Download rocks Leicestershire into Summer

The UK’s premier rock event, Download Festival, is set to electrify Donington Park this weekend (13–15 June), kicking off a jam-packed summer of festivals across Leicestershire. As the sun comes out, the region is rolling out a new “Summer in Leicestershire” campaign spotlighting the county’s rich mix of music, food, cultural, and heritage events.

From world-famous rock concerts to food fairs and historical celebrations, Leicestershire is staking its claim as a “county of festivals” in 2025.

Leading the lineup is Download Festival, expected to draw tens of thousands of rock fans from around the world to its iconic Donington Park venue.

This year’s edition will see rock heavyweights Green Day, Sleep Token, and Korn headlining for the first time underscoring Download’s status as “the UK’s premiere rock and heavy metal festival.”  The quiet, leafy expanse of the National Forest will come alive with roaring guitars and festival-goers, as Donington transforms into Britain’s loudest playground.

But the music doesn’t stop at Donington. Across the county, summer will feature an array of concerts and gigs.  R&B superstar, Craig David, takes to the stage at the city’s Abbey Park on Friday 13^th June, followed by UB40 on the Saturday and Gabrielle and Soul II Soul on Sunday; a citywide Jazz Festival will bring smooth sounds to the streets in August, and the brand new Homegrown Festival – headlined by local rock hero Tom Meighan – will showcase Leicestershire’s own talent alongside up-and-coming artists at the Leicester Racecourse in August.

From rock and metal to reggae, R&B and jazz, Leicestershire’s summer soundtrack has something for every ear.

Foodies are in for a treat as Leicestershire rolls out a feast of festivals celebrating local and global cuisine. Kicking things off, the Leicester CAMRA Beer Festival returns 26–28 June at the historic Abbey Pumping Station Museum, with over 50 independent beers and ciders on tap.  This popular real-ale festival invites beer enthusiasts to sample brews from across the region – all served in a commemorative glass.

In August, the gastronomic celebrations move into high gear. Feast Hinckley (2–3 August) will transform Hinckley town centre into a free two-day foodie paradise, featuring 45+ street food vendors catering to all tastes, plus live music and family entertainment. 

Not far behind is the Leicester Food Festival, returning to Abbey Park on 9–10 August for its second year. Billed as Leicester’s biggest culinary event, it promises a spectacular weekend of food stalls, local produce, international dishes, cooking demonstrations, and funfair rides for all ages.

As summer winds down, craft beer and live music take the stage at the Brew Beat Festival in Leicester city centre – a late-August event blending great brews and tunes to give the season a flavourful (and tuneful) send-off. 

Whether you’re craving gourmet street eats or a perfect pint, Leicestershire’s food and drink festivals offer a full menu of summer delights.

Leicestershire’s vibrant cultural diversity will be on full display with festivals celebrating the county’s many communities. In July, the award-winning An Indian Summer festival (2–6 July) returns with a mix of South Asian arts, film, and performances, setting the stage for one of the UK’s longest-running South Asian cultural celebrations.

August brings the colour and energy of the Leicester Belgrave Mela (16–17 August), a two-day extravaganza of South Asian music, dance, fashion, and food that attracts thousands to Abbey Park.  Visitors can expect everything from Bollywood-style performances to a bustling Mela bazaar of handicrafts and street food, all in a family-friendly atmosphere of celebration.

Meanwhile, the city’s Caribbean community will mark a milestone with the Leicester Caribbean Carnival on 2 August. Now in its 40th year, the carnival promises to be bigger than ever, embracing the 2025 theme “Freedom For All.”  A flamboyant parade will dance through Leicester’s streets, ending in a massive party at Victoria Park where vibrant costumes, booming basslines, mouthwatering food, and non-stop vibes await revellers.  All are welcome to join this joyous display of Caribbean heritage and unity, running from a morning opening ceremony to live music on multiple stages into the evening.

Rounding out the cultural calendar is Leicester Pride, which will cap off the summer on 30 August with a fabulous LGBTQ+ parade through the city and a huge pride party in the park.   

From the Windrush Day commemorations in June to the rainbow flags of Pride, Leicester and Leicestershire’s community festivals champion inclusivity and cultural pride throughout the season.

Alongside music and food, Summer 2025 will celebrate Leicestershire’s rich heritage with special events and openings. The headline attraction is the long-awaited reopening of the Jewry Wall Museum in Leicester – set for Saturday 26 July. This cutting-edge museum and visitor centre has been transformed into “A Real Roman Experience,” incorporating one of Britain’s largest in-situ Roman ruins (a 2nd-century bath house wall) into a modern exhibition space. Visitors can step back 2,000 years through immersive displays, see over 100 locally unearthed Roman artefacts up close, and enjoy stunning views of the ancient Jewry Wall through new glass walls and walkways. It’s a journey through Roman Leicester like never before – and a major new draw for history buffs this summer.

All aboard for a journey through time: 2025 marks 200 years since the dawn of the passenger railway, and Leicestershire’s heritage railways are joining the celebration. The famed Great Central Railway – the UK’s only double-track mainline heritage railway – is hosting special “Railway 200” open days and vintage rail experiences in July. 

Even the county’s Wistow Maze is getting in on the act, with a new maze design to commemorate the bicentenary of modern rail travel. Train enthusiasts and families alike can relive the golden age of steam with rides, historical reenactments, and railway-themed fun throughout the summer.

This year also marks 80 years since the end of World War II, and Leicestershire will pay tribute with living history. August brings the Victory Show (29–31 August at Cosby), the UK’s largest WWII re-enactment weekend, which is celebrating its own 20th anniversary in 2025. 

Spanning a 100-acre site, the Victory Show will feature authentic 1940s battle re-enactments, vintage aircraft displays, tanks and military vehicles, wartime music and a nostalgic victory dance. The event offers a powerful window into the 1940s, coinciding with VJ Day commemorations to honour the conflict’s end. History will truly come alive as attendees experience everything from Allied and Axis encampments to fly-pasts by WWII planes – making it a must-see for history enthusiasts and families.

With festivals filling the calendar from June through August, Leicester and Leicestershire are ready to welcome visitors for an unforgettable summer. Whether you’re headbanging at Download, savouring street food in Hinckley, dancing at the Carnival, or stepping into Roman history, there’s an event for everyone to enjoy in this festival-filled season. Don’t miss the chance to be part of Leicestershire’s summer of celebrations.

To find out more about all the fantastic events in Leicester this summer head to visitleicester.info/festival/summer