Things To Do In London This Weekend: 23-25 August 2014

This edition of the weekend guide is brought to you by JUST EAT, home of the busy-day takeaway.

All weekend

Get flirty at Southbank Centre's Festival of Love.

PUB: Just want to kick back and relax with a pint and a packet of pork scratchings? Our pubs guide has information about all the best pubs in London, organised by area for your convenience. Find a boozer nearby, or see if your favourite made the cut.

STEAM UP: The London Museum of Water & Steam in Brentford has a Grand Summer Steam Up Weekend. Witness nineteenth century technology in action as the pumping engines will be in action, and see Britain's largest working steam engine in operation, as well as a Victorian fire engine. £11.50/£4.50 per day, prebooking recommended, 22-25 August

REGENCY WEEKEND: Apsley House, an English Heritage property at Hyde Park Corner on Piccadilly, has a Regency themed weekend, exploring the heyday of the Prince Regent and the rigours of courtly life, plus the regimes of the Red Coats. £6.60/£4.10. prebook, 24-25 August, 11am-5pm

MUSIC: The epic BBC Proms are in full swing at the Royal Albert Hall. Consult our guide to making the most of your Proms experience and consider our top ten highlights from the programme. This weekend there's a family workshop, Russian fairy-tales and more to choose from. Promming tickets from £5.

FLIRTING: This weekend at Southbank Centre's Festival of Love the theme is flirting and erotica. There's food and dance, poetry and storytelling, and a speed dating extravaganza. See website for full programme.

KIDS HISTORY TOUR: Prepare the kids for back to school with a London History Tour for children. It covers many things on the school curriculum including Henry VIII, the Great Fire and Shakespeare. £10/£15, prebook, 23 and 24 October, 11am/2pm

SYRIA IN TRANSIT:Rich Mix in Shoreditch has a new photography and sound installation about people who have had to flee their homes in Syria since the conflict began in 2011. Many are still in transit now, trying to escape through Turkey or into Europe. Free, just turn up, 23 August - 2 September

Saturday 23 August

International Slavery Remembrance Day is marked at The National Maritime Museum.

LAST DAY: Camden Beach brings its summer at the Roundhouse to a close. Why not head there with friends and pull up a deckchair? It’s free, and feels a bit like being at the British seaside (it’s even got the capricious weather). Free, just turn up, until 23 August

CONQUER SOHO: Walk Every Street in Soho in a day with Westminster guide Pete Berthoud and hear 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

PUNK TOUR: The Soho Punk Rock Tour is a two hour tour around the strip club, music venues, market stalls and pubs of the British punk era, including where the first Sex Pistols gig took place. Meet outside Carphone Warehouse by Tottenham Court Road tube station. £7, just turn up, 11am

BOW TOUR: If punk isn't your thing, take a tour of Bow and learn about the history of the area plus current ventures and projects in the vicinity. Free, prebook, 11am

SLAVERY REMEMBERED: The National Maritime Museum in Greenwich marks International Slavery Remembrance Day with a programme of events aimed at all ages. There's a poetry workshop, a talk about Africans in Tudor England, a walking tour and a singing workshop. Free, just turn up, 11am-4.30pm

VOGA: Yoga meets Vogueing in this House of Voga class at The Book Club in Shoreditch, set to a soundtrack of '80s music. Aimed at everyone, regardless of age and ability. £12, prebook, 12pm

NEW MARKET: A brand-new weekly market with food, art, live music and food opens in Hackney Wick today. Children are welcome until 6pm, after which there is a £10 charge and it's adults only. From 12pm

TANK PARTY: Camden Town Brewery holds another of its Tank Parties, giving visitors a chance to try Unfiltered Hells, the freshest version of their brew. It's a family festival during the daytime, so there's food available too. 12pm-11pm

NATURAL MINERALS: Natural History Museum curator Michael Rumsey hosts a family talk about the most important minerals on Earth — some of which are in the museum's collections. Free, just turn up, 12.30pm-2.30pm

TEDDY BEAR'S PICNIC: If you go down to the woods today (or Bostall Heath in Abbey Wood to be precise), you'll come across the Teddy Bears Picnic in aid of Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice. It includes a picnic lunch, children's games and a bouncy castle. £3 per child, 5op per accompanying adult, prebook, 1.30pm-4.3opm

DRAWING WORKSHOP: Artist Becky McCray collaborating with the Jerwood Gallery as part of the Jerwood Drawing Festival Workshops. Today she offers a workshop in experimental drawing. £15, prebook, 2pm

