From holiday parks to farm work: the summer seasonal jobs hiring now – and where to apply
Driving 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 parks
Holiday 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 services
- cleaners and housekeeping staff
- bar, restaurant and kitchen roles
- maintenance and grounds staff
- pool and leisure assistants
- entertainment and activities staff
Who it suits
- students and school leavers
- people with hospitality or customer service experience
- parents looking for local part-time work
- anyone happy to work weekends and school holiday peaks
When to apply
- Main recruitment often starts from January to April
- Extra summer vacancies can still pop up through May, June and July , especially if employers are short-staffed
2. Hospitality: pubs, restaurants, cafes and hotels
If 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 staff
- bar staff
- kitchen porters
- hotel housekeeping
- café assistants
- takeaway and kiosk staff
- breakfast staff in hotels and guesthouses
Who it suits
- students wanting flexible shifts
- people with retail or customer service experience
- anyone confident dealing with the public
- workers who don’t mind being on their feet for long periods
When to apply
- Summer hospitality recruitment often ramps up from March onwards
- In many places, employers continue hiring right through June, July and August
3. Festival and events work
Summer 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 staff
- catering assistants
- event stewards
- ticketing and gate staff
- cleaners and litter teams
- build and breakdown crew
- hospitality staff
Who it suits
- students and younger workers looking for bursts of work
- people with bar or catering experience
- anyone who doesn’t mind evenings, weekends and late nights
- workers who are happy in noisy, busy environments
When to apply
- Applications often open from February to May
- Some employers recruit right up to the event season, so it’s still worth checking in late spring and early summer
4. Visitor attractions, theme parks and tourist sites
Theme 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 staff
- ride or attraction attendants
- food and drink staff
- gift shop and retail assistants
- cleaners and operations staff
- guest services roles
Who it suits
- school leavers and students
- people looking for a first job
- workers who like a lively, customer-facing environment
When to apply
- Recruitment often starts in late winter and spring
- But some operational and catering roles stay open into summer
5. Summer camps, childcare and activity jobs
For 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 leaders
- sports coaches
- teaching and activity assistants
- arts, drama or music leaders
- welfare and pastoral staff
- admin and support roles
Who it suits
- teachers and teaching assistants wanting school holiday income
- sports coaches and youth workers
- students studying childcare, teaching or sport
- people with a DBS and experience working with children
When to apply
- Many summer camp roles are advertised from January to April
- Some vacancies remain open into May and June , especially if staff drop out
6. Farm work, fruit picking and packing jobs
Agricultural 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 picking
- packing and grading produce
- farm shop and pick-your-own staff
- general harvest work
Who it suits
- people living in rural areas
- workers who don’t mind early starts and outdoor work
- students wanting short-term summer income
- anyone fit enough for manual, repetitive work
What 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 apply
- Recruitment varies by crop, but farm work can be advertised from late winter through summer
- Soft fruit jobs often appear from spring onwards
- Local farms may recruit directly through signs, social media or word of mouth rather than major job boards
7. Lifeguard and leisure roles
Pools, leisure centres, holiday parks and hotel complexes often need extra staff over summer, and qualified lifeguards can be in demand.
Typical roles include:
- lifeguards
- pool attendants
- activity assistants
- leisure centre support roles
Who it suits
- qualified lifeguards
- sporty students
- people who want a seasonal job that could continue beyond summer
When to apply
- Roles often appear from spring onwards
- If a qualification is required, you’ll need to factor in time to complete it
8. Warehouses, delivery and temporary logistics work
Not 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 operatives
- packers and dispatch staff
- stock replenishment
- delivery drivers and driver’s mates
Who it suits
- people who prefer practical, behind-the-scenes work
- those looking for steadier shift patterns
- workers with a driving licence, for delivery roles
When to apply
- Temporary hiring often increases in late spring and summer
- Some employers recruit all year but add extra shifts during holiday periods
Where to find summer seasonal jobs right now
If 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 lifeguarding
- Parkdean Resorts jobs – seasonal park jobs in accommodation, food and beverage, security and guest services
- Festaff – festival and events roles such as stewarding and wristbanding
- Barracudas – summer camp and activity jobs
- 4xtrahands – farm and rural seasonal vacancies
- Indeed and the government’s Find a Job service – useful for broader temporary and seasonal vacancies across hospitality, logistics and visitor attractions
When 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 April
- summer camps and childcare roles – usually January to April
- festival and event work – often February to May
Spring is prime time for:
- hospitality jobs
- visitor attractions
- farm and harvest work
- leisure roles
But there are still jobs later on
Hospitality, 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 holidays
- parents wanting part-time or school-hours work
- teachers and school staff who want extra income in the break
- people between jobs who need short-term earnings
- retirees looking for flexible extra work
- anyone returning to work after time out and wanting to rebuild confidence or recent experience
The 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 job
Before accepting any summer role, it’s worth checking a few basics:
- How you’ll get there , especially for farms, holiday parks and festival sites
- Whether shifts include evenings and weekends
- How physical the work is
- Whether the pay is hourly or linked to output
- How long the contract lasts
- Whether you’ll need specific clothing, footwear or qualifications
- Whether there’s a chance of permanent work afterwards
That 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.
The bottom line
Seasonal 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.
