Looking for something fun to do today? Something eye-opening to watch tonight? Something delicious to eat tomorrow? Our guide to things to do this week in London is personally curated, ensuring there's always a diverse range of events for you to choose from. Get stuck in!
All week
TOTALLY THAMES: An annual celebration of London's river, Totally Thames Festival returns from Monday for a month of tours and river cruises, music performances, talks, art installations, theatre shows and guided walks. Highlights of this first week include the free River of Hope exhibition showcasing artworks made by local schools, and a mudlarking exhibition in the Roman Amphitheatre at Guildhall this weekend. 1-30 September
VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR: Eric Carle's children's book The Very Hungry Caterpillar is the inspiration for a new trail at Ham House and Garden in south-west London. It's designed for younger children and their families: pick up a trail sheet when you arrive and follow the illustrated signs to learn about the life cycle of a butterfly. 1 September-12 October
GDIF: Greenwich + Docklands International Festival continues until the end of this week, offering free open-air theatre, circus and dance performances in east London. Highlights of the final week include The Weight of Water, a dance show on a floating platform exploring the effects of climate change, and Dancing City, which brings performances to a variety of outdoor spaces in Newham. FREE, until 6 September
EVITA: Rachel Zegler stars in Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's legendary musical Evita, about Eva Perón's rise from poverty to become the most powerful woman in Latin America. Tickets for this one are among some of the priciest we've ever seen in the West End (£200+ for basic seats at time of writing!) and are selling fast for this final week — but remember that Zegler sings the show's biggest number Don't Cry For Me Argentina from the London Palladium's balcony overlooking the street, so if you happen to be passing at the right time, you can see that bit of the show for free. Until 6 September
BURLESQUE: Songs by Christina Aguilera, Sia and Diane Warren feature in Burlesque the Musical, which brings to a close its West End debut at the Savoy Theatre. Set in an underground nightclub, it tells the story of Ali, who searches for her mother in New York and discovers an underground world of music and dance. Until 6 September
A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS: Stage and screen actor Martin Shaw stars as Sir Thomas More — scholar, ambassador, Lord Chancellor and friend to King Henry VIII — A Man For All Seasons at the Harold Pinter Theatre. See the historic figure forced to choose between his loyalty and his own conscience, for which (spoilers) he eventually pays the ultimate price. Until 6 September
FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY: See photographs shortlisted for the World Food Photography Awards on display at the Museum of the Home in Hoxton until this weekend. The pictures come from all over the world, and showcase all of the ways food affects our lives, from growing, harvesting and cooking, to eating, celebrating and surviving. FREE, until 7 September
THE LEGEND OF THE TITANIC: Discover the history of the world’s most famous ocean liner at a huge new exhibition at Dock X, Canada Water. Featuring next-generation VR and Metaverse experiences, a 360° projection room, original artefacts from the time and more across multiple rooms, the stories of the Titanic and her passengers are brought to life like never before. (sponsor)
GIUSEPPE PENONE: Sculptures and works from 1969 to today by Italian artist Guiseppe Penone are on display at Serpentine South Gallery, extending beyond the gallery into the surrounding park too. Penone is a leading figure in the Arte Povera movement which celebrates the simplicity of natural materials and artistic techniques, and the works on display here showcase the relationship between humans and the natural world. FREE, until 7 September
THE GREAT GATSBY: F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby takes the form of a musical at the London Coliseum, following a run on Broadway. It's a visually stunning show, telling the story of millionaire Jay Gatsby's infatuation with friend and neighbour Daisy Buchanan, and the fallout surrounding it. Until 7 September
CATS IN CARTOONS: The Cartoon Museum puts felines in the spotlight for its Cats in Cartoons exhibition, showcasing the greatest cats to grace comics, newspapers and magazines feature, including Bagpuss and Garfield. The show explores why we're so drawn to cats. Until 7 September
COLDPLAY: A Film For The Future is the film created to accompany Coldplay's newest album, Moon Music, and it's being shown in a limited number of screenings at Lightroom in King's Cross. As is Lightroom's way, viewers are completely immersed in the film, with projections on the walls, floor and ceiling. Until 8 September
THE PRODUCERS: Mel Brooks' outrageous musical comedy The Producers is now playing at the Garrick Theatre, following a sold-out, smash-hit run at the Menier Chocolate Factory. Struggling Broadway producer Max Bialystock schemes with accountant Leo Bloom to create the biggest flop in theatre history — only to have it backfire spectacularly. Packed with show-stopping numbers, belly laughs, and backstage mayhem, this is musical theatre at its boldest, brassiest best. Booking until February 2026 (sponsor)
PUB OF THE WEEK: The Tavern on the Hill in Walthamstow has just reopened under new management, pouring beers from East London Brewing, cocktails and coffees — and peddling a scrumptious-looking burger menu. Note that to begin with, it'll only be open Wednesdays-Sundays.
