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
DOWNTON ABBEY FLOWERS: Kew Gardens hosts brand new event Fleurs de Villes: Downton Abbey, a flower festival themed on the TV period drama, opening on Monday. A grand marquee is set up in front of Kew Palace with fresh floral mannequins and other Downton-inspired floral creations, as well as live botanical demonstrations and talks from local florists and experts. 22 September-1 October
MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM: Last chance to see Southwark Playhouse Borough's take on a Shakespeare classic, transplanting 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. Until 27 September
WANSTEAD FRINGE: Finish this year's Wanstead Fringe on a high with a final week of events spanning a West Ham United quiz night, a one-off meal cooked by Michelin Star chef Lee Westcott, plus an audio trail, theatre shows, tours and more. Until 27 September
TILL THE STARS COME DOWN: National Theatre production Till the Stars Come Down is at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, telling the story of Sylvia and Marek's wedding, taking place on a hot day where passions boil over and limits are tested. Until 27 September
COPACABANA: The London Cabaret Club's latest all-singing, all-dancing production is Copacabana, an electrifying celebration bursting with vibrant showgirls, exotic decor and the infectious energy of a Rio carnival. Expect plenty of feathers, cha cha-ing and exotic cocktails. Until 27 September
VIRTUAL BEAUTY: The latest exhibition at Somerset House is Virtual Beauty, exploring the intersections of digital culture and beauty standards and AI's take on beauty, featuring over 20 international artists. Highlights include Amalia Ulman's commentary on social media authenticity. Until 28 September
OF THE OAK: One of the oldest trees at Kew Gardens is the focus of world-premiere digital art commission, Of The Oak. The 12-minute interactive video installation is shown on a six-metre-high LED portal in the gardens, tracking the Lucombe oak across four seasons. Until 28 September
ROYAL DOCKS ORIGINALS: A glowing fire garden, an arts and crafts market, and a chance to share a cable car with a composer, a poet, or an artist and co-create an instant piece of art are all on the programme at the free Royal Docks Originals festival this week. FREE, until 4 October
DRINK OF THE WEEK: The venue formerly known as Bunga Bunga has reopened in Covent Garden as Bunga 90, a 'multi-sensory playground' packed with a kaleidoscope of 1990s references (VHS tapes, a PlayStation 1, a video wall playing music videos), plus cocktails including the Fresh Prince, which is, naturally, served in its own Will Smith-shaped vessel.
Today's events: Monday 22 September
YIELD NOT TO EVIL: New musical Yield Not To Evil is performed in concert at The Amadeus in Little Venice, exploring themes of resistance against oppression through a powerful narrative and uplifting songs. 2pm/6pm
GONG BAR TAKEOVER: For one night only GONG welcomes mixologist Hampus Thunholm, the creative force behind renowned Stockholm bar Röda Huset, for an evening of Scandinavian mixology. Enjoy a special menu of cocktails high above London’s skyline within Shangri-La at the Shard. 6pm-10pm
PISTOLS IN ST PAUL'S: Back in 1951, a revolver was fired beneath the dome of St Paul's Cathedral, in a scientific test to measure the building's acoustics (the reverberation lasted for nearly 12 seconds). Tonight, head to Temple Bar to hear Dr Fiona Smyth giving details of the incident, as told in her book Pistols in St Paul’s. 6.25pm
FINDING HESTER: The Churchill War Rooms hosts a panel discussion with the authors of Finding Hester, a new book telling the true story of one of the most mysterious figures behind Operation Mincemeat, the Second World War plot which used the corpse of a homeless man to fool Germany and help the Allies invade Sicily. Followed by a Q&A with the authors and a chance to explore the Churchill War Rooms. 6.30pm-8.30pm
MUSICAL FAIRIES: Why has Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream, and especially its fairy-folk, inspired so much music over the centuries? Professor Dominic Broomfield-McHugh investigates, with a free Gresham talk at Conway Hall. FREE, 7pm
BBC WOMEN: Colleen Murrell and Caroline Wyatt are at the Frontline Club to introduce their book, BBC Women Reporting The World, which examines the careers of female foreign correspondents, from Kate Adie to Shaimaa Khalil, and how power structures and gender-based assumptions at the BBC have changed from the 1970s to the present day. 7pm-8.30pm
REGENCY DRESS: With the upcoming 250th anniversary of author Jane Austen's birth, author and fashion historian Hilary Davidson takes a deep-dive into the world of Regency dress in a talk at the V&A, using objects from the museum's collections to demonstrate. 7pm-8.45pm
Today's events: Tuesday 23 September
DOOMSCROLL TILL I DIE: An episodic cabaret of theatre, drag, clowning, lip syncing, music, movement and dance, Doomscroll Till I Die comes to Islington's Pleasance Theatre, combining outrageous comedy with shocking stories. 23-27 September
