All weekend
ARCHIKIDS: London's family architecture festival takes place across the City, with activities at Leadenhall Market, One New Change, St Mary Axe and Broadgate. Create a stained glass window, build a Lego version of the Gherkin or design a skatepark for Broadgate. Some activities require booking, see programme for details. 26- 27 July
TOUR DE FRANCE: It ain't over yet! Join fellow cycling enthusiasts at the Canary Wharf Fan Park at Wood Wharf to watch the race on the big screen and partake of some French food. Free entry, just turn up, open from Thursday to Sunday, 24-27 July from 11am
GARDEN PARTY: Barbican hosts two days of music, theatre, arts and crafts, food and family activity in Walthamstow’s Lloyd Park for Walthamstow Garden Party. See the full Saturday and Sunday programme. Free, just turn up, 26-27 July
WATCH THIS SPACE: A nine metre pig shows up at St John's Waterloo on Sunday, but from Friday on there's live music, acrobatics and other imaginative family-friendly activities taking place for National Theatre's Watch This Space festival. Free, just turn up, 25-27 July
ARCHAEOLOGY: It's the last weekend of the national Festival of Archaeology, which has so far seen digging on the usually off-limits Tower Beach and an open day at Billingsgate Roman Baths. Find out about London-based events happening this weekend. Until 27 July
JAZZ FEST: Global Local’s next London festival is Ealing Jazz Festival, taking place in a big-top tent in Walpole Park. Hear Latin tunes, jazz and funk fusion, bebop, hard bop, contemporary jazz and more. £4/£5 per day or £8 all weekend, just turn up, 23-27 July
HYPER JAPAN: All things Japanese gather at Earls Court this weekend for Hyper Japan, a celebration of Japanese food, fashion and culture. Art lovers can purchase traditional Japanese art, and gaming enthusiasts can experience authentic Japanese games and robotic gadgets. £12, prebook, 25-27 July
Saturday 26 July
CAMPUS CRICKET: The Red Bull Campus Cricket World Final takes place at The Oval. Eight of the best cricketing universities in the world battle to be crowned Red Bull Campus Cricket world champions. £5, prebook, 10am
CONQUER SOHO: Join a unique tour and walk Every Street in Soho in a day. Westminster guide Pete Berthoud shares dozens of stories and curiosities that aren't in the guidebooks as you tick off 119+ streets, mews, courts and squares with a few surprises along the way. £35, prebook, 10am-5.30pm
BUILD AN INSTRUMENT: The V&A Museum hosts a workshop on how to create an electronic instrument from scratch. Work with breadboards, LEDs, speakers and a variety of components which will be controlled by sensors. £80/£63, prebook, 10.30am
POETRY WALK: Keats House hosts one of the regular Keats in Hampstead walking tours today. Explore places related to Keats's life, accompanied by readings of his poetry. These walks always sell out quickly, so book well in advance. £8/£6, prebook, 11am
FLAGS AND FUGITIVES: Visit scenes of crime and political interest on this Flags and Fugitives walk from Hyde Park Corner to Victoria Station. See the scene of Oscar Wilde's arrest, spots associated with Lord Lucan and a restaurant where a siege took place. £10/£7.50, prebook, 11am
CHEAP CIDERS: Head to The Miller in Borough this weekend for Ciderdog, a free-entry cider festival, with pints for just £3. There will be 100 ciders and perries, real ales, London brewed beer, hot dogs, BBQ and music until late. Free, just turn up, 12pm-1am
LGBT FESTIVAL: Out on the Dock is London's biggest LGBT festival, taking place at Tobacco Docks today. There are 10 club music arenas, 15 themed bars, a Victorian steam fair, pop up shops and street food. £12.50-£59, prebook, 12pm
SUPERHERO DAY: CityLit in Covent Garden has a family fun day with a superhero theme. Invent your own superhero, make them a mask and cape, or bring your own inner superhero to life in a drama workshop. Plus, workshops run by the British Postal Museum, the Grant Museum of Zoology and English Heritage. £10 per family/£3 per additional person, prebook, 12.30pm-3pm
DISCO FEST: The Duck in Battersea Rise hosts Disco Fest, an afternoon of disco dancing fun for children and their families, with free face painting, glitter tattoos, a bubble machine, popcorn stand and more. £7/£5/£21 for a family ticket, prebook, 12.30pm/3pm
SKATE & DANCE: Today a former print factory will be transformed into a full-size roller disco with free skate hire, themed cocktails and the finest disco and boogie. Stevie Wonderland Summer Skate party takes place at Shapes in Hackney Wick. £10+bf, prebook, from 2pm
THE LIONS ROAR: Take a World War One themed walk from Green Park to The Mall, via Hyde Park, looking at the remarkable response to the motherland's call by men and women from lands of the former British Empire. Incorporates the Hyde Park Commonwealth war memorials and other military landmarks. £10, prebook, 2pm
LONDON ADVENTURE: To celebrate the new edition of Arthur Machen’s The London Adventure, Robert Kingham leads a "Grey Soul of London" walk, introducing the public to Arthur Machen’s Finsbury. £9/£7, prebook, 2pm
POP-UP COCKTAILS: The Midnight Apothecary is the pop-up cocktail bar that animates the Brunel Museum rooftop bar throughout the summer, the event repeats every Saturday. Expect wild cocktails and a Greek food pop-up in one of London’s most significant historical venue. £5+bf, prebook, from 5.30pm
BOAT PARTY: Sail away into the distance at the Flamenco Sunset boat party. Join in with Flamenco dancing, listen to live music and enjoy Spanish food while sailing up the Thames. Begins at Tower Millennium Pier. £49.50, prebook, 6pm-10pm
FOOD POP-UP: Knife & Pork is a monthly food pop-up at St John of Jerusalem in Victoria Park. This month, it whips up a five course, 60 person single table banquet. £35, prebook, 7pm
ALL ABOARD: SS Atlantica throws another party of decadence and extravagance, harking back to the 1930s — the golden age of travel. Expect live music, cabaret, dancing and cocktails. The dress code is At-Sea-Formal-Wear and the boat will travel from Savoy Pier to Battersea Bridge. £25, prebook, 8pm
UKRAINIAN MUSIC: Dakha Brakha, an award-winning theatrical quartet from Ukraine, performs folk music at Rich Mix tonight, the only London performance before WOMAD. £12/£10, prebook, 8pm
Sunday 27 July
MAGNUM 25: Today is the final day of Summer Streets, when Regent Street goes traffic-free with special events for shoppers. It's a celebration of the 25th anniversary of ice cream brand Magnum. 25,000 ice creams will be distributed to hungry shoppers, with live music played all day. Free, just turn up, all day
SUMO RUN: Regular running is soooo last year, so why not join in the Sumo Run taking place in Battersea Park today in aid of Link Community Development, a charity helping to educate children in Africa. No need to dig out your own sumo suit, it's provided as part of the registration fee. The event previously set a Guinness World Record for the largest gathering of people running in Sumo Suits. Registration required.
