Rooftop Film Club, London

High above the streets of the capital, where the air is, admittedly, probably not any clearer, you can enjoy a summer a programme of indie cinema, ranging from cult classics to new releases. The club runs screenings at venues in Peckham, Shoreditch, Stratford and Kensington, so no Londoner need stray far from their home turf. Fresh food, barbecues and film-themed cocktails are on hand, while free ponchos are available should it rain.
• Until 30 September, tickets £14, 020-7635 6655, rooftopfilmclub.com

Brighton Open Air Theatre

Built using public donations and run by a volunteer committee, Brighton Open Air Theatre (Boat) puts on theatre, spoken word performances and open-air screenings in a grassed amphitheatre on Dyke Road Park. The theatre, which has its first season this year, is the legacy of Adrian Bunting, “a guiding light in Brighton’s arts scene” who died in 2013. Following the success of its first production, of Romeo and Juliet, in May, the summer season features a range of shows, with highlights including Heritage Opera’s production of Madame Butterfly (1 August) and the award-winning play The Tragedian Trilogy (8 August).
• Open until September, prices for shows vary see brightonopenairtheatre.co.uk for details

Brighton Big Screen

Bathe, or just relax, in the glow of the UK’s largest beachfront cinema, which returns to Brighton this summer with a programme of more than 90 films. There will be three screenings each day, projected onto the 40-square-metre screen, including family favourites The Lion King and a singalong (of course) version of Frozen, plus classics such as Dirty Dancing and Back to the Future. The screen is set up just east of Brighton Pier and the family-friendly events will run even if there is wet weather. This year also sees the opening of a new beach bar and pop-up restaurants with Indian food from the Chilli Pickle.
• Open 14 Aug-13 Sept, daytime general admission is free, evening (5pm onwards) general admission £3, premium tickets £7, brightonsbigscreen.com

Floating Cinema, Brentford to Bristol

Following last year’s successful run (or bob?!) in London, the Floating Cinema is embarking on a summer tour, making its way from Brentford to Bristol (with stops along the way including Reading, Newbury, Devizes and Bath) between now and August. The programme – themed to celebrate and explore the waterways of south-west England – includes open-air and onboard independent film screenings, as well as workshops. In Bristol you can learn how to create your own cola with the team at the Cube Microplex or take part in a discussions on how to set up an indie cinema. The barge will then return to Brentford, with more events at each stop. Supported by partners including the Canal and River Trusts, Arts Council England and the BFI, the project features Yann Seznec as artist-in-residence, who is collating a digital library of “forgotten sounds”, created with communities along the route.
• Most events are free but booking is essential due to limited capacity, floatingcinema.info

Burghley film festival, Burghley House, Lincolnshire

The grand stately home of Burghley House forms the backdrop for this outdoor cinema series held in the mansion’s picturesque gardens. The programme consists of traditional “alfresco cinema” favourites: drop by to see the likes of Some Like it Hot, the Blues Brothers, Pretty Woman, Austin Powers, and Ghostbusters. The festival kicks off with a super-geek marathon; show up at 11am on 29 July if you want to spend the day lapping up the entire The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Deckchairs are available to hire, with a barbie sizzling on the side.
• 29 July-2 Aug, adults £14, kids £7 on the door (online discounts available), burghley.co.uk

Holkham Hall Gardens, Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk

Holkham Estate is hosting another varied programme of outdoor theatre amid its majestic setting of hall and walled gardens. The festivities open with a Lamda production of Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest, followed by Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. The family-friendly venue invites guests to lay down a rug and enjoy a picnic while they enjoy the performances, and there are shows especially for children, too, including a musical version of Robin Hood.
• 22 July-26 Aug, tickets from £13 adults, £9 kids, 01328 713111, holkham.co.uk

Enniskillen’s Happy Days festival, Northern Ireland

Celebrating the work and influence of Nobel-prize winning writer (and a student in Enniskillen) Samuel Beckett, the Happy Days festival returns for its fourth year in the beautiful landscape of the Fermanagh Lakelands. One of the only international multi-arts festivals to be held in Northern Ireland, the curation mixes artists from Enniskillen with acts from around the world. The programme this year includes the first visit to the country by the Berliner Ensemble theatre company, as well as productions by Sophie Hunter, Adrian Dunbar and Max Stafford-Clark. Events take place in venues all around Enniskillen, including the spectacular Marble Arch Caves.
• 23 July-3 Aug, various locations, prices range from free of charge to £24, happy-days-enniskillen.com

Cult Screens, various locations

Jaws … in a swimming pool? Touring through Oxford, Reading and towns west of London, Cult Screens shows classic and “retro” films in locations that add, er, depth to the experience. In Oxford, cinemagoers can watch Spielberg’s shark epic in the comfort of a deckchair beside Hinksey Outdoor Pool, while 80s fantasy flick Labyrinth (starring a frightwig-wearing David Bowie) will be screened in the enigmatic Pitt Rivers Museum. Other films on the programme include Birdman, The Theory of Everything and The Imitation Game, with snacks and drinks including craft beer, pitchers of cocktails and hotdogs.
• Events run to September, various locations, tickets from £12.50, cultscreens.co.uk

Romeo and Juliet at Blackwell, Bowness-on-Windermere, Cumbria

With the rolling hills of the Lake District in the background, this outdoor summer performance of Shakespeare’s great love story should prove to be a magical evening. Part of the Globe Theatre’s touring programme, the play will take place at Blackwell, the Arts and Craft House, with the Coniston Fells and Windermere visible in the distance. The production will be a stripped-down version of the play, allowing the strength of the actors and the lyricism of the script to come to the fore during the small-stage performance.
•20-22 July, adults £17.50, kids £12, 015394 46139, blackwell.org.uk

Minack Theatre, Penzance, Cornwall

Dramatic in more ways than one, the Minack Theatre is an open-air venue cut into the granite cliffs of Porthcurno. Throughout the summer it runs a programme of dramas, musicals and opera. Family-friendly events include morning storytelling shows or an adaptation of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Other performances this year include The Grapes of Wrath and Much Ado About Nothing, performed by Shakespeare’s Globe on Tour.
• Events run to September, tickets from £4.50, 01736 810181, minack.com