It happens every year: you’re bored at the weekend, mindlessly scrolling through Instagram when suddenly you are hit by an influx of posts and stories: seemingly everyone you know is out enjoying themselves at a festival you’ve never even heard of! When did they all plan this? How did they find out about it? It’s a tale as old as time. If you’d like to be a step ahead of the curve in for 2023, read on. These are the best of London festivals 2023 – from music to food, art to literature – for the festival hopefuls looking for fun in the city.
London Festivals 2023: The Best in Music, Food, Art & Culture
The Ultimate London Festival Calendar
- March: WOW London
- April: Marylebone Food Festival
- May: Pub in the Park, Balance Festival, Wide Awake Festival
- June: Mighty Hoopla, Meltdown, Hampton Court Palace Festival, Fitzrovia Arts Festival
- July:Wireless Festival, Kaleidoscope Festival
- August: All Points East, YAM Carnival
- September: London Design Festival, Meatopia
- October:London Literature Festival, Queen’s Park Book Festival
WOW – Women of the World
When? 10–12 March 2023
Where? Southbank Centre
What? As London festivals go, WOW is one of the most wholesome. Now in its 13th year, Women of the World celebrates women, girls and non-binary people across three days filled with speakers, activists, musicians and comedians.
DISCOVER MORE: southbankcentre.co.uk
Marylebone Food Festival
When? 25 – 30 April 2023
Where? Marylebone, London
What? Hosted by food critic Jay Rayner alongside a handful of top London chefs, the Marylebone Food Festival will see restaurants, bars and food stores across the neighbourhood hosting special events across a five-day period. The kick-off seven course dinner tends to sell out quickly (so prepare yourself), but there will be plenty of masterclasses, supper clubs, tastings and themed nights to enjoy after the fact. Proceeds from the event will go towards charity partner The Food Chain, which supports people living with HIV in London.
BOOK IT: marylebonefoodfestival.com
Pub in the Park
When? 12–14 May 2023
Tom Kerridge’s Pub in the Park sees a top line-up of chefs and music artists touring around the country, all with one mission: to celebrate everything there is to love about the glorious British pub. The chef line-up for 2023 is yet to be announced, but you can always guarantee a great turnout – last year featured names like James Martin and Michael Roux Jr, plus pop-ups from numerous UK restaurants. Music is a big part of this one too, with performances from Sam Ryder, Clean Bandit, Tinie Tempah and The Jacksons on the cards for 2023.
BOOK IT: pubintheparkuk.com
When? 19–21 May 2023
Where? The Old Truman Brewery, London
What? Work out with global fitness experts, learn from top wellness gurus and sample some of the hottest health foods of the moment at Balance Festival, which returned to The Old Truman Brewery in London this June. As well as classes from London’s top fitness studios (Barry’s, Boomcycle, and KXU), expect a meditation dome, a market and start-up village to see the latest venues in the wellness sector.
BOOK IT: balance-festival.com
Wide Awake Festival
When?27 May 2023
What?With emerging talent front and centre, Wide Awake Festival debuted in 2021 ‘for music fans looking to discover something different’. This year’s line up is headed up by Caroline Polachek, alongside the likes of Ty Segall, Osees, Oneohtrix Point Never, Daniel Avery and Shygirl.
BOOK IT:Tickets from £10. wideawakelondon.co.uk
When?3–4 June 2023
What?Staying in Brixton’s Brockwell Park, this LGBTQ+ friendly music festival always promises a good time. And 2023’s line-up is a stonker: Kelly Rowland, Years & Years and Aqua are all confirmed, alongside deep-cut Vengaboys and many more.
BOOK IT:Tickets from £69.50. mightyhoopla.com
Christine and the Queens’ Meltdown
When? 9–18 June 2023
Where? Southbank Centre
What? The Southbank Centre’s annual celebration of music, art, performance and film is this year being curated by French phenomenon, Christine and the Queens – following in the footsteps of previous big-name curators, from David Bowie to Patti Smith, Morrissey to Jarvis Cocker. ‘What an honour to be picked by the fantastical teams of the Meltdown festival to be a curator,’ says Chris. ‘I will pick musicians that have some gut-wrenching quality, and I wish for all of us to stroll around in those ten days being rejuvenated by artistic gestures.’
