14 Sunny Ways To Spend The First August Weekend
August is arriving in London this weekend, and I, for one, couldn’t be more excited. With the countdown officially on, we’ve rounded up all the best things to do, from irresistible pizza collaborations to free summer street parties. Consider your August weekend itinerary officially sorted.
What to do
Sip rum cocktails and dance the night away
Sky Garden is bringing the energy of Havana to 36 floors above London this summer, and it sounds like one of the most fun nights out the city has to offer right now.
The City Garden Bar has teamed up with Havana Club for a series of four dedicated Havana Music Nights commencing this weekend. Think high-energy Latin sets, salsa sounds and standout vocals from ALR Music soundtracking the evening from 6 pm into the early hours. The cocktail menu is worth the trip alone, with highlights including the Cuban Tide and the Golden Trade Winds, a tropical blend of rum, mango, pineapple and honey.
Where: 1, Sky Garden Walk, London EC3M 8AF
Website: www.skygarden.com
Visit Diptyque’s gorgeous new pop-up
Diptyque has transformed 107 New Bond Street into one of the most charming pop-ups in London this summer, and it’s worth seeking out even if you’re just passing through.
The Water Counter is a 1970s-inspired infused water bar created in collaboration with The Social Food, serving a menu of delicate botanicals, seasonal fruits and aromatics that draw on the plants behind Diptyque’s limited-edition 2026 summer collection. Each drink comes in an exclusive Diptyque bottle designed to be kept and collected rather than simply sipped, and if you spend over £145 in store, you’ll receive a complimentary 200ml serve.
Where: 107 New Bond St, London W1S 1ED
Website: www.diptyque.com
Catch some outdoor theatre
Few summer activities top catching some outdoor theatre in the heart of the city, and this August there is an amazing line-up of exciting performances you won’t want to miss. From Much Ado About Nothing at The Globe, to Cats and Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, there is something for everyone this month.
Click here to read our ultimate guide to the best outdoor theatre in London.
The podcast you need to add to your queue this weekend
If you’re in need of an inspiring listen this weekend, Sisters of Defiance has just landed, and it’s already shaping up to be one of the best new podcasts of the year.
Hosted by Anita Rani and created in partnership with female-founded wellness brand Ancient + Brave, each 45-minute episode goes beyond the polished headlines to uncover the real stories behind some of the world’s most culturally influential women. The guest lineup alone is enough to get you hooked, with Dame Meera Syal, Emma Grede, Anoushka Shankar, Clare Waight Keller, Gisèle Pelicot and Davina McCall already live for the first series.
Spend the day at one of London’s most luxurious hotel spas
If your idea of a perfect weekend involves a marble-clad pool, a steam room and a full afternoon of doing absolutely nothing, Ned’s Club Spa has you covered.
Tucked away on the second basement floor of The Ned, the spa’s 20-metre pool is one of the most beautiful in the city, and a Spa Day Pass gives members of the public full access to the pool, sauna and steam room with a minimum spend on treatments. Treatments range from advanced facials and holistic massages to manicures, pedicures and couples’ massages, making it easy to piece together a genuinely restorative day.
Where: 27 Poultry, London EC2R 8AJ
Website: www.thened.com
Discover your next read at this free open-air library
If you’re yet to make it to Victoria Park this summer, this weekend gives you the perfect excuse. Amazon’s Kindle Storyteller Award is bringing the UK’s first open-air library dedicated entirely to self-published books to the park’s iconic bandstand for one weekend only, and entry is completely free.
The shelves are stacked with titles from past Kindle Storyteller Award winners alongside notable self-published names, with guest author appearances and community events running alongside free drop-in browsing throughout the weekend.
Where: Victoria Park
Website: www.amazon.com
Win yourself a Ferragamo Hug Bag for just £4
If you’ve had your eye on the Ferragamo Hug Bag, this is your chance to make it yours for a fraction of the price. The Coveted Bag Company is running a competition with the iconic Italian design as the prize, and tickets start at just £4.
Made in Italy from grained calfskin leather with the brand’s signature wraparound straps and gold-tone hardware, the Hug Bag is one of Ferragamo’s most recognisable designs right now and one of the most covetable bags of the season. Answer the qualifying question correctly, choose your tickets, and you’re in with a chance of winning!
Spend your Saturday at Ronnie Scott’s street party
One of London’s best free events of the summer is back, as Ronnie Scott’s is set to take over Frith Street this Saturday for its annual Street Party. Running from 11.30am to 4.30pm across two outdoor stages, the lineup features Grammy Award-winning duo Blue Lab Beat and Mobo-nominated Shae Universe.
