All weekend
- Last chance to get jazzy at London Jazz Festival which closes on Sunday.
- It's also the final, funny weekend of the London Storytelling Festival at Leicester Square Theatre.
- Six seasonal skating rinks are now open for your winter pleasure.
- Horse fans: EquiCirque is at ExCel (adult tickets from £45).
- Framed Film Festival showcases the best international cinema for young people at Barbican.
- The Ideal Home Show at Christmas is at Earl's Court (tickets £14 adults, under 15s free).
- Go shopping at somewhereto_'s pop up department store in Hanbury Hall, Spitalfields or Handmade in Britain's at Chelsea Old Town Hall (tickets £6/£4).
- Make your way round the ales at the Pembury Tavern beer festival in Hackney.
- Richmond Literature Festival continues with talks, readings and the one page comic book challenge.
- Meet and buy directly from 52 artists and designer makers at the Lee Green Open Studios event in SE12 and in Woolwich at the Second Floor Studios & Arts open studios event (both free entry).
Saturday:
- Can you stand the heat at the Chilli Standoff at Oval Space in Hackney? Doors open 11am with two chilli tastings at noon and 4pm, music and ice cream to cool you down all day (tickets £40/£30).
- Interrobang: a festival of words and whimsy takes over the Betsey Trotwood in Farringdon with a zine fair, book-binding, stories and music from noon till late (tickets £6 adv, £9 on the door).
- Take the CoolTan Arts Largactyl Shuffle William Blake Walk from midday, meet outside Tate Modern (free but donations appreciated).
- Grab a book bargain at the annual Blackheath and Greenwich Amnesty book sale between 10am and 4pm (free entry).
- Enjoy a Very Vintage Fashion Show: ‘30s to ‘90s vintage special at Old Spitalfields Market on the hour from noon to 4pm (free).
- There's a free festival of performance, film and music for young people at Whitechapel Gallery from 1-6pm (free).
- Highgate Village Christmas Festival sees the community gather round in Pond Square to see Father Christmas and the three wise men (?) with mince pies, mulled wine and music between 4.30-6.30pm (free).
- Crouch End music festival The End presents loads of acts across multiple venues from 6.30pm till late in N8 (day ticket £12.50).
Sunday:
- Walk the River Fleet (or some of it) with Footprints of London starting 10.30am (whole walk £16).
- The Made in Prague festival rolls on with films at the Tricycle and Barbican.
- Be at Boxpark for BeatBOXPARK under the heated umbrellas between 1-4pm (free entry).
- Art Club is the new Sunday afternoon happening with film, music, life-drawing, food and more at The Red Gallery, Rivington St from 3pm till midnight (entry £4.50).
- Watch the US Grand Prix and win the Grand Prix Quiz at Roxy Bar & Screen from 3.30pm (tickets £8.50).
Other good stuff:
- What's on stage and art reviews
- Booky and spoken word happenings
- Events for curious-minded Londoners
- Things to do for a fiver or less
- Live comedy in London
- Free things to do in London
- What's on in the big Museums and Galleries
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Photo by dave_bass5 via the Londonist Flickrpool.