Free And Cheap London Events This Week: 12-18 June

By Jordan Waite Last edited 81 months ago

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Free And Cheap London Events This Week: 12-18 June

All week

Crystal Palace Overground Festival

M.I.A. AND FANS: Rapper, producer, visual artist and activist M.I.A. hosts this year's Meltdown music festival, revealing her interests and influences through a week of events at Southbank Centre — including a free family rave, an exhibition exploring music history through t-shirts and a talk from M.I.A. herself. Southbank Centre, various prices, various times, until 18 June

FLOATING FITNESS: Paddington's picturesque floating pocket park, sat on the Grand Union Canal, is offering free al-fresco workout sessions. Enjoy yoga, pilates, meditation and paddleboarding. Merchant Square (Paddington Basin), free, book ahead, 1pm every day, until 18 June

CRYSTAL PALACE: 10,000 revellers descent on Crystal Palace for a week long series of family friendly art and cultural events, 90% of which are completely free. Featuring everything from acoustic nights to community gardens, opera to a beatbox academy. Crystal Palace Park, free, just turn up, various times, until 18 June

Monday 12 June

CARD MAKING: Who doesn't want to give their dad a kick-ass Father's Day card? Glue, glitter, card and goodness knows what else are all provided as you spend an evening crafting that perfect gift. Better than another tie, right? Drink, Shop & Do, free with a drink, just turn up, 7pm onwards

Tuesday 13 June

Gothas over England

BODY FARMS: Learn what a Human Taphonomy Facility is (hint: it's a body farm) and find out the arguments both for and against them, and whether or not you should donate your body to such a facility. Presentations from leading UK researchers and practitioners explore the legal and ethical dimensions surrounding these sci-fi-sounding spaces. UCL Cruciform Building, free, book ahead, 9am-midday

PALACE TOUR: Did you know that three Catholic queens — Anne of Denmark, Henrietta Maria and Catherine of Braganza — used to live here? This free guided tour explores the history of the Somerset House site before the current building existed. And you'll even get a rare look at Strand Lane Baths. Somerset House, free, just turn up, 12.45pm and 2.15pm

GOTHAS OVER ENGLAND: A complete overhaul of London's air defences was required when the German Army launched their first successful air raid using Gotha bomber aircraft. Ian Castle discusses the impact of these first bomber raids, drawing on official documents and eyewitness accounts to tell the story. The National Archives, free, book ahead, 2pm-3pm

HUMAN RIGHTS: This June marks 50 years of Israel's military occupation of Palestine. Two eminent experts examine the international context and assess what can be done by the relevant actors and civil society in this human rights focused talk,. Amnesty International, free, book ahead, 7pm-10pm

HUW STEPHENS: On the second Tuesday of the month, Huw Stephens puts on an evening of the latest and greatest new artists curated by his own bare hands, and has done for over 10 years. Headliners this month are Kioko and Mary Epworth. The Social, free, just turn up, 7pm-midnight

Wednesday 14 June

Knollys Rose Ceremony

ROSE CEREMONY: A red rose is plucked from the garden of Seething Lane and delivered to the Lord Mayor at Mansion House, in payment of an ancient planning dispute fine. Dating from 1381, this is one of the City of London's great traditions, and takes place once a year in June. Seething Lane Gardens, free, just turn up, 11am

LUNCHTIME LECTURE: Learn more about the open data in government movement in the United States, as Matt Laessig showcases some of the work he and his team have done to make data more accessible and drive collaboration. He'll trace its history from its origins, to the role of data.gov as a platform for agencies and departments to share their data. Open Data Institute, free, book ahead, 1pm-2pm

GOOD DOCTORS: What exactly is a 'good' doctor? How can we ensure our doctors are 'good'? This talk explores these questions at a time when morale in our health services appears low. Museum of London, free, just turn up, 6pm-7pm

