Alex Light
Credit: Sarah Brick
Late summer is one of my favourite times of year in London. The whole city seems to slow down a bit, but somehow feels just as alive, as everyone tries to squeeze every last drop out of the sunshine before normal life kicks back in.
That said, I personally have a very low threshold for hot weather. Give me max. 22°C and I’m happy; give me anything above that and I’m already counting down to autumn!
One of my favourite ways to spend a summer afternoon in London is wandering with nowhere particular to be… If I am in the mood for hustle and bustle, I’ll roam Borough Market for something yummy to eat - if you’re able to get your hands on a reservation, Berenjak is always worth it! - followed by a slow walk along the South Bank. I used to work in the area, so it’s one of those places that always feels familiar, no matter how much London changes.
One of the things I love most about London is people-watching. Every street feels like a snapshot of completely different lives – different styles, different ages, different personalities… It’s one of the few places where almost anything feels normal, and I really love that. Spending so much time as I do talking about body image, it’s refreshing to be reminded that there’s no one way to look.
Alex Light, author of ‘The Price of Pretty’ (HQ), is out now.
Food: Soraya
Credit: Hot Diners
Soraya has just opened in Marylebone, on George Street at the Loxton Walk development, and it's already proving a big hit. It's the biggest restaurant yet from the Pachamama Group (the team behind Nina and Bottarga), serving delicious and authentic Persian food morning to night. Think kuku sabzi and saffron hollandaise at breakfast, then short rib khoresh, lamb koobideh and a whole sea bass charred and finished with lemon and herbs later on. The decor itself leans into that same heritage: layered rugs, aged timber, hammered metalwork and an open kitchen you can watch from your table. At 190 covers across 6,000 square feet it's a serious undertaking, but it's split into smaller connected spaces so it still feels intimate rather than cavernous. Get there before word fully gets out.
Bar: Arcus
Credit: Arcus
Bloomsbury's finally getting a proper rooftop bar! Arcus opens on the 14th of the month on top of The Imperial hotel on Russell Square and it's arriving as part of a much bigger moment for the hotel, which has just come out of a full, century-marking refurbishment. The views are the headline act with near-360 degree views taking in St Paul's and the City skyline, the London Eye and the colonnaded front of the British Museum, with Russell Square laid out below like a green carpet. It's also verrrrry big: 327 square metres across, seating 330, split into zones that range from high tables for a quick drink to lounge seating if you prefer to get cosy. Canopied sections mean it's not just a fair-weather spot either, so it should hold its own even when London does what London does best. The food and drink side is just as considered as the views with a "sky-inspired" five-chapter cocktail menu, including a non-alcoholic thread, with the signature Solstice being the top one to try: Olmeca Altos tequila, Aperol, chilli, tarragon, strawberry cordial and citrus. Food-wise it's small British seasonal plates, built to work across the whole day: brunch first thing, then a shift into small plates and cocktails as the afternoon rolls toward sunset. There is also a running programme of extras, from sunrise sound baths and sun salutations to live performances and evening DJ sets, all set against interiors that mix mid-century textures with a modernist edge and original artwork from Adam Ellis Studio Art House.
Event: South London Wine Fair
Credit: South London Wine Fair
The South London Wine Fair is back for its fourth edition on the 22nd August, taking over the newly renovated Crystal Palace Bowl in Crystal Palace Park and it's shaping up to be one of the more relaxed, sociable ways to spend a summer afternoon in the city. On arrival you get a glass and a wristband and from there you're free to work your way through more than 100 wines from over 20 exhibitors, spanning everything from big-name classic styles to smaller, harder-to-find producers, with plenty of winemakers and importers on hand to chat through what you're drinking. Sessions run in tight one-hour-fifty slots due to capacity limits, so it never feels overcrowded or rushed and the setting itself does a lot of the work. The Bowl's iconic backdrop makes it feel more like a festival than a trade fair. Once your tasting slot wraps up, the fun doesn't have to stop because your wristband gets you 50% off a glass of house wine at either the Crystal Palace Wine Club or the Vining Street Wine Club and there are bottles available to take home if you've found something you love. It's 18-plus only unfortunately but understandably and you can get your tickets through southlondonwinefair.co.uk. Enjoy! Responsibly!
Event: Electric Summer
Credit: TodayTix
Battersea Power Station is turning into a proper riverside playground this summer, with Electric Summer running daily right through to the 31st August, 10am to 10pm, including bank holidays. The best part is it's free to walk in and soak up the atmosphere as the whole of Power Station Park has been given over to a boardwalk-style setup, from the fully licensed Boardwalk Bar to a rooftop terrace, street food stalls and games dotted along the riverside. There's a real funfair feel to it too, with dodgems, a wave swinger, boardwalk games and a roller rink offering 45-minute skating sessions (they've even got silent discos and a skate school if you want to brush up your technique). For something calmer, there are pétanque courts on the Coaling Jetty you can book out for up to 8 players, right on the river. If you fancy a view, there's also a 40-metre big wheel offering panoramic looks over London. Entry to the site itself costs nothing, though the rink, wheel, and pétanque are ticketed extras, so it's easy to turn up on a whim and just see what takes your fancy once you're there!
