August bank holiday 2022: UK events, festivals and carnivals

1. International Beatleweek

24-30 August: Liverpool

A week-long celebration of the biggest band in the world takes place in Liverpool over the August bank holiday weekend. The annual International Beatleweek brings Beatles tribute bands from around the world to the famous Cavern Club where it all began. The Beatles played the Cavern Club nearly 300 times, helping it become the most famous live music venue in the world.

internationalbeatleweek.com

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2. Creamfields North

25-28 August: Daresbury, Cheshire

Iconic dance music festival Creamfields is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. Held in Daresbury, Cheshire, Creamfields North’s line-up includes acts such as Above & Beyond, Armin Van Bureen, Camel Phat and Carl Cox.

creamfields.com

3. Gone Wild Festival

25-28 August: Exeter, Devon

Nature Valley Gone Wild returns to Powderham Castle in Devon. Created in partnership with Bear Grylls, the festival offers live music from The Script, All Saints and Sophie Ellis-Bextor and talks from famous explorers such as Ranulph Fiennes. Exciting outdoor activities include an obstacle course, stand-up paddle boarding and bushcraft skill workshops. The festival raises money for RMA – The Royal Marines Charity, proudly supporting serving and former Royal Marines and their families.

gonewildfestival.com

4. Lost Village

25-28 August: Lincolnshire

Held in a beautiful forest, set amongst the Lincolnshire countryside, Lost Village is a four-day festival featuring music, food, wellness, comedy and adventure. Musical highlights include artists such as Bonobo, Jamie XX, Tom Misch, Kojey Radical, Horse Meat Disco, Honey Dijon, Daphni, Jayda G and many more. As well as the musical offering, there will also be a big foodie focus at Lost Village. Fine dining experiences within the woods will be offered by KOL, Da Terra and Roberta Hall. Chefs such as Melissa Hemsley and Tim Siadatan (Padella and Trullo) will serve up forest banquets and there’s also a Hawksmoor Sunday Feast.

lostvillagefestival.com

5. All Points East

25-28 August: Victoria Park, London

All Points East is a multi-day festival of music and entertainment held in east London’s Victoria Park. Headliners for the bank holiday weekend include Tame Impala, The National, Disclosure, and Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds.

allpointseastfestival.com

6. 10th Rye International Jazz & Blues Festival

25-29 August: Rye, East Sussex

With a stellar line-up featuring jazz and blues artists from around the world, this year the Rye International Jazz Festival celebrates its tenth anniversary. Artists such as Curtis Stigers, Stanley Jordan, Imelda May and the Roberto Fonseca Trio will grace the stages at venues around the town, and there will also be a host of free music and fringe events taking place. A variety of ticketed and non-ticketed events are on offer throughout the weekend.

ryejazz.com

7. Great Dorset Steam Fair

25-29 August: Dorset

The Great Dorset Steam Fair is said to be the world’s largest heritage event showcasing Britain’s industrial, agricultural and leisure history. Catch a glimpse of age-old steaming giants being put through their paces, watch authentic Victorian variety shows, admire the fabulous showman’s steam engine line-up and explore the largest travelling fairground of its type in the UK, where many of the rides are powered by show-stopping steam engines.

gdsf.co.uk

8. White Cliffs Walking Festival

25-30 August: Kent

Explore the historical treasures of towns and villages in Kent over the bank holiday weekend. There’s a variety of walks to suit interests and abilities, from a gentle countryside stroll with an ice cream pit stop to an informative walk taking in the history and archaeology of Dover. Most of the walks are free to join, but booking is essential to ensure there are no more than 40 people per walk.

whitecliffswalkingfestival.org.uk

9. Hereford River Carnival

26-27 August: Herefordshire

Hereford River Carnival has grown to become Herefordshire’s biggest community event – and it remains entirely free for the public. The event typically attracts 20,000 people to sing, dance, make masks and carnival costumes, eat great local food and have fun on the Wye. This year’s theme is Make Waves with the aim to bring the seaside to Hereford through music, dance, sport, arts, crafts and old-fashioned games.

rivercarnival.org.uk

10. Wannasee Festival Penrith

26-28 August: Penrith, Cumbria

Back for 2022, Wannasee boasts a line-up of world-class tributes to many of music’s most popular acts, from ABBA and AC/DC to Coldplay and Queen.

wannaseefestival.com

11. The Classic at Silverstone

26-28 August: Silverstone Circuit, Northamptonshire

Silverstone is all set to see the summer out in sensational style with The Classic – a massive fun-fuelled festival combining the very best of historic motor sport with a jam-packed feast of activities for the whole family. Major attractions include a display of cars from the latest James Bond blockbuster No Time To Die and all seven of Lewis Hamilton’s world championship-winning Formula 1 cars.

