All weekend
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ICE SKATING:
If you're feeling festive already, or just fancy burning off a bit of excess energy, take a look at London's seasonal ice skating rink offerings — most of them are now open, so there's somewhere to get your skates on whichever corner of the city you're in.
CHRISTMAS MARKETS:
If you want to get a head start on the Christmas shopping (or just fancy topping up your mulled wine levels), there are at least 10 Christmas markets and fairs taking place across the capital this weekend. See the full list here.
FOODIES FESTIVAL:
If all the Christmas sandwiches on offer at the moment haven't got you into the festive spirit, the Foodies Festival will. The culinary event in Brick Lane has over 150 food producers selling their wares, Christmas cocktail masterclasses and speakers including Great British Bake Off winner Nadiya Hussain. From £9, 27-29 November
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OPEN STUDIOS:
Camberwell Arts has an open studios weekend, with 125 artists and makers at 10 locations across Camberwell, with jewellery, painting, textiles and more on show. Free, just turn up, 27-29 November
SPEAKERS' CORNER:
For this weekend only, Embassy Tea Gallery in Southwark has an exhibition of the work of Jan Enkelmann, a German photographer who spent three years capturing the orators and hecklers at Speakers' Corner in Hyde Park. Free, just turn up, 28-29 November
THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS:
Feeling festive already? Take the family along to artsdepot in North Finchley for a performance of The Night Before Christmas. £9/£6, prebook, 28-29 November
JULIA MARGARET CAMERON:
On Saturday, the V&A opens a new exhibition dedicated to Julia Margaret Cameron, a British photographer known for her portraits of celebrities of her time. The exhibition marks the 200th anniversary of her birth. Free, just turn up, 28 November-21 February
Saturday 28 November
FRONTIERS OF ASTRONOMY:
If you're into astronomy, New Scientist Live has a day long event with Alan Stern (he led NASA’s New Horizon’s mission to Pluto) among other space experts. Topics include how common planets like Earth are, and what we can learn from Pluto. At the British Library. £149, prebook, 10am-5pm
KNITWEAR REPAIR:
As part of TRAID’s #Secondhandfirst Week, head to the Peckham branch for a knitwear repair workshop. Instead of going out and buying a new jumper/scarf/socks, learn to repair the ones you already have. £6, prebook, 10.30am/1.30pm
FILM SCHOOL:
King's College London runs a filmmaking seminar, where you'll learn the basics, from writing and directing, to managing a budget. £59, 10am
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CHRISTMAS FAIR:
Lady Margaret School in Parsons Green hosts a Christmas Fair, with affordable Christmas presents to buy, the school choir singing Christmas carols, mince pies, mulled wine and a variety of stalls. £1 entry, just turn up, 11am-3pm
LIFE DRAWING:
Food, drink, PVA glue and nudity... what could go wrong? Life drawing becomes life collage in this creative event at Carousel London in Marylebone. Use the tissue paper and PVA glue provided to create a likeness of the model. £30, 12pm
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ENFIELD REGISTER OFFICE:
Learn all about the Enfield Register Office at this open day, including the history of the building and the local area, and the services it offers. The Film London Kinovan will be parked outside all afternoon screening heritage films of the local area **UPDATE: Kinovan has broken down and won't be there** Free, just turn up, 12pm-4pm
JUMBLE AND PEARLS:
Jumble and Pearls pop-up fayre returns to The Book Club in Shoreditch, providing an opportunity for you to get a headstart on the Christmas shopping with paintings, screen prints, jewellers, kitsch gifts, underwear, scarves and hats, vintage, crafts, designer wear, 80s fashions, memento mori, tattoo-inspired glass paintings and painted glassware, and more. Free, just turn up, 12pm-5pm
WREATH-MAKING WORKSHOP:
Get in the festive mood by learning how to make a Santa wreath at this workshop at Crafty Arts in Romford. Mince pies and art materials are provided, and you can take your creation home with you. £29.95, 12.30pm
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CRAFT BEER BUS:
Get an insight into the London craft beer scene by hopping on board the Craft Beer Bus and taking a tour of four London breweries, with tastings and a chance to meet the brewers at each stop. £25-£27, 1pm
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LONDON TYPE-IN:
Typewriter aficionados rejoice: head to The Jones Family Project in Shoreditch and spend the afternoon talking typewriters and tapping away. Meet collectors, take a look at some cool machines, test your skills in a typing contest, or try some old-fashioned letter writing. Free, just turn up, 2.30pm-4.30pm
ICE HOCKEY:
Wrap up warm and head along to Lee Valley Ice Centre to see London Raiders take on Oxford City Stars. Not familiar with ice hockey? Swot up here. From £4, 5.30pm
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RETRO GAMING:
Relive the golden age of gaming at Ministry of Sound, where games will be available to play on all four generations of Sega consoles. Titles include Golden Axe, Alien Storm, Thunderforce III and House of the Dead 2. DJs will be playing 90s hip hop tunes, with drinks available all night. £10, 6pm
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AI WEIWEI LATE:
As The Royal Academy's Ai Weiwei exhibition enters its last couple of weeks, see the political artworks after hours, followed by a glass of wine in the Shenkman bar. £21, from 6pm
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DUNGEON LATES:
London Dungeon stays open late, offering an adults-only peek into the underworld of Victorian London. Ticket includes a gin cocktail, pie from Mrs Lovett, 60-minute dungeon tour and dressing up. £25-£29, from 6.30pm
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DESPERATELY SEEKING SUSAN:
Head to Century Club in Soho for a screening of 1985 film Desperately Seeking Susan, starring Madonna. There's a prize for the best-dressed 'Madonna', and the screening's followed by a rooftop party. £10, 6.45pm
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SEALIFE AFTER DARK:
The Sealife London Aquarium on South Bank is open late for an adults-only evening of fish and frolics. Enjoy a welcome drink to steel your nerves before walking over the glass walkway above the shark tank. £29, 6.45pm
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MOTOWN AND SOUL:
Troxy in Limehouse hosts an evening of Motown and Soul music in aid of Cancer Research UK. Performers include Patrick Alan’s Motown Live Revue, the London Soul Choirs, dance group Old Men Grooving, DJ Fitzroy from Soul Survivors and a special live PA performance from Jocelyn Brown. £30, prebook, 7pm
CHESSBOXING:
Chessboxing, if you're unfamiliar with the sport (so were we) sees two opponents go head to head in alternate rounds of chess and boxing. Intrigued? There's a chance to watch it live at York Hall in Bethnal Green tonight. £15, 7pm
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COMEDY AND MUSIC AID:
Mark Watson, star of Mock The Week, hosts a night of comedy and live music in aid of The Moldova Project at Portico Gallery in West Norwood. Performers include Frances Eva Lea, Lauren Bannon and St Thomas, with a DJ set until midnight from Michael Johnson. £15, prebook, 7.30pm
HOUSE OF VOGA:
Yoga meets vogue at Lights of Soho: Voga is a fusion of the two, making for a very 80s fitness event. Choose whether to just take part in the workout session, or stay for the 80s themed dance party, complete with cocktails. £5-£15, 7.30pm
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CAMDEN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA:
Camden Symphony Orchestra's Autumn Concert at St Paul's Church in Covent Garden features Dvorak symphony no. 9 (made famous by the Hovis ad) and Tchaikovsky serenade for strings. £12/£10, prebook, 7.30pm
SPOKEN WORD:
It's a triple dose of spoken word, comedy and storytelling at Rich Mix in Shoreditch. Crick Crack Club, storyteller Ben Haggarty and multi-instrumentalist Jonah Brody bring Gilgamesh to the stage 3,500 years after it was first written (£9/£7, prebook). Knock2Bag comedy night has Edinburgh award winner Sam Simmons performing a set alongside other comedians (£12/£8, prebook). Burning Books sees Jess Green tell the stories of everyday underdogs through lyrical spoken word poetry (£8/£6, prebook). From 7.30pm
CEILIDH CLUB:
Get your dancing shoes on and head to Hammersmith Town Hall for a night of Ceilidh, or Scottish dancing. Taking part in the dancing is optional but good fun, with a live band providing the soundtrack. £16, 8pm
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Sunday 29 November
THE GOOD DINOSAUR:
Head to the Odeon Leicester Square for a screening of Disney Pixar film The Good Dinosaur, with money raised going to the CTBF Children's Fund. £15/£10, prebook, 9.15am
VINTAGE FAIR:
Clerkenwell Vintage Fair comes to Old Finsbury Town Hall with vintage traders selling clothing, accessories and homeware, plus a tearoom and live music. Who needs Black Friday? £3, 11am-5pm
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CAMDEN STREET ART TOUR:
Wander the streets of Camden and see more than 100 pieces of street art on this guided tour. Learn about the history of street art and the processes of creating it. £10, 12.30pm
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GREMLINS AND A ROAST:
Smiths in Spitalfields screens 1984 film Gremlins, followed by a roast beef dinner — the perfect antidote to this chilly winter weather. £20, 1pm
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WINE TASTING:
Cut all the pretentiousness out of wine tasting at Vinopolis in London Bridge. Have a brief introduction from an expert before being loose to pick your seven tipples for tasting. £19, 1pm
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LUNCHTIME CONCERT:
Today is the first in a series of three concerts at Hornsey Town Hall Arts Centre. Grab a ticket to hear members of the Eroica and Brodsky quartets play works including Mendelssohn’s Octet. £11, 1pm
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HIGHBURY WALK:
Islington local and formal National Scrabble Champion Philip Nelkon leads a walk through Highbury Fields. See Georgian houses and relive the romance of Four Weddings and a Funeral before hearing about Arsenal's Highbury Stadium and their new home at the Emirates. £7, prebook, 2pm
ELF THE MOVIE:
If tickets for Elf The Musical are a little out of your price range, treat the family to a screening of the film at Backyard Cinema at Winterville. Set in an indoor forest named The Winter Night Garden, with food and drink available from the enchanted woodland bar. £12.50, 2pm
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EDGE OF DARKNESS:
Remember BBC series Edge of Darkness, part crime drama, part political thriller, first shown in 1985? Regent Street Cinema brings the original TV show to the big screen. £15, 4pm
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LOVE, DEATH AND A RABBIT:
Comedian Charles Adrian Gillott releases his alter-ego Ms Samatha Mann at the Museum of Comedy in Bloomsbury tonight. She's a spinster librarian on a mission to become a celebrated poet. £8, 7pm
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PETE ROCK:
Veteran hip-hopper Pete Rock brings a taste of old school 90s music to Brooklyn Bowl at the O2 in Greenwich, blending hip hop rhymes with jazz music. £17, 7pm
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LONDON CITY ORCHESTRA:
London City Orchestra's Autumn Concert brings a touch of Argentina to Waterloo, featuring among other pieces the London premiere of a Grammy Award-winning violin concerto. £10/£6, prebook, 7pm
99 CLUB COMEDY:
Nathan Caton, Rhys James and Suzi Ruffell form the line-up at tonight's 99 Club comedy gig in Piccadilly Circus. £12.50, 8.30pm
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