GARDENER HELP: Trouble with garden pests or want your plants to grow faster? Surrey Docks Farm has a Gardeners' Question Time event, covering soil, composting and making your own plant food. £15, prebook, 10am-3pm
ECO CRAFT FAIR: The Garden Museum in Lambeth has a summer craft fair, with sustainable, eco-friendly crafts and produce on offer. £2.50 (includes entry to the Museum) just turn up, 10.30am-5pm
ANIMAL SOUNDS: Head to Horniman Museum in Forest Hill to celebrate the opening of the new sound installation, the Great Animal Orchestra, with a day of music and family activities inspired by the animal world. Free, just turn up, 11am-5pm
CARNIVAL: Head to Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park for Great British Carnival, an explosion of dance, music and live performance, marking the midway point between London and the Rio Olympics. Free, just turn up and party, midday-9.45pm
CHINATOWN: Family entertainment fills the streets of Chinatown for its first Family Day festival. Look out for live acts on the stages on Lisle Street and Gerard Street and roaming the streets, magicians, jugglers and stilt walkers. Celebrations wouldn't be complete without a traditional lion dance processions. Free, just turn up, midday-5pm
STREET STYLE: African Street Style Festival is due to transform Shoreditch streets into a vibrant mix of fun activities today. Expect African-themed catwalks, music, food and children's activities. Gents can also take part in The Dandy Lion Project photo session: all they need to do is to send a photo of themselves in their planned sartorial outfits to this address. Photos selected will be part of a dedicated book to be exhibited worldwide starting with The Museum of Contemporary Photography in Chicago. Free, just turn up, 12pm-7pm
KIDS STORYTELLING: Those word wizards at London Dreamtime have a storytelling event for children at Sutton House in Hackney, as part of the free family day at the venue. Free, just turn up, 12pm-4pm
VINTAGE FAIR: Hancock & Smith Vintage Fair comes to Star & Garter Ballroom in Putney with stalls from across the country and refreshments available throughout the day. 12pm-4pm
VILLAGE FETE: Brick Lane Village Fete is now in its second year with a tongue-in-cheek take on the traditional English classic village fete. Local traders will be selling food, children's entertainment includes face painting and hip hop dancers, plus there's a dog show and, most intriguing of all, Lou Lou the cosmic hula hooper. Full programme details. Free, just turn up, 12pm-7pm
POETRY AFTERNOON: Keats House in Hampstead has an afternoon of poetry and spoken word with performances by the Keats House Poets and poet Miriam Nash, plus an open mic. Free, just turn up, 2pm
VELVET TONGUE: Erotic literature evening Velvet Tongue returns to The Book Club in Shoreditch with readings and performances from Pat Cash, Jacob V. Joyce and Susana Medina. £5/£3, just turn up, 7pm
COMEDY: Enjoy some stand-up and improvised comedy at the Duke of Wellington in Dalston. On stage, three mystery guests. £4+bf, prebook, 7.30pm
Come and Feast with us
Feast food festival returns to Tobacco Dock at the end of July with top London restaurants, street food and food traders all tempting you with their delicious fare. There’ll be plenty to sip and savour too, plus music, masterclasses and and nice places to hang out.
Get two tickets for the price of one! To redeem this offer, visit www.wefeast.co.uk/promo and enter the code LONDONIST when booking.
Terms & Conditions: Available on Standard tickets only for any session from 31 July until 3 August. Not available with any other offer.
Feast runs from Thursday 31 July to Sunday 3 August at Tobacco Dock, Wapping. Londonist is proud (hungry and thirsty) media partner to Feast 2014.
Other good stuff
- Londonist shop
- What’s on stage
- What’s on in Museums and Galleries
- Art & photography shows
- Live comedy in London
- Booky and spoken word events
- Free things to do in London
- Eating and drinking
- Listen to our latest podcast
- Free & cheap events in London
Catch up on all latest features, see what we like in theatre and arts and browse more things to do in London.
What have we missed? Let us know what’s going on this weekend, leave a comment or email [email protected].
For daily ideas of things to do in London subscribe to our emails.
