Things To Do In London This Weekend: 13-14 September 2014

Totally Thames

Londonist is proud media partner to Totally Thames, the river-based festival taking place throughout September. Each weekend, we’ll be bringing you our pick of Totally Thames events taking place on Saturday and Sunday. See individual events for prices and other information.

CLASSIC BOAT FESTIVAL: St Katharine Docks offers a chance to climb aboard classic boats, while making the most of the bars and live music, with ensembles from the National Youth Jazz Orchestra performing throughout the day. 13-14 September

BEHIND THE SCENES: The Royal National Lifeboat Institution is a charity that saves lives at sea and on the River Thames. As part of Totally Thames Festival, it's offering free tours on a lifeboat: book early, most of the tours are already sold out. 13-14 September

FORESHORE FIRING: Pots made from Thames river clay will be fired in two bonfires constructed on the foreshore from Thames driftwood — an ancient London tradition harking back more than 5,000 years. 13 September

BARGE RACES: Modern day watermen and lightermen battle it out in two separate Barge Driving Races. For professionals, the Steve Faldo Memorial Barge Driving Race takes between Westminster and Tower Bridges, while newcomers get the shorter Waterloo Bridge to Tower Bridge route for The Dave Pope Challenge. 14 September, 11am-3pm

Come join Londonist Afloat on the Thames on 20-21 September.


All weekend

Go behind the scenes at Acton transport Depot. Photo: a 2010 opening by McTumshie

LONDON DESIGN FESTIVAL: London's celebration of design in all its forms kicks off this weekend. There are plenty of events to choose from, most are free: we've selected the top things to do during the festival. You can also browse one of these design-themed exhibitions connected to the festival. Until 21 September

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

SPIEGELTENT: There's eclectic entertainment for both children and grown-ups at Canary Wharf with Spiegeltent. Expect poetry sessions, aerial circus, a silent disco and even a family rave. £14-£5, prebook, until 21 September

URBAN FOOD: Celebrate local food producers across the capital with Urban Food Fortnight, in association with Capital Growth. See our suggestions for the best things to do during the food celebration. Until 28 September

INVICTUS GAMES: The Invictus Games for injured, sick and disabled servicemen and women take place across the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and the Lee Valley Athletics Centre this weekend, with live sporting action in athletics, wheelchair rugby, sitting volleyball and more. See website for full programme, there are still a few tickets available. £90-£13, prebook, until 14 September

AFRICA UTOPIA: As part of Southbank Centre’s Africa Utopia Festival, there’s an African Marketplace. The market offers Africa-focused organisations and entrepreneurs a chance to provide information, raise awareness, showcase work and sell their creations. Free, just turn up, 12-14 September

ACTON DEPOT: London Transport Museum hosts an Open Weekend at the Acton Depot. Visitors will have access to the depot’s vast collection of over 400,000 objects, including posters, engineering drawings, signs and ephemera, plus an extensive collection of historic road and rail vehicles. The depot will also host a restored battle bus from WW1. £10/£8, prebook, 13-14 September

OLDER DANCE: The Elixir Festival at Sadler's Wells lures retired pro dancers back to the stage and showcases a host of 'elder' dance companies performing across the weekend. Read our preview. Tickets from £10/£15, until 15 September

SCREENINGS: The ICA has a comprehensive two-part screening of Michel Auder’s work, from early films to recent works. Part 1 takes place on Saturday from 5pm, and includes a Q&A with Auder himself. Part 2 takes place on Sunday, from 5pm, and is introduced by Auder. £5 per event, prebook, 13-14 September

BRICK LANE FESTIVAL: Vibe Bar is the hub for the Brick Lane Festival with bands and musicians playing across the weekend. Tickets £5+bkg from noon, 13-14 September

ART DECO FAIR: Eltham Palace & Gardens in Greenwich borough allows visitors to browse everything from jewellery to furniture in the palace’s Art Deco setting. Both authentic and reproduction pieces are on offer. £6.10-£10.20, prebook, 13-14 September

