---
type: "Article"
title: "Big Events in London this Summer"
description: "2012 is a big year for London, with all sorts of sensational events taking place in the capital. Check out our handy guide to the biggest and best of the summer celebrations, guaranteed to liven up your London hotel break."
resource: "https://travelmemo.com/united-kingdom/big-events-london-summer"
author: "Walter Schaerer"
publisher: "Travelmemo"
photo_count: 2
tags: ["Contributions", "United Kingdom"]
entities:
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/places/united-kingdom"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/places/africa"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/places/europe"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/culinary-tourism"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/culture"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/sea-travel"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/author/walter-schaerer"
generated: { by: "human:https://travelmemo.com/author/walter-schaerer", at: 2026-07-04T13:47:28+00:00 }
verified:
  - { by: "human:https://travelmemo.com/author/katja-birrer", at: 2012-06-03T17:48:43+00:00 }
timestamp: 2026-07-04T13:47:28+00:00
---

# Big Events in London this Summer

> London's summer 2012 is packed with landmark events including the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, the Olympic and Paralympic Games, and a string of world-class festivals, making it an exceptional year to visit the capital.

## What to see
- **Queen's Diamond Jubilee** — Four-day celebration (2–5 Jun) including a carriage procession from Westminster Hall to Buckingham Palace and 2,012 beacon lightings across Britain.
- **Thames Pageant** — Up to 1,000 boats forming one of the largest flotillas ever on the Thames, travelling from Battersea to Tower Bridge on 3 June.
- **Olympics and Paralympics** — London hosts the 2012 Games (27 Jul–12 Aug and 29 Aug–9 Sep), opening with a ceremony on 27 July; the Olympic torch traverses all London boroughs before the opening.
- **Notting Hill Carnival** — Europe's largest street festival on the August Bank Holiday weekend, featuring Caribbean music, colourful floats, and authentic Caribbean food stalls.
- **Mayor's Thames Festival** — 8–9 Sep riverside celebration with street art, boat races, a night carnival, and a fireworks finale coinciding with the end of the 2012 Games.

## What to do
- **BBC Proms 2012** — World's biggest classical music festival at the Royal Albert Hall (13 Jul–8 Sep), with tickets from £5 and highlights including Proms in the Park and a Children's Prom with Wallace and Gromit.
- **Southbank Festival of the World** — Multicultural programme (1 Jun–9 Sep) of free music, dance, comedy, international food markets, an urban beach, and the largest ever poetry festival.
- **WorldPride 2012** — Two-week LGBT celebration (23 Jun–8 Jul) culminating in a main parade on 7 July through the city to Trafalgar Square, expected to draw up to 1 million visitors.
- **Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships** — Prestigious Grand Slam (25 Jun–8 Jul) attracting over 500,000 spectators; tickets are allocated by ballot so most fans watch at pubs or at home.
- **City of London Festival** — Festival of art, literature, film, and music in the Square Mile (24 Jun–27 Jul), featuring fifty golden pianos, a floral parade, and a Honey Feast on 27 July.