This weekend's Things To Do In London is sponsored by Pact Coffee, who are offering Londonist readers 250g of freshly-roasted coffee, sent direct to your door, for just £1 (inc. P&P). Use code Londonist10 and get yours here. More details below.
All weekend
SPICY WEEKEND:
Kew Gardens gets all hot under the collar at a weekend dedicated to chillis and beyond. Find out the science behind tasting and if you're a 'supertaster', learn tips and techniques at cooking demonstrations and tuck into an array of spiced sweets and savouries, plus peruse the gardens and glasshouses at your leisure. £14/£13/£2.50, prebook, 10am
BAKE OFF LIVE:
If you love Great British Bake Off, you'll want to nab tickets to The London Cake and Bake Show at ExCel London, Docklands. Get baking, tasting and learning. £9, prebook, 10am
CLASSIC CARS:
The car boot sale gets a makeover at King's Cross with over 100 antique cars keeping vintage collectors and enthusiasts happy. Plus heritage fairground rides, roaming street theatre and a vinyl DJ an old Routemaster. £4, prebook, 10am
CRAFT MARKET:
The Crafty Fox arrives in Brixton with beautiful handicrafts and handmade bits and bobs from dozens of traders. Get your Christmas shopping done early, and in a relaxed fashion. Free, just turn up, 11am
ROCK'N'ROLL WALK:
Take a tour of swinging Soho with Rock and Trips, encompassing both iconic and lesser-known recording studios, live music venues, party places and tons of top trivia. £15, prebook, 11am Saturday and 3pm Sunday
DOC'N'ROLL FESTIVAL:
Another way to dose up on music is at the annual Doc'n Roll Festival. Catch music documentaries at Picturehouse Central on Shaftesbury Avenue, from footage of the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival to films on contemporary songwriting and Irish folk. Most films £15, prebook, from 3pm Saturday
Saturday 3 October
PHOTO WALKS:
Enjoy some social snapping on the seven London walks taking place as part of Worldwide Photo Walk day. Bring your camera to Waterloo, Heathrow, Spitalfields, South Kensington, Richmond or Rickmansworth and submit your work at the end for the opportunity to win prizes. Free, prebook, various times
BEAR GRYLLS FESTIVAL:
Join the TV adventurer in Trent Park for suitably tough challenges, exotic animals, bushcraft demonstrations and family-friendly activities. Entry free for under 12s. £15, prebook, 9am
URBAN MAMMALS TALK:
This one day course offers you an insight into the animals that live in urban environments, offering a chance to explore the Horniman Museum's mammal collection. £31.25, prebook, 10am
VICTORIAN DAY:
Battersea Dogs and Cats Home celebrates its Victorian heritage in tribute to founder Mary Tealby. Tour the kennels and cattery and learn what it was like to be a stray dog on London's streets in the 1860s. Plus there's accordion music, vintage games, pie and mash and a Victoria sponge contest. £2/£1, just turn up, 10.30am
THE CHIMP WHO WENT TO WAR:
Explore the story of a grass skirt-wearing First World War captain and his intrepid chimp companion. Children aged 5-11 will love making their own boats, designing an adventure outfit, creating a sculpture and listening to stories at the National Archives at Kew. Free, prebook, 10am and 12.30pm
PREFAB WALKING TOUR:
A walk through areas of south east London which were bombed during the Blitz. This two hour tour takes you around prefab locations past and present, derelict and inhabited. £5, prebook, 10.30am
APPLE DAY:
Spend a leisurely few hours at the Victorian stable yard of the National Trust's Morden Hall Park. There's apple tasting, pressing and printing and local apple treats. Free, just turn up, 11.30am
MAGIC SHOW:
The Side Show of Wonders features 52 sideshows, including the Fairground Clairvoyant and the French Guillotine — from illusionist Richard Leigh at the Jermyn Street Theatre in Picadilly Circus. £10, prebook, 11.30am
COFFEE TOUR:
Start at Soho's Algerian Coffee Store, then taste your way through this walking lesson on the history, business and culture of London's favourite drink. £15, prebook, noon
CROSSWIRES FESTIVAL:
Head to the Amersham Arms in New Cross for Crosswires Festival, which brings together art and live international musicians. During the day there's a body percussion workshop where you learn how to make the most of your body to create complex music. £4/£7/£10, prebook, 1.30pm
BLACK EPHEMERA:
Bishopsgate Institute offers an opportunity to learn about several UK collections and archives including the Bernie Grant Archive at Bishopsgate Institute and Black Cultural Archives. By exploring newspapers, magazines, postcards, hand bills and pamphlets, a range of speakers will cover different historical perspectives and the role of ephemera in promoting political activity, grassroots activism and cultural heritage. Free, prebook, 2pm
MODERN DANCE:
You can safely expect great things from Beyoncé's choreographer Dana Foglia. See this blend of street style and classical technique in her show Vatic at Jacksons Lane Theatre, Highgate. £15, prebook, 2pm and 7.30pm
