London events in July 2024

The spectacular goals, missed penalties and euphoric wins of the UEFA Euros are back. Our boys are battling it out in Germany for a chance to become the UEFA Euro 2024 winners. Whether you’re a die hard footie fan or just hoping for an excuse to neck a few pints, you’re going to want to know all the best spots in London to catch the matches.

Nothing says summer like the tennis whites, strawberries and cream and Pimms of Wimbledon. Missed out on tickets in the Wimbledon Tennis Championships (July 1 to 14)? Can’t face camping out on the street for day tickets? No problem. London is a city that gives back and this summer it will be peppered with big screens showing all the Murray Mound (okay, Henman Hill) action in so much blown-up high-res glory that you might as well be court-side. There’s a screen for everyone, with some offering special-edition cocktails and finger food and coming with pop-up tennis lessons. 

Director Dominic Cooke's stellar National Theatre revival of Sondheim's ‘Follies’ had much to recommend it, but one of its highest points was Imelda Staunton's performance as a wistful former showgirl, haunted by regrets. Now, Staunton and Cooke are reuniting for a crack at another classic musical, ‘Hello, Dolly’, which hasn't had a London revival in over a decade. Staunton will play the eponymous socialite matchmaker who finds a bride for her millionaire friend, then embarks on a hunt for a love of her own. It's got music and lyrics by Jerry Herman (‘La Cage aux Folles’) including the wonderful title number, plus 'Put on Your Sunday Clothes' and 'Before the Parade Passes By'.

The UK's largest Latin Music festival returns for its eighth year this summer, showering Latin love all over West London's Walpole Park. Enjoy five stages showcasing the best UK-based Latin American, Spanish and Portuguese artists and indulge in Latin street food, immersive experiences, cocktail bars, kids zone and more. Located just 12 minutes from the West End on the Elizabeth Line, this festival couldn’t be easier to get to!

Returning to London on July 20 - 21, the National Geographic Traveller (UK) Food Festival is set to offer food lovers a taste of some of the world’s most exciting culinary destinations. Book now and get two Sunday tickets for £25 while the offer lasts. 
You can expect everything from masterclasses, where you will learn how to make Indonesian tempeh and Georgian khinkali to guided tastings of wines from Georgia, Portugal, the Czech Republic and beyond in the Wine & Spirits Theatre. 

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s a hot air balloon! This July, London’s skies will be filled with glorious flying balloons as the Lord Mayor’s Hot Air Balloon Regatta returns to the capital for the first time since 2019. There’s a catch though: the regatta can only take place if the weather is good enough. Fingers crossed July is a sunny one. If all goes according to plan, this year the balloons soar past landmarks including Buckingham Palace, the London Eye, the Houses of Parliament, the Tower of London and Tower Bridge.

John Steinbeck’s 1939 masterpiece about a desperate Oklahoma family forced to migrate to California to escape the ravages of the Dustbowl is one of the most famous books of the twentieth century. And Frank Galati’s award-winning 1990 adaptation is pretty much agreed upon as the definitive stage version. Throw in the great American actor Cherry Jones as the family matriarch Ma Joad and you have a very handsome summer blockbuster indeed for the NT, which will be directed by the reliable Carrie Cracknell. Further casting – including the central role of Tom Joad – is TBA.

Did a visit to see Van Gogh’s ‘Sunflowers’ at the National Gallery fail to provide your flower fix? Get neck-deep in heliotropic heaven at these golden fields full of custard-yellow blooms. 

The final show of Timothy Sheader’s Open Air Theatre reign is – what else – a musical, a form he’s done so much to champion since taking over the hitherto Shakespeare-centric venue almost two decades ago. Sheader won’t himself be directing this revival of Bock and Stein’s immortal musical following the life of Teyve, a Jewish milkman living in the shtetl in the early twentieth century. Nor do we know anything about Jordan Fein’s revival, conceptually speaking. But you can be sure of a crowdpleaser, with much-loved songs like ‘If I Were A Rich Man’ and ‘Tradition’ all present and correct. 

When the sun’s out and the weather’s at its summery best, hiding away in a dark, stuffy room isn’t the most appealing option. Thank god then, for outdoor cinemas letting us get our film fix under the stars and with a sweet summer breeze in our hair.

London is home to some brilliant alfresco movie spots, which will be popping up all over the city in 2022, everywhere from docks and parks to rooftops and manicured gardens. Here’s a list of our favourites. 

It’s going to be very very hot indeed this week. So, there’s no better time to cool off in one of London’s brilliant outdoor swimming pools. Here’s a list of our favourite alfresco bathing spots, however, our desire to paddle around under a sunny sky does mean that it’s important to book ahead if you want your open-air swim fix. So no rocking up to try your luck. 

It may be known for its sleepy scent and soothing properties, but there’s nothing dozy about the explosion of colour happening right now in London’s lavender fields. Here are the best places to treat your eyes and nose to this year’s epic summer blooms.