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A Fast Guide To London's Fast Food
As Notting Hill Carnival gets under way the air will be filled the aroma of Caribbean cuisine as street food vendors line the streets. But our fascination with outdoors, on-the-go eating isn't a new thing, we traced the origins of this foodie phenomenon right back to Roman times.
Things to do
GRAND SUMMER STEAM UP:
The London Museum of Water and Steam in Brentford is hosting a week-long festival where families can enjoy hands-on activities and giant bubble making in the Splash Zone before taking a ride on the Waterworks Railway. The steam powered Shand Mason Steam Fire Engine will also be in action. £11.50, concessions available, prebook, until 6 September
DIPLOMACY:
If you're into gaming why not take part in Diplomacy at Mind Sports Olympiad in Hampstead — where you lie your way to victory, just like the politicians do in real life. £15, prebook, 10am
WOMAN UP:
Conway Hall present a weekend of discussion about what it means to be a woman in the UK today. Topics will cover pay gaps, periods, school life, media coverage, sexual assault and much more from a female perspective. £3/£6, prebook, Saturday and Sunday, 10am-5.30pm
ART AND POSTER GUIDED TOUR:
Head to the Museum Depot in Acton to take a tour of some of the iconic and rarely seen posters in Transport for London’s extensive collection. Tours run twice per day. £8.50/£10, prebook, 11.30am and 1.30pm
SUMMERFEST:
Head to the South Bank for Summerfest, a weekend of entertainment for the whole family to enjoy. Grab some after work drinks and BBQ food before kickstarting the weekend with top DJs delivering the best in club and chart classics, RnB and hip hop ranging from the 80s to current chart-toppers. £10, prebook, 4pm-9pm
REAL ROOTS CARNIVAL WARM UP:
Get in the spirit with The Real Roots Crew in Finsbury Park. Expect live DJ sets throughout the night. 6pm-4am
PIANO BAR:
If you're looking for somewhere to listen to jazz tonight head to GH Space in Soho; it's an intimate venue with decent musicians and only a fiver. £5, prebook, 6.30pm
PADDINGTON COVERS:
Head to Norfolk Square Gardens just behind Paddington station to hear some of the best UK cover bands without splashing out on Reading Festival tickets. Bands include Smith & Sons [Mumford & Sons], Metallicar and DJ Duo Freight Train. Grab some food from the stalls, nab a deckchair and soak up the sun (providing there is some). Free, just turn up, 12.30pm-7pm
COMEDY:
Rather than go to Edinburgh, Richard Herring decided to do all his old shows at Leicester Square Theatre. Tonight’s is The Headmaster’s Son, one of his best. £15, prebook, 7pm
PLANET OF THE APES:
See Planet of the Apes at Royal Festival Hall accompanied by the Live BBC Orchestra. £15, prebook, 7.30pm
THE MAGIC HOUR:
Add some excitement and awe to your Friday night with this magic show at Grand Royale London Hyde Park Hotel in Queensway. Tony Middleton produces great shows which blend the supernatural and the bizarre. Don't forget to pick up your complimentary cocktail. £21.50, prebook, 8pm
BFI OUTDOOR SCREENINGS:
Tonight there's an outdoor screening of 1970s cult classic Badlands at The British Museum. Fingers crossed the weather perks up. £10.05, prebook, 8.15pm
Good cause of the day
Today you can see young carers perform their newly-choreographed dance routine alongside a photography exhibition on the theme of identity at Surrey Quays Shopping Centre, Southwark. The performance and exhibition are the culmination of a month’s creative sessions led by the charity Createarts. Free, just turn up, noon/12.30pm
Update Your Wardrobe
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Find more London events in our Free & Cheap events listings. Want to see your event in these last-minute listings? Email us at [email protected] 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.
