There’s a moment each year when Vauxhall clicks into summer mode.
The evenings stretch, the rush home softens, and Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens becomes somewhere to linger. What started back in 2017 as a simple run of outdoor events has grown into a staple of the south London summer calendar: A series of free, open-air gatherings that draw in locals, workers and anyone passing through SE11.
Our favourites are back: Vauxhall Summer Screen, bringing weekly film nights to the gardens; and Bearpit Karaoke, the open-air singalong that’s become a summer ritual. Easy, inclusive and very, very Vauxhall.
Vauxhall Summer Screens
Every Tuesday in July, Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens becomes an open-air cinema where Londoners can settle in for a relaxed evening of film, food and good company. The 2026 programme brings together a mix of crowd-pleasers and cult favourites, starting with the animated adventure Zootropolis, followed by the beloved Jamaican bobsled classic Cool Runnings, the endlessly quotable Clueless and finishing with the ABBA-fuelled musical Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again.
What’s showing:
7 July Zootropolis – A fast-paced animated adventure with plenty of heart and just enough chaos to keep everyone hooked from start to finish.
14 July Cool Runnings – Feel-good, underdog energy at its best. Expect big laughs and big spirit.
21 July Clueless – As if you’d miss it. Sharp and endlessly iconic, this one’s made for watching with all the girls!
28 July Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again – ABBA, sunshine and full singalong energy. A fitting finale that’ll have the whole park joining in.
Arrive from 6pm, films roll at 7pm. Bring a blanket, grab some street food, and settle in for a perfect evening.
Bearpit Karaoke
Yes, it’s back — and if you know, you know. Bearpit Karaoke isn’t just an event, it’s a Vauxhall rite of passage. Whether you’re a shower singer, a secret weapon, or fully ready for your main character moment, this is your cue to step up and go for it.
Hosted by the one-and-only Joe Hatchiban, things can swing from genuinely impressive to gloriously chaotic in seconds — and that’s exactly the point. Expect power ballads, throwback anthems and the kind of crowd support you don’t get anywhere else in London.
Come for the karaoke, stay for the atmosphere, and don’t be surprised if you end up singing after all.