MARKET OF THE WEEK: Soho's Rupert Street now has a market running six days a week, and long into the evening. Monday and Tuesday sees a 'general market' (60% food/40% non-food); Wednesday is artisan food, drink and gifts; Thursday has street food trucks and stalls; Friday is vintage fashion and clothing; and Saturdays host arts, crafts and jewellery stalls. Mon-Sat, 3pm-10pm
Today's events: Monday 1 September
LADY MACBETH: The BBC Proms are still ongoing at the Royal Albert Hall and other venues around the country, and tonight Amanda Majeski stars as Katerina in Shostakovich’s Lady Macbeth, an opera telling the story of a lonely woman in 19th-century Russia who falls in love with one of her husband's workers and is driven to murder. 6.30pm
PUB QUIZ: The Golden Hinde hosts its monthly pub quiz. Test your trivia skills in teams of up to six people, with prizes for the top three teams, and enjoy refreshments from The Hinde Bar while you compete. 7pm
HAPPY MONDAYS COMEDY: For this week's Happy Mondays Comedy at the Amersham Arms in New Cross, Nick Helms offers a preview of his work-in-progress show for his upcoming tour. Donatas Staneika, Anna Gray, Faye Soteri and a special guest are also on the line-up. 8pm
JAM SESSION: Ever-characterful Telegraph Hill pub Skehan's hosts another Monday jam session tonight, with punters welcome to bring along their instrument and join in, or simply sit and soak up the sounds. 8.30pm
GOD SAVE THE QUEEN: Basement bar CellarDoor hosts its God Save the Queen drag night, with Topsie Redfern bringing her intoxicating mixture of camp cabaret, musical theatre and tempestuous flirtation below stairs. 9pm-11.30pm
Today's events: Tuesday 2 September
THE SWITCHBOARD PROJECT: Dramatic comedy theatre show The Switchboard Project is set in 1985, and follows volunteers answering calls at the Gay Switchboard in King’s Cross during a time of crisis for the LGBTQ+ community. It shines a light on the critical roles women played in the AIDS crisis and the development of the queer community. See it at the Hope Theatre in Islington. 2-13 September
GREAT FIRE: Many myths have emerged around the Great Fire of London, but guide Richard Watkins' walking tour aims to cut through them all, attempting to see how events really unfolded. Meet at Monument station and see where the fire broke out, as well as visiting some of the churches and other buildings affected, as it made its way through the City over the course of five days. 2.30pm-4.30pm
URBAN LINE DANCING: As part of the Waterloo, Who Knew? initiative, showcasing what the area has to offer, Morley College offers a free urban line dancing taster session. Learn short, choreographed sequences that are easy to follow, to an uplifting soundtrack of soul, jazz, and rhythm & blues. FREE, 6.15pm-7.15pm
EDENGLASSIE: The former name of the Australian city of Brisbane — a combination of Edinburgh and Glasgow — Edenglassie is also the name of the new novel by Melissa Lucashenko, a Goorie (Aboriginal) author of Bundjalung and European heritage. Tonight she's at Waterstones Gower Street talking about the book, which tells two extraordinary family stories, separated by five generations, bound together by the legacy of colonial violence in Australia. 6.30pm
FRINGE FIX: As part of the ongoing Fringe Fix series highlighting shows from this year's Edinburgh Fringe, Underbelly Boulevard Soho hosts Laura Benanti: Nobody Cares. The Tony Award-winner's one-woman comedy show tackles getting older, people-pleasing, and the absurdity of it all, and sounds like it could be quite a giggle. 7pm/9pm
CHIPPY TEA: West Midlands Comedy twosome Bab are back with another instalment of Chippy Tea at Aces and Eights in Tufnell Park, introducing a veritable Selection Box of tasty stand up/sketch acts, including Chris Hall, Marty Gleeson, Ibs Sesay, Rob Copland, Behemoth, Pravanya Pillay and Laura Walsh. 7.30pm-10.30pm
Today's events: Wednesday 3 September
MULTI-SENSORY PERFORMANCES: Throughout the remainder of this week, multi-sensory performances are dotted around the Southbank Centre site. We Should Never Have Walked On The Moon is an immersive takeover from two powerhouse dance companies, Rambert and (LA)HORDE Ballet national de Marseille, featuring 50 performers plus DJs, digital works, a limousine and community performers in unexpected locations. The title is a nod to a comment that Gene Kelly is reported to have made to astronaut Buzz Aldrin. 3-6 September
