Things To Do In London: Thursday 31 July 2014

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Enjoy Italian food and beer at Factory 7 in Shoreditch. Details below

Listings

BLOOD: Today’s opportunities to donate blood are outside County Hall in Waterloo, Hornsey Parish Church in Muswell Hill, St Mildreds Church in Lee and Morrisons in Thamesmead. See site for terms and conditions.

STARTUP: The Startup Season kicks off today at Impact Hub in King's Cross, presenting a series of learning events for startups and young entrepreneurs. Learn how to develop new business ideas as well as connecting to new audiences. Check website for full programme — ticket prices vary from free to £25. Until 28 August

ITALIAN FOOD: Factory 7 in Shoreditch turns into an Italian street food pop-up market, hosting some of London's best-known Italian food vendors. By purchasing your ticket, you get a beer along with two plates of food, a traditional coffee and an ice-cream as well as access to all masterclasses and music. £10, prebook, until 3 August

ART FESTIVAL: Explore the historical House of St Barnabas this weekend during Art Social ’14 festival. The highlights include art talks, a late opening of the members' club and a family fun day. Check the website for full programme, until 3 August

MAMMOTH TALK: Head to the Natural History Museum and join a talk about the discovery of a Mini-Mammoth that once lived on the Greek island of Crete. The talk takes place in the Attenborough Studio. Free, just turn up, 12.30pm

LOBSTERS: Chef Nicos Popupalot is back with his Lobster Pot pop-up, happening at The Arch Gallery in Tower Hamlets. The menu includes fresh seafood from Billingsgate Market and a juicy food pot to share. £35, prebook by email, 6pm-11pm until 2 August

SCI-FI NIGHT: Connected to the Longitude Punk’d exhibition, the Royal Observatory in Greenwich hosts the screening of The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, part of a classic Steampunk science fiction movies series. £7, prebook, 6.30pm

FILM CLUB: The KPH pub in Ladbroke Grove hosts a film club with a difference. By joining the film screening, you get a dinner that is inspired by the film on screen, which tonight is Ken Russell's Always on Sunday. £25, prebook, from 6.30pm

COMEDY: Stand-up comedian Jim Jeffries is known internationally and performs his one-man show tonight and tomorrow at the o2 Brixton Academy. Tonight's performance is already sold out, so you'd better book your tickets quickly. £25+bf, prebook, 7pm

LONDON MAPS: Join Henry Eliot and Matt Lloyd, the writers and urban cartographers behind the map series Curiocity, talking about unusual things to do in London and alternative city maps. The event takes place at Waterstone's Piccadilly and free wine is provided too. Free, prebook by email, 7pm

CONS PARTY: To celebrate the end of the Cons Project, you can take part in their Celebration Party at their main venue in Peckham’s Copeland Gallery. Expect house, techno and UK bass music plus free drinks and BBQ on a first-come first-served basis. Free, prebook, from 7pm

DOCUMENTARY & FILM: Doc-Con is an informal meet-up for people interested in and working on documentaries and journalism across all media. It takes place at the Hackney Picturehouse. There are screenings and discussions during the evening. Free, just turn up, 7.30pm

ART: Imagining the Exotic is a photographic exhibition taking place at the Print Space in Kingsland Road and going on towards August. Tonight there's a free-to-attend private view with drinks reception. Free, just turn up, 7.30pm  

BEAT THE HEAT: Survive the sweltering weather with one of our favourite ice creams, enjoy a breeze at a rooftop bar, take a dip in a lido, sip an icy cocktail or just soak up the sun in a beer garden.

Find more London events in our Free & Cheap events listings. Want to see your event in these last-minute listings? Email us at hello@londonist.com at least 48 hours before the event, and we will consider it for inclusion. Note, due to high volumes of email, we can’t always reply.


Camden Fringe

London’s biggest performing arts festival, Camden Fringe, started on 28 July. Everyday throughout the festival, we’ll be bringing you our pick of shows to catch that day. Today’s suggestions are below:

Pussy is a brand new all-female comedy show focusing on a group of girlfriends getting together. Lucy, Laurie, Lula and Sophie share their adventures and tragi-comic problems on stage. At Phoenix Artist Club, until 6 August

Beardnado is a stand-up comedy show which sold-out very quickly last year. Expect stand-up fun, music and improvised sketches. At the Camden Head, until 2 August

Urban Survival Guide is the essential tool kit for anyone living in the modern city. Expect one-man sketches, crazy anecdotes, impressions and wacky tales. At Etcetera Theatre, until 3 August


Good Cause of the Day

Until 31 August you can join the Breast Cancer Care's Strawberry Tea Campaign online to coincide with National Afternoon Tea Week (11- 17 August). All you need to do is to organise an afternoon tea at your house or office and fundraise for the charity. The website offers interesting fundraising ideas and you just need to sign up online to be sent a free fundraising kit.

From the Archive

Ever wondered how the London boroughs got their names? Well, we did some research in 2013 and found out for you.