Free things to do in London this week.
See what's free at Making It Festival
The Guildhall School of Music and Drama's Making It Festival spans music, opera, theatre, performance, installations and talks — all created by the school's students and community. Many events on the programme are free, while others start at just £5.
Free events this week include Birdmother: A Nest-In-Progress, "an ecofeminist performance which considers what we can learn about mothering and being in the world, from a great tit", and a concert celebrating the work of British composer John Barry.
8-26 June.
Dig down into the architecture of the Tube
London Blue Badge tour guide Louise Halfpenny leads an illustrated talk at Guildhall Library on Tuesday afternoon, exploring how the London Underground network has inspired creatives since 1863. Learn about diverse works, from the world-famous Tube map to Henry Moore's poignant wartime sketches and Jock McFadyen's 1990s paintings.
9 June.
Get tied up in knot theory
There's more to knots than just sailing and camping: Tuesday's free Gresham College lecture sees Gresham Professor of Geometry Alain Goriely giving an introduction to knot theory, including their mathematical properties, and how they're used in tangled cords, shoelaces and the complex structures of DNA.
Watch in person at Barnard's Inn Hall (Holborn), or online via livestream.
9 June.
Celebrate the start of the World Cup with free live music
With the FIFA World Cup getting under way on Thursday, sports bar Box Piccadilly kicks things off on Wednesday night with a free music performance. A live eight-piece orchestra gives renditions of football-and sport-related tunes, including classic World Cup and England anthems.
10 June.
Learn about ocean protection in Honduras
Between Wednesday and Sunday, swing by Oxo Gallery on South Bank for free exhibition Ocean Guardians: Voices From The Shore.
International nature conservation charity Fauna & Flora spotlights those on the front line of ocean protection in Honduras, through a series of photos. Learn how how fishers, elders and young conservationists are defending their homes, cultures and coastlines against growing threats to the sea.
10-14 June.
Make music at this free outdoor playground
Better known for suspended sculptures of various planets and moons, artist Luke Jerram turns his attention to the floor instead, for free installation Stepping Out at Southbank Centre.
The concrete steps outside the Royal Festival Hall are adorned with 'islands' of colour, and stepping on them triggers bespoke music, created by BAFTA- and Ivor Novello Award-winning composer and sound designer Dan Jones, with orchestral musicians from the National Theatre.
The music changes each week throughout the installation's run, so worth popping back again and again — and definitely worth bookmarking for free ways to entertain kids during the upcoming summer hols!
10 June-30 September.
Catch free live opera on your lunch break
Once again, performers from Opera Holland Park take part in Songs on the Steps, a free lunchtime recital which anyone is welcome to enjoy. Simply head to the steps close to the OHP venue (perhaps pack a blanket and/or your lunch) to catch the 40-minute performance.
12 June. The same day, the Royal Opera House offers one of its free Live at Lunch concerts, where you can see Royal Ballet and Opera and guest artists performing for free.
Start your weekend with free live music
Every Friday throughout June, Leadenhall Market offers free live music and roaming performers, inside the ornate City of London building.
This week's Summer Sessions sees Walter the Waiter do conjuring tricks, followed by tunes from the Wonderful Uke Strollers.
12 June.
See London's parks and open spaces through new eyes
As part of Harry Styles' Meltdown, Southbank Centre opens a free exhibition showcasing London's parks and open spaces through new eyes. Photographs by young refugees and asylum seekers go on display for London Parks: An Exhibition. Some of view the capital's parks as places to explore, pause and reflect; others depict them bristling with life and energy.
12 June-1 July.
Get your bike blessed
A brand new tradition begins outside St Paul's Cathedral on Saturday — the Blessing of the Bicycles! Inspired by a similar annual event in NYC, anyone on a road bike, trike, cargo bike — even a 56-inch Penny-farthing — is invited to Paternoster Square at 10am, for a special ceremony to bless the road ahead. Who knows, maybe you'll never get a puncture again...
13 June.
Ride a vintage bus for free
From two wheels to four... On Saturday, buses dating from the 1930s-90s (though mostly from the 1950s-60s) ply the 213 route between Kingston and Sutton, with anyone welcome to hop on board for free.
Heritage buses also run on the 293 route between North Cheam and Epsom, all organised by the London Bus Museum. Simply turn up at a stop along the routes between 10am-5pm and wait for the vintage vehicles to pick you up. Rides are free (though not accessible for wheelchairs or pushchairs). Just make sure you don't hop on a regular, 21st-century TfL service instead — you'll be charged the usual TfL fare if you do.
13 June.
Enjoy a free concert in Trafalgar Square
Fingers crossed for wonderful weather on Saturday afternoon, as the London Symphony Orchestra gives a free outdoor summer concert in Trafalgar Square.
Entry is free on a first come first served basis, so arrive in plenty of time to bag yourself a spot, and hear works including Holst's Movements from The Planets, Elgar's Movements from Enigma Variations and the world premiere of Louise Drewett's Four Dances.
13 June.
Have a roaring good time at Bearpit Karaoke
Returning to Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens for a few sessions this summer, Bearpit Karaoke is a free open-air singalong (hopefully in the sunshine), hosted by Joe Hatchiban. Some deckchairs are available, but bringing a picnic blanket is a savvy idea. And no, you don't have to sing! Register ahead of attending.
13 June.
Visit Wandsworth Prison Museum
Not everyone who enters the gates of Wandsworth Prison gets to leave so soon, but you can be in and out as quickly as you like during the open days at the Wandsworth Prison Museum (though we recommend giving yourself enough time to view everything in the pint-sized museum).
The displays consist of 470 objects telling stories of famous prisoners including Oscar Wilde, Jack the Ripper, the Kray twins, and great train robber Ronnie Biggs.
13-14 June.
Take part in the World Naked Bike Ride 2026
If you're prudish, avoid central London on Sunday. Otherwise, look out for — or perhaps even join — the World Naked Bike Ride.
Hundreds of nude cyclists take to two wheels in a protest against car culture, and to celebrate body freedom. Several routes, including an accessible one, begin at different spots around the capital, converging around Westminster Bridge for a grand finale near Wellington Arch. It's free to take part (don't forget your suncream!), and anyone's welcome, as long as you're physically able to follow the route, and you behave respectfully.
Note that contrary to previous years, the WNBR takes place on a Sunday rather than a Saturday.
14 June.
