Family festivals in London

Kaleidoscope Festival, Alexandra Palace

Ally Pally is always a great family-friendly venue, and this July it opens its doors for the day-long Kaleidoscope Festival, which combines top musical acts from the like of Groove Armada and Fun Lovin' Criminals with tasty street food, immersive theatre, DJ sets and a fantastic family-friendly vibe.

The family area is a real draw with Science Museum workshops, immersive theatre shows for kids from Chickenshed, as well as storytelling, face painting and more.

Photo: Chris Bethell

The Great Exhibition Road Festival, Exhibition Road

The Great Exhibition Road Festival celebrates the arts and sciences in the spirit of the Great Exhibition of 1851 and takes place at fabulous venues in the Exhibition Road neighbourhood, like the Royal Albert Hall, Science Museum, V&A, Natural History Museum, Imperial College London and on the road itself. Kids will get to play chess with robots, take a trip with VR, see symphony orchestras in action and listen to talks on a variety of current issues, like how to end the plastic crisis in our oceans.

British Summer Time Festival, Hyde Park

Post Malone, Taylor Swift, Kendrick Lamar, Little Mix and Pearl Jam are all exciting draws for this year's American Express presents BST Hyde Park Festival, but those with families get as much out of the Open House on during the week (from July 6-July 9), with a host of free activities as they do the concerts themselves. From outdoor movie nights to circus shows, arts workshops to live music performances, there's plenty for kids and adults to get excited about.

Notting Hill Carnival Family Day

Steel drums, coconuts, jerk chicken, and a whole lot of joy: Notting Hill Carnival is almost here. The annual Bank Holiday celebration features hundreds of sound systems, opulent costumes, singing, dancing, and more food than you could ever eat. Kids will love it, too: Sunday is Family Day, which means a relaxed parade with a calmer atmosphere, but with just as much summer fun.

Homegrown Festival, Battersea Arts Centre

From participatory workshops (Homeland) to encouraging BAME teenage boys to gain confidence (Smile-Ing Boys Project), Battersea Arts Centre's Homegrown Festival is a real spring highlight for teens, exploring the digital world, wellness and activism. While some workshops and events are free, everything is under a tenner.

Big Fish Little Fish x Camp Bestival 2020 Family Rave Tour

Camp Bestival has joined forces with Big Fish Little Fish on a UK family rave tour, with dates in London the third week in March.

Expect the usual mix of stellar DJs, balloon, bubble, foam and confetti-filled dance floors, themed fancy dress (Silver Screen is the name of the game this season as you channel your favourite on-screen icons) as well as a mega crafting area for kids. Babies are free, adult tickets are £11. If you miss them in London, head to Camp Bestival this July and the Beautiful Days fest in August for more raving.