silverstone.co.uk

12. Telford Balloon Fiesta

26-28 August: Telford, Shropshire

The balloon fiesta returns to Telford Town Park and QE11 Arena for three days of free fun. Celebrations kick off on Friday with a warm-up evening featuring live music. Saturday brings more live music and entertainment as well as the popular Night Glow, and Sunday offers a day of family entertainment and have-a-go activities including crafts and circus performances. People all over Telford and further afield will be able to see hot air balloons travelling around the county throughout the weekend.

facebook.com

13. Reading and Leeds Festivals

26-28 August: Richfield Avenue, Reading; Bramham Park, Leeds

“Mainstage clashes remain a thing of the past”, the Reading and Leeds website said when announcing the headline acts for 2022. Headliners include Arctic Monkeys, Dave, The 1975, Halsey, Bring Me The Horizon, and Megan Thee Stallion.

readingfestival.com

14. The Big Feastival

26-28 August: Alex James’s farm, The Cotswolds

Held at a farm in the Cotswolds owned by Alex James, bassist of Blur, The Big Feastival is a fusion of “good food and great music”, and is the “perfect event” for fans of both as it “brings the two together”, said the Daily Mirror. The Human League, Anne Marie, Stereophonics and Sugababes head the line-up for 2022.

thebigfeastival.com

15. Victorious Festival

26-28 August: Southsea, Portsmouth

Victorious Festival returns to Southsea seafront this summer with a phenomenal line up of acts. Stereophonics, James and afternoon special guests Primal Scream headline on Friday, while on the Saturday it’s Paolo Nutini, Bastille, The Wombats, Declan McKenna, and afternoon special guests Sugababes. Sam Fender, Anne-Marie, Nothing But Thieves, Suede, and special guests The Libertines play on the Sunday.

victoriousfestival.co.uk

16. Manchester Pride

26-29 August: Manchester

Join a loud and proud celebration of LGBTQ+ people, culture and expression at Manchester Pride. There will be a variety of events – some free and some ticketed. Choose from the lively outdoor Gay Village Party, family-friendly festivities centred around fun, wellness and learning and a candlelit vigil to honour those who have been lost to HIV and AIDs. The highlight of the weekend is The Parade, a colourful procession of thousands of people marching together for equality.

manchesterpride.com

17. Greenwich+Docklands International Festival

26 August-11 September: London

GDIF is London’s free theatre and performing arts festival that tells compelling stories in spectacular style. This year’s highlights include Charon, a monumental 32ft high rotating zoetrope originally from the world-renowned Burning Man festival; a tidal wave of multi-coloured foam at Greenwich Peninsula; and a Royal Ballet collaboration with disabled dancer Joe Powell-Main. The programme will include a total of 25 premieres by a record number of international artists.

festival.org/gdif

18. Kynren – An Epic Tale of England

27 August: Bishop Auckland, County Durham

Rebellions, wars, magic, majesty, celebration and heartache are vividly brought to life in an outdoor-theatre spectacular. Kynren is a spellbinding, family-friendly experience featuring Boudicca’s battles with the Romans, two world wars, Vikings, Tudors, Stuarts, Queen Victoria and the Industrial Revolution.

11arches.com

19. African and Caribbean Food Festival

27 August: Leeds Kirkgate Market, Leeds

Leeds’ biggest African and Caribbean food festival is returning to Kirkgate Market where visitors are invited to explore Caribbean cuisines, showcased by some of the finest independent culinary chefs and emerging food vendors. This free event offers food tastings and a range of activities for all of the family, including live performances, face painting, and a children’s craft corner.

visitleeds.co.uk

20. Pride Cymru

27-28 August: City Hall Lawns, Cardiff

Pride Cymru returns to Cardiff for Wales’s biggest celebration of equality and diversity. Events will take place on Saturday and Sunday on the City Hall Lawns. On Saturday thousands of people are expected to take part in the main parade through the streets of the Welsh capital.

pridecymru.com

21. Sandwell and Birmingham Mela

27-28 August: Victoria Park, Birmingham

Europe’s biggest South Asian music festival returns to Birmingham this summer bringing some of the biggest British and international names to Victoria Park. Visitors can enjoy performances from up-and-coming and major artists alongside street theatre, visual arts, craft and dance workshops and a global food village.

birminghammela.com

22. Hereford Indie Food

27-28 August: The Yard, Aubrey Street, Hereford

In the heart of Hereford city, Indie Food is an indulgent weekend to close summer. The event brings street food, creative cocktails and local ciders with chilled music by day and world-class DJs by night. Add in stalls with local crafts people (such as knife makers, ceramicists) and producers (cheese, bread, coffee) in this cool corner of the city and you have all the ingredients for a great weekend. Tickets cost £18.

