This weekend's Things To Do In London is sponsored by Inside Out Festival, taking place across London from 19-24 October and featuring a series of one-off events with most completely free. More details below.
All weekend
LITERARY LONDON:
Literary London Festival is under way, with walks scheduled on literary topics across London. This weekend, pick from several Shakespeare walks, Sherlock Holmes, St Pancras in literature and more. Full programme here. £10 per walk, prebook, until 25 October
THE OTHER ART FAIR:
This alternative art fair returns to Brick Lane, celebrating its 10th edition. With 130 emerging artists on display, live performances, music and talks, this one is not to be missed. Londonist readers get 50% off tickets for The Other Art Fair using the code 'LONDONIST'. £10/£8, prebook, until 18 October
ARCHWAY WITH WORDS:
This literary festival is a nine day odyssey of fiction, science, comedy, history, poetry, puppets and singing. People appearing include Linton Kwesi Johnson, Viv Albertine, Tanika Gupta and more — including, er, Elvis. Various prices, prebook, until 18 October
AFRICAN ART SHOW:
The 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair comes to Somerset House, showcasing art by African and African diasporan artists. Expect lectures, film screenings and panel debates featuring international curators, artists and art experts. From £11.25, 15-18 October
STYLIST LIVE:
Stylist Live is a festival of culture, talks, catwalks, cocktails and conversation hosted by Edith Bowman and Dawn O'Porter at Business Design Centre in Islington. Take a seat at the Stylist catwalk, and get access to the Culture Lounge and Learning Labs. From £16, 15-18 October
MONIKER ART FAIR:
Moniker Art Fair comes to the Old Truman Brewery in Brick Lane, specialising in contemporary art. Buy tickets now to get access to 20 national and international contemporary galleries, street art tours and fair walk-throughs, and more. From £7.04, 15-18 October
BATTLE OF IDEAS:
The 11th annual Battle of Ideas festival returns to the Barbican, providing a forum for free thinking, debate and discussion on a host of topics. Keynote debates this year include the Corbyn effect: are the old parties dead? and why young people joining ISIS. Various prices, prebook, 17-18 October
WINE SHOW:
The Wine Show Chelsea does exactly what you'd expect — bringing over 500 wines to Chelsea Town Hall for the public to sample. From £15, 16-18 October
CHOCOLATE SHOW:
Celebrate the end of Chocolate Week at the Chocolate Show at Olympia Exhibition Centre, West Kensington. Highlights include a chocolate factory, a tasting room, 80+ chocolate exhibitors, a children's area and a chocolate fashion show. From £7.50, 16-18 October
Saturday 17 October
CLONE YOUR CLOTHES:
Got a favourite pair of jeans or t-shirt that you never want to part with? Head to The Fashion Box in Seven Sisters for this workshop, where you'll learn how to recreate that favourite item, without doing any damage to the original. £35, 10am
GANGLAND SOHO:
Learn about the history of Soho's gangland 'heyday' between the 1920s to the 1970s on this two-hour walking tour of the area. £9, prebook, 11am
SOUTHBANK SINFONIA:
Have you ever wondered what happens when an orchestra tries to play without a conductor? Southbank Sinfonia does just that in this family concert, aimed at 5-11 year olds and their parents. Music is mixed with films, sounds and theatrical lighting. £10/£5, prebook, 11am
TAPAS TASTING:
As part of London Restaurant Festival, sample Spanish tapas at six restaurants on this tapas tasting tour. Wander from restaurant to restaurant sampling a drink and a dish at each one, from crispy squid to patatas bravas. £58, 12pm
OXJAM NEW CROSS:
There's an all-day party across three venues in New Cross with bands, DJs, street food, pop-up cinema and more. All money raised goes towards Oxfam. £6, prebook, 12pm
BFI FILM FESTIVAL:
My Skinny Sister is a film about the impact of one woman's eating disorder on her entire family. It's being screened at Picturehouse Central as part of BFI Film Festival. £16, 12.30pm
TREE IDENTIFICATION WALK:
Join a free guided walk around Hampstead Heath with keen amateur tree enthusiast Edward Mathison, on which you'll learn how to identify several different species of trees. The walk will take in native British trees as well as some foreign visitors. Meet at Hampstead tube station. Free, just turn up, 1pm
LONDON'S SPORTING VENUES:
Find out more about the origins of sport in London with qualified guide, and four times National Scrabble Champion, Philip Nelkon. Visit the sites of the original venues and find out more about just how rural the area immediately outside the City was in the past. Learn which early sporting event caused a riot involving 10,000 people. See also how London's sporting venues got their names. £7, prebook, 2pm
