All Weekend
ESTUARY: Take an hour or so to visit Museum of London Dockland's wonderful Estuary exhibition. We went on a tour of it yesterday and it really is captivating, featuring contemporary paintings, photographs, prints and experimental film about the Thames Estuary that will have you enthralled. Londonist is proud to be media partner to the show. Free entry, open 10am-6pm
CARS: Enfield Pageant of Motoring takes place on Enfield Playing Fields, Enfield Town. The star attraction this year is Megatron but there's an Autojumble and arena events across the weekend. Entry £9 per day, open Saturday to Monday.
WALK LONDON: A fantastic series of free, guided walks are being put on this weekend by Walk London’s Spring into Summer campaign. Ramble your day away on a long jaunt or join them for a short stroll. The lengths, routes and topics all vary so there is something to suit everyone. Free, just turn up, Saturday and Sunday.
STEAM TRAINS: All aboard the steam trains on the Metropolitan line to Amersham this bank holiday weekend as the Tube150 celebration events continue! Tickets from £15, prebook.
EDIBLE PLANTS: IncrEdibles launches at Kew this weekend, starting a season all about surprising edible plants. See the fruit salad boating experience, an extraordinary tea party and a global kitchen and enjoy the rest of the amazing gardens while you're there. Entry adults £16, concessions £14, free to u16s, open daily from 9.30am
FOOTBALL FESTIVAL: The UEFA Champions free festival of football at Stratford rolls on till Sunday. See five-a-side teams of famous ex-players, demonstrations of disability football and try an unsighted penalty shoot out at The International Quarter, Stratford. Free, just turn up, 9am-6pm (Sat), 12-6pm (Sun).
BIG PICNIC: Hampton Court hosts three days of family friendly fun based around a Big Picnic in their East Front Gardens. Tickets give access to the palace and gardens and for the bank holiday weekend, kids go free when with a paying adult at £16.50, concessions £13.65, open 10am-5pm
LITERATURE: The London Literature Festival at the Southbank Centre continues: check out our book and poetry events round-up for our recommendations.
CHELSEA FRINGE: The spin-off from the Flower Show offers lots of opportunities to admire blooms and green-fingered achievements all over London, including in the grounds of Battersea Power Station. Check out the extensive what's on guide or download the app.
606 CLUB: The Chelsea music venue celebrates 25 years with a 12 day festival of live performance. This weekend, experience live jazz and big bands on Lots Road. Check the website for times and tickets.
ALES: The Alma, near Newington Green N1 hosts a bank holiday beer festival with some gypsy folk, reggae and DJing on the side.
Saturday 25 May
DALSTON KIDS: The Dalston Children's Festival launch event takes place today in Dalston Square, Gillett Square and the Eastern Curve Garden. It's all free, just turn up and play from 10am till late
THE SUPREME COURT: Take a free nosey inside The Supreme Court today to begin Guildhall’s centenary celebrations. The courtrooms, library, exhibition area will all be open to visitors, as well as a wide range of portraits from the Middlesex Guildhall Art Collection being on show. Free, just turn up, 10am-4.30pm
GEEKS: It's International Geek Day at Covent Garden Waterstones. Follow @WaterstonesCGdn for updates and prizes. Free, just turn up, 10.15am-8pm
FIELD DAY: Victoria Park hosts the first of the summer's big music festivals, Field Day 2013, featuring Bat for Lashes, Django Django, Everything Everything, Fucked Up, Tim Burgess and bags more. Tickets still available £54.50, 11.30am till late
FSTVL: A brand new dance music festival tempts you to Upminster! We Are FSTVL launches with a line-up including some of the biggest names in electronic dance music, clubs and labels across 10 stages and arenas at Damyns Hall Aerodrome, Upminster. Only VIP tickets remain at £95, open 11.30am to 2.30am
CROQUET: Have a bash at croquet in Victoria Park with Croquet East. First game is free to see if you like it, do let them know you're coming, starts 2.30pm
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Attend a pre-match discussion about literature and football courtesy of Birkbeck Arts Week at the College Arms, Store Street then stick around to watch the match. Free, just turn up, 6-9.45pm
ONE ACT PLAYS: Enjoy a triple-bill at the One Act Festival run by Lost Theatre, Wandsworth. Tickets £14/£10 concessions, prebook or just turn up, 7.30pm
48 HOUR FILM FINALE: A couple of weeks ago we told you about Herne Hill Free Film Festival’s 48 hour film competition, where you had 48 hours to make your own short film. The results will be screened and the winners announced tonight. Free, just turn up, 8pm
MAY MASQUERADE: The Last Tuesday Society's May Masquerade ball features the London Gay Symphony Orchestra, a Feast Room and Teaspoon Playroom at The Coronet. Tickets £20 (10% goes to Crisis), prebook, from 8pm-4am
Sunday 26 May
HULA HOOPING: There are still some Sunday tickets available for London Hoop Fest for hoop dance workshops, jamming and play at The Mile End Art Pavilion. Tickets £55, prebook, open 10am-6pm
CAR FILMS: Head to a basement in Hither Green for a double bill of films screened among a collection of classic cars. For the kids, there's Pixar's Cars (2pm start £3) or for grown ups there's American Graffiti (6pm start, £3).
CROATIA PARTY: The Soundwave Croatia Launch Party has toured all over Europe and winds up at XOYO for its final party-starting launch effort with a mini-festival in its own right. DJs, live bands and a special secret guest plus visuals, food and 'summer beverages' will see you through 11 hours of fun. Tickets are £10 advance, more on the door, from 2pm-1am
HANGOVER MUSIC: The Hangover Lounge marks its 5th birthday with a gig at the Lexington, featuring Birdie, Amor de Dias and Hacia Dos Veranos. Tickets £7, prebook, doors 7pm
DAFT PUNK: Stay up late and you could get lucky during an immersive theatrical experience at Random Access Memories in The Vaults. Tickets £5 in advance, starts 8pm
Bank Holiday Monday 27 May
ACOUSTIC MUSIC: Enjoy an afternoon of chilled out live acoustic music at Boxpark. Free, just turn up, 1-4pm
BERLIOZ: London Symphony Orchestra play live al fresco in Trafalgar Square with a triple bill of Berlioz, which is suitable for all ages. Free, just turn up, 6.30-8pm
RHLSTP: There are still tickets left for Richard Herring's Leicester Square Theatre Podcast with guest, Chris Addison. Cost £14, prebook or chance it on the door, starts 7.30pm
Other good stuff
- What’s on stage and art shows to see
- Live comedy in London
- Booky and spoken word events
- Free things to do in London
- What’s on in the big Museums and Galleries
- Food and drink
- Listen to our latest podcast
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Seek out the Flower Cat Head in Whittington Park! Photo by Bob Comics via Londonist Flickrpool.
