UK Working Holiday Jobs: Festival, Event and Hospitality Shifts in London
Key takeaways
- Event caterers and crews hire working holiday makers for bar, waiting, hosting and set-up shifts all year.
- Summer festival season runs June to August; spring brings big sporting events and concerts.
- Shifts are booked in an app with no minimum hours, so you can work around travel.
- No experience is needed: you do a short induction and training is given on the job.
London runs on events: concerts, sporting fixtures, gallery launches, weddings and summer festivals. Event caterers and crews need staff for all of them, which makes event work one of the easiest UK working holiday jobs to start with. Here's what the work involves, when it's busiest and how shifts fit around your travel plans.
What kind of event work is there?
Hospitality and catering shifts
Most working holiday makers start on an event catering team. Typical roles are:
- bar staff, including VIP and event bars
- waiting staff and food runners
- hosts
- cloakroom attendants
No experience is needed. You do a short induction with the employer before you're given shifts, and they train you on the job.
Crewing and set-up
Prefer physical work? Event crews build and pack down festivals, concerts, sporting events and TV sets. The work includes stage preparation, unloading equipment and general site labouring.
You'll do a skills and fitness check at induction, and expect early starts and late finishes.
Where you'll work
Shifts take you all over London, and beyond in summer. Depending on the week, you could be working at:
- major stadiums and concert arenas
- museums and galleries
- racecourses and big sporting fixtures
- hotel events, VIP parties and weddings
- film premieres
- music festivals across the UK
We only name specific venues and festivals once employers confirm them for the season, as the line-up changes every year.
The event year in London
| Months | What's on | Work |
|---|---|---|
| February–March | Hotel events, museums and galleries | Steady |
| April–May | Big sporting events and concerts begin | Busy |
| June–August | Festival and concert season | Peak |
| September–November | Indoor events as summer winds down | Steady |
| December–January | Christmas events, then a quiet January | Slow for new starters |
If you want festival work, it starts in June, so aim to arrive by May to be set up in time. Christmas events are mostly staffed months ahead, so new arrivals in December find fewer shifts.
How app-based shifts work
Event employers post shifts in an app. You see what's available, book the ones that suit you and skip the rest. There are no minimum hours and no fixed commitment, so you can:
- pick up early, late or double shifts in a busy week
- keep days free for interviews with other employers
- head to Europe for a week and pick shifts back up when you return
That's why many people keep a few event shifts going even after they find an office or café job.
Festivals outside London Camping provided
In summer, some shifts are at festivals outside London over several days in a row. When they are, camping is usually provided on site, so you're not paying for accommodation. There's no commitment to do the whole season: you can work a single festival if that's all you want.
What it pays
£12.71/hrMinimum wage, 21 and over
£10.85/hrMinimum wage, 18 to 20
+12.07%Holiday pay on casual shifts
Event jobs are paid by the hour, and every shift must pay at least the UK minimum wage: £12.71 an hour if you're 21 or over, and £10.85 if you're 18 to 20 (from April 2026). Event bars often add tips, and by law employers must pass all tips on to staff.
You also earn paid holiday on the hours you work. For casual shift work, many employers add it to each payslip, at 12.07% of your pay.
What to bring
- Black trousers and black non-slip shoes for catering shifts, which most event caterers ask for
- Sturdy boots and warm layers for crew work, as outdoor sites start early and finish late
- Your share code, so the employer can check your right to work before your first shift
- A charged phone with the shift app installed
How to get started
With Jumpstart London, we introduce you to London event and hospitality employers before you fly. When you arrive, you register with them, do the induction and right-to-work checks, then start booking shifts. Roles depend on availability and the employer's checks.
You can use event work for a few weeks while you settle in, or keep it going for your whole visa.
FAQ
Do I need experience for festival and event jobs?
No. Event catering and crewing roles train you at a short induction before your first shift. Crew roles include a skills and fitness check, as the work is physical.
Can I just work one festival?
Yes. There's no commitment to a full season, so you can book a single festival or event and nothing more. Camping is usually provided at multi-day festivals outside London.
When does festival season start in the UK?
Festival season runs from June to August. Big sporting events and concerts start in April and May, so arrive by May if you want to be set up for the summer.
Ready to work London's events?
Pick your arrival week and we'll introduce you to event employers and hold your bed before you fly.
See how Jumpstart London works →Want the full picture? Read what jobs you can get in London and the UK working holiday guide.