herefordindiefood.com

23. Notting Hill Carnival

27-29 August: Notting Hill, London

One of the world’s biggest celebrations, Notting Hill Carnival returns to the streets of west London for the first time since 2019. For two years, festivities have been strictly virtual, but now it’s time to be back on the road to see the colourful world of Mas, Soca, Calypso, sound systems and so much more in splendid real life. During “Carnival”, as it’s known by locals, the streets of Notting Hill come alive with music, outrageous floats and jaw-dropping costumes.

nhcarnival.org

24. Royal Armouries Museum jousting tournament

27-29 August: Royal Armouries Museum, Leeds

The Royal Armouries Museum will bring live-action jousting to the heart of Yorkshire. The museum’s impressive jousting arena in Leeds will resound to the cheers of crowds and the clash of lances on armour, as knights battle it out in an authentic Elizabethan-themed tournament. The twice-daily shows will feature knights and horses, plus plenty of pomp and pageantry fit for Queen Elizabeth I herself, who will be in attendance with her courtiers when our brave knights do battle for trophies and honours. Tickets priced from £5 to £20.

royalarmouries.org

25. Geronimo Festival

27-29 August: Arley Hall, Cheshire

Geronimo Family Festival is back this summer at Arley Hall in Cheshire for a fun packed weekend with camping and glamping available. Geronimo has a kids’ field like no other festival, catering solely to children and allowing families to connect for a fairytale weekend of fun and frolics.

geronimofest.com

26. Malton Food Lovers Festival

27-29 August: Malton, North Yorkshire

Set across the streets of Yorkshire’s foodie capital, Malton Food Lovers Festival is a three-day celebration of the county’s finest produce and cooking. More than 150 artisan stalls and street food vendors take over the village while celebrity chefs show off their skills in demo tents. Live music from buskers to brass bands provides the soundtrack.

visitmalton.com

27. Ryde Carnival, Isle of Wight

27 August-3 September: Ryde, Isle of Wight

The UK’s oldest carnival, dating back to 1887, Ryde Carnival is an all-inclusive and joyous parade of colour and light marking the end of summer. Three parades will take place across the week, with the main carnival on 1 September, the illuminated carnival on 3 September and a children’s carnival day on 27 August, which will include various activities and culminate in a children’s parade along Ryde’s high street.

rydecarnival.com

28. The Closing Concert at Edinburgh International Festival

28 August: Usher Hall, Edinburgh, Scotland

Edinburgh’s international festival comes to a close on Sunday with a concert at Usher Hall hosted by conductor Andrew Davis and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. The repertoire includes Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius and soloists include Karen Cargill (mezzo soprano), Andrew Staples (tenor), and Iain Paterson (baritone). 7pm start.

eif.co.uk

29. Fork to Fork Food and Drink Festival

28 August: Goodnestone Park, Kent

Fork to Fork brings together a range of local producers, artisans, and craftspeople to engage attendees in the whole lifecycle of food and drink production. The festival at Goodnestone Park in Kent will have local food and drink producers plus interactive workshops in the walled garden and live music in the evening.

eventbrite.co.uk

30. Harvest Seasonal Market at Raby Castle

28-29 August: Raby Castle, County Durham

Raby is without doubt one of the most impressive intact castles in the north of England. Built in the 14th century by the Nevill family, it has a long history and makes for a wonderful day out in the Durham Dales. Over the August bank holiday, the castle is hosting its popular Harvest Seasonal Market. This is a free event with a range of local suppliers including food, drinks, jewellery, ceramics and homeware.

raby.co.uk

31. Leeds West Indian Carnival

29 August: Potternewton Park, Leeds

Europe’s longest running Caribbean carnival parade, Leeds West Indian Carnival, returns to Potternewton Park in Leeds. With colourful costumes, tropical music, and mouth-watering food, this is a true celebration of West Indian culture in Leeds.

leedscarnival.co.uk

32. David Walliams Awful Auntie Outdoor Theatre

29 August: The Alnwick Garden, Northumberland

Awful Auntie by David Walliams, adapted for the outdoor stage by Heartbreak Productions, is a truly thrilling tale. Owls, ghosts, chases, escapes, motorcycle rides and tiddlywinks all fill Stella’s days as she evades her menacing aunt and saves the family home. Make sure to bring a blanket or chair to sit on, weather-appropriate gear, and a picnic, as the tale could take some time to tell, and storytelling can be hungry work! Tickets cost £13 per person.

alnwickgarden.com