Festivals in London: 74 events this week (18 Aug to 22 Aug)

London runs on festivals. Across the year the city stacks up a calendar of music in the parks, food and drink gatherings, film and literature programmes, design and arts weeks, and the big neighbourhood celebrations that close streets and fill green spaces. A festival here can be a single afternoon in a local park or a sprawling weekend across multiple stages, and between them they give the year its shape, from the first warm-weather outdoor events to the cultural seasons that run indoors through the colder months.

The music festivals are the headline draw in the warmer months, when the big parks host weekend events and one-day showcases across genres, alongside smaller boutique gatherings and free community stages. Food and drink festivals run throughout the year, from market-led weekends to beer, wine, and street-food gatherings. The arts calendar is just as full: film festivals, literature and ideas festivals, design and architecture weeks, dance and theatre seasons, and light or sound festivals that take over whole districts after dark.

The neighbourhood celebrations are part of what makes the city feel like itself. Cultural and community festivals mark the calendars of London's many communities across the boroughs, and the big street carnivals and parades draw enormous crowds. These are often free to attend and rooted in a specific area, so the experience is as much about the neighbourhood as the programme. The city also runs seasonal festivals tied to particular times of year, which come and go on fixed dates.

A few practical notes. Festivals vary enormously in price, from free community and street events to ticketed multi-day music and food festivals that sell out well ahead. The big outdoor music events in particular release tickets months in advance and go quickly. Many festivals run on fixed dates only, so timing matters more than with a regular venue. Check the location, dates, and whether a festival is free or ticketed before you plan around it. The listings below show the festivals on across the city now.