Culture Fix: Top 8 This July
This Month in Culture: July’s Unmissable West End Moments
Back to ItineriesWhat’s poppin’ in July? CULTURE FIX 02 is here with our top 8 picks to keep your summer buzzing.
From iconic exhibitions and vibrant parades to alfresco dining and outdoor cinema, there’s no shortage of ways to soak up the city’s electric energy.
Ready to make the most of your July? Here are the top 8 events and experiences you won’t want to miss...
Summer Exhibition 2025 Design © Royal Academy of Arts. Paper art and art direction by Kyla McCallum/Foldability. Photography by Christian Ammann, with photographic assistance by Manu Sommer Ritz
Royal Academy of Arts
The Royal Academy’s Summer Exhibition is back, showing off over 1,700 artworks from big names and fresh talents alike. Don’t miss your chance to see the UK’s biggest open-submission art show before it wraps on 17 August.
© Image credits: Hard Rock Cafe Piccadilly Circus
Pride in London Parade
On 5 July, Pride in London hits the streets with its iconic parade. Celebrate love, diversity, and solidarity as the colourful procession winds from Hyde Park Corner and winds through Piccadilly Circus, Haymarket, and Cockspur Street, ending at Whitehall Place.
Lallie Charles, by Compton Collier, circa 1917NPG x68996 © reserved; collection National Portrait Gallery
Rita Martin, by Rita Martin, 1900sNPG x125451 © National Portrait Gallery
National Portrait Gallery
At the National Portrait Gallery, The Factory of Femininity explores how photographers Lallie Charles and Rita Martin shaped celebrity culture and early 20th-century ideas of beauty. The exhibit runs until 19 October and is free to visit.
Official London Theatre Ticket Booth
If theatre’s your thing, head to Leicester Square’s Official London Theatre Ticket Booth for discounted tickets to top shows like Stereophonic at the Duke of York’s, cult hit Titaníque at the Criterion, and Giant starring John Lithgow.
The National Gallery
Celebrate the National Gallery’s 200th birthday on 26 July with The Triumph of Art at Trafalgar Square — a family-friendly day of live music, workshops, performances, and a birthday tea party.
Summer in Leicester Square
Tusk Turtle Trail
Keep an eye out from late July for the Tusk Turtle Trail — 16 life-sized turtles painted by famous artists and celebrities popping up around the West End to raise awareness for ocean conservation.
Franco's Summer Dining
Finally, soak up the summer vibes with al fresco Italian dining at Franco’s terrace — perfect for those warm evenings and a great way to end the day.
Featured Venues
Franco's
Restaurant
For over 75 years Franco’s has consistently provided a friendly, warm, welcoming sanctuary for everybody living, working and visiting St. James’s and Jermyn Street. The quality of food, hospitality and service has meant that Franco’s has remained a firm favourite with so many who return time and time again.
National Gallery
Gallery
The National Gallery is one of London's greatest art museums located in Trafalgar Square, London. Founded in 1824, it houses a collection of over 2,300 paintings dating from the mid-13th century to 1900.
National Portrait Gallery
Gallery
The National Portrait Gallery sits seconds away from Leicester Square and Trafalgar Square, London. It was the first portrait gallery in the world when it opened in 1856 and houses the world's largest collection of personalities and faces, from the late Middle Ages to the present day.
Royal Academy of Arts
Gallery
The Royal Academy of Arts is a world-renowned art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly, London. For over 250 years, the RA has existed to champion art and artists and offers a place where art is made, exhibited and debated. Enjoy their expanded campus with free displays, new spots to eat, drink and shop, and much more.