While headlines of market uncertainty and war may be dominating the news cycle as of late, you shouldn’t let this dampen your excitement for 2023.
This is especially the case when there are so many fantastic events happening across the country over the coming year.
So, from thrilling one-off occurrences to reputable annual festivals, here are 10 exciting British events occurring in 2023 that you should add to your calendar and look forward to.
1. Eurovision
Perhaps most excitingly, the 67th Eurovision Song Contest will take place in Liverpool in 2023. Music is already a cornerstone of culture in Liverpool, so much so that the city was named a UNESCO City of Music, so expect Eurovision to add to the cultural allure of the city.
The competition was originally meant to be held in Ukraine this year, but due to Russia’s invasion, it will be held in Liverpool instead. As such, the festival will reflect Ukrainian as well as British culture and music.
Besides the main event, you can expect to find pop-up restaurants, secret tours of the city, outdoor adventures and more. So, to take part in the magical music event, get yourself to Liverpool in May 2023.
2. King Charles’ coronation
While the unfortunate passing of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022 was a sad moment in British history, the coronation of King Charles is undoubtedly something to look forward to in 2023.
The historic event will take place on 6 May 2023 at Westminster Abbey in London. While you may not be able to attend the actual coronation, you could watch the procession through London to mark the occasion.
Or, if you want to get yourself in the royal spirit before the coronation, you could take a tour of Kensington Palace or the Tower of London and walk in the footsteps of the royal family.
3. Pride Festival
Pride is the exciting celebration of the LGBTQ community to show how far rights have come and, alongside Pride month, there are a range of festivals to look forward to.
The parades are thrilling processions with lots of dancing, cheering, and singing, and aside from the parade itself, there are many different activities on offer. This includes brilliant food and drink stalls, performances, guest speakers and more.
The Pride festival occurs on different dates depending on the city, and while most Pride parades last all weekend, they will start on:
- 27 May in Birmingham
- 17 June in Cardiff
- 30 June in London
- 15 July in Glasgow
- 4 August in Brighton and Hove
- 25 August in Manchester.
4. Glastonbury Festival
Glastonbury occurs most years, though if you’ve always debated whether to go, 2023 could be the perfect time. This is because the festival will supposedly be Elton John’s last-ever UK gig.
The largest greenfield music and arts festival in the world will be happening on 21 to 25 June 2023, and while many of the headliners are yet to be announced, Glastonbury has a history of booking some of the most influential artists on the planet.
Besides the music, Glastonbury offers comedy, theatre, circus and more.
5. The Awakening Festival
Leeds is 2023’s UK city of culture. As part of the celebrations, The Awakening festival will celebrate Leeds’ cultural past, present and future in a packed live show.
The event, which is occurring at Headingley Stadium on 7 January, will include a variety of different live performances of music, dance, comedy, and poetry, including Corinne Bailey Rae, Simon Armitage and LYR, The Orchestra and Chorus of Opera North, and much more.
6. MLB World Tour: London Series
One of America’s favourite pastimes is coming to London for a weekend from 24 to 25 June 2023. The MLB World Tour: London Series will give you the chance to watch legendary baseball teams – the Chicago Cubs and the St. Louis Cardinals – face off in a two-game series.
Aside from the sport itself, the event will include authentic ballpark food such as corn dogs, and live entertainment, such as mascot races, music and more, all in true American fashion.
7. Edinburgh Fringe Festival
You’ve likely heard of the Edinburgh Fringe before, though it’s still worth visiting one of the largest arts festivals in the world.
The world-renowned festival happens over the entire month of August, and there’s a show for everyone. Indeed, you can expect to find everything from comedy, music, and theatre to contemporary arts and more.
And, even better, the Edinburgh International Festival, which is a celebration of opera, theatre, and dance, will be running alongside the Fringe, so what better time to visit the vibrant city?
8. Eroica Britannia
If cycling is more your thing, then the Eroica Britannia could be something to look forward to in 2023.
The huge cycling festival takes place in the breathtaking South Downs National Park and includes a plethora of different activities. Aside from the cycling, you could expect to find award-winning food and drinks stalls, varied shopping, a fun fair, live entertainment, and even activities to keep the kids busy.
The event was cancelled in 2022 due to logistical issues, and while the dates for 2023 are yet to be confirmed, you can expect the event to happen in August, and it’s certainly not one to miss.
9. Dark Skies Festival
The International Dark Sky Association announced the North York Moors and the Yorkshire Dales as the Dark Sky Reserves, and as such, they’re hosting a Dark Skies Festival in February.
The event will be a celebration of the stars, with hopes that it will educate and entertain Brits about the skies above us, as well as the countryside at night. This won’t just include stargazing either, as there’s a huge variety of events, ranging from night cycling, crafting rockets, caving at night and more.
10. Alice’s Day
If you fancy going down the rabbit hole next year, then the Alice’s Day festival in Oxford could be for you.
This is a city-wide celebration of all things Alice in Wonderland occurring on 2 July 2023.
The event will include activities such as walking tours, dancing workshops, exciting food and drink, tea parties and more.
Get in touch
As you can see, there is lots to look forward to over 2023. If you need help managing your personal finances over the coming year, please call 01992 500261 or fill in our online contact form to organise a meeting and we’ll be in touch.
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