From holiday parks to farm work: the summer seasonal jobs hiring now – and where to apply12:10, 27 Jun 2026Driving through North Yorkshire recently, I spotted a sign asking for asparagus pickers – a reminder that summer hiring is already under way.‌But seasonal work isn’t just about heading into the fields for a few weeks. Every summer, employers across the UK ramp up recruitment for everything from hospitality and holiday parks to festivals, visitor attractions, camps and delivery work.‌For some people, it’s a way to make extra money over the school holidays. For others, it’s a stop-gap between jobs, a route back into work after time out, or simply a chance to earn around childcare or studies.‌The good news is there’s still time to find summer work in many parts of the country – but the type of role, the hours and even the point in the year you need to apply can vary hugely. Some employers recruit months in advance; others are still scrambling for staff right up to peak season.So if you’re looking for a summer job, here’s the kind of seasonal work available, who it tends to suit, when to apply – and where to look right now.What kinds of seasonal jobs are available over summer?Summer seasonal work usually falls into a few main categories: tourism and hospitality, festivals and events, agricultural work, childcare and activity camps, leisure roles, and temporary warehouse or delivery work.‌Some jobs are physically demanding and outdoors. Others are much better suited to people who want local, part-time or evening work. The trick is to focus on the sort of job that actually fits your life – not just the first one you see advertised.1. Holiday parks, campsites and caravan parksHoliday parks are among the biggest summer recruiters in many coastal and rural areas, taking on extra staff to cope with the school holidays and the tourism rush.Jobs can range from reception and housekeeping to bar work, maintenance and entertainment roles, and they can be a good option if you want a proper workplace structure rather than ad-hoc casual shifts.‌Typical roles include:reception and guest servicescleaners and housekeeping staffbar, restaurant and kitchen rolesmaintenance and grounds staffpool and leisure assistantsentertainment and activities staffWho it suits‌students and school leaverspeople with hospitality or customer service experienceparents looking for local part-time workanyone happy to work weekends and school holiday peaksWhen to applyMain recruitment often starts from January to AprilExtra summer vacancies can still pop up through May, June and July , especially if employers are short-staffed‌2. Hospitality: pubs, restaurants, cafes and hotelsIf you want something local, hospitality is often the easiest place to start. Pubs, restaurants, cafes, hotels and tourist venues all get busier over the summer, especially in seaside towns, beauty spots and city centres during events season.These jobs can be ideal if you need evening or weekend work, but they can also be physically tiring and fast-paced, especially during school holidays.‌Typical roles include:waiting staffbar staffkitchen portershotel housekeepingcafé assistantstakeaway and kiosk staffbreakfast staff in hotels and guesthousesWho it suits‌students wanting flexible shiftspeople with retail or customer service experienceanyone confident dealing with the publicworkers who don’t mind being on their feet for long periodsWhen to applySummer hospitality recruitment often ramps up from March onwardsIn many places, employers continue hiring right through June, July and August‌3. Festival and events workSummer also brings a wave of short-term jobs linked to music festivals, food events, race days, sporting events and outdoor concerts. These jobs can look fun on paper – and they often are – but they can also mean long shifts, late finishes and unpredictable weather.Typical roles include:bar staffcatering assistantsevent stewardsticketing and gate staffcleaners and litter teamsbuild and breakdown crewhospitality staff‌Who it suitsstudents and younger workers looking for bursts of workpeople with bar or catering experienceanyone who doesn’t mind evenings, weekends and late nightsworkers who are happy in noisy, busy environmentsWhen to apply‌Applications often open from February to MaySome employers recruit right up to the event season, so it’s still worth checking in late spring and early summer4. Visitor attractions, theme parks and tourist sitesTheme parks, zoos, heritage sites and family attractions all need more staff during summer, especially once schools break up. These can be good starter jobs for younger workers or anyone who enjoys customer-facing work.Typical roles include:‌admissions and ticketing staffride or attraction attendantsfood and drink staffgift shop and retail assistantscleaners and operations staffguest services rolesWho it suitsschool leavers and studentspeople looking for a first jobworkers who like a lively, customer-facing environment‌When to applyRecruitment often starts in late winter and springBut some operational and catering roles stay open into summer5. Summer camps, childcare and activity jobsFor people with childcare, teaching, coaching or youth work experience, summer camps and activity schemes can be one of the better-paid and better-structured forms of seasonal work.‌These roles often come with more responsibility than a standard summer job, but they can also be a better fit for people who want daytime hours and a clear routine.Typical roles include:camp leaderssports coachesteaching and activity assistantsarts, drama or music leaderswelfare and pastoral staffadmin and support roles‌Who it suitsteachers and teaching assistants wanting school holiday incomesports coaches and youth workersstudents studying childcare, teaching or sportpeople with a DBS and experience working with childrenWhen to apply‌Many summer camp roles are advertised from January to AprilSome vacancies remain open into May and June , especially if staff drop out6. Farm work, fruit picking and packing jobsAgricultural work is still a big part of the seasonal labour market in many areas – and yes, that can include things like asparagus picking, strawberry harvesting or packing produce. But farm work is just one slice of the summer jobs picture, not the whole thing.Depending on where you live, farms may need staff for fruit and vegetable picking, packing produce, helping in farm shops or supporting pick-your-own sites.