Free & Cheap London Events: 31 March-6 April 2014

By Silvia Baretta Last edited 120 months ago
Free & Cheap London Events: 31 March-6 April 2014

Interesting and unusual things to do for a fiver or less this week.

Europe For All, By All is at the Hundred Years Gallery until 13 April. Details below

All Week

Europe For All, By All is an exhibition featuring a group of London-based artists from all over Europe displaying their work. The focus is on European citizenship and democracy, at the Hundred Years Gallery. Connected to the display there's a program of European-themed activities. Free, until 13 April

English Tourism Week started on Saturday 29 March and runs till 6 April. London takes part, with a rich programme of free events. Free, until 6 April

Deborah Azzopardi Retrospective starts today at the Cynthia Corbett Gallery in Cork Street. Expect artworks inspired by the Pop Art movement. Free, until 5 April

Lambeth Music Free Festival starts today at the Southbank Centre with five days of music, educational activities and fun. Check the full programme on the Southbank Centre website. Free, until 4 April

Check the week ahead with our guides to market & shopping events and art exhibitions around town. Plenty of free ones, too.

Monday 31 March

GUILDHALL LIBRARY: As part of English Tourism Week, historical Guildhall Library hosts a talk about the most common death causes in the 17th century: tissick, tympany and plague, as revealed from records of the Parish Clerks archives. Free, just turn up, 1pm

MUSIC NIGHT: The River Social Club in Oxford Circus presents an evening with the London Sound Survey and guests Richard Beard and DJ Stephen ‘Memory Band’ Cracknell. £4, prebook, 7pm

CINEMA NIGHT: The Duke Mitchell Cinema Club celebrates its annual Early April Fools’ Special with free screenings of the most entertainingly bad films one can find. Free, just turn up, 8pm   

Tuesday 1 April

EXPRESS LONDINIUM: Find out about the the Square Mile's history in Express Londinium, which packs a lot into just over an hour. It's likely to get booked up so be quick. £5, prebook, 1pm

VIKING WALK: For English Tourism Week, join a qualified City Guide on a walk about the violent Vikings in London. Meeting point is at the City Information Centre. Free, just turn up, 3pm

TALK: Architecture That Fooled The World examines some of the popular myths about old buildings in London, at The Rugby Tavern in Bloomsbury. £5, prebook, 6.30pm

STREET TALK: Join this talk about London’s high streets, the city’s hardest working streets. The talk takes place at The Gallery in Farringdon. Free, just turn up, 6.30pm

BALLOONATICS: Have you ever seen balloon art created before your very eyes? If not, head to Drink, Shop, Do in King's Cross and enjoy extravagant and colourful creations. Free, just turn up, 7pm

COMEDY: SuZanna GonZo & Friends are ready to make you die with laughter at the Bethnal Green Working Men's Club. £4, prebook, 7pm

POETRY SLAM: Hammer & Tongue Hackney is an independent poetry event taking place at the Hysteria Bar in Dalston. Expect live spoken word and open mic slam with guests John Osborne and Emma Jones. £5/£4, prebook by email, 8pm

GIG: Enjoy some free music at the Bedroom Bar in Shoreditch. The line-up is: Mishaped Pearls, Ady Johnson and O-Arc, the music goes on until 1am. Free, just turn up, from 8pm

Wednesday 2 April

AROUND TOWN: GoToMidtown Walks presents the Suffragette City themed walk this week. You'll be visiting several sites around Holborn and Bloomsbury linked to the struggle for votes for women: meeting point by the orange kiosk outside Holborn station. The walk repeats on Friday. Free, just turn up, 1 pm

SOVIET NIGHT: Rich Mix hosts The Dash Arts Cosmonauts Party dedicated and inspired by the Soviet Space Race. Expect soviet-inspired food, drinks, film and music. Free, just turn up, from 7.30pm

Thursday 3 April

BRITISH CRAFTMAKERS: Crafted: Makers of the Exceptional is a short-term exhibition taking place inside The Royal Academy of Arts, in Burlington Gardens. It displays work from the most talented craftsmen at the Walpole British Luxury. Free, until 5 April

ACOUSTIC MUSIC: An acoustic singer-songwriter performs at the National Theatre Bookshop's live acoustic night tonight. Listen while your browse, or pull up a chair (and glass of wine). Free, just turn up, 5pm

FREE CELLO CONCERT: Tonight sees the launch of a series of free rush hour concerts at Conway Hall. Cellists Julian & Jiaxin Lloyd Webber perform a brand new concert. Free, prebook, 6.30pm

