Festivals & events

45 celebrations through the year — pick a day to see what's on.

• New Year's Day (1 January · All regions · National) — National public holiday marking the start of the new year with celebrations across the UK.
• Up Helly Aa (All January · Lerwick, Shetland · Scottish Islands) — A spectacular fire festival in Shetland featuring torchlit processions and the burning of a viking galley, celebrating Norse heritage.
• Burns Night (25 January · Throughout Scotland · Scottish Lowlands) — Celebration of Scottish poet Robert Burns with traditional suppers featuring haggis, whisky, and poetry readings across Scotland.
• Chinese New Year Festival (All February · London · London) — Colourful celebration in London's West End with dragon parades, acrobatics, and cultural performances.
• Six Nations Rugby Championship (All February · Multiple venues · London) — Major international rugby tournament featuring England, Scotland, Wales, and other nations with matches across the UK.
• St David's Day (1 March · Throughout Wales · South Wales) — Welsh national day celebrating patron saint David with parades, concerts, and traditional Welsh celebrations throughout Wales.
• Cheltenham Festival (All March · Cheltenham · South West England) — Premier horse racing festival featuring four days of top-class steeplechase racing and colourful crowds in traditional attire.
• Mother's Day (All March · All regions · London) — Family celebration honouring mothers with cards, gifts, and special meals across the UK.
• Easter (All April · All regions · London) — Major Christian holiday featuring Easter egg hunts, church services, and family celebrations across the UK.
• Shakespeare's Birthday Celebrations (23 April · Stratford-upon-Avon · West Midlands) — Festival honouring William Shakespeare with processions, performances, and celebrations in his birthplace.
• St George's Day (23 April · Throughout England · London) — Celebration of England's patron saint with traditional festivities and red and white decorations throughout England.
• Early May Bank Holiday (All May · All regions · National) — Public holiday marking early May with community events, fetes, and celebrations across the UK.
• Hay Festival (All May · Hay-on-Wye · Central Wales) — World-renowned literature and ideas festival featuring authors, thinkers, and performers in a beautiful riverside setting.
• Chelsea Flower Show (All May · London · London) — The world's most famous garden show featuring innovative garden designs and horticulture displays in central London.
• Isle of Wight Festival (All June · Isle of Wight · South East England) — Multi-genre music festival attracting major international acts and thousands of festival-goers to the Isle of Wight.
• Glastonbury Festival (All June · Glastonbury · South West England) — Iconic music and arts festival set in a farm with diverse performances and a legendary reputation for culture and counterculture.
• Trooping the Colour (All June · London · London) — Military ceremony celebrating the sovereign's official birthday with elaborate pageantry and horse guards parade in central London.
• Henley Royal Regatta (All June · Henley-on-Thames · South East England) — Prestigious rowing event on the Thames attracting international competitors and spectators in traditional summer dress.
• Royal Ascot (All June · Ascot · South East England) — Premier horse racing event attended by royalty, featuring world-class racehorses and flamboyant fashion displays.
• Edinburgh Festival (All August · Edinburgh · Scottish Lowlands) — World's largest arts festival featuring theatre, comedy, music, and dance with hundreds of shows across the historic city.
• Summer Bank Holiday (All August · All regions · National) — Late summer public holiday marking the end of summer with family outings and bank holiday celebrations across the UK.
• Reading and Leeds Festival (All August · Reading and Leeds · South East England) — Twin music festival hosting major rock, indie, and alternative acts with separate venues in Reading and Leeds.
• Notting Hill Carnival (All August · London · London) — Vibrant multi-day street festival celebrating Caribbean culture with music, dance, food, and colourful parades.
• Edinburgh Military Tattoo (All August · Edinburgh · Scottish Lowlands) — Spectacular military display featuring pipe bands, marching troops, and fireworks on the esplanade of Edinburgh Castle.
• Brecon Beacons National Park Jazz Festival (All August · Brecon · Central Wales) — Intimate jazz festival set in the scenic Brecon Beacons mountains featuring world-class jazz musicians.
• Fringe Festival (All August · Edinburgh · Scottish Lowlands) — Edinburgh's alternative festival showcasing emerging artists, theatre, and comedy alongside the main Festival.
• Buskaid Festival (All August · Edinburgh · Scottish Lowlands) — Street performance festival celebrating buskers and street musicians in Edinburgh during the Festival season.
• Latitude Festival (All July · Southwold · East Anglia) — Arts and music festival in Suffolk featuring thoughtful programming, theatre, literature, and diverse music acts.
• Cambridge Folk Festival (All July · Cambridge · East Anglia) — Long-established folk music festival featuring traditional and contemporary folk artists in a beautiful riverside setting.
• Wimbledon Championships (All July · London · London) — The world's oldest tennis tournament featuring elite players competing on grass courts in a tradition spanning 150 years.
• T in the Park (All July · Kinross · Scottish Central Belt) — Major Scottish music festival featuring diverse genres and attracting tens of thousands of festival-goers.
• Green Man Festival (All August · Brecon Beacons · Central Wales) — Independent music and arts festival in the Black Mountains featuring eclectic programming and beautiful natural setting.
• Creamfields (All August · Cheshire · North West England) — Major electronic dance music festival set in Cheshire featuring world-renowned DJs and producers.
• Secret Garden Party (All July · Cambridgeshire · East Anglia) — Intimate and quirky multi-genre festival in Cambridgeshire known for its creative atmosphere and eclectic line-ups.
• Leeds Festival (All August · Leeds · Yorkshire) — Major rock and alternative music festival attracting international headliners and thousands of young festival-goers.
• Electric Picnic (All September · Laois (ROI influence) · Northern Ireland) — Multi-genre festival celebrating music, theatre, and arts on the island with a creative and inclusive atmosphere.
• Bestival (All September · Isle of Wight · South East England) — Eclectic music and arts festival on the Isle of Wight featuring themed days and diverse programming.
• Great North Run (All September · Newcastle · North East England) — One of the UK's largest half marathons attracting thousands of runners from across the world to Newcastle.
• London Fashion Week (All September · London · London) — Major fashion industry event showcasing collections from leading designers twice yearly in London.
• Oktoberfest UK (All September · Multiple venues · London) — German beer festival celebration with traditional food, beer, and entertainment across UK venues.
• Halloween (31 October · All regions · London) — Spooky celebration featuring fancy dress, pumpkins, and trick-or-treating across the UK.
• Bonfire Night (5 November · All regions · London) — Annual celebration with bonfires and fireworks commemorating the thwarted Gunpowder Plot with events across the UK.
• Christmas Markets (All November · Multiple venues · London) — Festive seasonal markets featuring crafts, gifts, and traditional food across major UK cities including London, Manchester, and Edinburgh.
• Christmas Day (25 December · All regions · National) — National public holiday celebrating Christmas with family gatherings, gift exchanges, and traditional festivities.
• Boxing Day (26 December · All regions · National) — Public holiday following Christmas featuring sales, sporting events, and the traditional Fox Hunt Day.