The summer holidays are in full swing and the weather is feeling more like summertime, so here’s some suggestions to keep the kids entertained and a few ideas for the grown-ups too. There’s also the last bank holiday weekend of the year to make the most of – it’s definitely time to get your summer started!
Leicester Caribbean Carnival – 6 August 2016
Nothing says summer like a carnival and 2016 sees Leicester celebrating 31 years of ‘Caribbean Carnival in the City’. Complete with magnificently costumed bands, troupes, and floats, Leicester’s Street Carnival starts from the Carnival Village at Victoria Park and makes its way to the city centre and back to the park for final performances.
With activities and entertainment for all of the family, including a fun fair and children’s play area, if you’re heading to Leicester in August why not join the 20,000 people who attend this eye-catching celebration of street carnival fun.
Bristol International Balloon Fiesta – 11-14 August 2016
Europe’s largest hot air balloon event, the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta is in its 38th year and offers four amazing days for all the family and whats more its free.
Alongside the fiesta’s amazing events programme, there are morning and evening balloon lifts each day and two nightglow events. Launching from Ashton Court Estate at dawn and dusk, you can watch over 150 hot air balloons of all shapes and sizes taking to the skies.
As one of UK’s top 5 outdoor events, it attracts hundreds of thousands of people each year and is particularly popular with families. There is also a fairground, food stalls and bars, face painting, music and of course amazing air displays.
Summer Nights Film Festival at Wollaton Park, Nottingham – 26-29 August 2016
What better way to spend the bank holiday weekend, taking in the great outdoors at Wollaton Hall and Country Park whilst enjoying a film on the big screen at the Summer Nights Film Festival.
Sit back, enjoy a picnic and watch a film projected on the outdoor screen. You can choose from Mad Max: Fury Road, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, The Dark Knight Rises or Star Wars: The Force Awakens over the weekend.
Tickets are £13 each, and ideal for keeping older children entertained, especially if you tell them that Wollaton Hall famously starred as the setting for Wayne Manor in ‘The Dark Knight Rises’. If you book a taxi ahead of the evening, you can enjoy a bottle of wine with your picnic too!
Victorious Festival, Portsmouth – 27-28 August 2016
The Victorious Festival returns to Southsea for two days of family fun and fantastic music from Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Manic Street Preachers, Mark Ronson, Will Young and much more.
Victorious offers fun for the kids too, with the Kids’ Arena, where families can dance at the Kid’s Stage, get crafty at the Bellacrafts Arts and Crafts station, play in the sand at the Beach Area or get their faces painted. It’s only £7 for children aged 5-15 and £1 for under 5’s.
Don’t worry, though, there is plenty for the grown-ups too, with boutique markets, delicious food, and drink and then you can dance all night at the many stages of the Festival. A top tip to avoid the parking nightmare is to pre-book a cab, it also avoids the crowds later in the evening.
Notting Hill Carnival, London – 28-29 August 2016
Leicester is not the only city celebrating this August with a carnival, we’re talking about the one and only Notting Hill Carnival in London. As the biggest street festival in Europe, if you’re in the capital on the bank holiday weekend then it’s a must-see event.
The kids will love Sunday, which has become known as ‘Children’s Day’ with family workshops and tasty Caribbean food along the route. It’s a great family day out, with the parade starting at 10am. Monday sees the Grand Finale featuring over 60 bands, colourful and loud Carnival floats and extravagantly stunning costumes.
Whatever you have got planned this August, have a great bank holiday weekend and if need a cab our taxi fare calculator is available to get you the best rate for your journey.