TO DETAIN OR TO PUNISH: Dr Kiran Mehta introduces her new book To Detain or to Punish: Magistrates and the Making of the London Prison System, 1750–1840, at the London Archives. Hear about the diverse penal landscape of 18th century London, including how imprisonment was more common than is generally acknowledged, alongside how London authorities reformed the prison system from the late 18th to mid-19th century. 5.30pm
TERRY PRATCHETT: Marc Burrows brings his hit show The Magic of Terry Pratchett to the Royal Vauxhall Tavern, exploring the fantasy author's life from from his days as a school librarian, to his creation of one of the most famous fictional settings ever, Discworld. Profits go towards Cabaret vs Cancer, raising money to help people affected by cancer, and Not a Phase, which improves the lives of trans+ adults. 7pm
MOONLIGHT EXPRESS: Journalist and bestselling author of Around the World in 80 Trains, Monisha Rajesh is back with her new book, Moonlight Express. Head to Stanfords in Covent Garden to hear her in conversation with author Dan Richards about the night train’s unique charm, mystery, and resurgence around the world. 7pm-8.30pm
BAT WALK: Environment and bat expert Dr Iain Boulton leads a bat discovery walk around Windmill Gardens in Brixton. Bat detectors are supplied as you explore the area around the windmill in search of wildlife. 7.45pm
COMEDY NIGHT: Christian Reilly, Tom Houghton, Marcus Beeby and Janey C are all on the line-up at Comedy at the Crown & Treaty in Uxbridge. Your ticket includes a drink: either a Windsor & Eton craft beer, a medium house wine, or a soft drink. 8pm
ST VINCENT: American singer-songwriter St Vincent makes her BBC Proms debut in a one-off show at the Royal Albert Hall. She collaborates with Jules Buckley and his orchestra, performing brand-new symphonic arrangements of tracks from her eclectic back catalogue. 8pm
Today's events: Thursday 4 September
THE REMARKABLE BEN HART: Magician Ben Hart returns to Wilton's Music Hall with The Remarkable Ben Hart, showcasing his skills as a master of illusion. Combining storytelling with magic, he hosts an interactive experience that challenges perceptions of reality. 4-5 September
IN CONVERSATION AT KEW: Kew Gardens launches brand new event series In Conversation at Kew, with well-known faces taking part in conversations on stage, while you watch with a picnic. TV nerdery, history, gardening and nature are the topics each day, with Mary Beard and Nicki Chapman among those taking part. Richard Osman kicks things off with today's morning session, followed by Alexander Armstrong in the afternoon. 4-7 September
LONDON PODCAST FESTIVAL: Headphones at the ready for London Podcast Festival at Kings Place, which sees both mainstream and niche podcasts filmed in front of a live audience, with some recordings streamed online too. No Such Thing As A Fish, and the Empire Film Podcast are some of the big name shows, along with offerings on comedy, history and wrestling. 4-14 September
GREAT APE: Wander onto the terrace at the Royal Geographical Society (Kensington) to view Australian artist Lisa Roet's 13-metre Great Ape installation, with an accompanying installation in the Society's Pavilion also open to the public. The artwork highlights the role of public art in raising awareness around ecological and urban environmental issues. FREE, 4-14 September
NEGRONI BAR: Noodle and Beer in Soho launches a 'Secret Campari Negroni Bar' tonight — a month-long residency, in which various twists on the negroni (as well as classic negronis) are slung in a small bar bathed in red light, stashed away in the restaurant basement. 4-30 September
HORNIMAN MUSEUM LATE: One of London's regular evening openings, this month's Horniman Museum Late puts the spotlight on female creatives from across the South-West Asian and North African (SWANA) region. Visit the museum after hours and wander through a female-owned market, take part in hands-on workshops and activities, and enjoy a line-up of live artists and DJs. FREE ENTRY (charge for some workshops), 5.30pm-9pm
CHARITY POETRY EVENING: Stoke Newington Bookshop hosts an evening of poetry in aid of Hackney Night Shelter. Friends, volunteers and supporters of the homelessness shelter take part in an evening of poetry and spoken word, with open mic slots available for anyone else to have a go. 6.30pm-9pm
