Festival

Summer in Leicester & Leicestershire

As the sun comes out around Leicestershire, there’s loads happening from internationally famous music festivals to foodie treats, great gigs and a celebration of railways, find out what’s happening in our city and county this summer.

Explore 2,000 years of history as Leicester celebrates the long-awaited opening of Leicester’s Jewry Wall Real Roman Experience in July.

This summer is also the 200th anniversary of our modern railways. The Great Central Railway and Wistow Maze will be marking this very important anniversary. It’s also the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War and this will be marked with VJ Day celebrations and The Victory Show, the UK’s biggest WWII recreation event.

It’s a time for music too! The quiet leafy National Forest gets noisy as the Download Festival returns. There’s plenty of great music in Leicester too, with Craig David and Gabrielle taking over Abbey Park in June and a live jazz festival in the city centre in August, plus the Homegrown Festival featuring Tom Meighan and loads of great local artists.

Taste the place with lots of foodie-centric events. The Leicester Beer Festival in June, Feast Hinckley in August, plus the return of the Leicester Food Festival. The summer concludes with the Brew Beat festival in the city.

It wouldn’t be summer in Leicester without our cultural festivals! An Indian Summer and Leicester Mela celebrate the South Asian community’s culture and music. Windrush Day and the Caribbean Carnival showcase island culture, and Leicester Pride caps it off with a fabulous parade through the city and one big party in the park. 

June

  1. Mars: War and Peace

    From the artist behind the beloved Museum of the Moon and Gaia, Luke Jerram’s fusion of Mars…

  2. Bunting over a river with kayakers on it

    Riverside Festival

    Leicester Riverside Festival returns on 7 & 8 June 2025 to the heart of the city for a weekend p…

  3. Download festival stage and crowd

    Download Festival 

    Hosted at the rock mecca that is Donington Park racetrack, the Download Festival is a continuation o…

  4. Charnwood’s Food Festival

    We’re excited to announce the launch of Charnwood’s first food festival, a delicious new…

  5. Bradgate Park Summer Fayre

    On Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 of June, the annual Summer Fayre will be coming back to Bradgate…

  6. ferrari fire and feast

    Fuel His Passion This Father’s Day – Ferraris, Fire, and Feasting at Belvoir Castle Celebrate…

  7. Craig David

    British R&B singer, songwriter, rapper, DJ and producer who rose to fame in 1999. As one of the…

  8. RAF Leicester Town Show

    Get ready, Leicester! The RAF is landing in the heart of the city for an unmissable weekend of…

  9. Park Series Leicester: UB40 ft. ALI CAMPBELL +…

    Get ready for an electrifying night of reggae as UB40 ft Ali Campbell takes the stage at Abbey…

  10. Soul On Sunday Leicester

    Icons Gabrielle & Soul II Soul are set to takeover Abbey Park on Sunday 15th June, bringing…

  11. Nevill Holt Festival grounds with well dressed visitors

    Nevill Holt Festival 

    Held at the beautiful Nevill Holt Estate in Harborough District, this is Leicestershire’s answer to…

  12. Market Harborough Carnival

    This year’s theme is Summer of Love, so get those creative juices flowing! As you watch the…

  13. Pitch Fest Live

    Pitch fest live, community festival, live music, amazing tribute acts, fun fair, global street…

  14. 42nd Street

    A new production for 2025 from the creative team that brought you “Hairspray” and “Singin’ in…

  15. CQ Earlies

    On the second Saturday of each month, we host CQ Earlies – fun, free, and creative sessions for…

  16. Leicester Comedy Festival in the Botanic Garden

    Summer is on the way, and comedy’s in bloom! Join us for a specially curated lineup of festival…

  17. The Windrush Tea Party

    Want a day of music games good drinks and Caribbean food? Come and celebrate the legacy and…

  18. The Melton Pop Festival

    Get ready for an unforgettable summer day at the Melton Pop Festival! This family-friendly event…

  19. Vainburg Vikings – Living History Weekend

    Step back in time to an era when Vikings ruled in Leicestershire. Immerse yourself in the…

  20. Rathayatra Festival of Chariots

    Leicester Rathayatra 2025, Festival of Chariots – You’re Invited! Join us for a spectacular…

  21. Leicester Print Festival

    Leicester Print Workshop is very happy to announce their annual Print Festival is back for…