MUSIC FOR MUSEUMS:
The Whitechapel Gallery pushes boundaries once again with this art-meets-music series. Vocals, film and performance combine in this set from Paul Abbott, Cara Tolmie and Mikhail Karikis. £10, prebook, 4pm
PINTS AND PUZZLE SOLVING:
At Thinker, Drinker, Soldier, Spy, immerse yourself in a Cold War espionage-themed clue-hunting puzzle and pub crawl in central London. Crack codes, find clues, receive covert communications with undercover contacts and down a few pints for Queen and country. From £15, 4.30pm
ICE HOCKEY:
Support the London Raiders against their fearsome rivals, the Cheltenham Chieftains, at Lee Valley Ice Centre in Stratford. £8/£4, prebook, 5.30pm
PUNK WOMEN:
We Shall Overcome weekend gets noisy with Loud Women, a night of female-led pop and punk, at the Silver Bullet in Finsbury Park. As well as rocking the stage they'll also be collecting for Women's Aid. Free, just turn up, 6pm
OLD SCHOOL CHINATOWN:
The Blue Lotus Opium Den at Mayfair's Carousel recreates the decadence of 1870s Chinatown with dim sum, cocktails and 'insalubrious' entertainment. £38, prebook, 7pm
MEXICAN DINNER:
Tuck into a Mexican meal without a nacho, sombrero or maraca in sight at Kitchen Theory: México in Maida Hill. Instead of burritos and chili con carne expect modern twists on authentic dishes, with or without insects. £65, prebook, 7.30pm
POLISH PIONEER:
Polish composer and champion of contemporary classical music Henryk Góreckiis celebrated in a Total Immersion event at Barbican, featuring films, discussions and concerts. £10-£21, 7.30pm
COMEDY:
Reginald D Hunter headlines the Union Chapel tonight, alongside Roisin Conaty, Sheeps, Boy With Tape on his Face and all MC'd by The Horne Section. Good stuff. £20, prebook, 7.45pm
ELECTROSWING:
If you already love electroswing, you'll love White Mink's show at the Clapham Grand; if you haven't yet experienced it, you're in for a treat. Classic dance numbers go electric in this old-school venue. £15, prebook, 8pm
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This weekend’s Things To Do In London is sponsored by Pact Coffee.
Sunday 4 October
CHICKENSHED FUNDAY:
Take the little ones to the north London theatre's annual fundraiser featuring zorbing, a bouncy castle, face-painting, a fancy-dress competition and performances from Chickenshed's youth band and community choir. There's also a fun run. Mainly free, just turn up, 11am
BREWING MASTERCLASS:
If you love drinking beer, try making your own with this mini masterclass at The Shakespeare in Farringdon. Get to grips with malt, hops and fermentation before sitting down for a well-earned full English washed down with a few pints. £55, prebook, 11.30am
HAWAIIAN FEAST:
Pond Dalston hosts a full-blown Hawaiian Luau feast (hog roast), centring on a whole roast Kalua pig with all the trimmings. Other dishes include smoked lamb with Hawaiian spices or Tempura Portabello mushroom on sweet potato poke, showcasing the best in modern Hawaiian cuisine. £13.50, prebook, 12pm-8pm
VEGAN JAMAICAN:
Vegan blogger and cookbook author Kirly-Sue leads a vegan Jamaican cookery demonstration at Icetank on Tottenham Court Road, showing you that vegan cooking needn't be boring. Ticket includes recipe sheets and a goody bag. £33.45, 1pm
PALACE FOR GROWNUPS:
At Camden People's Theatre you can play at being a kid again, but first the serious stuff: hear talks about mental health, porn, voting, booze tasting and ageing. Things get lively at the Big Kids party, hosted by a drag queen. Expect face painting, party games and craft workshops for adults. Free, prebook, 2pm
WRESTLING:
Enjoy a drama-and Lycra-filled afternoon in Edmonton at the Millfield Theatre. See title fighters and young hopefuls with attitude. £14.60, prebook, 2.30pm
DOCTOR'S ORCHESTRA:
The Doctors’ Orchestra, a 60-strong orchestra made up of doctors from all over the UK and beyond, gives a concert at Cadogan Hall to raise awareness of The Compassionate Friends charity. From £12, prebook, 3pm
GRAND ORGAN GALA:
The splendour of this mighty instrument is on full display at the Royal Albert Hall with organist Stephen Disley accompanied by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the Royal Choral Soceity. Hear magnificent pieces from Bach, Handel, Mendelssohn, Elgar, Saint-Saëns and more. £25, prebook, 3pm
VISUAL MUSIC FILMS:
See a selection of psychedelic short films exploring light and sound in 16mm format at the Barbican. Head Trips: Abstraction and Infinity features a programme of trance pieces from the 50s to the present day, curated by the director of LA's Center for Visual Music. £9.50/£8.50, prebook, 5pm
ALL THE JAZZ:
100 Years of Jazz in 99 minutes does what it says on the tin. The musical Reduced Shakespeare Company takes you from ragtime to the present day via bebop, swing, Latin and more. £11.50, prebook, 7.30pm
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