Things To Do In London This Weekend: 1-2 October 2016

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Things to do in London this weekend is sponsored by Cuisson's POPdown.

All weekend

The Classic Car Boot Sale is back at King's Cross. Photo: Londonist

ART LICKS WEEKEND: Take part in sculpture workshops, see outdoor performances and listen to storytelling as part of Art Licks Weekend, a festival showing the best of young artists and project spaces in London. Free, just turn up (book some events in advance), 30 September-2 October

BEST OF BRITANNIA: Hand-embossed leather, cocktail making and makeovers are among the workshops and how-to sessions of Best of Britannia, a festival celebrating British brands, crafts and products. Takes place at Victoria House in Bloomsbury Square. £6-£8, book in advance, 30 September-2 October

SOUTHWARK-INSPIRED ART: Simon Jones's dissembled Southwark-inspired paintings are at OXO Tower Wharf for the weekend — catch them before they're bound into a book. Free, just turn up, 30 September-2 October

FABRIC POP UP: Fabric might have closed down, but the good vibes continue at an official two-day pop up shop in Camden Market. Original Fabric resident DJ Terry Francis spins choons on the decks while you buy goodies to support the #savefabric appeal fund. Free, just turn up, 1-2 October

CLASSIC CAR BOOT SALE: Vintage clothes and jewellery, retro homewares and records, and much more is being sold out of the back of vintage vehicles, as the Classic Car Boot Sale returns to Lewis Cubitt Square in King's Cross. Vintage attire encouraged — see photos from last time. £5/£4, advance booking recommended, 1-2 October

CREATE SYRIA: House of Vans' multimedia installation Create Syria follows the stories of displaced Syrian artists and explores their hopes for the future, Free, just turn up, until 2 October

OPEN ART STUDIOS: Wander around 45 studios and speak to sculptors, printmakers and video artists as part of ArtWest Open Studios Weekend around Willesden Junction. There's even a free minibus service so it's easier to explore the different studios. Free, just turn up, 1-2 October

FLEA MARKET: Search for treasures at Peckham Salvage Yard where over 40 handpicked traders and locals will be selling their wares. The event is from the people behind Hackney Flea Market. Free, just turn up, 11am-6pm, 1-2 October

FAMILY TRAVEL SHOW: Get some inspiration for your next holiday at the  Family Travel Show at Olympia. Exhibitors include holidays operators, photography experts and more, based in the UK and abroad. £8-£14, book in advance, 1-2 October

PHOTOMONTH 2016: See photos of everything from children in orphanages to chickens in Dalston, as part of Photomonth East London International Photography Festival. Venues taking part and showing photos include Rich Mix and the Old Truman Brewery. Free, just turn up, until 30 November

BEDLAM ART: The Wellcome Collection's new exhibition Bedlam: The Asylum explores the role of asylums and their influence on how we cope with mental health today. Free, just turn up, until 15 January 2017

Saturday 1 October

Party with Annie Mac at The AMP All Day Raves in Tobacco Dock.

SUSTAINABLE POP UP: Social enterprise Blue Patch Collective is opening a one-day pop up shop in Dulwich Village, selling sustainable and high quality products. There'll also be food from local traders. Free, just turn up, all day from 10am

SPACE ART AND SCIENCE: An intergalactic art exhibition, a creative science arts lab and family astronaut training are on offer at artsdepot's Fun Palace. Free, just turn up, 11am-3pm

OKTOBER FEAST: Hawker House in Canada Water has 50 beers, 12 street food traders and uber gut music to celebrate Oktoberfestwunderbar. £15 (+booking fee), book in advance, all day from noon

BREWERY PARTY: Free brewery tours, live mural drawings, a barbecue and unfiltered lager straight from the tanks are all part of Camden Town Brewery's Tank Party in Kentish Town. Free entry, just turn up, noon-8pm

