What’s On in Paris – August 2026

Outdoors & Summer Fun

Through August 30: Paris Plages 2026!
Check out the 24th edition of the urban beaches of Paris along the Seine and Bassin de la Villette, with free swimming spots, outdoor dancing, and plenty of lounge chairs to enjoy the fabulous weather. Get the fully updated lowdown in the Secrets of Paris article: “Everything You Need to Know About Paris Plages 2026”

August 1-30
Get off the beaten tourist track and party with the locals at La Javelle, a summer guinguette in Bercy Encore (a “Third Space” on the southeastern edge of the city), offering an outdoor space for drinks, food, concerts, DJ sets, and community events in a festive, family-friendly atmosphere. Throughout August, the venue hosts a varied program including dance nights, open-air parties, comedy shows, karaoke, live music, and DJ performances, with activities for both adults and children. Entry is free, and the venue is open daily from 5pm to midnight on weekdays and from noon to midnight on weekends.

Weekends throughout August
Every weekend during the summer, the Marcounet Péniche hosts free outdoor dance parties on the Quai des Celestins (near Pont Marie on Paris Plage). Every Saturday is Salsa Portoricaine, with a beginner salsa class at 3:30pm, followed by a DJ-led dance session from 4pm to 6:30pm, and a Chacha animation at 5:15pm. Sundays are Swing Dance parties with DJs from 3-6pm and the Claude Tissendier Live Band from 6-9pm. Free entry.

August 2
Today is the ten-year anniversary of “Pedestrian Sunday” when all vehicle traffic is banned from the Avenue des Champs Elysées, and this month it will host the Esports Festival for gamers, the Parisian showcase of the Esports World Cup 2026. The event will feature gaming personalities, pro players, creators, musicians, showmatches, talks, and a 500m² gaming area as part of the Esports World Cup 2026, which Paris is hosting for the first time. It runs from 3:30p. to 8pm between Rue Arsène Houssaye and Rue de Berri, completely free and open access, no tickets or registration required.

August 4 (every first Tuesday)
See the Changing of the Republican Guard every first Tuesday of the month at 9am in front of the Élysée Palace, home to the French President. This event is free and open to all (standing room along the street). Two sections of 16 soldiers from the 1st Infantry Regiment march along the Avenue de Marigny and the Rue de l’Élysée. They meet in front of the Élysée Palace’s gate at 55 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré. After exchanging military salutes and orders between the section leaders, the personnel of the incoming Republican Guard enter the courtyard in step. They then take up their posts for the next 24 hours. NOTE: this was cancelled last month because of road works. Message the Maison Elysée boutique the day before to know if the August event will take place).

Through August 4
Festival Paris l’été returns for its 36th edition, transforming locations throughout Paris into stages for contemporary theater, dance, music, circus, performance, and cabaret. This year’s lineup features more than 30 events in unexpected venues—rooftops, chapels, schools, and gardens—with both free and ticketed shows. Highlights include an All World Waacking Battle at the Grand Palais, a theatre performance in the Théâtre de Verdure du Jardin Shakespeare, and circus performers in the making with the apprentices of the Académie Fratellini at the Jardin d’Acclimatation. Tickets range from €10–€38.

August 4-8
The Seine will host the European Swimming Championships‘ open-water and high-diving events, bringing elite competition back to the river after the Paris 2024 Olympics. Open-water races around Île aux Cygnes require paid tickets (€11–16), while the 20-meter high-diving competition from the Bir-Hakeim Bridge can be watched free from the riverbanks on the 7th and 8th at noon and 2:30pm. The nearby Grenelle swimming area will be closed from August 1–9 to accommodate the event and its setup.

Through August 23
The Fête des Tuileries annual summer funfair in the Tuileries Gardens (next to the Louvre, 1st) is open daily 11am-1:45pm with food stands, hair-raising rides, games to win prizes, and the “Grand Roue” Ferris Wheel. Free entry, different prices for the attractions. Watch your pockets in this typically crowded space!

Through September 5
The Association Française d’Astronomie hosts free stargazing evenings in 21 different parks and gardens across Paris this summer. Events begin at 9pm and run until 1am. The orange squares on the interactive map show the meeting place within the larger parks. The schedule:
August 7: Parc Montsouris (14th arrondissement, Nuit des étoiles);
August 8: Jardin d’Éole (18th arrondissement);
August 9: Square Louise Michel (18th arrondissement);
August 12: Parc André Citroën (15th arrondissement, partial eclipse of the sun, begins at 7pm);
August 15: Square Louis XIII (4th arrondissement);
August 21: Parc de la Butte Chapeau Rouge (19th arrondissement);
August 22: Square Georges Méliès (12th arrondissement);
August 26: Jardin Shakespeare (16th arrondissement);
August 28: Parc de Choisy (13th arrondissement);
August 29: Parc Georges Brassens (15th arrondissement);
September 5: Parc Montsouris (14th arrondissement).

Through September 14
The iconic Olympic Cauldron returns to Paris’s Jardin des Tuileries from June 21 to September 14, rising at sunset until 2am nightly, weather permitting. You can visit it “parked” in the daytime from 10am. See exact schedule updated daily here.

Through September 27
The Théâtre de Verdure du Jardin Shakespeare is a seasonal open-air theatre set inside the Bois de Boulogne in western Paris. Performances take place throughout the summer in a small, garden amphitheatre surrounded by tall trees and other greenery, creating an intimate setting for the theatre, music, and dance performances (mainly in French if any spoken words). It’s a nice little escape from the city in the summer, preferably when it’s neither too hot nor too wet (tickets usually available last minute, see the full program on the website). Prices vary from free to €25.