7 cheap or free things to do in August
It’s August, the third month of the Summer, and there are so many things to see and do around the UK. Many of them are free or reasonably priced too, so it’s easy to keep yourself entertained without going over budget.
Let’s start by looking at some bargain cinema trips, where all the tickets are only £1 each.
Go to the cinema for £1
A family-friendly offer at Cineworld on a range of 2D movies all around the UK, 25th July – 28th Aug. Includes The Wild Robot, Paddington in Peru, Moana 2, Sonic the Hedgehog 3, and A Minecraft Movie and others. My pick of the bunch is Flow, a visually beautiful feature length animation, which will be showing in selected cinemas during the first week of August.
All tickets are £1, including adults, and there’s no booking fee. Two excluded venues: Dublin and Leicester Square. Find out more and book online here, or via the Cineworld tickets app.
Edinburgh International Festival (and other festivals)
This huge arts and cultural festival boasts a programme of the finest performers in dance, opera, music and theatre. Runs 30th July to 24th Aug, and the theme this year is ‘The Truth We Seek’, full listings here.
Look out for the £10 affordable tickets with limited numbers at all performances, £10 on-the-day tickets, and their other affordability schemes.
If you’re in Edinburgh around this time, there are four more sister festivals taking place:
- Edinburgh Festival Fringe (comedy, cabaret, etc)
- Edinburgh Art Festival (galleries, installations, residencies)
- Edinburgh International Book Festival (talks, readings, workshops)
- The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo (music, marching)
Many of these events are free, but some free events are ticketed so check before heading out.
New Go Jauntly summer walks collection
The main features on the Go Jauntly walking app are free, and there’s a new Summer Days Out collection to explore. Pack a picnic and get yourself out on a few adventures.
There are walks around the UK, including an Oasis walking tour in London that takes around four hours and goes from Soho to Primrose Hill, canalside walks in Bath, nature hikes on the Isle of Wight, and many more.
National Eisteddfod of Wales
The National Eisteddfod is the largest cultural festival in Europe, held in a different part of Wales every year, celebrating Welsh music, culture and language. This year it’s in Wrexham (Wrecsam) from 2nd-9th August 2025.
Full information and tickets on their website. If you’re on a lower income and live nearby, you can get free tickets, plus food vouchers for any children in the household. Carers also get free entry.
Notting Hill Carnival
The Notting Hill Carnival celebrates Caribbean culture in London, and it’s the biggest street party in Europe. It’s back for Sat 23rd – Mon 25th August, and it’s free to attend. Full schedule here.
Watch the carnival floats and costumed dancers go by during the parade, fuel up at the many food stalls, and dance to soca, calpso, mas and big sound systems.
Bonus London festival in late August: Greenwich + Docklands International Festival, 22nd Aug – 6th Sept. Multiple free events, including outdoor theatre, circus, dance and more.
Recipe of the month: ‘Eggplant’ chips & fennel yoghurt
It’s a great month for heat loving fruits and vegetables, especially aubergines, and I’m in a holiday snacks kind of mood. Much-missed bar and restaurant Spuntino used to serve this delicious aubergine dish, alongside beers, cocktails and great music.
Find the recipe at BBC Food (Saturday Kitchen). The first image is the eggplant chips, but you’ll need to scroll a bit further down the page to get to the recipe. By the way, they don’t need to be deep fried, you can cook them in a hot oven or an air fryer with great results.
Cocktail of the month: The Bramble
There are so many blackberries in the parks and hedges around where I live, and it’s time to get out and pick a few of them. The cocktail of the month is the 80s retro classic, the Bramble (created by Dick Bradsell, who also invented the espresso martini).
There are several different versions of this cocktail to choose from, but I think you can’t beat the classic one. This recipe from The Gin Guide is absolutely spot on for the original correct proportions, and includes plenty of fresh blackberries too.
You also could make a non-alcoholic version using a can of Gordon’s Zero gin & tonic, a little lemon juice, plenty of muddled fresh blackberries and some extra sugar syrup.
Penny’s Personal Projects
The main thing I’ll be doing in August is taking part in the Summer ‘NOT on Holiday’ Challenge, which will be four weekends of fun stuff on a budget. The idea is to enjoy the time when we aren’t away on holiday as much as the holiday time itself.
Last month I cleared out and organised the cupboard under the stairs, and cleaned up the patio. This month I get to relax and max out my leisure time.
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What are you getting up to this August? If you have any cheap or free entertainment tips of your own, please share them.