ALL DAY RAVE: Join Annie Mac at Tobacco Dock for an all-day electonic music festival rave, with music from DJs including Basement Jaxx and Clara Amfo. £45, book in advance, noon-10.30pm

BIG DRAW FESTIVAL: Artists Richard McVetis and Bruce Ingram are running stitch and collage workshops at Jerwood Space in Bankside, as part of The Big Draw Festival. Free, book in advance, 1pm-3pm

IRISH EAST END: Professor Bronwen Walter discusses the history of Irish people in the East End during the early 1900s, at Tower Hamlets Local History Library & Archives. Free, just turn up, 2pm

CHARITY COMEDY: Max & Ivan and Andrea Hubert are part of the line up at The Mencap Comedy Showcase Show in Mile End. All proceeds go to the Tower Hamlets Mencap Society. £10 (or pay what you like), book in advance, 7pm

ACOUSTIC GUITAR GIG: Duo JP & Sheetal fuse Arab, Spanish and Gypsy music to create a haunting sound at Gnome House. £8 (+booking fee), book in advance 8pm

SOUL MUSIC: Put on your dancing shoes for Stanley Hall's soul music night in South Norwood, featuring northern soul, 70s and Motown. £7, book in advance, 8pm-11.30pm

JOSIE LONG: Josie Long's comedy show about optimisim and hopefulness settles into its 14-night run at the Soho Theatre. Age 16+. £11-15, book in advance 9.15pm


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Experience Asian dining at Cuisson's POPdown

Love Asian food? Get yourself to Cuisson's POPdown at Borough Market, where you can tuck into anything from bar snacks such as beef sashimi to a five-course tasting menu, all inspired by Asian flavours and the market traders. Pair your food with beers and wines from the carefully-selected list, or if you're looking for a more intimate venue, hire the private dining room.

Visitors to the Ikigai bar can try an immersive video experience. You'll be served two glasses of beer and a Google Glass headset, which transforms the senses and completely alters your perception of flavour.

POPdown by Cuisson runs at Borough Market until January 2017. Book tickets here.


Sunday 2 October

See the Thames Barrier in action. Photo: Mark Graham

THAMES BARRIER: The Thames Barrier is closed just once a year at high tide, so grab your chance to see it in its completely closed position. Free, just turn up, 8.25am-6.25pm

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL: Amnesty International's Festival of Choice in Shoreditch features debates, workshops, panels and films. Free, book in advance, 11am

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

SONGWRITER FESTIVAL: Upstart Crow Festival returns to Spitalfields with eight hours of live music by 13 up-and-coming acts. Free, just turn up, all day from noon

MEXICAN LUNCH CLUB: Turn up hungry for a five-course Mexican-inspired supper club at The School of Wok in Covent Garden. £27, book in advance, 1pm

ISLE OF DOGS: From the 1920s Homes for Heroes estates to pricey modern-day flats, see how housing has changed on the Isle of Dogs on this walking tour. £5, book in advance, 2pm

ART DECO TOUR: Discover the art deco architecture of The Strand on this walking tour. See the vistas sketched by Monet, and learn about the building of Waterloo Bridge. £8, book in advance, 2pm-4pm

RONNIE SCOTT: Ronnie Scott's All Stars celebrate 1959, the best year of jazz, with a musical-visual performance at the Pentland Theatre. £17, book in advance, 5pm


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Our pick of Funzing events

WINTER COAT WORKSHOP: Winter is coming, so create your own waterfall collar winter coat at this workshop — nobody else will have the same coat this winter. £49, 7/16/21 October

TREASURE HUNT: Use your theatre knowledge and work as a team to solve cryptic clues on a treasure hunt in the West End — get your tickets here. £15, 27 October

VEGAN DESSERT WORKSHOP: Eating vegan doesn't mean you can't treat yourself — Azahara will teach you how to make indulgent raw vegan desserts to enjoy at home. £35, 2/9/16/23/30 October