The Weekend post is sponsored by The Moscow State Circus, coming to Clapham Common next week.
All weekend
- The Bloomsbury Festival: three days, 50 locations, loads to see and do "from candle-lit folk music to sci-arts cabaret, via mathematical walking tours and poetry slams" (free).
- Help clean up the Thames at Hammersmith, Battersea and Erith (free mud fun).
- Explore the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.
- Terror continues to reign at Soho Theatre.
- London Horror Festival continues at Etcetera Theatre, Camden.
- Find out what's cutting edge in music at Nail the Cross festival at Shacklewell Arms on Saturday and Sunday (tickets £8/day, £12.50 for the weekend).
- Catch a flick during the final days of this year's London Film Festival.
- First chance to visit these exhibitions: Hollywood Costume at the V&A, Wildlife Photographer of the Year at Natural History Museum, The Queen Art and Image at National Portrait Gallery and The King's Artists at the Royal Academy. Last chance to visit Mind the Map at London Transport Museum.
Saturday:
- Hanwell Carnegie Library hosts a whole day of wordy fun: the Lilac Fairy puts the Library to sleep before it closes for a refurb (free).
- Plant trees in Ruskin Park Lambeth with a family friendly fun day from Trees for Cities 11am-3pm (free).
- It’s the annual Home Movie Day at the Cinema Museum, Kennington with a film clinic to help with your old films, cake and a special screening of Hitchcock’s home moves from 1pm (free).
- Oxjam Takeovers rock Chiswick, Croydon, Kilburn and Stokey (£5-10).
- Those roller derby dames the London Rockin' Rollers get involved in a Swedish Meatbrawl taking on Stockholm Roller Derby at Newham Leisure Centre from 5pm (tickets £12.50).
- For one night only ArtsDepot in Finchley welcomes a "creative collision of cabaret, live art and film" with I Love You But We Only Have 14 Minutes to Save The Earth from 8pm (tickets £14 which includes a drink).
- Last chance to see the "magnificent unicorns of comedy", Max and Ivan at Soho Theatre at 9.30pm (tickets £12.50).
Sunday:
- If you're lucky you can see inside Temple Bar on a Christopher Wren walk although it might be sold out - call to find out (tour £10, lunch from £25).
- Go Vampire Hunting in Islington (tickets £15).
- It’s Apple Day at Spitalfields City Farm, Forty Hall Farm in Enfield, Broomfield Community Orchard in Palmers Green and at Green Peppers Orchard and Forest Garden in Camden.
- Oxjam Takeovers rock Brixton and Shoreditch (£8-10).
- The first Voodoo Nights presents six acclaimed comedians at the Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith from 6pm (tickets £15).
- And there are still tickets available for The Ugly Animal Preservation Society comedy gig at The Vandella in Shepherds Bush from 7pm (just £5).
Other good stuff:
- Museums and Galleries
- Our latest theatre reviews and art reviews
- Books and spoken word events
- Talks and thoughtful things
- Things to do for a fiver or less
- Our pick of comedy gigs plus a guide to watching live comedy in London
- Free things to do in London
Browse all latest arts and events features and make your tummy rumble with our latest food and drink content.
Richmond Park stag photo by #AlexWitt via the Londonist Flickrpool.
The Moscow State Circus brings its latest and most spectacular show to date to the UK with this sensational extravaganza BABUSHKIN SEKRET.
A mammoth cast of Russia’s greatest and most talented circus artistes, many of which have never performed in Britain, transform the most famous circus in the world, combining contemporary and classical circus in way never before witnessed.
Book tickets online or call the on site box-office on 07721 565558 to receive a 2 for 1 discount please quote the promotional code JUGGLER.
The Moscow State Circus is on Clapham Common from 24 October - 4 November.