CHARITY KARAOKE NIGHT: In aid of the International Citizen Service to help children in poverty in Malawi, a full night of karaoke goodness. Choose from over 15,000 songs at The Auld Triangle, an Irish pub near Finsbury Park. Prizes awarded for best and worst singers, alongside a raffle. £5, just turn up, 7pm-11pm

JAZZ FESTIVAL: Jazz:Re:Fest is a jazz festival taking place at The Flyover on Portobello Green, kicking off Notting Hill Carnival and showcasing up-and-coming jazz artists. £22, prebook, 7.30pm

DOCTOR WHO: Rich Mix in Shoreditch screens feature-length first episode of the new series of Doctor Who, followed by a Q&A with Peter Capaldi broadcast live from Leicester Square. £10.50, prebook, 7.45pm (exact time of broadcast TBC)

Sunday 24 August

It's Notting Hill Carnival weekend

CARNIVAL: Notting Hill Carnival takes place today and tomorrow in, er, Notting Hill. Today is Children’s day, with a family friendly parade from 10am. See website for more information. Until tomorrow

ANTIQUES: The monthly Adams Antiques Fair is back at The Royal Horticultural Hall in Victoria, with over 140 exhibitors selling antiques, jewellery, silver, pictures and textiles. £4, 10am-4.30pm

SECRET STREETS: Explore the lesser known parts of London on this walk. Creatives, Canons and the New River goes behind busy Upper Street to discover houses which were nearly demolished, a very unusual home and an almost secret river. Meet at Highbury and Islington Station. £10/£7.50, prebook, 11am

TREASURE HUNT: There's a Living Archive and Treasure Hunt for adults and children on the streets of Hackney. Go along, get a specially designed treasure map and learn more about the local area. 12pm-6pm

PICCADILLY LINE: Join guide Mark Mason for a walk following the route of the Piccadilly Line above ground. Learn trivia of the area such as how Leicester Square Tube station helped Michael Caine to choose his stage name. £12, prebook, 1pm

PHOTOGRAPHY WALK: Foto Ruta has a photography walk around Shoreditch, taking in the street art, shop fronts and strange characters of the area. The difference with this photo walk is that you are given a set of clues to follow so you can then make your own way around the area. £24, prebook, 2pm


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This edition of the weekend guide is brought to you by JUST EAT, home of the busy-day takeaway.


Monday 25 August

CARNIVAL: It's adults day at Notting Hill Carnival today, when the main parade takes place. Expect colourful floats, stages, sound systems, street food and rum cocktails. 10am-8.30pm

KNIT A PLANE: Head to the RAF Museum in Colindale to get involved in Knit for Britain, a knitting and crocheting event following an airborne theme for everyone from beginners to experts. Free, just turn up, 11am-4pm, until 29 August

FREE PILATES: The Bootcamp Pilates Blog offers free pilates sessions to everyone who's interested in trying it out. Sign up on the website and have a go in one of their studios in Richmond, Notting Hill or Fulham. Free, prebook, 11am-1pm

KEATS WALKING TOUR: Book now for the Keats in Hampstead walking tour, led by experts at Keats House. Includes readings of some of his poetry. £8/£6, prebook, 11am

PAW PAGEANT: If you head to Old Spitalfields Market today, you may well come across a lot of pampered pooches. It's the Paw Pageant, which sees dogs donning the latest in doggy couture and strutting down the catdogwalk in aid of Battersea Cats and Dogs Home. There are other dog-themed competitions and events going on too. Free to watch (fee and booking required to enter your dog),  just turn up, 1pm-3pm

CARNIVAL COSTUMES: Dulwich Picture Gallery is giving children a chance to create their own carnival-themed costumes, using feathers, gems, and anything else they can get their hands on! £3, just turn up, 2pm-4pm

Knit a plane at the RAF Museum in Colindale


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. This weekend’s suggestions are below:

The Murderettes is a show in which one character created by the audience is murdered...and another is framed for the crime. Largely improvised in front of your very eyes. At The Phoneix Artist Club, 23-24 August

Joanna Neary Vs. Dyball & Kerr brings grown-up comedy (and a ukelele) to town, with inflated egos and disintegrating relationships battling it out. At Camden Head, 23-24 August

The Scummy Mummies Show is an hour of parental-themed banter, looking at the less-than-perfect side of parenting. Expect songs, sketches, stand-up and very scummy stories At Hen and Chickens Theatre, 23-24 August


Other good stuff

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 tips@londonist.com.

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