DISCOVER MORE: southbankcentre.co.uk
Hampton Court Palace Festival
Hampton Court Palace Festival
Where?Hampton Court Palace, Richmond-upon-Thames
What? More low-key than many entries on this list, at Hampton Court Palace Festival, artists perform to a beautiful backdrop in Henry VIII’s open-air Base Court for an intimate audience of 3,000. This year’s line-up includes Grace Jones, Kaiser Chiefs, Björn Again and Rick Astley, with more to still be announced. It’s also the perfect festival if a picnic on the lawn pre-show is on your check-list. We’re very much in.
Fitzrovia Arts Festival poster, 2022, jesse brown, watercolour on paper courtesy of Rebecca Hossack Art gallery
Fitzrovia Arts Festival
When? TBC June 2023
What? The rich and artistic past of Fitzrovia is celebrated in the Fitzrovia Arts Festival, which returned for its sixth edition last summer. Internationally-acclaimed artists, performers and writers who live in the area (and famous residents from the past) were celebrated with a programme of concerts, exhibitions, poetry readings, talks, walks and performances across multiple venues in the area. Keep an eye on the website for updates for the 2023 edition.
DISCOVER MORE: fitzroviaartsfestival.com
When?7–9 July 2023
What? One of the most well-known London festivals, Wireless is a celebration of the newest and best in hip hop, grime and R&B, welcoming the likes of Stormzy, Travis Scott, SZA, Nicki Minaj and Cardi B to the stage in recent years. This year’s line-up is yet to be announced, so watch this space.
BOOK IT: Early bird tickets are on sale now. wirelessfestival.co.uk
When? 15 July 2023
Where? Alexandra Palace
What? The iconic Ally Pally is back with its very own festival, Kaleidoscope, for summer 2023. As if the spectacular backdrop wasn’t enough, Hot Chip is headlining this summery music day festival, with more acts to be announced soon.
BOOK IT: Adult tickets are £59.15. kaleidoscope-festival.com
All Points East
Where? Victoria Park, London
When? 18–20 & 25–27 August 2023
What? All Points East takes place annually in Victoria Park across two weekends in August. Music traditionally leans towards the alternative genre, though there’s a bit of everything: the 2022 line-up included Gorillaz, The Chemical Brothers, Disclosure and Tame Impala. 2023’s first announced headliner is none other than Stormzy.
BOOK IT: allpointseastfestival.com
When? TBD August 2023
Where? Clapham Common
What? One of the newer London festivals, Clapham Common’s YAM Carnival, was designed to celebrate Black culture from around the world, and 2022 was headlined by none other than Wizkid. What better way to spend an August weekend? 2023 details to be announced.
BOOK IT: yamcarnival.com
Sabine Marcelis’ rotating chairs, from London Design Festival 2022. (Image courtesy of London Design Festival)
London Design Festival
When? 16–24 September 2023
Where? South Kensington
What? The London Design Festival will return to the capital this September for its 20th edition, complete with an eclectic mix of events, exhibitions and installations. Highlights will include a landmark outdoor exhibit from Rotterdam-based designer Sabine Marcelis, located in St Giles Square, plus a project at Greenwich Peninsula from Stanton Williams and Webb Yates in collaboration with experimental design, inspired by the Neolithic stone structures that ‘create a space separate from the outside world’.
DISCOVER MORE: londondesignfestival.com
When? TBD September 2023
Where? Tobacco Dock
What? Now over 10 years old, Meatopia is a London festival dedicated to meat, with a focus on quality and sustainability. Taking place in Tobacco Dock each year, the event sees over 60 of the world’s best live-fire chefs gather to cook up exclusive dishes over sustainably-sourced wood and charcoal, with previous names including Ottolenghi, Niklas Ekstedt and Francis Mallmann. All this is to be enjoyed alongside live music from roaming brass brands and DJs, plus craft beers and cocktails.
DISCOVER MORE: meatopia.co.uk
London Literature Festival
When?TBC October 2023
Where?South Bank Centre
What? There’s always a heavy-weight line-up of the biggest authors and speakers at this London festival, one of the most talked-about literary festivals of the year. Previous speakers have included the likes of Hilary Clinton, Philip Pullman and Tom Hanks take to the stage for individually-ticketed events. The equally sensational programme for 2022 includes Graham Norton, Anne-Marie, Malorie Blackman, plus a panel of climate voices hosted by Greta Thunberg. Keep your eyes peeled for 2023’s announcements.
Queen’s Park Book Festival
When? TBC October 2023
Where?Queen’s Park, London
What?Queen’s Park Book Festival boasts a wonderful literary history as a home to authors, artists, poets, and actors, carrying on this legacy by creating a platform for other young aspiring writers to be discovered. Visitors this year had the chance to see names like Robert Harris, Clover Stroud and Juliet Rosenfeld, plus Oskar Jensen and Dr John Woolf discussed the hidden stories of marginalized Victorians.
