National Theatre announces return of free River Stage festival

London’s largest free outdoor arts festival, River Stage, is set to return to the National Theatre for its eighth consecutive year this summer, running from 5 to 28 July with four weekends of guest slots from different organisations.

Kicking off the festival, The Glory will return from 5 to 7 July with a lineup curated by drag icons Jonny Woo and John Sizzle. Expect a weekend of free queer music, drag performances, cabaret, and more.

Following this will be Greenwich+Docklands International Festival with a programme of street theatre, dance, and circus performances, while the third weekend will be curated by Rambert, featuring special guests and opportunities for attendees to learn new moves from Rambert’s faculty of teachers.

The final weekend (26 to 28 July) will be curated by the National Theatre, offering a diverse range of family theatre, dance, workshops, music, NT Live screenings, and building tours.

The River Stage will also work with the Young Technicians programme to provide technical training for young people aged 14 to 18, offering opportunities for hands-on experience in backstage roles such as lighting, sound, and video.