Summer has just begun at Canary Wharf, with a packed season of art, culture, sport, entertainment and family activities with most activities entirely free to attend.
Visitors can look forward to a packed summer programme, including a brand-new festival, open-air film screenings, dockside live music, outdoor swimming at the new Sea Lanes Canary Wharf, and live coverage of major sporting events such as Wimbledon and cricket test matches.
New for 2026, Summer Daze Festival will transform Wood Wharf into a free four-day celebration of culture and entertainment from Thursday 23rd to Sunday 26th July. The festival will bring together outdoor theatre, comedy, live music, pop-up performances and roaming entertainment, creating a vibrant atmosphere throughout the day in the heart of the city.
Comedy fans can look forward to the festival’s dedicated comedy programme, offering audiences a chance to experience a taste of the Edinburgh Fringe without stepping outside London.
Back by popular demand, the Alfresco Arts series returns with a vibrant programme of outdoor theatre, family fun and live music across the summer months. Visitors can enjoy open-air theatre featuring highlights like King Arthur and the Holy Fail and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, as well as live music, including lunchtime classical performances from Docklands Sinfonia, while little ones will be entertained by interactive storytelling and creative workshops.
The Old Flo programme, inspired by Henry Moore’s iconic sculpture, brings free cultural events to Cabot Square. Affectionately nicknamed Old Flo, Draped Seated Woman by Henry Moore forms part of Canary Wharf’s public art collection – the largest, outdoor, free-to-visit collection in the UK.
Highlights include an after-work spray painting session using stencils inspired by Old Flo, and for the kids, a storytelling and drama workshop led by Susie Pope.
June’s Pride Month will bring a vibrant, inclusive programme of free events across Canary Wharf, including Rebecca Strickson’s bold Look Back at Love installation on Eden Dock, celebrating self-expression and community through her distinctive style inspired by the visual language of trade unions and protest movements. There will also be family-friendly Mini Pride, featuring arts and crafts alongside inclusive story times, with Curious Arts on Saturday 6th June, alongside film screenings celebrating LGBTQIA+ culture.
Meanwhile Summer Screens’ open-air cinema returns to Canada Square Park with a crowd-pleasing mix of blockbusters, cult classics and new movie releases, daily sport, Mario Kart Championships and a special music quiz.
Those looking to refuel have plenty of choice with over 80 cafes, bars and restaurants in the district, plus a Thursday Lunch Market from 12-2.30pm with an array of international street food traders serving up fresh flavours.
Alongside the festival, visitors can try Din Tai Fung, the world-renowned Taiwanese restaurant known for its expertly crafted xiao long bao, the recently opened Mama Li, and Nora, a Turkish restaurant serving a modern take on Istanbul-inspired dishes. Canary Wharf also boasts a growing category of leisure amenities including Padium, Fairgame, The Cube, Electric Shuffle and GoBoat for visitors to enjoy this summer. Also making a splash this summer is Sea Lanes Canary Wharf, opening on Friday 19th June at Eden Dock. The Olympic-sized, six-lane, natural water floating pool offers year-round outdoor swimming – alongside two saunas and a vibrant community clubhouse with a full events programme including distance swim challenge for Level Water, swim coaching, SUP, paddleboard yoga and social BBQ’s.
This year’s Summer Screens are sponsored by Delta Capita, mutualised managed services for the Financial Services industry, along with Lululemon, Chipotle, Doughlicious and Charles Tyrwhitt. The Cube is also sponsoring the Summer Screens Gaming series.
Full programme details and booking information will be available via Canary Wharf’s website. Most activities are free with some requiring a ticket.