Featured image: Kaleidoscope Festival (c) Lloyd Winters.
July 20 – August 20 – 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. July 23 – 2023 Cambodian general election. August 25 – September 10 – 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup in the Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia. September 8 – October 28 – 2023 Rugby World Cup in France.What's the most interesting local festival in London? ›
- Vaisakhi Festival in Trafalgar Square. … or Celebrating the Sikh New Year in London. ...
- Eid Festival in London. ...
- RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2022. ...
- Trooping the Colour: The Queen's Birthday Parade 2022. ...
- Open Garden Squares Weekend. ...
- London Fashion Week: June 2022. ...
- Royal Ascot 2022. ...
- Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships.
- 1 Glastonbury Festival55%
- 2 The Proms46%
- 3 Isle of Wight Festival42%
- 4 Edinburgh International Festival42%
- 5 BBC Proms40%
- 6 BBC Proms in the Park39%
- 7 Radio 1's Big Weekend35%
- 8 Reading and Leeds Festivals34%
Wireless Festival returns to London's Finsbury Park from 7-9 July 2023!Why 2023 is a special year? ›
Government of India decided to put forward a proposal to United Nations for declaring the year 2022-2023 as the “International year of millets”. The proposal got support from over 70 countries and the United Nations declared 2023 as the international year of millets.What is the color of the year 2023? ›
Pantone: Viva Magenta
Go bold in the new year with Viva Magenta, Pantone's 2023 Color of the Year. The crimson hue is inspired by the red of cochineal, one of the strongest and brightest dyes in the world.
The best time to visit London is from April to June and September to October when the weather is mild and there are fewer crowds. However, keep in mind that prices for hotels and flights are generally higher during these months.What festival is held in Notting Hill? ›
August 2023 (Exact dates to be confirmed)
The streets of west London come alive every August bank holiday weekend with a huge Caribbean party at Europe's biggest street festival: Notting Hill Carnival.
What is the most famous festival in England? Diwali in Leicester, Sidmouth Folk Festival, Shambhala, and Glastonbury Festival are some of the famous festivals in England.Which is the most exciting festival? ›
- Kumbh Mela | India. ...
- Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta | New Mexico. ...
- Running of the Bulls | Spain. ...
- Oktoberfest | Germany. ...
- Toro Nagashi | Japan. ...
- Yuan Xiao Festival | China. ...
- Burning Man | USA. ...
- The Carnival of Venice | Italy.
Easily known as the best and biggest UK festival around, the iconic Glastonbury takes place every summer in Somerset. Over the course of the weekend, Glastonbury hosts over 100 stages and 2,800 performances.
Wireless is not suitable for young children and children under 5 years of age will not be permitted to enter the site. Children between 5-15 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. You can enter on your own if you are over 16 years of age. Photo ID is required and ID checks will be in place.How much is Reading festival? ›
In 2022, day tickets cost between £90 and £100 and weekend tickets came in at £264.What is Wireless Festival London? ›
The Wireless Festival is a rap and urban music festival that takes place every year in London, England. It is owned and managed by Live Nation. While it started as primarily a rock and pop festival, in recent years it has focused on hip hop and other urban music.What is the lucky color in 2023? ›
You can also wear the lucky color of the year 2023, such as green, pink, red, or blue, to attract positive energy and good fortune.What country sees 2023 first? ›
2023. The first country and city to celebrate New Year's Eve annually is Kiritimati, Kiribati.What is the theme of 2023? ›
People with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) still face exclusion, social isolation, and social abuse in schools, workplaces, and communities.What color is replacing gray? ›
The shades of gray that are out of style
Overall, home decor trends are moving in a warmer direction. Colors like rust, brown, amber, and ivory are taking over, as well as burgundy and olive colors. That means cool-toned shades of gray, especially pale ones with blue or silvery undertones, are starting to look dated.
WGSN, a global authority on consumer and design trends, and Coloro, a global authority on the future of color, have announced Apricot Crush as their Color of the Year for 2024.What is the lucky color of the year? ›
The lucky colors for the year are believed to be Fuchsia Pink, red, green, and blue. These colors are thought to bring prosperity, love, and good health, and incorporating them into your gifts can be a way to pass on these blessings to the recipient.
