While the weather has not always been on our side this summer, the fantastic activities and events happening in the City of London are making up for it. This August, we are in for a treat again as the Summer of Sport in the City continues with screenings of the Olympics and the Paralympics, family-fun days taking place across the City, as well as fascinating new exhibitions to explore.
Here are just some of the best things to do in the City of London this August.
The Summer of Sport in the City continues into August and September and is filled with fun activities for everyone to get involved in. Here are just a few of the fun things you can expect this month:
Image courtesy of EC BID © Mickey Lee
There is a free eight week programme of cultural events taking place at Broadworks by Hive Curates called Unwind in the City. Throughout the eight weeks there will be live music and performances, wellness and movement classes, kids' art clubs and exhibitions for you to explore.
All of the events are free or pay what you can afford.
Photo by Ariadna Alzuru @Alz.Concept
The Barbican Shop are hosting a pop-up store for legendary independent music retailer Rough Trade from now until the end of the year. Get ready to delve into an extensive selection of vinyl records in a specially curated area of the Barbican Shop featuring new and emerging music from the independent scene, some of the most influential names in music to come out of the capital, and records by some of the many artists who have performed headline shows at the Barbican, both past and present.
Six new artworks inspired by Roman London have landed in the City of London, created by primary school children from London who worked with an archaeologist and artist to bring their pieces to the public.
Reimagining Londinium takes a new look at the city at the heart of Roman Britain for more than 350 years. The six artworks are all inspired by a different Roman theme and along the way there are things to spot, archaeology to discover and lovely green spaces in which to take a break and soak up some sun.
The trail is available to explore from 26 July – 1 September.
A playful and engaging community space is popping up in the Barbican Centre this August, where the whole family can unleash their creative side and join in with the fun and games.
The Curve is being taken over by Our Street, transforming the space into a place where everyone can rediscover the joy of play. Across the month they'll have a range of workshops and events including storytelling, crafting and even a family rave.
The activities are free, but booking in advance is required.
Every Friday throughout August Searceys will be hosting their Sunset Lates at Horizon 22 where visitors will be able to enjoy an evening of stunning beauty and unbeatable London skyline views while sipping on a glass of Searcys signature Champagne and watching the watching the sunset from the tallest events space in the capital.
Tickets are £29.50 per person and include after-hours sunset access to Horizon 22 and a glass of Searcys Champagne or non-alcoholic sparkling wine.
Courtesy of Horizon 22.
A temporary and free outdoor exhibition is landing in St Paul's Churchyard this month which showcases The London Metropolitan Archive’s extraordinary range of photographs from Queen Victoria’s reign which record the city and its people in stunning detail.
This exhibition delves into their collections to present some of the most striking images of the era; from the first known photograph of London to the opening of Blackwall Tunnel at the end of the century, taking in the Crystal Palace and the first Tube line and showing Londoners at work and play.
Philip Henry Delamotte’s photograph of the Crystal Place’s South Transept, 1852-1854. Copyright London Met Archives.
Harvard's oldest acapella group, The Harvard Krokodiloes, will be performing on 3 and 4 August at The Lampery. While the Kroks’ are performing classic songs of America’s Golden Age, The Lampery will be hosting a variety of events over the weekend including a 3-course dinner on their Terrace, a Sunday Brunch, Sunday Roast and a more relaxed affair with cocktails in the bar whilst enjoying the well-known and re-imagined tunes from the The Kroks' musical catalogue.
A special Summer Holiday family friendly activity day is happening this month in Guildhall Art Gallery and it is drawing on the themes of their current exhibition, Anne Desmet Kaleidoscope: London.
Families are invited to try their hand at printmaking with handmade stamps to create geometric patterns, make their own Kaleidoscopes or SKY Window inspired collages.
Award-winning poet and storyteller Shamim Azad will also be there leading everyone through fantastic storytelling sessions exploring the theme of kaleidoscopes.
If you have ever wanted to explore three of the best-preserved Roman sites in London, here is your chance.
This August, archaeologist Dr Andrew Lane will be leading a tour which will bring visitors to London’s Roman Amphitheatre as well as the remains of the Roman City Wall. Walking across the ancient City, visitors will be able to dive into three rich pieces of Roman history surviving 2,000 years of building, fires and bombings.
Correction to article: This tour does not bring visitors to Billingsgate Roman House and Baths.
Grab your tickets and join artist and co-curator of Guildhall Art Gallery's latest exhibition, Anne Desmet: Kaleidoscope/London, for an interactive 'introduction to wood engraving' workshop on 23 August.
During this one-day masterclass you will learn the basics of wood engraving, create two engraved woodblocks and go home with several prints of your own design.
Anne Desmet will also be hosting a wood engraving workshop for those a little bit more experience in the medium on 17 August.
Get ready to enjoy the warm summer evenings with fantastic films as Barbican’s Outdoor Cinema series returns this summer with a sparkling programme of films to watch under the city’s stars. Plus, there will be mouth-watering street food and drinks available as well.
Outdoor Cinema at the Barbican © Barbican
Inspired by the ancient Roman temple of Mithras found on the site of the exhibition, Macuga's mesmerizing cave-like installation invites you to explore Roman mythology and the intriguing god Mithras.
There are also carefully curated works on loan from the Imperial War Museums on display as part of the exhibition, where each piece contributes to the narrative of destruction and redevelopment that spans the history of the City of London and beyond.
The exhibition is in the London Mithraeum Bloomberg SPACE.
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This month when you visit Guildhall Art Gallery with your kids on Saturday 10 August you will find the newly launched ‘Play Cycles’ - a pop-up event in the Guildhall yard, which is packed with an exciting range of activities.
Your family will be encouraged to get creative with loose parts play, arts and crafts, games, and get ready to explore the senses through sound and create your own performances. There will also be craft activities and storytelling sessions happening in the Gallery, the perfect way to keep everyone entertained for a few hours.
If you haven’t been yet, this is a market everyone should add to their bucket list to visit. Petticoat Lane traces its history all the way back to the 1650s and is one of London’s true historic gems.
When visiting the market, you will be able to explore a unique mix of independent shops, restaurants, coffee shops, bars, a weekday food market, and it has a fantastic Sunday street market to explore.
Andaz London Liverpool Street is one of the leading hotels in the City of London and they have an exciting and exclusive discount to take advantage of this year. From 5 July 2024 – 5 January 2025, they are offering 20% off and a complimentary breakfast on stays booked within this time period.
The City of London’s public spaces have once again been transformed into a vibrant open-air gallery, available for everyone to enjoy for free, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Participating artists in the 13th edition include Arturo Herrera, Clare Burnett, Elisa Artesero, Ida Ekblad, Jesse Pollock, Maya Rose Edwards, Oliver Bragg, Richard Mackness, Samuel Ross, Seph Li, Vanessa da Silva, and Victor Lim Seaward, in addition to Hilary Jack, Daniel Silver, and Julian Opie coming in September.
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