SECRET CONCERT: DEBUT's Secret Concerts series comes to Queen’s House in Greenwich. Begin your evening with drinks on the terrace and views of the Thames, London skyline and the Old Royal Naval College, before heading inside for an intimate hour-long concert featuring a handpicked line-up of musicians in a specially curated programme with voice and different musical instruments. 6.45pm/8.30pm
Today's events: Friday 5 September
THE CURIOUS MIND: "Interest is the most important thing in life; happiness is temporary, but interest is continuous." So said Georgia O'Keeffe, and thus inspired The Curious Mind — a space that brings together artists, thinkers and makers. For the next three days, you can take part in free book-making/binding workshops, still life drawing sessions, poetry writing classes and more, at a venue in Cavendish Square. Register your interest. FREE, 5-7 September
CELEBRASIA: South East Asian culture is celebrated at Battersea Power Station's CelebrASIA festival throughout this weekend. Watch live performances including dance, orchestras and DJ sets, browse themed market stalls, and try your hand at crafts including lantern making. Plus there will be food stalls selling dishes from Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore. 5-7 September
MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM: Southwark Playhouse Borough transplants Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream to London in 1905, when three siblings put on a play, arguing over whether lions, pirates, fairies and all manner of other characters should be included. 5-27 September
PRIDE & PREJUDICE: Ahead of the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen's birth this December, get reacquainted with arguably her most famous novel, via a 2005 film adaptation. Keira Knightley stars as Elizabeth Bennet with Matthew Macfadyen as Mr Darcy, shown on the large, open-air screen at Rooftop Film Club Stratford. 6.15pm
DESIGNING FOR DOWNTON: Period drama Downton Abbey is having a bit of a moment, ahead of the release of the third and final film next week. While there's currently a free costume and props exhibition at Bonhams, the V&A hosts costume designer Anna Robbins to talk about how she has recreated and reinterpreted the styles of the 1930s for the upcoming finale. Tickets to watch in person have sold out, but you can still tune into the live stream. 6.30pm-7.30pm
ABBA ON BRASS: For a rowdy start to your weekend, make your way to Between the Bridges on South Bank, where legendary ensemble Old Dirty Brasstards are tackling ABBA's greatest hits. The lively 10-piece band gets you up singing and dancing to Mamma Mia, Dancing Queen, Take A Chance On Me and all manner of other ABBA songs. 7pm-11pm
IRANIAN EMBASSY SIEGE: Join historian Ben Macintyre and former hostage Sim Harris for a first-hand account of the SAS storming of the Iranian embassy in London in 1980. The event, at Barbican, recalls the six-day siege that captivated millions on live television. Hear about Harris's famous leap from a balcony during the dramatic rescue operation, and get insight from unpublished materials and testimonies. 7.30pm
Today's events: Saturday 6 September
ARTS FEST: Gabriel's Wharf Arts Festival 2025 sounds delicious. The family-friendly festival, on the South Bank between the National Theatre and Oxo Tower, takes place over two Saturdays, and it has everything: live jazz and folk guitar, readings from authors (including one of our favourites, London Clay writer Tom Chivers), arts, crafts, a harpist, poetry and (intriguingly) "manipulations with a stunning crystal ball." All this and more among the independent shops and eateries of this vibrant Thames-side quarter. FREE, 6 and 20 September (sponsor)
CLASSIC BOAT FESTIVAL: All manner of vintage vessels moor up at St Katharine Docks (next to the Tower of London) for the Classic Boat Festival this weekend. Even if you don't know your port from your starboard, it's a fascinating spectacle, with around 50 preserved vessels on display, including Dunkirk Little Ships. FREE, 6-7 September
