Things To Do In London: Wednesday 13 August 2014

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Puppet Theatre Barge comes to Richmond. Image: Dan Grigore

Listings

BLOOD: Today’s opportunities to donate blood are at The Hop Exchange in Southwark Street, St Olave Parish Church in Fenchurch Street, and the usual permanent donor centres. See site for terms and conditions.

PUB: Just want to kick back and relax with a pint and a packet of pork scratchings? Our pubs guide has information about all of the best pubs in London, organised by area for your convenience. Find a boozer near you, or see if your favourite made the cut.

SUMMER HOLIDAYS: Looking for ways to entertain children during the Summer holidays?

BEER FESTIVAL: The Great British Beer Festival returns to Olympia, with 900 different real ales, ciders and perries available, and over 55,000 happy drinkers expected to attend. £10 in advance/£12 on the door, 12 noon-10.30pm (until Saturday)

LAST CHANCE: Comics Unmasked at the British Library closes next Tuesday, so it's your last chance to see this history of the British comic industry, from sex to superheroes. Prebook, until 19 August

PHOTOGRAPHY: Dissolve: Reflections on Canary Wharf is on display at Long White Cloud. This café and art gallery located in Hackney Road launches a new exhibition featuring photographs by Marsha Dunstan. See the tall and grey buildings of Canary Wharf dissolving into colourful water reflections. Free, until 31 August

SOUTHBANK CENTRE: Take a backstage tour of the Royal Festival Hall, part of Southbank Centre. Learn about the history of the building and see views of the Thames that are usually off-limits to the public. £8.50, prebook, 11am

MUSEUM ARTEFACTS: There's a chance to get hands-on with some of the Horniman Museum's artefacts today. Sadly the walrus remains off limits but have a look at shark's teeth, a West African thumb piano and more, and learn the stories behind them. Free, just turn up, 2pm

PUPPET THEATRE: The Puppet Theatre Barge moors in Richmond-on-Thames today for the opening of the show A Child's Garden of Verse. Poems for both adults and children are combined with music, shadow puppets and marionettes. £12/£10/£8.50, prebook, 2.30pm

FILM SCREENING: Marmalade Me at South London Gallery is a screening event inspired by the writings of Jill Johnston and is connected to the exhibitions currently on at the gallery. £5/£3, prebook, 7pm

CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS: Objecting To War is a local project by Ben Copsey aiming to tell the untold stories of the wartime conscientious objectors of Islington and Camden who united to create the Peace Pledge Union. Tonight at Housmans bookshop in Kings Cross, Ben shares some of their stories. 7pm

PULP FICTION: Celebrate the 20th anniversary of Pulp Fiction at Hackney Attic. A waiter-service screening of the film is followed by live music (Tarantino-inspired tracks feature heavily) and a dance competition. £10/£7, prebook, 7.30pm

LIVE MUSIC: The Forge in Camden hosts Nepalese bass player, composer and improviser Roshan Gurung, who brings two of his experimental projects, Bajabaah Duo and Bajabaah Trio, to the venue in one night. Free, just turn up, 8pm

Find more London events in our Free & Cheap events listings. Want to see your event in these last-minute listings? Email us at hello@londonist.com at least 48 hours before the event, and we will consider it for inclusion. Note, due to high volumes of email, we can’t always reply.


Camden Fringe

London’s biggest performing arts festival, Camden Fringe, is well under way. Every day throughout the festival, we’ll be bringing you our pick of shows to catch that day. Today’s suggestions are below:

In The Egg Soup, a woman has made egg soup at all major events in her life, and as a result, has now attached many emotions to the making of it. At Camden People's Theatre, until 13 August

In God Created Brixton, award winning comedian Amadeus Martin takes you on a journey through Brixton urban legends, anecdotes and observations, from the failed Viking Invasion of 885AD to his God-fearing mother’s villainy in the 1985 riots. At the Camden Head, until 15 August

The Girl In The Blue Coat is a Thomas Hardy musical adaptation of the story of  Abbie Pollin in 1840s Britain. She acquires a new blue coat which leads to a life-changing encounter, but be warned, somebody wants revenge on the girl in the blue coat. At Hen and Chickens Theatre, until 17 August


Have You Tried …

Wingit? If you want even more ideas for things to do in London then this new app should be able to help. Using an algorithm to scan social networks, Wingit checks your location and promises to find great London events happening near you in real-time. From performances to pop-ups, screenings to street art, download the free app today to see what’s going on just round the corner.

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This week’s Things To Do In London is sponsored by Wingit.


Good Cause of the Day

There's still time to sign up for the ZSL London Zoo Streak for Tigers, taking place this Thursday. Get your kit off and run a lap of the zoo in aid of the zoo's tiger conservation work. Registration is £20 per person, with a sponsorship target of £150, or register as a team for £90. More information and registration.

From the Archive

Ever wondered what the city looks like through a child's eyes? Last year, the Royal Academy held an event giving children the chance to build the city from Lego bricks. Although the exhibition has now closed, the pictures are worth a second glance, particularly the final result - a plastic London spread along the banks of a mock Thames.