Here are some of the top events, activities and things to do in Britain in August. Plus, enjoy a mix of other experiences in Britain this summer.
More than 3,000 athletes from 74 countries will descend on Glasgow for a splendid summer of sport as part of the 2026 Commonwealth Games. The competitions range from artistic gymnastics to para powerlifting, with four Glaswegian venues hosting the action.
Enjoy picnics, evening jazz and famous faces alongside flat racing at this small and sophisticated horse racing event held every year at the course owned by the Earl of March on his country estate near Chichester.
29 July – 2 August 2026: AIG Women’s Open, Lancashire
Some of golf’s biggest names are in action at this exciting Championship, held at Royal Lytham for the sixth time in its history. This links course, sprinkled with pot bunkers, will be a tough challenge for competitors and excellent viewing for spectators. The nearby town of Lytham St Annes is well worth exploring, with independent shops and leafy parks to discover.
30 July – 2 August 2026: Camp Bestival, Dorset
Camp Bestival consists of four family-friendly days of live music and premier DJs and is one of Britain’s most colourful festivals, with dressing up encouraged and even a roller disco.
Party on at the popular Belladrum Tartan Heart festival held at the Belladrum Estate near Inverness. This three-day summer music festival is a fixture on the festival scene, attracting huge pop and rock acts and a family crowd. With child-friendly camping zones, there are dedicated kids’ spaces with over 100 family-friendly activities, including creative workshops and dance classes. The festival has previously included activities such as a fancy-dress parade, zip-lines and even an ice rink.
The Chorley Flower Show in Lancashire has plenty of entertainment to keep the kids amused, including their very own ‘Design a Garden’ competition.
1 August 2026: Yorkshire Day, across Yorkshire
Join the celebrations from top to toe of Yorkshire, including parades and musical performances paying homage to this northern region’s culture and heritage. Enjoy music, Morris dancing and family-friendly activities at Bradford Industrial Museum, or shop for local produce at York’s Yorkshire Day Market.
Expect TV chefs, restaurateurs and master chocolatiers putting on a seaside show at this foodie extravaganza, held on the Durham Heritage Coast. It’s your chance to stock your pantry full of local goodies too, thanks to the array of food and drinks stalls.
1 – 2 August 2026: Brighton Pride, Brighton
Brighton’s Pride festival kicks off with the annual Pride Community Parade, a dazzling visual spectacle that sees Brighton and Hove’s diverse community take to the streets in a show of unity and equality. The party carries on with Fabuloso in the Park, featuring main stage entertainment from major artists, with previous years hosting acts including Britney Spears, Kylie Minogue and Jess Glynne. Other entertainment has included dance tents, cabaret, a funfair, a family area and a market. The Pride Village Party brings the festivities to St James Street and there’s also the city’s iconic seafront Marine Parade, not to mention a vibrant mix of comedy and performance at Pride at the Ironworks.
1 – 7 August 2026: Cowes Week, Isle of Wight
As one of the sailing calendar’s biggest events, Cowes Week brings together the world’s biggest sailing stars, with more than 1,000 yachts and 8,000 competitors taking part. 2026 marks the event’s milestone 200th anniversary, so expect bumper fleets and extra-special celebrations on the Isle of Wight.
This annual travelling cultural festival celebrates Wales and the Welsh language. Expect over 250 traders and stalls, alongside showcases of music, dance, spoken-word, visual arts and more. This year, you’ll enjoy a ‘croeso cynnes’ (warm welcome) in Pembrokeshire – and don’t forget to check out the stunning nearby counties of Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire too.
The Tattoo is an iconic Edinburgh institution, with music, dance and precision displays with the Massed Pipes and Drums, the Massed Military Bands, cultural troupes, singers and the poignant refrain of the Lone Piper against the stunning backdrop of Edinburgh Castle. Each year’s Tattoo is very much a ‘global gathering’ – showcasing the talents of musicians and performers from every corner of the globe. Each Tattoo is different from the last and always embraces different themes; nature, creativity and Scotland’s homecoming are just some of the concepts explored in recent times.
The world’s largest arts festival transforms Scotland’s capital every August, as thousands of performers take to hundreds of stages all over the city to present shows of all kinds and for every taste. The work on show ranges from huge names in the world of entertainment to unknown artists looking to build their careers. Audiences can enjoy theatre, comedy, dance, circus, cabaret, children’s shows, physical theatre, musicals, opera, music, spoken word, exhibitions and events.
