BMW Classics 2026 will bring the London Symphony Orchestra back to Trafalgar Square on Saturday 13 June 2026 for a free outdoor concert in the heart of Westminster, London.
The concert runs from 4:00pm to 5:30pm at Trafalgar Square, WC2N 5DN. No ticket is required, and gates are due to open from 2.45pm for the 4pm start. The event is aimed at the general public, with the programme led by LSO Chief Conductor Sir Antonio Pappano.
A free concert in Trafalgar Square on 13 June
BMW Classics is the London Symphony Orchestra’s free outdoor summer concert, staged in one of London’s most recognisable public spaces. For 2026, the event is built around British orchestral music, a new commission, and the LSO’s long association with Gustav Holst and Edward Elgar.
The setting matters for visitors as much as the music. Trafalgar Square is expected to be busy on the day, and the source advises people to use public transport where possible. The event is free to attend, so the main planning point is arrival time rather than ticket booking.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Event | BMW Classics 2026 |
| Date | Saturday 13 June 2026 |
| Time | 4:00pm to 5:30pm |
| Gates | Open from 2.45pm |
| Venue | Trafalgar Square, Westminster, London, WC2N 5DN |
| Cost | Free |
| Tickets | No ticket required |
Holst, Elgar and a new work for London
Sir Antonio Pappano will conduct a programme featuring selected highlights from two British masterworks: Holst’s The Planets and Elgar’s Enigma Variations.
For The Planets, audiences in Trafalgar Square and online are due to hear five movements from Holst’s astrological-inspired suite: Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Uranus. The 2026 concert also forms part of a wider 2026 and 2027 London Symphony Orchestra celebration of The Planets, with BMW Classics described in the source material as the project’s largest live-performance moment.
A central part of the concert will be the world premiere of Louise Drewett’s Four Dances, a new work specially commissioned for BMW Classics. The piece is written for a mixed-ability orchestra and brings together LSO musicians, Guildhall School students and 55 young musicians from east London taking part through the LSO Discovery programmes.
The new work draws on London public spaces, with the four dances depicting the Queen’s Walk near London Bridge, Columbia Wharf in Rotherhithe, South Dock on the Isle of Dogs and Greenwich Pier in Maritime Greenwich.
The finale turns to excerpts from Elgar’s Enigma Variations. The LSO’s connection with Elgar goes back to its foundation in 1904, when the composer conducted the Orchestra during its inaugural season and later served as its second Principal Conductor.
Getting there and access information
Trafalgar Square can be reached by bus, Tube and national rail. Charing Cross Underground Station is the closest Tube station and is served by the Northern and Bakerloo lines, but the source notes that it does not have step-free access.
For step-free Tube access from platform to street level, Westminster Station is the nearest Underground option listed. It is served by the Jubilee, District and Circle lines, and is about a 10-minute walk from Trafalgar Square.
Charing Cross is also the nearest railway station, around 325 metres away, or approximately three minutes on foot. The source says Charing Cross rail station offers step-free access and a step-free route to Trafalgar Square.
Bus routes stopping close to Trafalgar Square include 3, 6, 9, 11, 12, 15, 23, 87, 88, 91, 139 and 176. Most buses have wheelchair access.
Accessible parking is available near Trafalgar Square for visitors unable to use public transport for accessibility reasons. Three designated Blue Badge parking bays are listed on St Martin’s Street, next to the National Gallery, around 250 metres from the gallery. Westminster Parking Information Service can be contacted on 020 7823 4567, Monday to Saturday, 8am to 8pm.
Source: London City Hall Events
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This preview is based on the published London City Hall event details for BMW Classics 2026.
- Matched the event date, time, venue and free entry status against the source listing.
- Checked the no-ticket entry note and gate opening time from the event information.
- Used only the listed transport and accessibility details for Westminster, Charing Cross an...
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- London City Hall Events
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- London
- Updated
- 2026-06-05 03:05
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