Below is English UK's guide to some of the major events and exhibitions being held in the UK to the end of July, with a preview of what's coming up in August and beyond.

May

Music:

Ukulele Wednesdays - make music with others at a London pub. Anyone is welcome with a ukulele (a tiny guitar) or a voice on Wednesday nights at the Albany, Great Portland Street in London.

Exhibitions:

Jane Austen - it is the 200th anniversary of the publication of Pride and Prejudice and events include a special exhibition at Jane Austen's House Museum in Alton, Hampshire, till 31 May and a stage adaptation at the open air theatre in Regent's Park from 20 June to 20 July.

Poster Art 150: London Underground's Greatest Designs - see some of the iconic posters which have advertised London's Tube network since it began 150 years ago. Visitors can vote for their favourite, too. London Transport Museum until October 27. www.ltmuseum.co.uk

Park in Progress Tour - get an early look at how the Olympic Park is being transformed for everyday life, with residential neighbourhoods and sporting facilities, until 23 June. Visit the Park in Progress Site Office, Marshgate Lane, Stratford, London, E15 2NH for more details.

Rainforest of the Sea - fantastic coral reef photographs by marine biologist Jamie Cragg at the Horniman museum in south London till 15 September.

Life and Death in Pompeii and Herculaneum - see the remains of Roman life preserved under the ash of the Vesuvius eruption in a special exhibition at the British Museum till 29 September.

David Bowie Is, a show about the star's fashion legacy including photos and clothes from his private collection. At the V&A till 28 July.

Treasures of the Royal Courts - 500 years of trade and exchange between Russia and England, concentrating on royal gifts. Victoria and Albert Museum till 14 July.

Henry Moore/Auguste Rodin - two major sculptors on show at the Henry Moore Foundation in Hertfordshire till 27 October.

The Mirror of Health: discovering medicine in the golden age of Islam - until 25 October at the Royal College of Physicians in London.

Secrets of the Royal Bedchamber - how bedrooms became the most important part of the palace, and the unusual and elaborate bedtime habits of the Royal courts hundreds of years ago. At Hampton Court Palace until 3 November.

Alien Revolution - an exhibition examining our obsession with alien life forms at the Royal Observatory in London until 8 September.

Opening the Olympics - see famous objects from last summer's Olympics in a special exhibition at the Museum of London until 31 October.

Seahorses - London Zoo is devoting eight tanks to these fascinating creatures until 28 February 2014.

The Mary Rose - this preserved Tudor warship moves into its new home in Portsmouth on 31 May.

Shows:

The Audience: Helen Mirren stars on stage as the Queen, in a play about the weekly meeting she has had with every Prime Minister for the past 60 years. Gielgud Theatre, London, Feb 15- June 15. http://www.theaudienceplay.com/tickets/

The Book of Mormon: the creators of South Park's bring their first musical to the Prince of Wales Theatre in London from February 25. (http://www.bookofmormonlondon.com/home.php)

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: Sam Mendes directs the Roald Dahl story at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane from May 18 to November 30. http://www.charlieandthechocolatefactory.com/

Art:

Lichtenstein: A Retrospective - London's Tate Modern shows there was much more to the pop art pioneer than comic-strip imagery until 27 May.

Looking at the View - British landscape art over the past 300 years, including that of JMW Turner and Tracey Emin. At the Tate Britain till 2 June.

Ice Age Art: Arrival Of The Modern Mind - some of the world's oldest-known sculptures, dating back 30,000 years, and modern responses from artists such as Picasso and Henry Moore feature in this British Museum exhibition until 26 May.

Man Ray portraits - Picasso, Henri Matisse, Wallis Simpson and Coco Chanel are among the famous faces on show in this photographic exhibition, on at the National Portrait Gallery until 27 May.

Festivals:

Hay on Wye Festival - literary festival with top name speakers including Watergate journalist Carl Bernstein and spy writer John le Carre, from 23 May - 2 June.

June

Exhibitions:

Visions of the Universe - see this history of astronomical images, from drawings to the Hubble Telescope's photographs. 7 June - 15 September at the National Maritime Museum in London.

Chagall: Modern Master - colourful exhibition at Tate Liverpool from 8 June to 6 October.

Sport:

Wimbledon Tennis Championship - our annual grass court tennis championship runs from 24 June to 7 July.

Royal Ascot is five days of horse racing, including Ladies Day (when women wear extraordinary hats) from 18-22 June.

The Wales Marathon takes place on 10 June.

Events/Festivals:

Greenwich and Docklands International Festival - street dance, performance art and more from the creator of the Paralympics opening ceremony. London 21-23 June.

Download Festival at Donington Park in Derbyshire includes Slipknot, Iron Maiden, Rammstein and Thirty Seconds to Mars. 14 - 16 June.

The Return of Colm Cille, a huge event in the Derry-Londonderry UK City of Culture year, written by Olympic opening ceremony collaborator Frank Cottrell Boyce, 9 June.

Manchester International Festival - including Kenneth Branagh in Macbeth, Massive Attack and The XX.

Edinburgh International Film Festival from 19 - 30 June

Edinburgh International Magic Festival from 28 June to 5 July.

Shows:

Jane Austen - it is the 200th anniversary of the publication of Pride and Prejudice. See a stage adaptation at the open air theatre in Regent's Park from 20 June to 20 July.

July

Exhibitions:

Club to Catwalk: London fashion in the 80s - big hair, big shoulders and big fashion are on show at this exhibition at the Victoria and Albert museum from 9 July to 16 February 16 2014.

Festivals:

Latitude Festival - Kraftwrerk, Foals, Block Party Alt-J and much more in Henham Park in Southwold from 18 - 21 July.

T in the Park - Mumford and Sons, Rihanna, The Killers, Kraftwork, Emile Sande and more at Balado Park near Kinross, Scotland from 11 - 14 July.

Greater Manchester Fringe Festival - with theatre, poetry, comedy and more, from 1 - 31 July.

Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival 19 - 28 July.

Events:

Buckingham Palace Summer Opening 2013 - your chance to see what it's like in the Queen's London palace, including the ceremonial rooms and the garden. Open 27 July to 29 September.

The Henley Royal Regatta takes over the river Thames from 3 - 7 July.

Golf - the Open will be held at Muirfield in Scotland from 14 - 21 July.

Music:

BBC Proms - annual classical music festival which runs from 12 July to 7 September, with most concerts at the Royal Albert Hall in London (and broadcast on BBC radio).

Coming up in August and beyond...

Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2 - 26 August.

Edinburgh International Festival 9 August to 1 September.

Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo complete with massed pipes and drums, military bands, display teams and pipers against the backdrop of Edinburgh castle.

Exhibition of 150 gold works, British Museum, from 12 September.

Foyle Film Festival - Olympic opening ceremony creator Danny Boyle appears here in November.

Much Ado About Nothing - Old Vic theatre, directed by Mark Rylance, with Vanessa Redgrave and James Earl Jones from 7 September to 16 November.