Things To Do In London This Weekend: 20-21 February 2016

All weekend

Do Chinese New Year, Po style at Shrek's Adventure. Image: Victor Lee

SHREK'S ADVENTURE: Celebrate Chinese New Year with Kung Fu Panda's Po at Shrek's Adventure. The walk and ride attraction is offering special craft workshops and face painting as part of Chinese New Year. You can also meet a huge selection of DreamWorks characters at the County Hall attraction. £17.47/£13.97, prebook, 10am-5pm (6pm on Saturday)

CIRQUE DU SOLEIL: With the perfect backdrop of the Royal Albert Hall, Amaluna — the newest spectacle from Cirque du Soleil — makes its UK debut. The show, written and directed by Tony Award-winning director Diane Paulus, marks Cirque du Soleil's 20th anniversary. Various prices, prebook, 3pm/7.30pm

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BRRING: Spin through the West End on this Love London Bike Tour with guide, Jess. Whizz round Waterloo, cycle through Southbank and ride past the Royal Opera House. Salute the Queen with a bike bell "brrring" as you pass Buckingham Palace — all on this three-hour tour. £24/£22, prebook, 12pm

MAGIC LANTERNS: If you haven't seen it yet, why not? We loved it. The Magical Lantern Festival sets Chiswick House and Gardens ablaze with colourful illuminations for the Year of the Monkey. Discover installations dotted across the gardens, including a huge dragon, Beijing's Temple of Heaven and the Tree of Life. Mesmerising. £16/£10, prebook, 5pm

MEDITERRANEAN COOKERY: Fill your mouth with summer flavours at this Mint Cookery class. In a three-hour experience, you'll master French or Italian cookery, depending on the workshop. Learn new skills from experienced chefs and create a three-course feast. £26, prebook, 5pm

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COMEDY: There's a full weekend of comedy from the likes of Sara Pascoe, Abandoman, Holly Walsh and Sarah Kendall — plus some howlers from the world of casting calls — at the Phoenix Fringe. £8/£10/£30 session, all weekend

Saturday 20 February

Head down the rabbit hole like Alice (see below). Image: Tom Simpson

SMASH FEST: This south London festival, Smash Fest, is created around the story of a massive solar storm which wipes out our electronic infrastructure, throwing us back to the mechanical age. How would we survive? The Albany and Deptford Lounge will be crammed with exhibits and activities, including a human power station, code club, solar exhibitions, performances, discussions and more. Free, (both turn up and ticketed events), 10am-6pm

FOREST SURVIVAL: Budding Bear Grylls can sharpen their survival skills with a bushcraft workshop in Epping Forest. Set things on fire (safely), learn to use a knife and cook your own camp cuisine. You'll be ready for the wilds in no time. £22 (including lunch), prebook, 10am

A DAY IN WONDERLAND: Head Through The Looking Glass at the British Library's Discovery Day. A jam-packed Saturday celebrating all things Alice. Hear the adventures of Wonderland, meet the Mad Hatter, go in search of the White Rabbit and see if you can bring a grin to the Cheshire Cat's face. All ages welcome. Free, just turn up, 11am-4pm

GET INTO THE GROVE WITH VOGA: If you're a yoga bunny with a Madonna side trying to get out, try this upbeat workout. Voga — a hybrid of both yoga and iconic 1980s dance beats. With the same health benefits of yoga plus added motivational music, you'll be vogue-ing in no time. £10, prebook, 11am

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HULA HOOP HIJINKS: There's more to hula hoops than a bag of crisps! Get your swivel on at this hula hoop workout with Obie, performer with world record holders The Majorettes. Get ready to swing, twist and hoop your way to fitness this Saturday. Adult hula hoops are provided, so just dress for a workout and get ready to spin. £12, prebook, 1pm

WALK: Home to archbishops, birthplace of punk — Croydon's crammed with contrasts. Take a walk on the side of anarchy with this Doughnut Outer London tour. Join architectural journalist, Merlin Fulchar, for the first in this series from the Architecture Foundation. £10, prebook, 2pm

GOODFELLAS: Catch Martin Scorses's mob masterpiece Goodfellas at The Exhibit — London's smallest independent cinema. Help yourself to a dish from their menu to munch while you immerse yourself in the hard-hitting underworld. £19.95, prebook, 5pm

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LITERARY PUB CRAWL: Visit where Dickens liked a tipple on this tour of the watering holes of famous London writers. See the literary history of London with a pint in your hand, winding from Fitzrovia to Soho. You'll take in venues where the Bloomsbury group discussed ideas and visit pubs associated with London's film industry. £18, prebook, 5pm

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HOUSE OR DISCO: You don't have to choose at Trapeze Bar's House Vs Disco in Shoreditch. Doctor's Orders will take to the decks, spinning songs to get the place vibrating, joined by a host of other top DJs. Expect mash ups and dank beats galore. £6.60, prebook, 10pm

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Sunday 21 February

Sample artisan cakes at this East London market. Image: Aroma Cake Boutique

ARTISAN MARKET: See some of the city's best artisan products at The London Artisan market in Shoreditch's Old Truman Brewery. An electric combination of all types of produce, from cakes from Aroma Cake Boutique, bread from The Bread Companion and handmade gifts from Madame Chalet and House And Hamper. Free, just turn up, 10am-5pm

MAKE YOUR OWN SANDALS: Who needs Louboutin? Play footwear designer yourself and create bespoke summer sandals with I Can Make Shoes. Craft a personalised pair from leather with Amanda's expert guidance and leave wearing them. Wit woo. £80, prebook, 10am

PADDINGTON PUBS: Join a sociable saunter around Paddington punctuated by interesting pub stops and discover there's more to the area than the station and the bear. £20+bkg, prebook, 12pm

RADICALS, PUNCH UPS AND POO: There've been some political dealings in Clerkenwell over the last 250 years, from Thomas Paine to Boris Johnson. Take a tour through these radical streets, discover the original Clerk's Well from 1150 and see where Lenin got the Russian revolution rolling. £7, prebook, 2pm

THE MAGIC CAVERN: A family-friendly illusion show, The Magic Cavern brings astounding trickery to the Barons Court Theatre. Get up close to the magic in this intimate spectacular, now in its 10th mysterious year. £10, prebook, 3pm

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SHOREDITCH IMPROV FESTIVAL: Join City Improv's Bullsh*t Graffiti Tour as they take you round some of Shoreditch's best street art, using your suggestions to give their eye-opening (but totally made-up and therefore, useless) opinions. Then head to The Water Poet for the day's first improv show. £10, prebook, 3.30pm

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GET A GRIP COMEDY: At 82, Lynn Ruth Miller is one of the UK's oldest comedians. Let her take you through death, life and the dinners in between, with original songs and stories at Leicester Square Theatre. Eight decades of triumphs, failures and hilarity, all in one show. £8.50, prebook, 5pm

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LONDON GAY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: LGSO brings some drama to Sunday with Dvorak’s Carnival Overture and Mahler's Symphony No.4. Britain's oldest LGBT orchestra, it's toured both internationally and UK-wide and raised thousands for charity over its 19 years. £8, prebook, 7pm

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CHOCOLATE MAKING: Turn Willy Wonka and immerse yourself in chocolate making (and eating). This luxury workshop will help to get to grips with making and flavouring your own truffles while you sip chocolate martinis and prosecco. All ingredients provided and chocolate-rolling beginners welcome. £56, prebook, 7pm

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