Budget-friendly things to do in London this week for £5 or less.
Looking for more free things to do in London? Here are 102 of em! We've also compiled this epic map of free stuff in London.
Pick up a short story to celebrate Black History Month
For the duration of October, the Short Story Stations at Canary Wharf are printing works by Black authors, including Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, Diane Abbott, Paul Brunson and Mohamed Mbougar Sarr. At the touch of a button, you can print a one, three, or five-minute-long story onto eco-friendly paper, with tales covering everything from crime to comedy.
Free, throughout October.
Get style tips from James Bond
Maison Assouline in Piccadilly invites you to pick up some style tips from the James Bond films, courtesy of a free exhibition featuring six costumes, including the blue cocktail dress worn by Luciana Paluzzi in the 1965 film Thunderball and Daniel Craig's tactical suit from No Time To Die. There are also three digital concept drawings, and a Dior jewellery set to ogle.
Free, until 8 October.
See how a small plot of garden is being rewilded
The wonderful Bethlem Gallery in Bromley has a new exhibition, Inside the Walled Garden, which tracks the rewilding of a small plot of land inside the Bethlem Museum of the Mind that's been left to rewild. Photographs and excerpts from artist Sue Morgan's sketchbooks are on show, documenting her findings from this ongoing experiment.
Free, 7 October-2 December.
Learn about Ignatius Sancho
Guildhall Library offers a free online talk about the life of Ignatius Sancho on Tuesday. He arrived in England as an orphaned baby, and rose from slave to composer, author and banker after a neighbour recognised his intelligence and began his education
Free, 8 October.
Attend a free lunchtime concert in rather splendid settings
Once again, Queen's House Greenwich offers a free lunchtime concert, given by students from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. Exact performers are TBC at time of writing, but it takes place in the Great Hall. If you want to make an afternoon of it, book a free ticket to visit the rest of the building before or after the show.
Free, 9 October.
Check out the free events at this brand new festival
A new festival celebrating the City of London launches on Thursday this week. The City Festival of Music, Invention & Knowledge is a programme of concerts in venues all around the Square Mile and beyond, some of them rather impressive. Though there's a charge to attend the evening events, the Before They Are Famous series of lunchtime recitals by up-and-coming musicians is free. Head to St Dunstan-in-the-West on Thursday lunchtime to see performers from the Julian Joseph Jazz Academy. Look ahead on the programme to next week for more free shows.
Some events free, 10-24 October.
View stereotype-shattering photos of female refugees
As part of Bloomsbury Festival (which has a fair few free events if you're willing to sift through the programme), charity Action Aid hosts a free outdoor exhibition, Women by Women: Shattering Refugee Stereotypes and Narratives.
Wander over to Brunswick Square Gardens to view photos of women and girls living through displacement and seeking asylum from persecution or harm, who are shattering stereotypes about refugees. All of the photos were taken by women: photographers in Poland, Uganda, Bangladesh, Türkiye and Colombia.
Free, 10-28 October.
See three new photography exhibitions for free
Ever been to the Photographer's Gallery near Oxford Circus? If you're into photography it's fantastic, often opening several exhibitions on the same day. Such is the way this week, with three opening on Wednesday:
- Deborah Turbeville: Photocollage highlights the work of the American fashion photographer
- Ten.8 in Focus: The Legacy of Black Image and Body Politics is a special archive display celebrating the renowned photography journal
- Letizia Battaglia: Life, Love and Death in Sicily is a solo show of work by the trailblazing Italian photographer.
Though there's normally a charge to enter the gallery, it's free after 5pm on a Friday — meaning this Friday evening, you can view three brand new exhibitions, for free.
Exhibitions open from 9 October. Free entry on 11 October (and every Friday) after 5pm. Otherwise £10 to see all exhibitions.
Immerse yourself in the UK snowboarding scene
Free photography exhibition The Snowboard Asylum Presents Since '89 showcases the UK snowboard scene over the past 35 years. Curated by the editorial team at The Reason Snowboard Magazine, it takes over Peckham's Copeland Gallery, showcasing all facets of the sport in this country, from the rough and ready, DIY dryslope sessions of the early days to the podium-topping careers of recent generations.
Free entry, 11-13 October.
See what's on at Streatham Festival
Down in SW16, Streatham Festival gets underway, celebrating creativity and talent in the area through music, theatre, comedy, walks, talks and classes. Although not all events are free, plenty are, including a Zumba party to kick things off on Friday night, a macro photography session in the Rookery on Saturday, and a dog walk on Sunday. We quite like the sound of the free night sky photography talk next week, too.
Some events free, 11-20 October.
Cheer on runners in London's Royal Parks
The Royal Parks Half Marathon takes place this Sunday, taking runners on a route through four of London's eight Royal Parks. You're too late to sign up for this year (phew?) but there's nothing to stop you cheering on the hardy souls taking part, many of them raising money for charity.
There's a route map here: it starts in Hyde Park and wends through Green Park, St James's Park, central London streets (which are closed to traffic for the day) and Kensington Gardens, before finishing back in Hyde Park. Pick your spot, and get ready to cheer.
Free to watch, 13 October.
Make like Mary Poppins at Blackheath Kite Day
Head to Blackheath (close to Talbot Place) on Sunday afternoon for Kite Day, and watch the Kent Kite Flyers showcasing their big kites. Down on the ground, two local schools give a free steel pan performance.
Free entry, 13 October.