  22. Leicester CAMRA Beer Festival

    After the success of last year, the Leicester CAMRA Beer Festival is back at Abbey Pumping…

  23. Armed Forces Day Service & Parade

    As part of Armed Forces Day, a parade of military personnel will step off at around 11am from…

  24. Blaston Show

    Blaston Show is a fantastic family day out, with livestock classes, horse and pony classes,…

July

  1. An Indian Summer

    Inspirate’s flagship festival, An Indian Summer, is back this year from 2-6 July, bringing a…

  2. CQ Earlies

    On the second Saturday of each month, we host CQ Earlies – fun, free, and creative sessions for…

  4. Belvoir Castle Garden Show

    Immerse yourself in floral splendour at Belvoir Flower and Garden Show, a captivating blend of…

  5. Stomp Round Leicester

    A herd of magnificent Elephant sculptures will be stampeding into the city as part of a…

  6. T20 Blast: Leicestershire Foxes vs Birmingham Bears

    Leicestershire Foxes take on Birmingham Bears in this T20 Blast fixture.

  7. People walking though the maze

    Wistow Maze & Wistow Rural Centre

    Get lost in the Leicestershire countryside with this a-Maze-ing summer day out

  8. Re/Action Festival

    Get ready for an extraordinary weekend as Re/action Festival bursts into the city with fresh…

  9. Jewry Wall Museum

    Step back in time and uncover the secrets of Roman Leicester at Jewry Wall: A Real Roman…

  10. Rail Ale Festival

    Over sixty real ales and twenty ciders on offer. Join us at this years festival, held in…

  11. Melton SKA Fest

    A rudeboy revival comes to Melton Mowbray this summer, with the arrival of Melton SKA Fest…

  12. Shilton by the Sea

    Family fun day with fair rides, giant sand pits, bungee trampolines, donkey rides, food stall,…

  13. Barefoot Festival

    The rumours are true, we are back with a bang in 2025! This year, we are back at the charming…

August

  1. Leicester Caribbean Carnival

    Welcome to Leicester Caribbean Carnival 2025. The theme for this year is Freedom For All. All…

  2. Legends of Soul

    If you’re looking for a feel-good summer evening of live music and great company, join us at…

  3. Back2Fest

    We’re excited to announce that Back 2 Festival is returning to its original home at Cattows…

  4. CQ Earlies

    On the second Saturday of each month, we host CQ Earlies – fun, free, and creative sessions for…

  5. Leicester VJ Day celebrations

    80 years ago, people in Leicester marked the end of the Second World War with a conga round the…

  6. Xstatic Summer Festival 2025

    Xstatic Summer Festival will return to Cattows Farm on the 16th of August 2025! For a one-day…

  7. Leicester Mela

    Leicester Mela Festival 2024 was bigger than ever as it took over Abbey Park for the first time…

  8. Fake Festival

    LEICESTER! Ready to rock?! The stage is set for an ultimate music explosion as we roll into town…

  9. The Long Road Festival

    The 3 day camping festival of Country, Americana and Roots This year, we’re bringing new…

  10. Home Grown Leicestershire

    Welcome to Home Grown Leicestershire! Join us for a day filled with local talent, delicious…

  11. Leicester Food Festival

    Set to be the biggest food event of the year, the Leicester Food Festival will be returning to…

  12. Feast Hinckley 2025

    Your free entry food festival will feature around 45 plus street food vendors catering for all…

  13. Motor Show 2025 & Family Fun Day

    Free Admission and Free Parking VIP Paddock: Exclusive access to luxury brands like…

  14. 110 Above Festival

    Hidden away in deepest rural Leicestershire and formed in the shadow of ‘the Temple’ ruins, 110…

  15. The Ferrers Household – Living History Weekend

    Have you ever wondered how your ancestors once lived? What they did in their day-to-day life?…

  16. The Victory Show

    Held over a 100-acre site at Foxlands Farm, Cosby, Leicestershire, the Show provides Historical…

  17. Brew Beat

    Celebrating 5 years of beers, beats & good times! Leicester’s biggest free craft beer and music…

  18. Leicester Pride

    The biggest celebration of the LGBTQ+ community in the region. Leicester Pride returns for 2025!…

Keep exploring