A busy weekend in Cardiff: What's On 3-5 July and How to Get Around

Wednesday, 1 July 2026

 

Cardiff has a lot on this weekend. Major concerts, international rugby, a food festival and cricket are all happening across the city between Friday 3 and Sunday 5 July. Whether you’re heading to a specific event or just in the city, here’s what you need to know.

 

Cardiff Food & Drink Festival, Roald Dahl Plass, 3-5 July

 

The Food & Drink Festival runs across the whole weekend. Free entry, no ticket needed, open from 11am to 10pm each day. Expect the Street Food Piazza, Producers’ Fair, Farmers’ Market, Crafters’ Market and live music on the Bandstand all running at once.

With free entry, numbers build steadily through the day and Cardiff Bay gets busy with festival-goers and everyone else enjoying the waterfront. Walking, cycling or public transport are the easiest ways to reach the Bay. For public transport, catch the train from Cardiff Queen Street, or the Baycar bus from Cardiff Bus Interchange.

 

Llandaf Festival, Llandaff Cathedral, 30 June – 5 July

 

The Llandaf Festival brings music, ideas and community events together across Llandaff Cathedral and venues throughout the area, running through to Sunday. A mix of free and ticketed events. Check the festival programme for what’s on across the weekend.

 

Friday 3 July

Glamorgan vs Warwickshire, Vitality Blast Men, Sophia Gardens, 5:30pm

 

Sophia Gardens hosts a Friday night T20 under the lights as Glamorgan take on Warwickshire Bears. The Women’s Blast is also at the ground earlier in the afternoon (Glamorgan Women vs Middlesex Women, 1:30pm). Cardiff Central is around a 15-minute walk from Sophia Gardens. For more on the Vitality Blast and how it works, see our cricket explainer.

Cardiff Castle is open for visitors as normal on Friday, so it’s a good day to visit before it hosts the Saturday evening gig.

 

Saturday 4 July

Fiji v Wales, Cardiff City Stadium, Leckwith, KO 2:10pm

Wales open their Nations Championship campaign against Fiji. Note the location before you set off: it’s at Cardiff City Stadium in Leckwith, not the Principality Stadium in the city centre. Fiji are treating it as a home fixture and have promised a festival atmosphere, so expect the area to be lively well before kick-off.

 

Pitbull at Blackweir Fields, Bute Park, doors 5pm

Pitbull and Lil Jon bring the “I’m Back!” tour to Blackweir Fields in Bute Park. Gates open at 5pm, with last entry at 8:30pm and no re-entry once you’re in. Entertainment is scheduled to finish at around 10:30pm, though show times are subject to change. This is the final concert of a run of summer shows at the site.

The event comes with city centre road closures from 4pm until midnight, affecting routes including Castle Street, Duke Street, Kingsway and North Road. There’s no park and ride, but event parking is available at Sophia Gardens and the Civic Centre. For the full list of closures, parking and travel advice, see our travel advice for Blackweir Live concerts.

Bus services in the closure area will be diverted. Cardiff Bus Interchange stays open, but check Cardiff Bus’s website for affected routes before you travel.

Trains will be busier than usual with several events on the same day, so check your last train and allow extra time to get home. Cathays station closes from 10pm, with passengers redirected to Cardiff Central or Cardiff Queen Street.

 

Bowling For Soup & Frank Turner, Cardiff Castle, doors 5pm

 

The castle’s summer concert series continues with Bowling For Soup and Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls as part of the Bowl My Bones tour. Doors 5pm, last entry 8pm, no re-entry. Check bag restrictions before you travel and allow extra time for entry.

 

Sunday 5 July

Glamorgan vs Worcestershire, Vitality Blast, Sophia Gardens, 2:30pm

 

The Blast continues on Sunday with Glamorgan vs Worcestershire Rapids (2:30pm). The Women’s fixture, Glamorgan Women vs Worcestershire Women, is also at Sophia Gardens from 10:30am. Cardiff Castle is open as normal for visitors on Sunday. For more on the Vitality Blast, see our cricket explainer.

 

If you’re just in Cardiff this weekend

Not everyone here this weekend will be heading to a specific event. The city’s busy, with different crowds arriving from across the country, and there’s plenty to enjoy even without a ticket. Cardiff Castle is open to visitors as normal on Friday and Sunday, with a slightly earlier closure on Saturday ahead of the evening gig, so either of those are good days to visit if you want to explore before the concert crowds arrive. Down in the Bay, everything is open as normal throughout the weekend. It’s just as easy to enjoy a quieter walk around the barrage and wetlands as it is to dip into the festival.

Friday and Sunday are considerably calmer than Saturday, with cricket at Sophia Gardens a straightforward trip from the city centre and no road closures to plan around.

If you’re planning to eat out, it’s worth booking ahead as the city’s restaurants will be busy across all three days.

Whether you’re a tourist, here on business or a local making the most of it, take a look at our full guide to Cardiff’s attractions to make a day of it. Just keep half an eye on timings: the Saturday road closures and busier trains will affect your journey home whether or not you’re holding a ticket.