TEA AND CAKE:
Tea and cake are two of the finest offerings on this earth, and today the two are brought together at Trinity Buoy Wharf. Tea Studio and Kekelovescake come together to offer a tasting menu of new recipes. £21, 3pm
MUSIC FOR MUSEUMS:
Whitechapel Gallery's Music For Museums series celebrates out of the ordinary music. Today Egyptian artist Hassan Khan takes classical Arabic music and digitally manipulates it. £15, 4pm
FISH SUPPER:
Supper Freek hosts a Pescetarian Delight supper club at a secret N4 location. Expect classic seafood/fish dishes from both France and Greece, plus a dessert. £25, prebook, 7.30pm
EALING AUTUMN FESTIVAL:
West London Sinfonia Orchestra conducted by Philip Hesketh performs a musical tribute to the legacy of Magna Carta, with four musical works that reflect the values and ideals which it has inspired over eight centuries. £14/£12, prebook, 7.30pm
COMEDY:
Tim Key and Tom Basden reunite their Freeze! pairing at the Union Chapel, with more than able support from Sara Pascoe, Liam Williams and Pappy’s. £20, prebook,
CAMPFIRE CLUB:
The Nest Collective takes things back to nature and you’re invited to join in the Campfire Club at a secret venue, as folk singer, raconteur and poet Mike Tickell provides the entertainment. £8/£10, prebook, 8pm
FILM NOIR:
Head to The Vaults in Waterloo to relive the age of film noir and celebrate the glamour of post-war cinema through three immersive plays. £10, 8pm
THE MIGHTY HOOPLA:
Enjoy cabaret? Get yourself to Scala, King's Cross, for The Mighty Hoopla Launch Party. It's a night of dancers, live bands and cabaret, with DJs thrown in. £5, 10pm
Enjoy a week of unique cultural events across London
With over 50 events happening in six days — most of them completely FREE — Inside Out Festival returns next week to celebrate the contribution of London’s universities to the capital's cultural life.
There are debates, exhibitions, screenings, guided walks, live music and workshops. Special guests include songwriter Rick Wakeman, loquacious author Will Self and Warhol superstar Penny Arcade.
Browse the programme and book your place now.
Inside Out Festival runs 19-24 October, taking place in different London venues. All events are under £10 and most of them are free, booking in advance suggested. Tweet about your festival experience to @InfoTCCE, using the hashtag #IOFestival15.
This weekend's Things To Do In London is sponsored by Inside Out Festival.
Sunday 18 October
ANTIQUES FAIR:
Adams Antiques Fair returns to the Royal Horticultural Halls, with traders coming from all over Europe specialising in antique linens, fine jewellery, silver, ceramics and paintings among other items. £4, prebook, 10am-4.30pm
EAST END MARKETS:
Join tour guide Diane Burstein on this stroll around the East End’s oldest markets including Petticoat Lane, Spitalfields, designer and vintage shops around Cheshire Street and the flower market on Columbia Road. Hear about the history of the markets and their atmospheric surroundings. £10/£8, prebook, 10.30am
BREWING MASTERCLASS:
Head to The Shakespeare in Farringdon to learn all you need to know about beer in a mini masterclass, followed by a full English breakfast. Washed down by beer. £55, 11.30am
TRACK CYCLING:
Head to the Velodrome in Stratford for to see world class cyclists take to the track, against the backdrop of a spectacular light show and music, courtesy of Ministry Of Sound. From £20, 3.30pm
CABARET OF ALL THINGS:
Head to The Lexington in Islington for an evening of performances in aid of theatre company and charity Spare Tyre. On the line-up are a 10 piece brass band, a pop and folk band, comedy double act, and more. £12.50, prebook, 6pm
COMEDY WORK IN PROGRESS:
Edinburgh Best Newcomer award winner Roisin Conaty is trying out her new show at The Invisible Dot in King's Cross. £8, 6pm
BRAGG:
Melvyn Bragg is well-versed in just about everything, and is sure to give an entertaining and educational talk at Dulwich Books tonight. Tickets £11-£21 (with copy of book), order now, 6pm
REGENT STREET CINEMA:
Britain's oldest cinema, Regent Street Cinema, hosts a special screening of Once Upon A Time In America, about a former Prohibition-era Jewish gangster returning after 30 years to the Lower East Side of Manhattan, where he must confront the ghosts of the past. £11, 6.30pm
PAM ANN:
Political incorrectness takes on a whole new level in Pam Ann's current show, Queen of the Sky, at Leicester Square Theatre. Fasten your seatbelt and prepare for a bumpy ride. £20, 7.15pm
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