A guide to some of the many free and low-cost family activities taking place in Leicester this summer is now available on the council’s website. The city’s museums have come up with a packed programme of special events, with activities taking place at Newarke Houses Museum every Wednesday – and with the Abbey Pumping Station opening its doors on both Mondays and Tuesdays during the school holidays. Leicester’s historic Guildhall will be hosting regular events too – including

Saturday 1st August 2026 This year's theme will be Crowned by Culture - Caribbean Queens and Kings Tickets and Entry This year, we're going digital! To help make your carnival experience smoother and faster, we’re encouraging everyone to purchase their tickets online through our website. You can also pick them up in person at Stabana Cultural Products, 119 Charles Street, LE1 1FA. Buying in advance means you’ll be able to breeze through our fast-track entry points at the park

The multi-award winning Cosby Yarn Bomb is back! 9th July - 29th July Come along and see the beautiful village of Cosby decorated with incredible knitted and crocheted installations, which this year has the theme 'Around the World in 80 Displays'! Cosby Yarn Bomb is an uplifting outdoor trail of 80 textile art installations created by the community for the community with the purpose of improving wellbeing, reducing feelings of isolation & bringing communities together. This

The National Space Centre is turning up the glitter this summer with the launch of Cosmic Dancing Queens, a brand-new ABBA‑inspired party night and the latest instalment in its fast-growing after-hours live music series Sat 15th August 2026 Following the sell-out success of Cosmic Country and Cosmic Emo, this much-anticipated next chapter swaps cowboy boots and eyeliner for platform boots, sequins and disco anthems, promising a high-energy night of sing-alongs, dancing and p

The National Space Centre will mark 20 years of its hugely popular Star Wars event with a spectacular weekend celebration on 4–5 July, welcoming more than 100 costumed characters each day from across the iconic franchise. First launched in 2006 after collaboration with the 501st UK Garrison, the event quickly became a standout in the fan calendar. Its inaugural year featured legendary actors Kenny Baker, Dave Prowse, and Jeremy Bulloch — the faces behind R2-D2, Darth Vader, a

Henry Iv’s knighthood, Chaucer’s marriage, Victorian courtroom dramas and 16th-century graffiti all feature in Leicester’s rich history – and visitors to the city centre can find out more on Heritage Sundays. Heritage Sundays take place on the last Sunday of the month and see some of the city’s most historic sites opened up for people to explore. This Sunday (28 June), the Magazine, Leicester Castle’s Great Hall and St Mary de Castro Church will be open for visitors. Entry is

The Hare Krishna Festival of Chariots returns to Leicester on Sunday 28 June 2026, bringing colour, music, and celebration to the city’s streets. One of the brightest processions in the Midlands, the vibrant festival will begin at Gallowtree Gate with a tumultuous welcome ceremony called a pahandi. The inauguration will commence at 11.30am. This year’s event is especially significant as the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) marks its 60th anniversary,

Leicester’s Museum Square will once again be transformed into a vibrant hub of Caribbean joy as the Windrush Tea Party returns for another amazing celebration on Saturday 20th June. Organised by Opal22, the event takes place from 12pm to 8pm at Museum Square, New Walk, Leicester, and invites families, friends, and communities of all backgrounds to come together for an unforgettable day honouring the legacy of the Windrush Generation. With entrance operating on a ‘pay-what-you

Hot on the heels of Download - the UK's biggest rock festival of 2026 - Leicestershire is underway to one of its busiest summers on record welcoming visitors to a spectacular array of major events – from medieval battlefields, world-class motorsport to one of Britain's largest wartime re-enactments. 13 major events are expected to attract hundreds of thousands of visitors to the city and county over the coming months, cementing Leicester and Leicestershire's reputation a