10 things to do this summer in The Royal Parks

Summer-is-a-coming and this season, The Royal Parks have created a programme that's jam-packed with music, art, and nature. The best part? Most of them are free. Below is just a taster of some of the events happening this summer, for the full list of events visit www.royalparks.org.uk/whats-on.

1. Mindfulness at Brompton Cemetery

📍 Meet outside Brompton Cemetery chapel 📅 27 June, 11 July and 1 and 22 August (10.30-11.30 am)

Join mindfulness teacher, Alex Newte Hardie in the serene surroundings of Brompton Cemetery to reconnect with yourself and the world around you. Turn off your phone and open your senses to nature. It will improve your mood, reduce tension, and help you focus on the rest of your day. No need to book but email bromptonproject@royalparks.org.uk if you are planning on attending. The event is free - for more information click here.

2. Enjoy summer days at the Bandstand

📍 Meet outside Brompton Cemetery chapel 📅 Regent's Park: Every Sunday from 23 June to 8 September (12.30pm) / Greenwich Park – Every Sunday from 23 June (3 pm)

The bandstands of Greenwich Park and The Regent’s Park will come alive this summer with the sweet sound of music.

Each weekend both bandstands will host free performances from a variety of local concert bands, jazz big bands, small groups and choirs – entertainment perfect for your summer picnics and outings.

3. Discover where all the flowers for London’s eight Royal Parks are grown

📍 Hyde Park Nursery 📅 Thursday 27 June, 10 am-5pm

Carefully camouflaged within a copse of trees, you will find a glasshouse in Hyde Park, the size of a football pitch. The hi-tech ‘super nursery’ supplies 450,000 flowers across London’s eight Royal Parks and on Thursday 27 June, we will be opening its doors to the public for a plant sale of our surplus summer bedding. Buy plants fit for a Royal Park and go on a free behind-the-scenes tour, led by our Nursery Manager Mike Jones.

Plants can be purchased from 10am-5pm. Tours are free and will take place at 11 am, 1 pm and 3 pm but must be booked in advance by emailing kwhybrow@royalparks.org.uk. For more information click here.

4. Experience outdoor opera in The Regent’s Park

📍 St John's Lawn, Regent's Park 📅 26-27 June, 7.30pm-9.30pm (from £35)

At the end of June, The Regent’s Park will play host to two operatic masterpieces, delivered by Opera Brava, Britain’s leading outdoor opera touring company.

In the beautiful surroundings of St John’s Lodge Lawn, you can experience the iconic, romantic and tragic Verdi’s La Traviata, or the timeless social comedy, Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro.

Verdi’s La Traviata – Wednesday 26 June, 7.30pm-9.30pm

Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro – Thursday 27 June, 7.30pm-9.30pm

5. Explore the life of Ignatius Sancho in Greenwich Park

📍 Pavilion Cafe 📅 29-30 June, 2pm-2.45pm and 4.30-5.15pm

Discover the life and times of Ignatius Sancho, with a free walking performance by Tramshed.

Trace his life from being born on a slave ship and orphaned by the age of two, to become Britain’s first black voter, an accomplished writer and composer and an influential figure in the movement to abolish slavery.

During his lifetime he was employed as a butler by the Montagu family who lived in a house overlooking Greenwich Park. A plaque of Sancho’s achievements can be found on the wall in the south-west corner of the park.

To find out more about Ignatius Sancho and the park’s history visit the Greenwich Park Revealed section of our website.

*Tramshed is the new name for Greenwich & Lewisham’s Young People Theatre.

6. Go on the road with Mission Invertebrate

📍 Various Parks 📅 Various dates, 11am-3pm. See here.

Discover the magnificent minibeasts that call London’s Royal Parks home. Join Mission: Invertebrate for a day of bug trails, creative crafting and invertebrate missions galore.

Until October, Mission: Invertebrate will be on the road, visiting Royal Parks from Greenwich Park in the east to Bushy Park in the west, giving you the opportunity to get close to nature and learn more about the wonderful world of invertebrates.

Throughout the summer there will also be free events for adults including an invertebrate tree walk in Kensington Gardens, a solitary bee walk in Greenwich Park, and a session on how to photograph invertebrates in Richmond Park.

7. View art in an open-air gallery in Regent’s Park

📍 Regent's Park 📅 From 3 July until 6 October

Back by popular demand, Frieze Sculpture will return to The Regent’s Park this summer, creating an exceptional cultural attraction at the heart of the city, for Londoners and international visitors alike.

Visitors can meander through the English Gardens and view up to 20 sculptures from renowned artists such as Tracey Emin and Anish Kapoor. The exhibition has been curated by Claire Lilley, Director of Programmes at the award-winning Yorkshire Sculpture Park.

Watch this space for more information.

8. Open House at British Summer Time Hyde Park

📍 Hyde Park 📅 8 July-11 July

In-between two weekends of legendary musical line-ups, Barclaycard presents British Summer Time Hyde Park’s Open House will return for another fabulous week of free entry to our summer activities.

On offer will be free outdoor movie nights, live music, Wimbledon screenings, mindfulness and yoga workshops, and our very own Royal Parks Showcase with flower sale, photography exhibition, and chill out area.

For more information click here.

9. Learn about the ancient trees of Kensington Gardens

📍 Kensington Gardens 📅 20 July, 10.30am-Noon

Discover the majestic veteran trees of Kensington Gardens in a free walk with our resident arboriculturalist.

Learn what makes a tree veteran, the important role they play in history and ecology and find out how The Royal Parks takes special care them. Free but booking essential. For more information click here.