London's Best Outdoor Summer Events

Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
WHEN: Thu 15th May 2014 to Sat 13th Sep 2014
WHERE: Queen Mary’s Garden, Regent’s Park
The award-winning Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre is a London landmark – a firm fixture of summer in the city, providing a cultural hub in the beautiful surroundings of a Royal Park. This year's highlights include: Twelfth Night, Porgy and Bess and To Kill a Mockingbird.

Greenwich + Docklands International Festival 2014
WHEN: Fri 20th Jun 2014 to Sat 28th Jun 2014
WHERE: Greenwich
The Festival brings together awesome, night-time spectaculars with street theatre, art installations and alfresco dance, all coming together to showcase Royal Greenwich and East London at its most creative and inventive best.

City of London Festival
WHEN: Sun 22nd Jun 2014 to Thu 17th Jul 2014
WHERE: Various locations across London
Once again, the Festival will feature an innovative, eclectic programme of music, dance spoken word and street performance. It will also be a celebration of the City, its architecture, skyline and streets, and its energy, stories and relationships with the rest of the world.

London Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival
WHEN: Sun 29th Jun 2014
WHERE: London Regatta Centre, Dockside
Expect a terrific blend of entertainment likely to include martial arts displays, live music, traditional Chinese lion & dragon dancing, a food festival, and much much more. The dragon boat racing will be as spectacular as ever with club, corporate and 'leisure-pleasure' teams battling it out for top honours - and bragging rights!

Charity Beach Volleyball Championships
WHEN: Mon 30th Jun 2014 to Fri 18th Jul 2014
WHERE: Wood Wharf, Canary Wharf
Having raised a fantastic £70,000 in 2013, national charity Action For Kids invites everyone to experience three whole weeks of beach activity, pay-to-play court action and championship tournaments while raising funds for their vital work with disabled children and young people.

Tour de France Grand Depart and Fan Parks
WHEN: Sat 5th Jul 2014 to Mon 7th Jul 2014
WHERE: Green Park, Canary Wharf, Trafalgar Square and Olympic Park
The Tour de France Fan Parks are pop up cycling themed ‘villages’ centered around a dedicated giant screen broadcast of the Tour de France, a series of interactive cycling activities, pop-up cycling focused retail stalls, cafés, bars, information and cycling demonstrations will create what will truly be, a celebration of cycling.

RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show
WHEN: Tue 8th Jul 2014 to Sun 13th Jul 2014
WHERE: Hampton Court Palace
This year we’re combining the beauty of one of Britain’s greatest flower shows with all the fun and excitement of a spectacular summer festival.

Summer Series at Somerset House
WHEN: Thu 10th Jul 2014 to Sun 20th Jul 2014
WHERE: Somerset House
Home to London's most spectacular live music setting, Summer Series at Somerset House returns with an unmissable line-up of eclectic acts. This year's acts include: Kelis, Bastille, Franz Ferdinand and Sam Smith.

Camden Lock Live
WHEN: Fri 11th Jul 2014
WHERE: Camden Lock
Featuring a programme of amazing live music, including performances from Whinnie Williams and Jake Isaac…as well as artists from the Roundhouse. The entertainment will be compered by comedy maverick writer and actor Stephen Frost who has appeared on various tv and radio shows including Whose Line is it anyway and Never Mind the Buzzcocks.

The Chap Olympiad
WHEN: Sat 12th Jul 2014
WHERE: Bedford Square Gardens
The Chap Olympiad has become Britain’s most eccentric sporting event. This summer The Chap Olympiad celebrates 10 years of welcoming the elegant and the unathletic to this world famous ‘celebration of sporting ineptitude and immaculate trouser creases’. Events include Umbrella Jousting, Tea Pursuit, Not Playing Tennis, Cucumber Sandwich Discus and Bounders.

Kew the Music
WHEN: Wed 16th Jul 2014 to Sun 20th Jul 2014
WHERE: Kew Gardens
Kew the Music is a sublime summer music experience. For one glorious week, we celebrate world class music with a series of six outdoor picnic concerts set on the Great Lawn overlooking Kew Palace. Acts include: Elvis Costello, Jools Holland, Simple Minds and Bill Bailey.

Holi One
WHEN: Sat 2nd Aug 2014
WHERE: Wembley Park
Holi One is one of the most unique, fun and exciting festival series in the World, which unites people through music and colour. Against a backdrop of the very best in dance and DJ music, audiences get to throw bundles of colourful powder into the air to create an explosion of colour and excitement.

Charity Streak For Tigers
WHEN: Thu 14th Aug 2014
WHERE: ZSL London Zoo
Did you know a group of tigers is called a streak? Back by popular demand, ZSL London Zoo is hosting a very unique event and are looking for supporters to strip off and bare all for Tigers and streak around ZSL London Zoo!

London River Rat Race
WHEN: Sat 16th Aug 2014
WHERE: ExCel London
Brought to you by Rat Race, the guys behind the legendary Men’s Health Survival of the Fittest urban assault courses, this is your chance to join 1,000s of Rat Racers at London’s ExCel centre for this wet ‘n’ wild 10km running course around Docklands, linking together many special water and shore based activities.

South West Four
WHEN: Sat 23rd Aug 2014 to Sun 24th Aug 2014
WHERE: Clapham Common
South West Four returns to its spiritual home of Clapham Common across the August Bank Holiday Weekend. Eighty of the world’s leading DJs and live electronic acts, as well as tens of thousands of dance music enthusiasts, will help write the next chapter in SW4’s illustrious history.