Bristol Balloon Fiesta, held from 7 – 9 August 2026 at Bristol’s Ashton Court Estate, is the largest festival of its kind in Europe. The mass ascents at dawn and teatime are a sight to behold, with more than 100 balloons taking off, and after-dark firework shows to follow. Up, up and away!
Experience country sports, main-ring entertainment, local crafts and delicious food at the Galloway Country Fair at idyllic Drumlanrig Castle, Dumfries and Galloway. Try your hand at clay shooting or fishing, watch a gundog display or sample a hog roast in this celebration of rural life.
9 – 14 August 2026: Piping Live!, Glasgow
Bagpipes are the soundtrack to your Scottish summer at Piping Live!, the pitch-perfect celebration of piping culture. Held in and around Glasgow’s National Piping Centre, the festival showcases piping talent from Scotland and around the world in competitions, performances and workshops. The National Piping Centre has its own four-star hotel, The Pipers’ Tryst, if you want the musical theme to continue to your accommodation.
Britain’s largest annual celebration of visual art, Edinburgh Art Festival attracts a diverse and vibrant programme of exhibitions and events at the city’s galleries and museums.
The Edinburgh International Book Festival programme offers more than 800 events featuring everyone from the rising stars of fiction to Nobel Prize-winners, plus events for children and young adults showcasing the finest writers and illustrators for young people. From author events and interactive workshops to lively debates and book signings, the Book Festival allows visitors to meet favourite authors in Edinburgh.
Catch Arrival, The Florida Project and many more movies against the Barbican’s brutalist backdrop at this late-summer pop-up in London. Plus, there’s a range of food stalls to treat yourself at.
One of the highlights of the Welsh cultural calendar, Green Man Festival lures 25,000 festivalgoers (or Settlers as they’re dubbed) to the Brecon Beacons (Bannau Brycheiniog) National Park for a week of music, arts and lip-smacking Welsh grub. Previous performers include Wet Leg, Fontaines D.C. and Kraftwerk.
Ready to Twist and Shout? Come Together in the Beatles’ hometown of Liverpool for a top-notch tribute to the world-famous band. The festival is organised by the Cavern Club, where the Beatles made their name, and celebrates the group’s legacy with a week of live music, memorabilia sales, exhibitions, guided tours, guest speakers and more.
27 – 30 August 2026: Creamfields, Cheshire
Regarded as an iconic dance music festival, every year this legendary event near Warrington showcases superstar DJs and artists from the music genres of EDM, house, trance, drum and bass and grime.
This ever-popular festival features global acts uniquely performing at both locations over three days, usually allowing for 100,000 revellers at Reading and more than 80,000 at Leeds to experience global music superstars.
London’s famous free Caribbean festival is the largest street party in Europe, with great music, outrageous floats and fabulous costumes. Hear everything from traditional steel bands, soca and calypso to the latest dub, drum ‘n’ bass, R&B and reggae blasting out from sound systems and moving floats. Live stages also feature local bands, top international artists and sounds from around the world, plus hundreds of Caribbean food stalls.
Birmingham comes to life at the end of August in this free festival, bringing performances, installations and pop-up activities to the city streets. It’s fun for the whole family.
Get into the groove of this free, family-friendly festival in Newcastle, celebrating all things South Asian. Expect a truly international array of food stalls (don’t miss the kulfi ice cream!), plus clothing, jewellery and other crafts to peruse. Another highlight of the event is the traditional music – past performances have included Punjabi, Bhangra, pop and folk genres.
This unusual sport consists of contestants swimming two consecutive lengths of a water-filled trench in the shortest time possible. Held annually in Llanwrtyd Wells in mid Wales, the championships attract visitors from all over the world. There are food and drink stalls, crafts, live music and a real ale and cider bar on the site, so it’s a great day out even if you don’t fancy taking the plunge.
As one of the UK’s leading festivals of free outdoor theatre and performing arts, Greenwich+Docklands International Festival (GDIF) showcases culture through creative performances, dazzling light shows and dramatic dances – find the rhythm and celebrate the arts and diversity in Greenwich.
