Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens' Summer Screens returns for 2026 with free outdoor films this summer

an aerial image of the summer screens crowds watching an outdoor film in 2025 — (Image credit: Vauxhall One)

The first sliver of gloriously blue skies and sunshine has left Londoners getting very (if prematurely) excited for the summer months, with dreams of packing out rooftop bars and pub gardens all weekend despite temperatures only hitting 16 degrees. One of the indulgent summery things at the top of everyone’s bucket list come May is an outdoor cinema night – and luckily for South London dwellers, Vauxhall’s Pleasure Gardens is bringing back its free summer cinema, Summer Scenes.

Picture long summer evenings, blankets on the grass, plenty of tinnies and picky bits from M&S with all your closet mates around. Bliss. And not too far off what the summer series from the Vauxhall green space promises. Throughout July and running for four nights, Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens will transform into an open-air cinema where Londoners can watch a range of films from crowd pleasers and family favourites to cult classics.

Kicking off at 7pm and running every Tuesday, the 2026 programme includes some bangers which will make for the perfect chilled summer activity. Plus, there will be food and drink vendors dotted across the gardens to keep you refreshed throughout (aka. If the picky bits run out).

Summer Screen’s lineup for 2026 is:

Tuesday 7th July - Zootropilis
Tuesday 14 July – Cool Runnings
Tuesday 21 July – Clueless
Tuesday 28 July – Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again

Whilst the screenings are free to attend, registering for tickets is recommended, which you can do online later in the year. The Gardens are over at Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens, New Spring Gardens Walk, London SE11 5HL.

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Hermione Blandford is the Content Editor for Shortlist’s social media which means you can usually find her scrolling through Instagram and calling it work, or stopping random people in the street and accosting them with a mini mic. She has previously worked in food and drink PR for brands including Johnnie Walker, Tanqueray, Gordon's, The Singleton, Lagavulin and Don Julio which means she is a self confessed expert in spicy margaritas and pints, regularly popping into the pub in the name of research.

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