) – It’s Patti Smith, do you really need to know any more than that?
🔥South Facing Festival (July 29–August 21) – They said it best: “The Bowl is back and ready to rock.”
✨Body Movements (July 30) – Hackney Wick coming hard with the weirdest and queerest of the festivals, with driving electronic music
Check out the dates for the rest of London’s music festivals here.
One of East London’s finest pubs, Pembury Tavern, is partnering up with ACE Pizza for a long-weekend celebration of summer. They’ll be handing out 100 free slices each day at their Summer Pizza Party, alongside their new ACE Pizza Limoncello Spritz which they’ll be doling out for a mere 2 for £12.
It’s a celebration of summer in the heart of London. Lillet is offering up a delightful Rosé Spritz Garden picnic experience, where you can make your own Lillet Rosé Spritz as you soak up the sun with picnic baskets aplenty, surrounded by blankets, flowers, and friends. Find out more and grab tickets here.
🍹Try out the best rum punch in London at Brixton’s Fish Wings N Tings. Tina’s Rum Punch will throw you for a loop before their delicious Caribbean food brings you back in for more.
🥃If you’re grabbing a bottle to celebrate at home, shop local by picking up a bottle from Market Row Rum in Brixton Village. Their premium blend of Jamaican, Bajan and Dominican rum is infused with flavours from Africa, Asia, and beyond.
🧉Alternatively, go crazy with the latest release from coffee liqueur legends Mr. Black who have released their limited-edition Rum Barrel Coffee Liqueur just in time for world rum day. Perfect for blending up some cocktails to celebrate.
Try out some of the best, and newest, craft beer offerings London has to offer as you make your way along the Blackhorse Beer Mile. It’s a little more do-able than the Bermondsey version, with 6 venues compared to Bermondsey’s (*counts on fingers*) more than 10. Definitely more than 10.
London recently got crowned as the most sustainable shopping city in the UK. So why not celebrate by doing some sustainable shopping of your own! Hit up a charity shop or one of London’s many markets in the search of a new outfit for the plethora of activities you’ll be partaking in this month.
A three-month festival overlooking the Thames at Tower Bridge, Summer by the River is back with another a programme of free, summery events for us to enjoy. Just got to hope for some more sunshine now…
Grab a meal before you take in one of London’s famed West End performances by heading to Kahani for their pre- (or post-) theatre menu. It’s the perfect place to chow down so your stomach isn’t growling by the time intermission rolls around. Just £29 nabs you three courses with choices such as soft shell crunchy crab with Mangalorean spices, chargrilled chicken makhani, Kerala fish curry, and even an Indian twist on sticky toffee pudding.
Yes, pun very much intended there. Building on the chess renaissance that’s followed in the wake of Netflix hit ‘The Queen’s Gambit’, Chess Fest is taking over Trafalgar Square. You’ll find hundreds of chess tables for friendly games, free lessons, the chance to play against Grandmasters, a human chess game where actors take the role (heh) of the pieces, and giant chess boards for you to muck around on. I once lost a game of chess in just three catastrophic moves, so maybe this isn’t for me… More here.
Have a gorgeous, candle-lit date night (or just take yourself out on a solo date!) as you take in these dazzling tributes to the music we all know and love. Ranging from Hans Zimmer to Justin Bieber, there’s something for anyone’s musical tastes. Here’s what you can wrap your eardrums around this July!
🕯Candlelight Open Air: Hans Zimmer’s Best Works (July 14, 21, 27, & 28)
🕯Candlelight: A Tribute to Ludovico Einaudi at Central Hall (July 9)
🕯Candlelight: A Tribute to Justin Bieber at Southwark Cathedral (July 15)
🕯Candlelight: The Best of Harry Styles (July 30)
🕯Candlelight: A Tribute to Amy Winehouse (July 30)
Don’t forget, you can see and book even more fabulous candlelight concerts here!
Crazy-golf legends, Birdies, are opening up a new location in Angel this month. Expect some of the fan-favourite holes alongside new dastardly tricky golfing experiences. Don’t worry there’s also plenty of food and drink to drown your sorrows or celebrate your victory.