LIT PARTY: Verse Kraken Launch Party celebrates the release of issue no. 2 of the magazine, which focuses on hybrid art. The event takes place at the Dogstar in Brixton. £2/£1+bf, prebook, 7pm

VINTAGE MUSIC: French solo singer Elisa P launches her new LP at the Paper Dress Vintage Shop in Shoreditch. Free, just turn up, from 8pm

Friday 4 April

SAMPLE SALE: Upmarket jewellery and accessories brand MAWI holds a sample sale at its headquarters near Dalston Junction. Free, just turn up, 9am-8pm

APPRENTICESHIP FAIR: Looking for a job? Meet and talk to potential employers from different fields at Ealing, Hammersmith and West London College during their Apprenticeship Fair in its Acton campus. Free, register online, 10am-2pm

LUNCH BREAK: The Royal Albert Hall hosts a free concert featuring guitars, clarinet, violin and double bass. The musicians play in the venue's restaurant with an eclectic repertoire of jazz. Free, just turn up, 12pm

FOLK IN A BOAT: Hop on Sir Francis Drake's galleon next to London Bridge and enjoy an evening of folk music with Bonsai Pirates, Chylde Owlet, Tim Jones & The Dark Lanterns, Nigel of Bermondsey and host Woody Newman III. All the proceeds will support the Tiller Flat Folk Club. £3, just turn up, 7pm

MIXED NIGHT: Mad About Tottenham Chances is an evening of poetry, comedy and music atT.Chances 399 in Seven Sisters. Free, just turn up, from 8pm

RECORD CLUB: A night of BYO vinyl takes place at The King's Head pub in Crouch End. Bring along your favourite music and play it in the basement, where the band Native Birds will perform too. Free, just turn up, from 8.30pm

MUSIC EVENING: Platform Bar in London Fields hosts a free music evening, Karminsky Experience INC. We're promised 'Mod grooves, Spy Jazz, Exotic Bongo Beats and Lounge-core dance hits'. Free, just turn up, 9pm

Saturday 5 April

FIRST SATURDAYS: A free all-day-long event where you can enjoy food, drink, live music, vinyl delights, an archive film screening and creative textile technique lessons. This is First Saturdays on Vyner Street, taking place at LimeWharf in Hackney. Free, just turn up, 11am-11pm

BARK IN THE PARK: Bark in the Park (Battersea Park bandstand) is an event for single dog owners who are seeking love. The money raised will be donated to the Dogs Trust. Register on the website by 2 April. £5, prebook, 1pm

ART TALK: Listen to Prof Ben Highmore discussing Haim Steinbach's practice in the context of the rituals of everyday life, at the Serpentine Gallery. The talk is connected to the current exhibition of Haim Steinbach. Free, just turn up, 3pm

MUSIC TRIBUTE: The Hanwell Hootie one-day festival presents 30 bands playing across six venues in Hanwell, in tribute to the man behind Marshall Amps. Free, just turn up, 4pm-11pm

ANGELA LANSBURY: Chrisp Street on Air is a project focusing on giving voice to local residents living around Chrisp Street Market and the Lansbury Estate in Poplar. Today their programme of free events focuses on Angela Lansbury and her career — the Lansbury Estate is named after her grandfather George. Free, just turn up, 12pm-5pm

YOGA: Victor's Lab, a dance and yoga hub, is the new addition to the Bussey Building in Peckham. To celebrate its opening, it's holding a day of free taster workshops, but only for earlybirds, as freebie passes are limited. Free, just turn up, 12pm

LGBT: The Picturehouse in Hackney hosts Beehayve, a mingling queer night for gay women. You'll find drinks, nibbles and nice music. £2, prebook, 7pm

Sunday 6 April

VINTAGE FAIR: Bethnal Green Affordable Vintage Fair, curated by award-winning vintage maestro Judy’s Vintage Fairs, has been running since 2006, and aims to keep vintage prices in the East End low. £3/£2, 6 April, 10.30am-4.30pm

FAMILY DAY: The Serpentine Gallery hosts a free family day for people of all ages. Help the designer Bahbak Hashemi-Nezhad to transform the art gallery into a home, designing and making functional objects, inspired by the two current exhibitions. Free, just turn up, 12pm-5pm

DOUBLE BILL: Rich Mix in Shoreditch presents two events on the same day: ScriptReadEast, a script-reading event (£5/£3.50, prebook, 3pm) and Smile Acoustic International Women's Month Special, a night with free cake, free entry and original songs (Free, just turn up, 6pm)

Check out our map of free things to do in London for more frugal fun. Or pop over to BrokeInLondon.com who also have plenty of great ideas.

Last Updated 30 March 2014