The wetter season lasts 8.3 months, from May 27 to February 5, with a greater than 26% chance of a given day being a wet day. The month with the most wet days in London is November, with an average of 9.2 days with at least 0.04 inches of precipitation. The drier season lasts 3.7 months, from February 5 to May 27.What is the nicest month in London? ›
The best time to visit London is March through May when the temperatures are mild and the city's parks are green and blooming. However, late spring – along with summer – is also prime tourist season, and hotel and flight prices reflect the surge.What is the cheapest month to travel to London? ›
Top tips for finding cheap flights to London. Book at least 4 weeks before departure in order to get a below-average price. High season is considered to be June, July and August. The cheapest month to fly from the United States is February.What are the three major festivals? ›
Diwali, Eid and Christmas are the major festivals celebrated in India.Which is world's biggest festival? ›
The biggest festival in the world is in fact, the Kumbh Mela. A gathering in India of more than 130 million people at a time and place dictated by astrology.What are the five traditional festivals? ›
- Traditional Festivals. ...
- Homowo – May. ...
- Aboakyir – May. ...
- Bakatue – July. ...
- Asafotufiam – August. ...
- Oguaa Fetu Afahye – September. ...
- Hogbetsotso – September. ...
- Akwasidae – Once every six weeks.
Which is the better day at Carnival? If you're after a more chilled NHC experience, go for family day on Sunday, or if you like the sound of a hard-partying parade, make sure to go on Carnival Monday. The festivities kick off with an opening ceremony on Sunday morning, with the parade starting at 10am.What festival is Harry Styles at? ›
Harry is equally renowned as an incredible live performer with 2022 seeing him headline the legendary Coachella Festival playing to a crowd of over 100,000.Is Notting Hill Carnival free? ›
Notting Hill Carnival is free to attend, although certain events and after-parties may be ticketed. For example, Panorama, the UK's biggest steel pan competition on the Saturday evening, requires a ticket.Is Glastonbury the biggest festival in England? ›
The UK's biggest festival is Glastonbury Festival . With huge headliners and an enormous site - an 8.5-mile (14-km) perimeter and a capacity of around 200,000 - you'll never forget it.
One of the most popular traditions in the United Kingdom is visiting pubs. Almost every neighborhood has its fair share of pubs that locals visit regularly. A visit to a pub can include playing darts, drinking beer, watching sports on TV, and British food.What festival is considered as the most vibrant? ›
The best known of India's religious festivals, Holi, has gone international, with revellers celebrating it across the world each spring.What is the most colorful festival in the world? ›
One of the most famous colourful festivals, you'll know it from those famous powdery plumes of paint being thrown through the air in a kaleidoscope of colours. A Hindu festival celebrated in India and Nepal, Holi honours the arrival of spring with a riot of hot pink, magenta and lemon.
Pahiyas Festival – Lucban, Quezon
Every famous festival in the Philippines is always colorful, and Pahiyas Festival, without a doubt, is one of the most colorful and vibrant festivals in the Philippines.
Notting Hill Carnival is the second largest carnival of its type in the world, and the largest in Europe. Its origins date back to the 1950s when Trinidadian human rights activist Claudia Jones began organizing gatherings after racially motivated attacks in the area.Which holidays festivals are the most important ones in UK? ›
Christmas is one of the biggest annual celebrations in the UK, and the festivities are not limited to one day.Where are most festivals in UK? ›
Glastonbury Festival is one of the world's most famous music and performing arts festivals. Embracing each and every genre across the spectrum, from rock and pop to, hip-hop, funk, jazz, minimal house, techno, full-throttle drum and bass and beyond; music-lovers flock to its spiritual fields down in Somerset.Is 40 too old for music festivals? ›
At some point, you'll probably feel like you're too old to attend a music festival. First, allow me to speak for a significant percentage of the people reading this when I incredulously yell, "Quarter-life crisis?!" Yeah, no, you're not too old to go to music festivals. That said, you're never too young to feel old.Is 30 too old for music festivals? ›
If you're like us, then you live your life show to show and festival to festival. Our schedules demand a work hard, play hard kind of lifestyle. But, there's always that overlying fear in question — “How old is too old to party?” Thankfully, the answer is never.Do you sleep at Wireless Festival? ›
There is no campsite at Wireless, and all festival-goers will be required to leave the festival after the music has finished.
