City of London Festival

The City of London Festival will introduce a ground-breaking new iconic theatre in the shape of a bowler hat. This inflatable pop-up venue will present a diverse programme for a wide audience, from families to financiers. Standing at over 10 metres high – the equivalent of 3 storeys – the bespoke Bowler Hat will play host to more than 100 events, including children’s theatre, cabaret, comedy and circus. The structure will seat 212 people, allowing audiences to enjoy renowned performers in an intimate space.

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.

Over its 52 years, the Festival has brought the world's finest artistic talents to the Square Mile, commissioned and premiered artworks, animated remarkable spaces not normally open to the public, welcomed children to its annual Parade, placed pianos on the streets of London, and hosted stimulating debates and discussion.

Highlights this year include:

Kit Downes Trio at the top of the Gherkin
29 June

Clare Teal at Unilever House
26 June

Choral Revolution
28 June

Masonic jazz in a hidden temple in Liverpool Street
11 July

WW1 themed recital
23 June

The London Symphony Orchestra
3 July

Simon Callow in a theatrical exploration of Beethoven
30 June

Over 100 free events animating the City and its surrounding green areas, including City Beerfest in Guildhall Yard (3 July), live folk music in Epping Forest (6 July), plus steel orchestras, playful sculptures and trolley-dancing at venues such as Devonshire Square and the foot of the Gherkin.

Children’s activities will include the annual Festival Children’s Parade (27 June), The Alternative Commonwealth Games, a family event with music, crafts, storytelling, alternative sports and much more on Hampstead Heath (13 July), and Storybook World Cup, when major football clubs and children’s writers join forces (28 June, 5 July, 12 July).