Festival 20 - 28 July

We’re working in partnership with the Mayor of London on the first National Park City Festival. The festival marks London becoming a National Park City and celebrates London’s amazing outdoors.

Find an event near you >

The Mayor of London’s National Park City Festival invites you to discover London’s amazing outdoors with hundreds of free events across the city, from outdoor fitness sessions and live performances to bee-keeping and open water events for the family. Join an event from 20 to 28 July, and let’s together make our city greener, healthier and wilder.

Highlights include:

Outdoor theatre performances of The Gruffalo.

‘Pedal Powered Party’ with live DJs Supa Dupa Fly and Amy Lamé, Night Czar.

Living Symphonies, a unique audio installation in Epping Forest.

The National Park City Wildlife photography competition.

The Festival has been organised by Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, with the National Park City Foundation, the charity behind London National Park City.

View the full programme of events >

Flagship events

National Park City Stage | 19 - 21 July

In partnership with the National Theatre.

The Festival’s opening weekend has spectacular free cultural events on the NT’s outdoor River Stage, celebrating everything green and wild about the city.

Highlights include:

a live theatre performance of family favourite, The Gruffalo

a Pedal Powered Party with live DJs Supa Dupa Fly and Night Czar, Amy Lamé

a walkabout show of costumes made out of real living plants and grass by artist Ashley Peevor.

Find out more >

National Park City Rooftops | 20 - 21 July

In partnership with Open City, organisers of Open House, the world’s largest architecture festival

Free access to some of London’s most dynamic and beautiful rooftop gardens and natural spaces. Confirmed locations include Crossrail Place in Canary Wharf, the Barbican Conservatory and Ham Yard Hotel, Soho.

Find out more >

National Park City Forest | 20 - 28 July

In partnership with Waltham Forest, the London Borough of Culture

Living Symphonies is a unique audio installation in Epping Forest.

It’s a musical composition that grows in the same way as a forest ecosystem. It portrays the thriving activity of the forest’s wildlife, plants and atmospheric conditions, creating an ever-changing symphony heard from a network of speakers hidden throughout the forest itself.

Find out more >

National Park City Wildlife | 20 - 28 July

A photography competition in partnership with the London Wildlife Trust and Museum of London.

The competition is open to all and invites Londoners to capture what wildlife means to them.

The best images will be part of an exhibition displayed throughout the festival and judges include Bear Grylls, Urban Birder and Presenter, David Lindo and former Wildlife Photographer of the Year winner Sam Hobson.

Find out more >

National Park City Splash | 27 - 28 July

London’s first multi-site outdoor swimming and paddle sports event

On the closing weekend of the Festival, all abilities are welcome to try their hand at activities such as stand up paddle boarding and open water swimming, right here in the capital.

Find out more >

Stay safe in and near water

In hot weather it can be tempting to cool off in rivers, reservoirs, canals and waterways.

That can be dangerous and water bodies should not be entered unsupervised.

The various Splash events on 27 and 28 July allow everyone to enjoy trying out events on and in the water in controlled supervised conditions.



For more on safety in and near water please see Canal and Rivers Trust advice on open water swimming, and RNLI's Respect the Water advice.

100s of Other Events

You will find 100s of community activities and events all around the capital. A full programme of events is now live on the new National Park City Festival website at nationalparkcity.london.gov.uk

Find an event near you >





The Launch

Read our 15 July press release on the launch of the London National Park City.





#NationalParkCity

#LondonIsOpen