HALAL FOOD FESTIVAL: The World Halal Food Festival brings dozens of food stalls to the London Stadium in Stratford, offering you a chance to sample Halal food from around the world, from burgers and hot dogs to cakes and pastries. Watch celebrity chefs whipping up their own Halal dishes and, if you like what you see, stock up on ingredients at the shopping stalls before you leave. 6-7 September
VINTAGE MARKET: Merton Abbey Mills hosts a vintage market on the banks of the River Wandle. 30 vintage traders from across London and the south-east pitch up to offer mid-20th century and vintage furniture, interior decor, homewares, posters and prints, books, records, vintage clothes and more. A great reason to explore this lovely corner of London if you've never been before. 10am-4pm
DENMARK STREET SESSIONS: Famous music thoroughfare Denmark Street — AKA Tin Pan Alley — is the venue for free one-day music festival Denmark Street Sessions. Expect "part street party, part open house, and a series of intimate live shows" at stores, bars and venues in and around the area to keep you grooving through the afternoon and late into the night. FREE, 2pm-11.30pm
LAMBETH WALK: Part guided walk, part promenade theatre and ever so slightly twisted and macabre, it's difficult to describe Minimum Labyrinth's Doin' the Lambeth Walk (Oi!). Tour the little-known backwaters of Lambeth and meet some strange characters along the way. Just brilliant. 2pm
FRAUDS: Two-piece rock outfit Frauds headline a guitar-laden show at The Waiting Room in Stoke Newington tonight — with support from Archers, and Sinews. Doors 7pm
MYRA DUBOIS: Drag comedy persona Myra DuBois brings her UK tour Cosmic Empath to Hackney Empire, which sees her questioning where her great gift for compassion comes from, with her trademark comedy and music thrown in. 7.30pm
Today's events: Sunday 7 September
SUMMER FLEA: Enfield's former IKEA warehouse, now a live music venue, Drumsheds goes back to its retail roots, hosting the Drumsheds Summer Flea. The outdoor market spans 200 traders selling vintage furniture, homeware and decor items, as well as jewellery and unexpected oddities. 10am-5pm
DAYBREAKER: ALIVE LDN is a dance music and wellness festival taking place at Hackney Bridge, with a live DJ set from Groove Armada, along with yoga, run clubs, sauna sessions, and exhilarating dance experiences. It's organised by Daybreaker, the community hosting sober morning wake-up raves all over the world. 10am-8pm
BLITZ WALKING TOUR: Mark the 85th anniversary of the Blitz through the eyes of contemporary artists who responded to the intense aerial bombing with their paintings and drawings. The London Archives offers a tour around the St Paul’s Cathedral area, led by City of London Guide Lecturer Jonathan Wober of London On The Ground. 11am-1pm
SHORT FILMS: The first of two events in The Shortest Nights: British Short Film Festival takes place at Rich Mix in Shoreditch. Comedy shorts, brief films about human connection, and lots and lots of dogs feature on today's programme. The festival continues at Rich Mix on Tuesday. 12pm
FINCHLEY AT WAR: A rare guided walk around the Finchley area, with a focus on the local contributions to the First World War. The supremely experienced guide Mark King touches on numerous local stories — from the very first casualty of the war, to the cows that helped sustain the population, whose descendants still graze the same fields. 2.30pm
DISAGREEING WITHOUT HATE: Conway Hall kicks off a new term of Ethical Matters debates with Professor Paul Dolan from LSE exploring the concept of 'Beliefism' and how it affects our interactions with those holding opposing views. Find out why many of us struggle to engage with people whose opinions differ strongly from our own, and how tolerance can enhance various aspects of our lives. 3pm-4.30pm
HARLOTS & STRUMPETS: Be guided by 'The Baroness' through the sordid 18th century streets of London, to encounter high-class courtesans and women working the streets, business-savvy brothel madams and country girls in over their heads. This Harlots, Strumpets & Tarts Walking Tour, by Herstorical Tours, finishes up in the Nell Gwynn pub just off Strand. 5pm-7pm
IYAD RIMAWI: Syrian composer Iyad Rimawi performs a special one night only show at Barbican, full of cinematic storytelling and melodic scores blending Arabic and classical elements. He's joined by a whole host of musicians to showcase his unique style, including his work songwriting and producing for the pioneering Syrian band Kulna Sawa. 8pm
