Things To Do In London This Weekend: 3-4 September 2016

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Things To Do In London This Weekend is sponsored by Rooftop Film Club.

Fancy a silent disco in a lock?

All weekend

FIRE FOOD MARKET: Grab a beer and set your taste buds alight with street food cooked on open-flame grills and wood-fired ovens at the Fire Food Market. Take a look at the light installations in Guildhall Yard too — it's all part of London's Burning Festival and the Great Fire 350 commemorations. Free entry, just turn up, 3-4 September

FILM FESTIVAL: Metamorphosis is the theme of The Smalls, the shorts-based film festival. Find out how to be successful at comedy writing with a panel discussion and learn about the future of publishing online. £5-40, book in advance, 2-7 September

LEONARDO DA VINCI: It's your last weekend to see Da Vinci's drawings and designs brought to life at the Science Museum. Discover his engineering designs and take part in interactive games. £10, booking recommended, until 4 September

CAMDEN LOCK: Walk down the drained Camden lock, and see results of three years of restoration work. If you don't fancy exploring, join the silent disco (Saturday, 7pm-9pm) or have a go at fishing. Free, just turn up, 3-4 September

WE ARE ALL MIGRANTS: Singer Pedro Caxade challenges hate towards migration with an art exhibition at Gallery S O London on Brick Lane. Free, just turn up, 3-4 September

MEAT FESTIVAL: Indulge in top quality meat, cooked by top chefs over wood and charcoal. Not suitable for vegetarians. £24-32, book in advance, 2-4 September

REGGAE AND DUB: Camp at One Love Festival in Hainault Forest Country Park, where there will be 70 bands and live dub acts playing until 2am. £47-140, book in advance, 2-4 September

Saturday 3 September

Visit St Paul's Cathedral after hours. Photo: Silvia Mick/ St Paul's Cathedral

HERBAL SKINCARE WORKSHOP: Medical herbalist and podiatrist Molly Maitland will show you how to make an organic body balm, using fresh herbs from the garden. £20, book in advance, 11am

LONDON FOLK FESTIVAL: Enjoy the music of a variety of artists including Faustus and The Foxglove Trio, and take part in workshops at London Folk Festival at Cecil Sharp House in Camden. £25/30, book in advance, from 11am

FAMILY CYCLING FUN: There's a mini velodrome and static track racing at Westminster Festival of Cycling. Get your bike serviced for free while you're there. Free, just turn up, from 11am

ARCHITECTURE WALK: London has been destroyed and rebuilt several times — discover the skyline post-Great Fire of London with a walk around the capital. £12, book in advance, 11am

RIVER RACE: Cheer on amateurs and professionals as they compete in The Great River Race. Starting from London Docklands at 12.25pm, crews pass through Westminster and Putney before reaching Richmond around 3.20pm. Free, just turn up, from 12.25pm

LOUD WOMEN FEST: 25 live music acts including Dolls, Argonaut and Petrol Girls are in Tottenham for Loud Women Fest 2016, a female-led festival. £10, book in advance, from 12.30pm

BAT COURSE: Learn about the biology of bats and the 17 different species that live in Britain on this Royal Parks workshop. The eight-hour event includes a night walk in Regent's Park using your new skills to locate bats. £37, book in advance, 1pm-9pm

OUTDOOR CINEMA: Take the kids to see Inside Out in the beautiful gardens of the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability in Putney. Then drop the kids home and return for the adults-only evening screening of Mrs Doubtfire, supported by a bar and wood-fired pizza. £10, book in advance, 2pm/7.30pm

SEWING MACHINE MUSEUM: Look at over 600 sewing machines on display, including one given as a present to Queen Victoria's daughter, at the London Sewing Machine Museum in Balham. Free (donations welcome), just turn up, 2-5pm

STREET FOOD MARKET: Islington Green Night Market is the place to go for lip-smacking food from Comfort Kitchen, Tico's, Guasacaca, Chunky Buddha and Cheeky Burger. Free, just turn up, from 5pm

DOMINO TOPPLING: Watch thousands of dominoes toppling over around the Square Mile, tracing the path of the 1666 fire of London. Part of London's Burning festival. Free, just turn up, 6.30pm

ST PAUL'S LATES: See the inside of St Paul's Cathedral at night and capture the rare moment on camera. £10, book in advance, 6pm

Things to do this weekend continues after sponsor message


Sponsor message

Final Rooftop Film Club screenings on sale now

This summer, Rooftop Film Club has teamed up with Nespresso bringing the excellent combination of coffee and classic films to sky-high venues across London.

Sadly though, like all good things, Rooftop Film Club's summer screenings must come to an end — so grab your tickets now if you don't want to miss out.

Film buffs can also refuel while they watch the sun set over London. Nespresso Club Members can get their hands on free popcorn, and Nespresso Martinis and iced coffees are available on all rooftops.  While you're there, use the free Photobooths to capture your summer fun. Use #NespressoExperience to share your photos.

Rooftop Film Club runs at venues across London until 17 September — see website for full programme. Tickets for all screenings are available now.


Sunday 4 September

An antiques fair comes to Alexandra Palace

ANTIQUES & COLLECTORS FAIR: Rummage for treasure in Alexandra Palace's Antiques and Collector Fair. £6, just turn up, 9.30am-4.30pm

HAMPSTEAD GARDENS WALK: Discover 20th century grandeur through the architecture of Hampstead Gardens. £9, book in advance, 11am

ANGEL CANAL FESTIVAL: Watch Punch & Judy, listen to live music, and take part in canoeing at the annual Angel Canal Festival. There are 80 stalls selling anything and everything from bric-a-brac to canalware and food. Free, just turn up, 11am-5pm

GARDEN OPEN DAY: Clapham's Trinity Hospice Gardens stretch over two acres and today are open to raise money for charity as part of the National Gardens Scheme. £2.50, just turn up, 11am-5pm

CROYDON AIRPORT TOUR: Explore Croydon Airport and learn about the world's oldest air traffic control tower. Discover the airport's use as an airfield for the first world war, and the international flights it made until its closure in 1959. Free (donations welcome), just turn up, 11am-4pm

FEMINIST FEST: Hear about the realities of gender inequality at Feminist Solidarity Fest in Hackney Downs, where there are talks and performances from the likes of Caroline Russell, Sophie Walker and Hibo Wardere. Free (donations welcome), just turn up, all day from noon

BRENTFORD FESTIVAL: Over 10,000 people are expected at Brentford Festival in Blondin Park, where there will be live music, morris dancing performances and a lot of stalls (food, books and everything in between). Free, just turn up, all day from noon

IMPROVISED COMEDY: The Water Poet in Spitalfields is holding an evening of improvised comedy games — with special guests too. Free, just turn up, 5pm

FIRE ON THE THAMES: David Best's representation of London's 17th century burning skyline will float along the Thames between Blackfriars Bridge and Waterloo Bridge, before being set alight to mark 350 years of the Great Fire of London. Free, just turn up, 6pm