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 200^th anniversary of our modern railways. The Great Central Railway and Wistow Maze will be marking this very important anniversary. It’s also the 80^th 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.