Our top recommendations for this month

With summer officially kicking off, the days getting longer and hopefully sunnier, it’s the perfect time to soak up the vibrant energy of London. Catch all the June sports action on big free screens popping up across London. Canary Wharf is not only the nearest to QM it also has a variety of sports, movies and the Mario Kart Championship returning this summer giving players the opportunity to compete against friends and family to win big prizes.

Art & Culture

• Kyotographie from 3 June 18 October. Encounter two of Japan’s most exciting photographers – Kawada Kikuji and Iwane Ai – in a rare opportunity to see their thought-provoking works in the UK. Entry to the Gallery for this exhibition is free and booking is encouraged, but drop-ins are also welcome.
• Every year, Serpentine Galleries unveil a summer pavilion designed by an international architect. The pavilion serves as an architectural statement, but also a fun place to hang out over the warmer months. This year the Mexico City-based architecture studio founded by Isabel Abascal and Alessandro Arienzo -LANZA atelier-, has anchored the 2026 Serpentine Pavilion. From 6 June to 25 October.
• BMW Classics 2026, the London Symphony Orchestra’s free annual outdoor summer concert in Trafalgar Square, will next take place on Saturday 13 June 2026 – conducted by LSO Chief Conductor Sir Antonio Pappano.
• West End LIVE with a weekend of outstanding performances from top West End musicals, live and free in Trafalgar Square. Theatre’s biggest stars will perform some of London’s leading musicals and must-see new shows. Saturday 20 June, 11am – 5pm and Sunday 21 June, 12 midday – 4pm.
• London Gallery Weekend discover new galleries and art across the capital during a three-day programme of talks, exciting activities and other special events which are free and open to all. 5-7 Jun, you could plan your route or choose a curated route designed by art professionals and public figures to help you discover exhibitions across the city.

Outdoor Activities

• Trooping the Colour The King’s Birthday Parade Celebrate the monarch’s official birthday with pomp and pageantry at Horse Guards Parade. Hundreds of officers, horses and musicians in ceremonial uniforms join the King during this important event. Saturday 6 June from 10:30 – 12:25pm. You can join the crowds of spectators on the edge of St James’s Park overlooking Horse Guards Parade or along The Mall for the parade. A fly past of RAF jets happens at 1pm, watched from the Buckingham Palace balcony by members of the Royal Family.

Special Events

• London Festival of Architecture (LFA) from 1-30 June. All Festival activity for 2026 will focus on the theme of ‘Belonging’. With activities happening across London, the Festival will once again be platform for conversation, testing new ideas, promoting emerging talent, helping shift us towards a more equitable, sustainable city.
• The Great Exhibition Road Festival from 6-7 June. Celebrate science and the arts with a weekend of free events for all ages! Explore all zones, the themed areas at the heart of the Festival. Each one is packed full of interactive exhibits, creative workshops, and live demonstrations!

That’s a wrap for June! Whether you’re chilling in a park, catching a free show, or discovering a hidden gallery, there’s no shortage of ways to enjoy London without spending much.