Things To Do In London This Weekend: 26-27 October 2013

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Celebrate Diwali in Trafalgar Square on Sunday - photo by KBTImages

All weekend

FAMILY FUN: The Family Arts Festival has lots of ideas of artsy things to do with your children over the next fortnight. Try the musical family fun weekends at Hackney Empire and Royal College of Music or The Big Draw at the Foundling Museum, Houses of Parliament or the Royal Mews.

IRISH MUSIC: The first weekend of Return to Camden Town Festival of traditional Irish music, song and dance takes place at the Irish Centre with music, concerts, album launches, sessions and workshops. Tickets from £10, all inclusive concert ticket £40.

CURIOUS MINDS: Inside Out Festival finishes on Sunday so get in on some intellectual action in celebration of London's universities with performance, debates, film screenings, walks, talks, workshops, lectures and exhibitions. Free, check the website for full listings.

ANIMATION: The 10th London International Animation Festival begins on Friday, mainly at Barbican Cinemas. This weekend sees Amazing Animation for children, the top 10 sci-fi animations of the last decade, animated documentaries, new animation from around the world and much more. Until 3 November.

PUPPETS: Suspense London Puppetry Festival aims to bring puppetry to new adult audiences. Produced by Little Angel Theatre, the festival now includes 12 London venues and 25 different companies. Try something new. Until 3 November.

ESTUARY: It's your last chance to visit Museum of London Dockland's contemplative, contemporary art exhibition, Estuary. Free entry, just turn up, (closes Sunday) 10am-6pm

CALM DOWN, DEAR: A cheekily-named festival of feminism gathers innovative theatre, cabaret and comedy performers to Camden People's Theatre. This weekend, Louise Orwin, Amanda Monfrooe, Adrienne Truscott and Bridget Christie. Tickets £10/£8 concs.

STORIES: Words Over Waltham Forest is the borough's first festival of storytelling, literature, art and expression, with exhibitions, workshops, games, music and poetry events all over the borough across three weeks. Check out the festival calendar for details.

AFFORDABLE ART: Battersea Park hosts the Affordable Art Fair where contemporary art starts from £40. Weekend tickets £12, £10 concs. 11am-6pm

FILM: Crystal Palace International Film Festival gets underway on Saturday with shorts and curry night, followed by a feature documentary on Sunday. Consult the full programme and book tickets at the website.

DESIGN & CRAFT: Made London design and craft show sets up at One Marylebone (oppposite Great Portland Street station) with four floors of UK artists, makers and designers including jewellery from the London-based Dialogue Collective, and boat builders from Lyme Regis. Tickets £8.50 advance, £10 on the door, under 14s free, check website for opening times.

COMIC CON: MCM London Comic Con is at ExCel with all things popular culture: memorabilia, special guests, dealers, comics, gaming,  esports, ccosplay and more. Tickets £10 adults on the day, £6 children, other advance options available.

SKATING: Canary Wharf's outdoor Ice Rink opens on Saturday in Canada Square Park. Tickets £13.50 adults, £9 age 4-13, family ticket £26.50, open 7 days a week from 10am till late

NOYES FLUDDE: Ealing Autumn Festival ends with two performances of Benjamin Britten's opera, Noyes Fludde, telling the story of Noah's Ark, in St John's Church on Saturday at 7.30pm and Sunday at 3pm. Tickets £10-£20, £5 concs.

HALLOWEEN: Scary, gory, silly things start to happen this weekend. Check out our round-up and recommendations here.

Saturday 26 October

FEMINISM: A one-day conference celebrating feminism and inspiring feminists, with a focus on women in the arts, takes place at the Institute of Education. Sessions include sexism in the media, incarcerated women, kick-ass activism and campaigning. The day is followed by a Stop Porn Culture UK meeting and Reclaim the Night march. Tickets £25, £10 unwaged, book, from 9am

NORTH FINCHLEY: A Community Arts Festival takes place on North Finchley High Road with craft stalls and market, a digital graffiti wall, music, dance, singing and lots of fun for all the family. Free, just turn up,  from 10am

FOGWOFT: Mark the 101st birthday of Woolwich Foot Tunnel with the Friends of Greenwich & Woolwich Foot Tunnels. Assemble at the Woolwich Tunnel entrance by 11am ready to walk the tunnel to the north bank and catch the ferry back. Free, just turn up, 11am

SCIENCE: Tour the engineering marvels of the Olympic Park with London Science Festival's London 2012 Walk. Tickets £10, book, 11am-1pm

AMERICAN FOOTBALL: Join the NFL Fan Rally in Trafalgar Square as a warm up to the Jacksonville Jaguars and San Francisco 49ers game at Wembley. Free, just turn up, 12-4pm

HOXTON STYLE: The Stylist's Rail Pop-up wardrobe sale opens its doors and offers shoppers a welcome gin in the Apartment at the Hoxton Hotel. Free entry, just turn up, 12-6pm

OXJAM: Wear white to Hackney's Oxjam gig at the Hackney Attic where live bands and DJs entertain to raise money for Oxfam. Tickets £6, book, from 6pm

PROKOFIEV: Nonclassical (contemporary classical music club night) meets Trinity Laban (music conservatoire) as part of the Prokofiev Festival. Expect chamber music and DJs, Prokofiev and new composition at Blackheath Halls. Tickets £5+bkg, prebook, 7.30pm

PUNK: The London Punk Rock Record Fair takes place at The Macbeth in Hoxton with bands as well as records for sale. Free, from 2pm

Sunday 27 October

LEGO: New exhibition, Brick City opens at ArtsDepot in Finchley featuring several London landmarks in Lego. Free, just turn up, 10am-5.30pm

APPLES: Press your own apple juice at Bruce Castle Museum's An Apple a Day event. Free, just turn up, 2-4pm

DIWALI: Celebrate the festival of lights in Trafalgar Square where there will be music and dance from community groups, kids activities and food and drink. for sale. Free, just turn up, 2-7pm

OXJAM: King's Cross gets an Oxjam gig with new music live at the Surya Centre, Pentonville Road. Tickets £8+bkg, 7.30pm

CARNIVAL: A club night filled with the spirit and music of Carnival comes to Vauxhall's Renaissance Rooms with Brazilian, Cuban and Caribbean beats. Clubbers can learn samba, soca and Cuban moves in a dance class from 5.30pm, with the main event heating up later peppered with professional dancers and amazing costumes. Ticket £10 (dance class included),  showtime 7.45pm-12am

Other good stuff

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Photo by KBTimages.co.uk via Londonist Flickrpool.