Things To Do In London: Thursday 5 February 2015

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Author Antonia Fraser is at Idler Academy

Listings

DANISH FILMS: artFix London in Soho hosts its first ever film festival, celebrating Danish film-making. See Danish films projected onto the big screen all weekend. Free, prebook, until 8 February

HARRY POTTER: Waterstones on Gower Street has a whole day dedicated to the boy wizard. Take part in prize draws, quizzes, a Horcrux-finding scavenger hunt and the chance to dress up and have your photo taken with Harry. Visit the Diagon Alley themed children's section. Free, just turn up, 8.30am-8pm

BREAKFAST TOUR: There's a chance to take a guided tour of Museum of Childhood's current exhibition, Small Stories, which is all about doll's houses. See the exhibition before the museum opens to the public and enjoy breakfast in the cafe. Take a look at other ways you can go behind the scenes or take private tours of London museums. £15, prebook, 9am

CURATOR TOUR: Step aboard the Cutty Sark in Greenwich and take a British Sign Language interpreted curator tour. Learn about the recent conservation project to preserve this unique vessel for the future. £17, prebook, 3pm

QUEER ART: As part of LGBT History Month, Wood Green Library hosts a talk by Marcus Dickey Horley, curator of Access Projects at Tate Modern, looking at 100 years of LGBT art from the Tate collection. Free, prebook, 5.30pm

POVERTY LECTURE: The British Academy hosts a lecture about the truth of poverty, behind the statistics we see in the media. The focus is the experience of poverty. Free, just turn up, 6pm

NEW EXHIBITION: American artist Ron English is at Shoreditch’s Boxpark to present a retrospective of his irreverent art. Expect a live art performance, DJ music and complimentary drinks. Free, just turn up, 6pm-9pm

PETER SELLARS: Theatre stalwart Peter Sellars is at Rich Mix to talk about theatre culture and its role in the contemporary world. Free, prebook, 6.30pm

ANTONIA FRASER: Author Antonia Fraser is at The Idler Academy in Westbourne Park to talk to Tom Hodgkinson about her new memoir, My History, A memoir of growing up. She'll also be signing copies of the book. £20, prebook, 6.30pm

NAMING OF THE SHREW: Why has the entirely land-loving Eastern Mole been named Scalopus aquaticus? This, and other issues of Latin naming are discussed at Chelsea Physic Garden. John Wright, author of The Naming of the Shrew, discusses the history of the Latin names used to describe our natural world. £15, prebook, 6pm

GREEN BELT: The London Society holds an event focused on London's green belt in Farringdon. Three experts on the topic share their views of where London might grow to, considering the current green belt designation around the city. £9/£7, prebook, 6.30pm

LIFE DRAWING: The Fleming Collection in Mayfair offers a series of life drawing classes led by artist Janet Casey, taking place in the gallery. £15/£10, prebook, 6.30pm

SUPER SHORTS: Head for the comfy sofas in Cafe 1001 off Brick Lane for the latest set of cool short films courtesy of Shorts On Tap. Watch seven shorts which run the gamut of emotions while they explore anti-Valentine sentiments, there's a chance to meet the film-makers too. £3, prebook, 7pm

COMEDY: Tony Law kicks off the first Green Milk comedy night at The Pipeline in Liverpool Street, with Matt Rees, Harriet Kemsley, James Loveridge and Stephen Bailey. £10-£6, prebook, 8pm

BLOOD: Today’s opportunities to donate blood are at The Hop Exchange on Southwark Street, London Marriott Hotel in Canary Wharf, Selhurst Park Stadium in Thornton Heath, York House in Twickenham and the usual donor centres. See site for terms and conditions. Scared of donating blood? Watch our video.

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.


Good Cause of the Day

Have a dig about in your wardrobe — tomorrow is Wear Red Day in aid of British Heart Foundation. Simply wear something red and make a donation to help medical research into heart disease.

From The Archive

Whore’s Nest, Naked Boy Court and other strange London street names that we explained last year.