COMBAT AND STRENGTH: There are stands, live events, workshops and experiences for martial artists, fitness enthusiasts, boxers and bodybuilders at the Combat & Strength Show in Greenwich. £20/£10, prebook, 13-14 September

MUSIC FESTIVAL: On Blackheath brings Massive Attack, Grace Jones, Frank Turner, Athlete and some seriously tasty looking food stalls to, er, Blackheath. £57.50 Saturday, £28.75 for Sunday with our offer, £99 for the weekend, prebook, 13-14 September

Saturday 13 September

Join a guided walk around Greenwich

LITERARY FESTIVAL: The adult learning centre City Lit, based in Holborn, has a day-long celebration of published writers and poets. Enjoy fascinating readings and lectures, and visit exhibits from a range of publishers and magazines. £5 per event, prebook, all day

PHOTOGRAPHY CONFERENCE: BIRDIE photography conference is a full day event of inspirational talks by photographers for keen amateurs and professionals with a focus on stories over kit. Talks include iPhone photography, astrophotography, film and music photography and transitioning from amateur to professional. £90, prebook, 9am-5pm

MUSEUM PERFORMANCE: Head to The Royal Artillery Museum and enjoy a live performance of its Living History Team that will set  fire to the two pounder Anti Tank Gun. The performance takes place outside the museum and it's free to watch. Free, just turn up, 11.3oam/1.30pm/2.30pm

PHOTOGRAPHY WALK: Nunnery Gallery in Bow celebrates the current exhibition of Noel Gibson's East London painting with a photography walk led by Sarah Ainslie, visiting some of the places visited in Gibson's work. £5, prebook, 11am

ELECTRONIC MUSIC: An all day celebration of electronic music comes to Finsbury Park this Saturday, with Ceremony Festival. The 10,000-person event includes headline names such as Louie Vega, DJ Luck & MC Neat, Inner City and DJ Sneak. £45, prebook, 11am-10pm

GREENWICH HIGHLIGHTS: Guide Brian McClory leads a walk around Greenwich hotspots. Hear the story of the Christian martyr St Alphage and see the eponymously named church, learn about a little-known nuclear reactor and more. £10/£7.50, prebook, 11am

FAMILY FUN DAY: There's a fundraising day at the Oval in aid of Evelina London, the money-raising partnership for Guy’s and St Thomas’ and King’s College Hospitals. Take part in activities including a ‘scootathon’ for the kids, farmers' and arts and craft market stalls, tours of the ground, arts and crafts competitions, construction games, live music, farm animals, bouncy castles, face painters, balloon artists and more. Free (charge for some activities, more info here), just turn up, 11am-5pm

INTERACTIVE FASHION: It's not always easy to get into fashion events, but the House of Drenier Cri fashion show at Truman Brewery is open to all. The Top 10 HODC designers, as voted for by the public online, feature, with the audience then voting who will be crowned HODC’s Designer SS15. £10-£25, prebook, from 12pm

STOCKWELL FESTIVAL: This festival is organised by the local community organisation and takes place in Larkhall Park. Expect a variety of stalls including crafts, Fair Trade fashions, gifts, cakes, fruit and veg and much more. Family fun and live performances throughout the day. Free, just turn up, 12pm-6pm

BEER FEST: The Grande Finale of the British Craft Beer Challenge takes place at London Fields Brewery, in which British beers take on the rest of the world. £4, prebook, 12pm-2am

DOCKLANDS WALK: Join this free walk taking in sights around the Docklands area, including canals, docks, warehouses and the old streets of Canada Water and Rotherhithe. Meet at Canada Water Library. Free, just turn up, 12.3opm

POETRY: Kings Place in King's Cross hosts Poet in the City, a showcase of possible future Poet Laureates. Listen to the voices of new talents and maybe find some life inspiration. £6.50, prebook, 2pm

RHYTHM JUNCTION: Head to The Round Chapel in Hackney for Rhythm Junction London festival. Expect vintage live music and dance, for that swing era glamour. Needless to say, vintage styling is encouraged. £30, prebook, 2pm-10.30pm

