Festival & Performance Listings

Totally Thames 2026, London

Thames Festival was launched in September 1997 with a record-breaking high wire walk across the River Thames. The festival and associated activities is operated by Thames Festival Trust, an independent charity. From 1998 to 2012, the festival was focused on the area between Westminster Bridge and Tower Bridge. It took place over the second weekend in Sept More

Harmonic Fields, Baildon Moor

Baildon Moor becomes the stage for an orchestra of hundreds of wind and nature-powered instruments. The brainchild of composer Pierre Sauvageot, Harmonic Fields has previously been presented in Copenhagen, Marseille and Helsinki, and now comes to the West Yorkshire moorlands for the very first time. An array of woodwind, string and percussive ensembles More

b-side, Portland

This year’s festival theme, “That Other Place,” draws inspiration from the Isle of Portland’s proud oddness, the now-defunct Portland Fair, and local resident David Palmer’s extraordinary Fair archives. In 2026, we’re bringing this to life through artists and communities bringing back their interpretation of the Fair alongside ambitious, year-long artist More

Luminarium, Portsmouth

As part of The Point Is Portsmouth, Luminarium is an unforgettable immersive experience designed to delight, inspire and bring communities together. Step inside a world of light, colour and space. This large-scale immersive installation by Architects of Air invites you to explore a luminous, ever-changing environment designed for all ages. Wander throu More

South Bank and Waterloo Eco Fest, London

Swap, share, repair and play at the South Bank & Waterloo Eco Fest on 13th September! From swapping clothes and books to workshops, stalls, arts and performances, Eco Fest is a free community celebration of sustainability and creativity in the heart of London. Come along anytime 2-5pm to find out about inspiring, practical and fun ways to live sustain More

Witham Street Entertainment Festival, Witham

Witham Street Entertainment Festival has become a main fixture in Witham's calendar. Held in the centre of town, the event regularly draws large numbers of visitors into the town to enjoy this free festival. Applause Rural Touring is proud to have worked with Witham Town Council to have seven of their commissioned and supported outdoor shows performing at th More

Encounter Festival 2026, Preston

Expect walk-about theatre, interactive performances, music, workshops and much more! This year, we've teamed up with Josh from Wolf Entertainments and Events for an exciting Horrockses-themed commission. Celebrating Preston's most iconic label, Josh will be bringing the designs to life in a new and interesting way. It'll be an all-out Horrockses Fashio More

Waiting Song, Bristol

What are you looking forward to? Find Waiting Song in the heart of the galleries shopping centre, between the escalators, the pop up arcade and Boswell’s cafe. Two trapeze artists suspended in mid-air, engage in melodic conversation about their hopes for the future. Dressed in sumptuous circus costumes and set to live music, they spin, sway and sing in duet, More

Daughters of the Wire, Bristol

Performed in the air and amongst the trees at Trinity Gardens on three interconnecting tight-wires, ElevateHer is a joyous celebration of female camaraderie and sisterhood, told through storytelling, music, movement and feats of bravery and balance. Drawing on their experiences in circus, six women share stories of risk, resilience, challenge and friendsh More

Gabriel’s Wharf Arts Festival Day 2, London

Celebrate creativity and community at Gabriel’s Wharf with two days of free live entertainment on Saturday 5th and Saturday 19th September. Inspired by the spirit of the Festival of Britain, enjoy live jazz, swing dance performances and workshops, and classic 1950s and 60s music. Families can get involved with free drop-in craft activities and an all-ages pa More

Findhorn Bay Festival, Moray

A spectacular 10-day celebration of arts and culture set in unexpected spaces and scenic locations within the rural and coastal towns and villages around the stunning bay of Findhorn and beyond. This multi-award-winning festival welcomes the world to Moray to celebrate the very best of local, national and international cultural experiences, showcasing artist More

Bell Square Calling: France, Hounslow

Bell Square Calling highlights outdoor performance artists from a particular country or region. The first edition of BELL SQUARE CALLING, focuses on artists from France. Bell Square Calling: France runs from 24 – 27 September 2026 and features a mix of dance, theatre and circus performance, representing the very best of France’s outdoor arts scene. In More

Wave by Squidsoup, Weymouth

Join us on Westham Bridge in Weymouth for an immersive light and sound installation. ‘Wave’ consists of five hundred suspended orbs shaped like a breaking ocean wave. Each orb contains LED lights, a speaker and microcomputer, with movement sensor and wireless connectivity. As you move through the artwork, the orbs shift in harmonies of sound and light res More

Arts by the Sea, Bournemouth

We’re looking forward to welcoming you all to Arts by the Sea 2026 this September for another exceptional weekend of art, culture, people and place. Our theme, ELEMENTAL, celebrates the powerful energies that connect us to each other and to the world around us. From the crackle of ideas that light up our imaginations to the steady rhythms that keep us gro More

Taking Flight, Liverpool

After premiering at Africa Oye Festival, Movema will be delivering their show Taking Flight in Phythian Park on Saturday 26th September, from 11am to 4pm. In the Taking Flight performance, Movema dance practitioners dress as four futuristic creatures whose bodies are part aircraft, part bird, part human. Symbolic and mythical birds from different cultures More

The Forest School Show, Walesby Forest

The Forest School Show Explore • Connect • Grow in Nature Where outdoor arts, Forest School and nature come together. The Forest School Show is a unique new event celebrating the very best of Forest School, outdoor learning and participatory outdoor culture. Set within the beautiful surroundings of Walesby Forest, this immersive experience brings t More

Streets of Cov 2026, Coventry

Join Imagineer in Coventry city centre for a day of extraordinary outdoor performance, playful activity and ideas for the future of Streets of Cov. Expect surprising things to see and do, from circus and physical performance to interactive installations, engineering, comedy and creative activities for all ages. But this day is also about you. We want t More

Derby Festé, Derby

Leap into the extraordinary as Derby Festé returns for 2026 with a spectacular line-up of free, outdoor performances featuring a diverse range of shows from leading UK and international artists. On Saturday 26 September, Derby city centre will be transformed into a vibrant playground of creativity, as the city’s premier free outdoor arts festival promises More

Go Grandad, Go!, Redbridge

Saturday 26 September Ken Aston Square, Barkingside Sunday 27 September Ilford Town Centre Go Grandad Go is a heart warming inter-generational family story embedded in love. This relatable Hip-Hop theatre dance show inspires the young and empowers the… not so young. The story presents new ways of understanding each other, sparking conversations ab More

The Downham Quest, Downham

The knights of Downham need your help. There is a new wall being built and the community are coming together to pull it down. Can you help them on their quest? Teatro Vivo have been working with local schools and community groups for the last year to create a play in Downham which will be performed around the streets of Downham on Friday 2nd and Saturday More