Thursday 15 June

U-boats in the east coast war channels at The National Archives

U-BOATS: Can you imagine if there were still bombed-out houses and factories wrecked by air raids? What lies off the East Coast of Britain is the maritime equivalent. Learn about the hundreds of wrecks that have remained here since the first world war, in this free talk. The National Archives, free, book ahead, 2pm-3pm

HISTORICAL MIGRATION: Beginning with the story of European migration to other parts of the world, this lecture goes on to explore the repeated experiences of forced population exchanges, flight, and ethnic cleansing in Europe in the 20th and early 21st centuries. Museum of London, free, just turn up, 6pm-7pm

THAMES TUNNEL: A talk in the Brunel Museum tunnel shaft, detailing the life of Marc Brunel. Mistreated and highly regarded, he ended up in prison, but was bailed out by influential friends. With his spirit intact, he invented modern shield tunnelling and put it into practise, constructing the revolutionary Thames Tunnel. Brunel Museum, free, book ahead, 6.30pm-9pm

CHANGING CONSUMPTION: What is the best way to change our electricity consumption habits? Years ago, we were encouraged to consume more of it. Hear about historic and contemporary attempts to change attitudes towards electricity, and consider whether this is the best approach. Wellcome Collection, free, book ahead, 7pm-8.30pm

Friday 16 June

Limiting Beliefs

CONCRETE VIEW: From a high-rise in Bethnal Green, local photographer Luar Klinghofer Bar Dov captures the difficulties and beauties of living in this microcosm of the world. Raising questions of multiculturalism and identify, this exhibition explores what it is like to belong in the metropolis that is London. Oxford House Gallery, free, just turn up, 9am-10pm

FREE RANGE SHOW: In Free Range, a new generation of cutting edge talent from across the UK exhibit their works in fine art, photography, design, interior design and architecture. It's the largest undergraduate degree show open to the public. Old Truman Brewery, free, just turn up, 10am-7pm

LIMITING BELIEFS: Many of our beliefs lead us down blind alleys and dead ends, skewing our decisions and direction in life. Others stand in the way of happiness and success. So how do we know which are true and which are false? Discover the difference between belief and truth, and find out what is true for you. Savoy Place, free, just turn up, 6.30pm-8.30pm

SQUIDZ CLUB: Have a good time, make friends and most importantly, be yourself at this unique club night catering for young people (10-25) with learning disabilities. Young DJs, bands, a game and video zone, chill-out zone and art zone feature. The Albany, £5/donation, book ahead, 7pm-11pm

Saturday 17 June

Forgotten Servicemen

BAGLEYS: London's first and only listening bar, Spiritland, is putting on a celebration of underground house music and bagels, near the original hedonistic club, Bagleys. Music is pumped out by their purpose built sound-system. West Handyside Canopy, free, just turn up, midday-8pm

FAIR IN THE SQUARE: Celebrating summer with a tropical theme, this annual free festival brings together the community and welcomes visitors for a fun packed afternoon, with local societies, charities, shops and businesses. Stalls offer up a variety of food, books, crafts, clothing, plants and household gifts. Pond Square (Highgate), free, just turn up, 12.30pm-5.30pm

FORGOTTEN SERVICEMEN: Thousands of colonial subjects from Africa fought on behalf of the Allied Powers in the first world war, yet this fact is largely overlooked. This event examines the neglected history of these forgotten servicemen. The National Archives, free, book ahead, 2pm-3.30pm

Sunday 18 June

CHILDREN'S ART: Award-winning animator Lizzy Hobbs is on hand to teach the little ones how to create a stop-frame animation, inspired by women Aviators. aimed at children ages 3-11 years old. National Portrait Gallery, ages 3+ at 1pm-2.30pm, ages 7+ at 3pm-4.30pm

RAW STAND-UP: New and established acts try out new material in this regular comedy night — some may even trying stand-up for the first time, so play nice. The Camden Head, free, just turn up, 7.30pm-10pm

Last Updated 09 June 2017