Showers. If you're at the festival for the whole weekend and need a proper wash, there are showers dotted around the campsites in case you didn't book the luxury camping. The white, yellow, guest and disabled access camping areas normally have showers, but beware of queues.Do you have to pay for showers at Reading Festival? ›
Yes and yes! There are free showers on site, so you don't have to wet wipe yourself for the whole weekend if you don't have to.Is Reading Festival worth it? ›
Fair enough, if the line-up for you is amazing and there are lots of people you want to see, then it is definitely worth it.Can you drink alcohol at Wireless Festival? ›
Banned from Event: Aerosols, Airhorns, Alcohol, Animals (except for assistance dogs), Balloons, Barbeques and any kind of cooking apparatus, Bicycles, Blowtorches, Cans, Chairs of any sort (including stools, floor seating and shooting sticks), Drinks including bottled water, Drones, Drugs, Gas canisters, Gazebos/ ...What date is Wireless 2023? ›
Wireless Festival returns to London's Finsbury Park from 7-9 July 2023! Wireless is one of London's… More most loved music festivals!How much does Wireless Festival cost? ›
Tickets to Wireless 2022 are available to buy from Ticketmaster. Prices for tickets range from £85 up to £230 depending on the package and how many days you wish to attend. See the full breakdown below: Weekend – 3 day (tier 1) - £230 + fees.What will happen in 2023 technology? ›
Artificial intelligence will become more prevalent in 2023 with natural language processing and machine learning advancement. Artificial intelligence can better understand us and perform more complex tasks using this technology. It is estimated that 5G will revolutionize the way we live and work in the future.What technology will we have in 2023? ›
- New chatty assistants. ...
- Virtual reality, a.k.a. the metaverse. ...
- Electric cars beyond Tesla. ...
- More options for social media.
There is a 35 percent chance of a U.S. downturn in 2023, bank economists say. Mild recession likely beginning in the first half of the year. An economic downturn is "all but inevitable" in the United States and Europe, the bank says in a recent report. No recession.What will be the next biggest technological advance? ›
Human-Like AI Will Likely Become A Reality
By 2030, there will be exponential improvements of computer processing power, voice recognition, image recognition, deep learning and other software algorithms. Likewise, natural language processing technologies like GPT-3 are constantly being updated and surpassed.
Older technology like landline phones, USB drives, alarm locks, and more will likely become obsolete in the next 10 years. Eco-friendly changes in the manner technology is created will likely render one-use plastic products and incandescent light bulbs useless in the coming decade.Where will technology be in the next 5 years? ›
We can expect a large transition to cloud computing in the next five years in many organizations, businesses, and industries. There also will be more advances in alternatives to cloud computing, including edge computing (which we detail on this list) and fog computing.What trends will be popular in 2023? ›
- Baggy (and Baggier) Jeans. Estrop. ...
- Supersized Blazers. Albert Urso. ...
- Maxed-Out Hems. Victor VIRGILE. ...
- Sheer Everything. John Lamparski. ...
- Drop-Waist Dresses and Skirts. ...
- Sleek, Simple, and Crisp Tailoring. ...
- Bubble Trouble. ...
- High-Octane Sequins.
The Pantone Color Institute named Viva Magenta as its official color of the year for 2023 for its joyous yet powerful nature. A red with subtle notes of purple, magenta flawlessly complements many different color palettes from those on the richer, jewel-tone side of the spectrum to even a lighter, earthy palette.What will the internet be like in the next 50 years? ›
In 50 years, internet use will be nearly as pervasive and necessary as oxygen. Seamless connectivity will be the norm, and it may be impossible to unplug. From amazing advancements to dystopian developments, experts imagine a wide array of possible scenarios for the world 50 years in the future.What will be created in 2050? ›
According to Forbes, by 2050, IoT technology will be in 95% of electronics for new product designs. And by 2050 it is expected to have everything connected to the cloud and to the internet. According to Business Insider, Space tourism could be feasible in 2050, but likely only for the very wealthy.How advanced will we be in 2050? ›
In 2050, artificial intelligence can outperform humans in a majority of professions. AI software can outmatch humans in white-collar jobs involving constructing company reports, market research, and most administrative functions. In some scenarios, they can also write screenplays, make music, write novels, and more.Will there be a recession in 2023 UK? ›
Britain remains the only G7 economy with gross domestic product (GDP) below its pre-pandemic level. The Bank of England expects the recession to last for at least the whole of 2023 and the first half of 2024, before only a gradual recovery thereafter.Will 2023 be a year of recession? ›
NEW DELHI: Two-thirds of private and public sector chief economists surveyed by the World Economic Forum (WEF) expect a global recession in 2023, but pressures on food, energy and inflation may be peaking.Will recession end in 2023? ›
The Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) predicted that the world will experience a recession in 2023, Bloomberg reported. According to research, a global recession will start in 2023. A number of economies contract as a result of new borrowing costs introduced to combat inflation.