After last year’s online event, the Lambeth Country Show is back. Imagine a village fete on steroids, with flower shows, vegetable statues, sheep shows, live music and even a bit of jousting thrown in for good measure – all for free! As the UK’s most sustainable public event, it’s the ultimate feel-good day out.
Estrella Damm’s National Restaurant Awards 2022 recently released their list of top UK restaurants, and 7 of the Top 10 are in London! I guess we’ll just have to try them all.
London’s ultimate culinary and travel celebration returns to London for the first time since 2019. From July 16-17, Angel will be host to a celebration of global cuisines. The National Geographic Traveller Food Festival brings live demos and masterclasses from some of the world’s top chefs. And plenty of food, of course.
Take those sunny day strolls to a new level by exploring some of the most amazing green spaces London has to offer. It truly boggles the mind that some of these are inside of a city.
What, you think we’re not going to tell you to hit up as many bottomless brunches as your liver, stomach, and wallet can handle? Of course we are! It’s like our modus-operandi: always recommend the brunch. Fortunately, we’ve rounded up some of the best bottomless brunches in London to make your decision easier. Or harder. Depends how you look at it.
If the festival life isn’t for you, but you’re still keen to catch some of your favourite acts live and in person, you’re in luck. There are some truly fantastic gigs on offer in London in July.
🎶Mika (July 3): Roundhouse
🎵Peach Tree Rascals (July 5): Omeara
🎧Tinashe (July 7): Electric Ballroom
🎸Sam Fender (July 15): at Finsbury Park
🎙️D Smoke (July 16): Lafayette
🎶Faouzia (July 20-21): Colours
🎵Bartees Strange (July 21): Powerhouse
🎧HAIM (July 21): The O2
🎸Phoebe Bridgers (July 26 – 29): O2 Academy Brixton
🎙️Lady Gaga (July 29-30): Tottenham Hotspurs Stadium
It’s not the busiest month of new exhibitions, or shows coming to a close, but there’s still plenty to see!
🧡Africa Fashion (opens July 2): V&A Museum
💜Platinum Jubilee: The Queen’s Accession (opens July 22): Buckingham Palace
💚Milton Avery (opens July 15): Royal Academy of Arts
💙Lubaina Himid (closes July 3): Tate Modern
💛Credit Suisse Exhibition: Raphael (closes July 31): The National Gallery
You may well need to find solace from the heat and sun from time to time, why not dart into a nice cool theatre under the guise of taking in some culture?
🎭A Doll’s House, Part 2 (opened June 10): Donmar Warehouse.
🎭Mad House (opened June 15): Ambassadors Theatre
🎭The Seagull (opened June 29): Harold Pinter Theatre
🎭Sister Act! The Musical (opens July 19): Eventim Apollo
🎭That Is Not Who I Am (closes July 16): Royal Court
Read about the rest of the year’s don’t miss shows here.
Here are even more of the best places we wrote about this month – why not check them out in July?
🍳Sodo Walthamstow: The pizza spot serving up egg-topped pizzas for brunch
🥩Salt Bae is getting in on the London rooftop terrace game
🍓This orange wine bar is now serving up frozen strawberry daiquiris
🍦Mamasons: A ‘dirty ice cream’ parlour serving up delicious frozen treats
🍝Italian pata favourites miscusi have opened up their second London restaurant
🦒Explore London Zoo after dark at these adults-only evening sessions this summer
🎨Artworks are taking over Canary Wharf as part of the Summer Lights exhibition
🕺Studio 338 has announced details of their massive summer lineup
🏗️London In The Sky: Dine while dangling 100ft up in the air
🥗Markets Hall Canary Wharf Cargo: London’s latest new food hall in, you guessed it, Canary Wharf
🍕Homeslice Shoreditch: The legendary pizza joint going plant-based
🍲Savour Festival hit London at the end of the month
😁 200 fab and FREE things to do in London
📃 The 500 best things to do in London
🙃 All our ideas for unusual places to visit in London
Also published on Medium.