There has been no summer lull for the media, with multiple major news stories to cover. Stuck for what to write about for August? Fortunately, we have some suggestions for you, and the Journalist Enquiry Service can assist you in the process.

What to cover right now?

The Edinburgh Fringe festival kicks off on 1 August and takes place for just over three weeks. It’s been an annual event since 1947 showcasing theatre, comedy, dance, circus, opera, spoken word, and more. You could cover the event by previewing some of the different acts and performances, or get a guide together on the best places to book into for a last-minute trip.

Down the other end of the UK, sailing fanatics will be heading to the Isle of Wight for Cowes Week from 2-8 August. There will be 40 daily races to take in as part of the largest sailing regatta in the world. Send a request to get an interview with a former sailing star or speak to an expert about just how difficult the sport is.

Food & drink journalists may look to cover both National Prosecco Day (13 August) and National Rum Day (16 August). Test out the best proseccos on the market or sample some rums to suggest what brands would work best in different cocktails.

What’s coming up?

It’s still very much festival season in the UK and in August that includes All Points East (15-24 August), Reading & Leeds (22-24 August) and Creamfields (21-24 August). Acts such as Chase and Status, Chappell Roan, and David Guetta will headline with hundreds of more bands and singers featuring. Interview some of the musical artists or look to get advice from camping experts on what essentials people will need when heading to a festival.

Two of the festivals above take place over the Bank Holiday weekend, and also taking place over that weekend in London is the Notting Hill Carnival. You could preview the weekend’s festivities or speak to a fashion designer about where to shop to get the best colourful carnival attire.

Away from the summer festivals and carnivals, between August 11 and 17, it’s National Allotments Week. The initiative was set up back in 2002 and aims to raise awareness of allotments and how they can help people live healthier lives. We already have a handy list of garden experts that you can speak to or you may want to grab a case study of someone who is saving money by growing fruit and vegetables in their allotment.

Still stuck? Here are common trends for the Journalist Enquiry Service for August

While we may still be in the height of summer, August is when requests around ‘Autumn’ start to come in. In 2024, just over 3% of the enquiries were looking to cover the upcoming season. That covers a variety of topics, from Autumn fashion and beauty tips to Autumnal decor and what needs to be done in the garden for the third season of the year.

‘AI’ has been a consistent trending topic on the Journalist Enquiry Service for a couple of years now and this time last year, 5% of the enquiries contained the keyword. With the recent cyber attacks fresh in the memory, you may want to look at what companies are doing to protect themselves against potential data breaches or how different sectors are incorporating AI into their business.

Another topic that remains popular on a regular basis is ‘wellness’. In August 2024, slightly over 2% of the requests that month were covering that subject. This could possibly be linked to the fact that August is National Wellness Month. Speak to an expert about ways people can focus on self-care and healthy habits or gather some information about wellness retreats in the UK that readers could head to to de-stress.

Want to get some health and wellness products to review and recommend to readers? Put in a request on the Journalist Enquiry Service and get samples to test out. If you need research to support your latest feature, then the Press Release Wire has plenty of surveys and data that you can use.