It’s a celebration of grassroots music venues presented in partnership with Music Venue Trust, and the fact that it’s entirely free makes it one of the most generous afternoons London has to offer this weekend. Get there early, grab a drink from the outdoor bars and settle in for a very good Saturday.
Where: Frith Street, Soho, London W1D 4HT
Website: www.ronniescotts.com
Check out Charlotte Tilbury’s Ibiza-inspired pop-up
If you’re passing through Covent Garden this weekend, Charlotte Tilbury’s Unreal Glow Club is worth stopping by for.
Running until Sunday, the four-day immersive pop-up is inspired by golden-hour light and glazed post-holiday skin, and is celebrating the launch of the brand’s new Unreal complexion system. Visitors can expect five-minute glow transformations, glitter tattoos, complimentary ice cream, exclusive merchandise and the chance to win prizes worth over £500, before heading to the Covent Garden Beauty Wonderland for the Unreal After Party.
Where: Covent Garden
Website: www.charlottetilbury.com
What to eat
The East London pizza collab worth ordering
Two of London’s most beloved institutions have finally joined forces, and the result is exactly as good as you’d hope. Yard Sale Pizza has teamed up with Mangal 1, the beloved Dalston grill house, to create The Mangal One, a limited-edition pizza that puts its signature lamb kofte on a classic Yard Sale base.
Available across all 17 Yard Sale shops for delivery, collection and dine-in from this week until the end of August, it’s the kind of collab that you really don’t want to miss.
Where: Venues across London
Website: www.yardsale.com
Raise a glass this National Spritz Day at London’s best spots
This Saturday is National Spritz Day, and London is marking the occasion with some amazing deals across the city. The highlights include free Aperol Spritzes for the first 100 visitors who bring an orange to KERB Seven Dials Market and £5 Aperol Spritzes for the first 250 guests at The Clubhouse London Bridge.
For something a little more elevated, Bar Termini is offering a complimentary small plate with every Campari Spritz ordered, while Lina Stores at Broadgate Circle is running daily 2-for-1 Campari Spritzes from 3pm to 5pm all weekend. Whether you’re after a bargain or just a very good excuse to sit outside with a cold drink, this Saturday has you covered.
Where: venues across London
Sip St-Germain spritzes beneath a hanging garden in Fitzrovia
If you’re on the hunt for a summer terrace that feels genuinely special, Jurema at The Mandrake Hotel has just become one of the most beautiful spots in London to spend a warm evening.
The award-winning outdoor terrace has partnered with St-Germain for the season, serving signature St-Germain Spritzes beneath a canopy of hanging jasmine and passionflower that makes the whole place feel like a secret garden in the middle of the city.
Where: 20-21 Newman St, London W1T 1PG
Website: www.themandrake.com
Things to do outside of London
Spend the weekend at Wilderness Festival in Oxfordshire
If you’re yet to sort your weekend plans, this is your sign to head to Cornbury Park.
Wilderness Festival is celebrating its fifteenth edition this year, running from Thursday to Sunday. The lineup includes the Scissor Sisters, The Last Dinner Party, Carl Cox, Soulwax, Baxter Dury and Saint Etienne.
Beyond the music, the festival offers everything from lakeside swimming and sunrise yoga to wild banquets and late-night dance stages, making it unlike any other festival on the UK calendar. It’s about 90 minutes from London, tickets are still available, and there are very few better ways to spend a summer weekend than losing yourself in an Oxfordshire park for a few days.
Where: Cornbury Park, Charlbury, Oxfordshire, OX7 3EH
Website: www.wildernessfestival.com
Make the trip to Hauser & Wirth in Somerset
If you need a reason to escape to the Somerset countryside, Hauser & Wirth’s converted farmstead in Bruton is arguably one of the best places to spend a Saturday afternoon in England.
The gallery is currently showing Angel Otero’s exhibition Agua Salada, running until 18th October, alongside an outdoor sculpture presentation featuring works by Jenny Holzer, Jeffrey Gibson and Niki de Saint Phalle dotted across the grounds. Entry is always free, Da Costa restaurant is on site for lunch, and Bruton itself is one of the best small towns in England for a wander. It’s about two hours from London and absolutely worth it.
Where: Durslade Farm, Dropping Lane, Bruton, Somerset, BA10 0NL
Website: www.hauserandwirth.com
