Events — 29 June 2026
Nottingham Summer Events to Know in 2026
From Splendour at Wollaton Park to castle concerts, Pride, food festivals, and folk in the Arboretum, Nottingham's 2026 summer calendar is packed.
Summer is when Nottingham becomes easiest to understand. The city moves outside: to the Castle grounds, the Arboretum, Victoria Embankment, Wollaton Park, Hockley, and the Lace Market. For 2026, the calendar has a particularly strong run of music, arts, food, family events, and community celebrations.
Splendour Festival is the biggest weekend in the local music diary. Back at Wollaton Hall & Deer Park on 18 and 19 July, it brings headline-scale artists, comedy, food, market stalls, family areas, and a proper festival atmosphere without needing to leave the city. If you're planning a Nottingham weekend around one event, Splendour is the obvious anchor.
Nottingham Castle has become one of the city's most atmospheric summer venues. July brings 80's MixTape with Live Orchestra and Country at the Castle, both using the castle grounds as an outdoor concert setting. The combination of views, history, street food, and an open-air crowd gives these shows a very different feel from an arena gig.
The city-centre arts programme is strong too. Nottingham Puppet Festival fills streets and venues with performances from 27 June to 5 July, while Nottingham Contemporary's summer exhibitions and early-years workshops make the Lace Market a useful destination for both culture trips and family days out.
The best approach is to treat the calendar as a trail rather than a checklist. Pair Pride in Hockley with lunch in the Lace Market, combine the Food Festival at Victoria Embankment with a riverside walk, or make Foolhardy Folk Festival at the Arboretum the relaxed finale to the summer.