Wakehurst Summer Events 2026 — Opera Under the Stars and a Henry Moore Wine Walk
This July, Wakehurst summer events 2026 bring two genuinely special evenings to Kew’s wild botanic garden in Sussex — one built around music, the other around art and wine.
Both are part of Wakehurst’s Latehurst series — after-hours events that make the most of the gardens once the day visitors have gone home and the light starts to soften.
Wakehurst Summer Events 2026 — What’s On in July
Mansion Concerts: A Night at the Opera — Saturday 11 July
Set against the backdrop of Wakehurst’s Elizabethan Mansion, this open-air evening brings four internationally acclaimed musicians together for an evening of soaring arias and opera classics from Puccini to Verdi.
The line-up includes soprano Sofia Kirwan-Baez, tenor Thomas Elwin and baritone Patrick Alexander Keefe — performers with credits spanning Opéra National de Bordeaux, English National Opera, Glyndebourne and Opera North — accompanied by pianist Chad Vindin.
Whether you’re a lifelong opera enthusiast or have never been, this is exactly the kind of event designed to convert the curious. Food comes from Happy Go Souvlaki and Mauritian Coalition, with vegetarian options, a full bar, and the option to bring your own picnic.
📅 Saturday 11 July 2026
🕕 Entry from 6pm · Performance 7.30pm · Finish 10pm
🎟 Early bird from £33.66 (£28.71 for members)
Wakehurst Wine Walk: Henry Moore Edition — Friday 17 July
A self-guided evening wine walk through Wakehurst’s landscape, created in partnership with Artelium Wine Estate — and timed perfectly to coincide with this summer’s major sculpture exhibition.
The evening begins with a glass of English sparkling wine in front of the Elizabethan Mansion, before a route through the gardens stopping at scenic tasting points. At each stop, Artelium hosts pour carefully selected wines paired with cheese from Sussex’s High Weald Dairy, while Wakehurst’s horticultural experts share insight into the landscape itself.
An art guide accompanies the walk, connecting the route to the monumental bronze sculptures of Henry Moore, alongside contemporary works from Paloma Varga Weisz, Rafael Pérez Evans and Rana Begum — part of this year’s landmark Henry Moore and More exhibition.
The evening ends with wood-fired pizza from Safari Pizza or Egyptian street food from Cairovan, alongside the Artelium Bar and more High Weald Dairy cheese to buy.
📅 Friday 17 July 2026
🕕 Timeslots: 6pm, 6.30pm, 7pm, 7.30pm · Gardens close 10pm
🎟 Early bird from £39.60 (£31.68 for members)
🔞 18+ event
Practical Information
📍 Wakehurst, Selsfield Road, Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH17 6TN
🚂 Nearest station: Haywards Heath
🎟 Both events bookable via Fever — links above
From Brighton: approximately 30 minutes by car.
Wakehurst summer events 2026 continue throughout July — book early, both evenings have limited capacity.
Read our review of Henry Moore and More at Wakehurst — and for more events within reach of Brighton, explore Places to Visit Near Brighton and Arts & Culture Brighton.