BRIXTON MARKET: Join a guided tour around the popular Brixton markets, indoor and outdoor. Tickets are on sale from the Brixton Society Market stall in Brixton Station Road on the day, or can be prebooked in advance. £3, prebook by email, 2.30pm

SWAPAHOLICS: Take your old clothes, accessories and shoes along to Ritzy in Brixton, and receive a token from Swapaholics UK which will allow you to swap each item for something new. £5, just turn up, 1pm-4pm

GAMING PARTY: Oval Space in Cambridge Heath hosts a super warehouse gaming party, consisting of gaming, music and partying. Take part in the afternoon session, the evening session, or the whole thing. £5-£12.50, prebook, 2pm-12am

ARTIST TALK: Artist Mark Neville, whose work is currently on display at the Imperial War Museum's contemporary art space, discusses his work and how his experiences with different working communities has shaped his practice. At Imperial War Museum. £7/£5, prebook, 2.30pm

PHONE BOX TOUR: Have you always been curious to learn more about the fascinating story behind London's iconic telephone boxes? Follow guide Yannick Pucci & InspireConspireRetire (ICR) on a guided walk to unveil the secrets of London's red landmarks. Meeting point is the courtyard of Burlington House. £8/£6.50, prebook, 4pm

BARBICAN: In connection with its current exhibition Digital Revolution, Barbican Centre hosts a talk about video games. Games pioneers Katherine Bidwell, Mike Bithell, Jo Twist and Anna Marsh share their experiences with Iain Simons. £10, prebook, 6pm

NIGHT OF IDEAS: Head to the Rose Lipman Building in Haggerston for an all night celebration of Latin American culture. Expect talks and debates on politics, literature, drugs, sex, art, architecture, movie and documentary screenings, traditional boardgames, playreadings and live music. £7/£5, prebook, 6pm-6am

SUPPER CLUB: Inspired by The First Law of Kipple art installation, Funthyme presents a themed supper club, taking place in Haggerston. Diners will be fully immersed into the work as the meal will take place in the midst of the installation. £75, prebook, 7pm

LIVE MUSIC: Head to St Ethelburga's Centre for Reconciliation and Peace in Bishopsgate and listen to TRI i DVE, a group of five musicians from central and eastern Europe. They will take you on a music journey that explores traditional music from all over Europe. £12, prebook, 7.30pm

COMEDY: The Hoopla Improv Comedy Club features fast and funny short-form games and improvised acts. The event takes place at The Miller in London Bridge. £5, prebook, 8pm

SHARD SLEEPOVER: Preceded by music, pizza and word games, DoingSomething's Shard Sleepover takes activity dating and camping to new heights. Prefer to sleep in your own bed? There are evening-only tickets too. Prebook, from £50, 10pm-8am

MOONLIT WALK: Don your PJs and bunny ears and take part in a moonlit 10km circular walk around Bexleyheath, raising money for the Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice. Registration is £15 in advance or £25 on the night. 10pm

Sunday 14 September

The Vintage Collections

LITERATURE: Hampstead and Highgate Literary Festival starts today — see our picks of events to attend. Until 16 September

BATTLE OF BRITAIN: The RAF Museum in Colindale holds a day of talks, tours, music and events dedicated to the Battle of Britain, including three lectures by military historians and performances by the RAF Hendon Swing Band beneath the Lancaster Bomber in the Bomber Hall. The activities are for both adults and children. £17/£12 for whole day, or £6 per event, prebook, all day

EXPLORE ERITH: Why not take a walk along the Thames from Erith to Greenwich? We've plotted a route which charts London’s ascent and evolution as a city. You begin in boggy Erith and go west, moving inwards towards the Emirates Airline and Docklands. Completely free, whenever you like

WEST END SINGING: Learn to sing the hits from West End show Jersey Boys at Warble The West End, a monthly singing workshop taking place at Olympia Cinema in Barnes. Special guest is Rob Wilshaw, from the cast of Jersey Boys. £25, prebook, 10am-1pm

OPEN DAY: Richmond Stables open its doors to the public today. Meet the keepers and their horses, watch the arena events and demonstrations, and browse the stalls. Entrance is free but some attractions may charge. 10am-5.30pm