‌Typical roles include:fruit and vegetable pickingpacking and grading producefarm shop and pick-your-own staffgeneral harvest workWho it suits‌people living in rural areasworkers who don’t mind early starts and outdoor workstudents wanting short-term summer incomeanyone fit enough for manual, repetitive workWhat to bear in mind This kind of work can be physically hard. Hours may start early, the work can be repetitive, and some sites are difficult to reach without a car.When to apply‌Recruitment varies by crop, but farm work can be advertised from late winter through summerSoft fruit jobs often appear from spring onwardsLocal farms may recruit directly through signs, social media or word of mouth rather than major job boards7. Lifeguard and leisure rolesPools, leisure centres, holiday parks and hotel complexes often need extra staff over summer, and qualified lifeguards can be in demand.Typical roles include:‌lifeguardspool attendantsactivity assistantsleisure centre support rolesWho it suitsqualified lifeguardssporty studentspeople who want a seasonal job that could continue beyond summer‌When to applyRoles often appear from spring onwardsIf a qualification is required, you’ll need to factor in time to complete it8. Warehouses, delivery and temporary logistics workNot all seasonal jobs are tied to tourism. Summer also brings extra demand in some warehouses, food businesses and delivery operations, while many employers need temporary cover for permanent staff taking annual leave.‌These jobs can be a good alternative if you want more predictable shifts and less customer interaction.Typical roles include:warehouse operativespackers and dispatch staffstock replenishmentdelivery drivers and driver’s mates‌Who it suitspeople who prefer practical, behind-the-scenes workthose looking for steadier shift patternsworkers with a driving licence, for delivery rolesWhen to apply‌Temporary hiring often increases in late spring and summerSome employers recruit all year but add extra shifts during holiday periodsWhere to find summer seasonal jobs right nowIf you want to move beyond generic job searches, it’s worth checking the employers and specialist sites that regularly advertise seasonal roles.Holiday park operator Haven says it has summer jobs across areas including activities and leisure, hospitality and housekeeping, while Parkdean Resorts has announced a big seasonal recruitment drive across its UK parks, covering roles such as chefs, receptionists, security officers, lifeguards and bar staff. Meanwhile, festival staffing site Festaff recruits for roles including stewarding, wristbanding and information-point work, and summer camp provider Barracudas is hiring for its activity camps. For farm and rural roles, specialist agricultural jobs board 4xtrahands regularly lists temporary and seasonal vacancies.‌Useful places to check include:Haven jobs – holiday park summer roles including cleaning, food and beverage, activities and lifeguardingParkdean Resorts jobs – seasonal park jobs in accommodation, food and beverage, security and guest servicesFestaff – festival and events roles such as stewarding and wristbandingBarracudas – summer camp and activity jobs4xtrahands – farm and rural seasonal vacanciesIndeed and the government’s Find a Job service – useful for broader temporary and seasonal vacancies across hospitality, logistics and visitor attractionsWhen should you apply for summer work?One of the biggest mistakes people make is assuming “summer jobs” only start being advertised in summer. In reality, some of the best roles are snapped up months before the school holidays even begin.‌As a rough guide:Apply early for:holiday parks and tourism jobs – often from January to Aprilsummer camps and childcare roles – usually January to Aprilfestival and event work – often February to MaySpring is prime time for:hospitality jobsvisitor attractionsfarm and harvest workleisure roles‌But there are still jobs later onHospitality, holiday parks, attractions and some farm employers often keep recruiting through June, July and even August if staff leave, demand rises or they simply haven’t filled every shift.That said, the market is tighter than it was last year. New figures reported by Reuters, based on Indeed data, suggest UK summer job vacancies are down sharply year-on-year in 2026, so it’s worth applying early and checking multiple sources rather than relying on one site.‌Who do summer seasonal jobs suit best?Seasonal work isn’t just for sixth-formers after spending money. Depending on the role, it can work well for:students looking to earn over the holidaysparents wanting part-time or school-hours workteachers and school staff who want extra income in the breakpeople between jobs who need short-term earningsretirees looking for flexible extra workanyone returning to work after time out and wanting to rebuild confidence or recent experienceThe right role depends less on age and more on practicalities like transport, hours, physical demands and whether you’re happy dealing with customers.‌What to check before saying yes to a seasonal jobBefore accepting any summer role, it’s worth checking a few basics:How you’ll get there , especially for farms, holiday parks and festival sitesWhether shifts include evenings and weekendsHow physical the work isWhether the pay is hourly or linked to outputHow long the contract lastsWhether you’ll need specific clothing, footwear or qualificationsWhether there’s a chance of permanent work afterwardsThat matters because a job can sound perfect in theory but be far less appealing if it’s 45 minutes away, starts at 5am or only offers unpredictable hours.Article continues belowThe bottom lineSeasonal work can be a useful way to bring in extra cash, build experience or bridge a gap – but the best summer jobs are rarely one-size-fits-all.For some people, a few weeks of outdoor harvest work will be ideal. For others, a local café, a holiday park, a festival bar or a summer camp will make far more sense. The key is to start looking sooner rather than later, think realistically about what suits your life, and not assume that “seasonal work” only means fruit picking.Because from North Yorkshire farm signs to holiday parks, beer gardens and festival fields across the country, summer hiring is already under way.