Summer in the City: New Festival, Outdoor Swimming, Waterside Performances & More at Canary Wharf – 02.06.26

• New Summer Daze Festival brings four days of live comedy, theatre,  music & family entertainment
• Visitors can enjoy alfresco swimming at soon-to-launch Sea Lanes this summer, alongside open-air cinema, live sport screenings & dockside music
• Other summer programme highlights include Pride celebrations, waterside theatre, cultural celebrations, art workshops & spray-painting sessions

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.  

Canary Wharf’s full summer programme is as follows:  

Pride on The Wharf: Tuesday 2nd June to Thursday 30th July 

Eden Dock & Canada Square Park  

A vibrant and inclusive programme of free events celebrating LGBTQIA+ culture across Canary Wharf. Highlights include Rebecca Strickson’s bold Look Back at Love installation at Eden Dock (Tuesday 2 June to Friday 31 July), family-friendly Mini Pride with Curious Arts on Saturday 6 June, and a curated programme of LGBTQIA+ film screenings on our Summer Screens.  

Find out more at https://canarywharf.com/whats-on/pride-on-the-wharf/  

Alfresco Arts: Theatre, various dates between Tuesday 2nd June – Friday 7th  August 
Westferry Circus & Union Square  
Alfresco Arts: Theatre returns this summer with a lively programme of outdoor performances across Canary Wharf, featuring Shakespeare, contemporary plays and crowd-pleasing favourites. Bring a picnic and enjoy theatre under the open sky.  

Find out more at https://canarywharf.com/whats-on/alfresco-arts_theatre/ 

Alfresco Arts: Family, various dates between Saturday 6th June – Saturday 15th  August 
Jubilee Park and Crossrail Place Roof Garden  

Alfresco Arts: Family returns this summer with a vibrant programme of free, outdoor events across Canary Wharf, inspired by the National Year of Reading. Families can enjoy interactive workshops and playful activities including Mini Pride with Curious Arts, storytelling sessions like Telling Your Story, music and poetry with The Earlybirds, and creative workshops such as Bake Me a Fairy Tale and Alice in Wonderland Make & Take. Bring a book to donate to the Mulberry Wood Wharf Primary School library and help share the joy of storytelling.

Find out more at https://canarywharf.com/whats-on/alfresco-arts_family/  

Alfresco Arts: Music, various dates between Friday 12th June – Friday 18th  September 
Eden Dock and Jubilee Park  
Alfresco Arts: Music returns this summer with a fresh line-up of live performances popping up across Canary Wharf’s parks and waterside spaces. Enjoy lunchtime classical concerts from Docklands Sinfonia in Jubilee Park, alongside Dockside Sounds bringing acoustic sets, emerging artists and laid-back summer vibes to Eden Dock. Simply drop in, relax and soak up the music.  
 
Find out more at https://canarywharf.com/whats-on/alfresco-arts-music-2/ 

Sea Lanes Canary Wharf: from Friday 19th June  

Eden Dock  

The urban oasis of Sea Lanes will feature a 50m, six-lane, lifeguarded natural water pool floating within the dock, offering a unique open-water swimming environment in the heart of the Wharf.   

Find out more at https://sealanescanarywharf.co.uk/   

Old Flo – Storymakers Workshop: Saturday 27th June, 11am-12pm and 2-3pm 

Cabot Square 
A storytelling and drama workshop for children inspired by Old Flo, the bronze sculpture by British artist Henry Moore. Led Suzie Pope, the session encourages children to use imagination and performance to create characters and stories, drawing inspiration from the themes and form of the sculpture. 

Find out more at https://canarywharf.com/whats-on/draped-seated-woman-old-flo-by-henry-moore/  

Summer Daze: Thursday 23rd to Sunday 26th July 

Wood Wharf 

A four-day summer festival bringing together theatre, comedy, live music and family activities across Wood Wharf. Expect outdoor performances including A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Pews at Ten, comedy from some of your favourite comedians, and musical bingo, alongside creative workshops, poetry pop-ups and family raves. Drop in throughout the day and into the evening to enjoy a lively mix of culture, creativity and entertainment for all ages. 

Find out more at https://canarywharf.com/whats-on/summer-daze-festival/ 

Old Flo – Spray paint workshop: Thursday 6th August, 6.30-7.30pm  
Cabot Square 

A creative spray-painting workshop led by Spray’d where participants can create their own artwork using bespoke stencils inspired by the shapes and forms of Old Flo, and working from a palette of colours featured in Canary Wharf’s mural collection. 

Find out more at https://canarywharf.com/whats-on/draped-seated-woman-old-flo-by-henry-moore/ 

Run the Wharf: Thursday 3rd September  

Throughout Canary Wharf  
A vibrant 5km route will wind through Canary Wharf, offering participants the choice between a competitive timed run and a more relaxed, social pace. 

The scenic course takes in key landmarks including Cabot Square, Riverside and Harbord Square Gardens, tracing the Wharf’s distinctive waterways. The event will culminate in a lively post-run atmosphere, with food, drink and entertainment bringing runners together to celebrate. 

Find out more at https://canarywharf.com/whats-on/run-the-wharf-2/  

Minigolf by Craig & Karl: daily from 12-6pm, from now until Sunday 27th September 

Montgomery Square  

A vibrant, free-to-play minigolf course designed by creative duo Craig & Karl has transformed Montgomery Square, bringing bold colour and playful design to the Wharf. Throughout July and August there will also be a number of free SEND sessions for families and groups with children or young people with additional learning needs.  

Find out more at https://canarywharf.com/whats-on/minigolf/   

Summer Screens & Film Club: open daily, from Thursday 4th June to Tuesday 1st September 

Canada Square Park  

A summer-long programme of daily live sport, movies and the return of the Mario Kart Championships.  

Movies include Wicked: For Good, Barbie, Mamma Mia, and Superman. Sports include F1, Wimbledon, and key cricket fixtures.  

Find the movie listings and more at https://canarywharf.com/past-events/summer-screens/ 

The Lunch Market: Thursdays from 12-2.30pm, from now to 24th September 

Montgomery Square  

The market will bring a fresh choice of traders to the neighbourhood serving up a wide choice of flavoursome food, with both returning favourites and brand-new summer specials.   

Find out more at https://canarywharf.com/whats-on/the-lunch-market/    

Ping Pong: open daily 

Montgomery Square and Wren Landing   

Table tennis is available daily, adding a playful, design-led twist to the game. Play is on a first come, first served basis.  

Find out more at https://canarywharf.com/whats-on/ping-pong/   

Short Story Stations: open daily 

Crossrail Place Roof Garden, Cabot Place & Jubilee Place  

Find these free story stations to print literature spanning a variety of genres with work from both classic and new writers dotted around Canary Wharf.    

Find out more at https://canarywharf.com/whats-on/short-story-stations/    

Children’s Art Trail: open daily 

Throughout Canary Wharf  

Families can discover and explore 12 pieces of art scattered across the Wharf, to inspire their little minds. The popular trail has had a revamp for 2026, and kids can follow the interactive map to spot them all.     

Find out more at https://canarywharf.com/whats-on/childrens-art-trail/    

Public Art Trail: open daily 

Throughout Canary Wharf  

Canary Wharf is home to the UK’s largest collection of outdoor, free-to-view public art. With over 100 pieces to enjoy, art lovers can follow the digital trail on the free arts and culture app Bloomberg Connects.  

Find out more at https://canarywharf.com/artwork/art-map/