GUIDED WALK: Join the Thames, Trade, Jack Tars & Torpedoes walk and take a look into London’s port and maritime history during the First World War. Meeting point is Embankment station. £10/£8, prebook, 10.30am

FROCK ME!: Frock Me!, Chelsea’s resident vintage fair gets in on the Fashion Week action. For one day only, vintage clothes take over the Chelsea Town Hall, helped along by the Blackbird Tea Rooms. Over 50 traders will be selling everything from 1920s flapper dressers, to collectable designer pieces. £4+bf, prebook, 11am-5.30pm

VINTAGE COLLECTIONS: To tie in with London Fashion Week, Clerkenwell Vintage Fashion Fair holds a special event, The Vintage Collections. Vintage vendors have sourced iconic fashion pieces from different periods, so whether you love the stylish 60s or the fluorescent 80s, you can get hold of genuine vintage pieces. Takes place at Old Finsbury Town Hall, entry £4, 11am-5pm

PHOTOGRAPHY FAIR: Since 1982 the London Photograph Fair has been a meeting place for collectors, enthusiasts, museum curators and dealers on the hunt for original photographs and photobooks. Head to the Bloomsbury Holiday Inn, where you will find over 50 dealers from across Europe. £5, just turn up, 11am-4pm

KIDS COMEDY: artsdepot in North Finchley has a family comedy show aimed at ages 6+, with international stand up and sketch acts toning down their usual gags. £7, prebook, 12pm-2.30pm

BRIXTON BOLT: This community event is a series of 100m races through Brixton's streets to find the fastest man, woman and child in SE9. It was created after the 2012 Olympics and is still alive three years later. Turn up from 12pm to register; races start at 1pm. £1 to take part, free to spectate. From 12pm

OPEN DAY: Kingston’s Warren House opens its doors to the public today, on occasion of the 20th Anniversary of Heritage Open Days. There will be a free tour of the house and its garden, guided by author V.K.L. Free, prebooking essential by email, 1.30pm/2.15pm/3pm

FAMILY RAVE: Parents and their children (8s and under) can try an afternoon with a difference at The Bedford in Balham. The family rave includes a sensorial dance floor, DJ music and a play area for children. £8 adult/£4.50 child+bf, prebook, 2pm-4.30pm

HACKNEY CARNIVAL: The carnival procession is the main event but alongside this, young musicians perform on a stage in Hackney Town Hall Square, there's an all-day children's play area in Gillett Square, and in Ridley Road there's reggae, soca and Brazilian music, plus food and arts and crafts from around the world. Free, just turn up, 2pm-8pm

PHOTOGRAPHIC WALK: Make your contribution to the Royal Photographic Society's project Bleeding London (which aims to photograph every street of London) by joining this photographic walk around Brixton. Meeting point is Stockwell tube station: learn about the local history and snap the streets in the area. Free, prebook, 2.30pm

FILM Q&A: Star Wars and Indiana Jones producer Robert Watts is at Genesis Cinema in Whitechapel for a Q&A session, following a screening of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. He is joined by the action sequel's art director, Alan J Cassie. £20, prebook, 3pm

GAZA THEATRE: Theatre for Everybody in Gaza and Az Theatre in London launch a new Arabic version of Tolstoy’s War and Peace at Rich Mix today. The benefit event, which premieres new staged readings, is followed by a live link with work in progress on Gaza. £15, prebook, 4pm

ACOUSTIC CITY: To celebrate the London launch of The Acoustic City, an edited collection of  essays on sound and the city, the UCL Urban Laboratory hosts a night of live music at the Arcola Theatre Bar in Dalston. Free, just turn up, 6pm

MUSIC TAKEOVER: Ahead of the main Oxjam Brixton 2014 Takeover happening in October, The Dogstar hosts its launch party. There will be yoga and arts sessions running during the day and music across 3 floors from 7pm, ranging from reggae to house to party anthems. £7, prebook, from 7pm

WESTWAY WALK: Delve into Notting Hill's colourful past with this walking tour. Meet at Westbourne Park tube station, £7, 12pm


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.

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