Theatre: The Story
Credit: London Theatre
If you're after some gripping theatre this autumn, The Story is the one to book. It's making its UK premiere in the Olivier Theatre at the National Theatre, running from the 27th August to 24th October and it comes with serious pedigree. Written by Tracey Scott Wilson and directed by Clint Dyer, the team behind Death of England, with Letitia Wright leading a powerhouse cast that includes Aliyah Odoffin, Wilf Scolding, Ashley Thomas, and Lorraine Toussaint. The plot doesn't pull any punches: when a white teacher is killed in a Black neighbourhood, four journalists race to land the headline first, only for a piece of shocking new evidence to drag them into the darker heart of the case and force each of them to reckon with what they're really willing to risk for their version of the truth. It's the kind of morally knotty, fast-moving drama that's built for a big stage like the Olivier and with Wright in the lead it's likely to be one of the hot tickets of the autumn season. Prices start at £43 for August and September dates, rising to £50 from October, so it's worth booking early if you want a seat.
Festival: Thamesmead
Credit: Thamesmead
Thamesmead Festival returns this Saturday 8th August, taking over Southmere Park for a free, family-friendly day that's become one of the highlights of the local calendar. Across four stages you'll find music, dance, comedy and art running throughout the day, headlined this year by Natalie Williams' Soul Family, who've also been running a community workshop programme called Thamesmead's Got Soul, giving local talent a chance to perform alongside her on the day. Beyond the stages there's a genuinely packed programme to wander through: a craft and food market, free workshops, boating on the lake, a dedicated kids and youth zone and even a dog show for anyone bringing the family pet along. It's put together by a resident-led Festival Advisory Board working alongside Peabody and event producers Serious, so it has that real community-first feel rather than a bolted-on corporate event. With everything free to attend, it's an easy, low-cost day out for the whole family and a wonderful showcase of what Thamesmead has to offer.
Event: Longines Global Champions Tour
Credit: Longines Global Champions Tour
The Longines Global Champions Tour is galloping back into London from the 7th to 9th August and it's one of the most striking sporting weekends the city puts on. It takes over the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea, so you get world-class show jumping set against one of London's most historic and atmospheric backdrops. As the eleventh leg of the 2026 season, the field is stacked with competition bringing together the sport's leading riders and horses, all building toward the big one on Sunday: the Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of London. Beyond the arena, there's a great lifestyle experience to enjoy too, with a lively shopping village, kids' activities and food to suit every taste, running from gourmet street food to easy grab-and-go bites, alongside bars and flowing champagne for anyone after a fab summer celebration. If you fancy going all in, the GC Lounge and VIP areas offer welcome drinks, all-inclusive food and refreshments throughout the day and prime seating right next to the riders' tribune and main arena. It's known for drawing an extremely passionate crowd, so the atmosphere will be electric. Children under 4 go free on a guardian's lap and there are discounted rates for ages 4 to 12 with an adult, so it's an easy one to make into a family day out as well as a serious sporting fixture.
Dance: Swing Patrol
Credit: Swing Patrol
Swing Patrol's free outdoor swing dance sessions are running throughout August at Spitalfields Market and it's an easy one to just turn up to which is perfect for carefree, plan free summer days. You can find them by the goat statue in the open area between Liverpool Street Station and the covered Spitalfields Markets, with sessions on Fridays from 6 to 8pm and Saturdays from 2 to 4pm. No booking, no partner required and no experience necessary. Everyone's welcome to join in, so it's a fun excuse to drag friends along and learn a few moves together rather than paying for a gym class. It's got a genuine community feel to it, with regulars and newcomers dancing side by side against the buzz of the market. Just one thing to note: there's nowhere secure to leave bags or coats, so keep your valuables on you while you dance. It's easily reached too, just a few minutes' walk from Liverpool Street, Shoreditch High Street, or Aldgate East.
Kids: Fairy Tales at the British Library
Private London Museum Tours
This is officially your last month to catch Fairy Tales at the British Library because it closes on the 23rd of August after a 5 month stint. If you’ve not yet been with the kids, it's a genuinely magical exhibition, taking families on a journey from a cosy storytelling cottage through deep dark woods, a royal palace and a "far far away land" of talking beasts and dragons, all built around treasures from the Library's own collection: original illustrations by Arthur Rackham and Quentin Blake, Disney concept art from Cinderella, puppets from the Little Angel Theatre's Snow Queen and even the original manuscript of Alice's Adventures Under Ground by Lewis Carroll. It's not just something to look at either because kids can walk through a gingerbread house, cross an interactive troll bridge, dress up as their favourite character and get hands-on with a genie's lamp and witches' potions. Given the countdown's properly on, if it's been on your list, this is the month to actually book it before the doors close for good.
Charity of the Month: Butterfly Conservation
Credit: Butterfly Conservation
The Big Butterfly Count is running until Sunday 9th August and it's one of the easiest ways to actually do something for nature this summer. It's organised by Butterfly Conservation, the charity behind the world's largest butterfly survey and the ask is simple: spend just 15 minutes in any sunny outdoor spot, garden, park, or allotment and record the butterflies and day-flying moths you spot, either through the free app or at bigbutterflycount.org. It's not just a nice way to pass a summer afternoon although because the data genuinely matters. Around 80% of UK butterfly species have declined over the past 50 years due to habitat loss, pollution and climate change and 2024 delivered the worst results in the Count's history, prompting Butterfly Conservation to declare a butterfly emergency. Every single sighting logged helps scientists build a real picture of where butterflies are thriving or struggling and since butterflies are seen as key indicators of the UK's wider biodiversity and environmental health, that data feeds directly into conservation efforts protecting not just butterflies but insects more broadly. So it doubles up nicely: a relaxed, free, family-friendly way to get outside and a small but meaningful contribution to a charity working to protect these species for future generations.