MUSIC TAKEOVERS: Across a few days, the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre holds Music Takeovers, with various artists taking to the stage to perform. It kicks off today (and tomorrow) with singer-songwriter and actor siblings Johnny and Lillie Flynn embarking on their first joint musical project. Bear's Den, Richard Hawley and Asha Banks also perform over the coming days. 23-28 September
PRETTY LITTLE LIARS: Unhinged Halloween specials from TV show Pretty Little Liars are shown in a special screening at Rooftop Film Club Peckham. Episodes The First Secret, This Is A Dark Ride, and Grave New World are on the line-up at the open-air cinema, getting you in the mood for spooky season. 6pm
MRS DALLOWAY: Mark the centenary of Virginia Woolf's Mrs Dalloway, in the company of the author's great-niece, Emma Woolf, who's hosting a literary reading and discussion, along with a special guest, at The Bloomsbury. The evening begins with a glass of bubbles, and canapés. 6.30pm-8.30pm
IMPOSSIBLE JOURNEY: Visiting all 203 countries in the world without flying sounds like an impossible journey, but Thor Pedersen managed it over the course of a decade, becoming the first person to do so. Hear him talking about his adventure, and the book he wrote about it, at Stanfords in Covent Garden. 7pm-8.30pm
BOOKER SHORTLIST ANNOUNCEMENT: Attend the announcement of the shortlist for this year's Booker Prize, live at Southbank Centre. The longlist which was announced in July is whittled down today, ahead of the winner announcement on 10 November. Judges of the Booker Prize 2025 Roddy Doyle, Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀, Sarah Jessica Parker, Chris Power and Kiley Reid host the event. 7.30pm
DRAGAOKE: Join drag royalty, Adam All & Apple Derrieres for their weekly karaoke night at The Phoenix Arts Club. Belt out your favourite tunes, from musical theatre, to pop medleys and more. 10.30pm
Today's events: Wednesday 24 September
ALICE COCKAYNE: Alice Cockayne returns to Soho Theatre Dean Street with Licensed. Professional. Trained. Qualified., an hour of character comedy masquerading as intellectual prophecy, mixing insightful commentary with plenty of laughs. 24-27 September
CHELSEA HISTORY FESTIVAL: The National Army Museum, the Royal Hospital Chelsea and Chelsea Physic Garden team up again for this year's Chelsea History Festival, which covers local, national and global history. This year includes tours of the Royal Hospital, and talks on topics including Jane Austen, and Shakespeare's first theatre. First day highlights include a punk-themed walking tour around Chelsea, and drinks writer Henry Jeffreys discussing how alcohol shaped Britain. 24-28 September
LIBERTY FESTIVAL: Taking place as part of Wandsworth's tenure as London Borough of Culture, Liberty Festival is a fully inclusive event spotlighting and celebrating disabled artists. Highlights include Capturing the Forest at Battersea Arts Centre, a multi-media immersive installation exploring access to nature for everyone who isn’t able to, and Elvis Died of Burgers, a dance/rap show by BLINK Dance Theatre, a Wandsworth-based company made up of four neurodiverse artists. 24-29 September
SHAKESPEARE IN THE CITY: Though more closely associated with Stratford Upon Avon, William Shakespeare spent a lot of his life in London. Learn about the traces of him which can still be found in and around the City, in a free Guildhall Library talk by tour guide Pete Smith. FREE, 2pm-3pm
CROCHET NIGHT: Waterstones Piccadilly holds an evening of crochet, with sessions for beginners to learn the art form and master the knack of creating granny squares. Different workshops throughout the evening are led by different authors of crochet and crafting books. 5.30pm
MEDIEVAL WOMEN: Join tour guides Laura Agustin and Rob Smith for a walk with a difference. You’ll 'meet' 6 women who lived and worked near the Thames in Southwark in the 14th century: scullery maid, victualler, laundress, alewife, sex worker and huckster. What was life like for such women, whose stories rarely make it into history books? 6pm
UNDERGROUND CINEMA: Watch a screening of 2006 film Marie Antoinette deep below Rotherhithe in the Thames Tunnel shaft. Part of the Brunel Museum's French Revolution season. 6.30-10pm
END OF THE UNIVERSE: How will the next 100 billion years play out, and how will it all end? Prof Chris Lintott of Sky-at-Night fame gives a Gresham lecture on this grandest of topics. FREE, 7pm
PIRATE MUSIC: A night of musical mischief awaits on board the Golden Hinde as pirate band Frankie Heartless and The Heartless Rogues take over. Enjoy sea shanties, jigs, folk tunes, and pirate revelry aboard the historic ship, where dressing in pirate costumes is highly encouraged. 7pm-10pm
Today's events: Thursday 25 September
ALGERIAN CULTURE FESTIVAL: Rich Mix in Shoreditch hosts DzFest, a festival of Algerian arts and culture, this year themed on the landscapes of the Sahara. It opens with a comedy night headlined by Mehdi Walker, performing his debut hour Algerian Sauce, followed by live music events across the weekend. 25-27 September
BRITISH ART FAIR: The British Art Fair takes place at Chelsea's Saatchi Gallery, showcasing Modern and Contemporary British Art, with 70+ exhibitors selling. Works by the greatest names in British art, such as Frank Auerbach, Banksy, Tracey Emin, Barbara Hepworth, Damien Hirst, David Hockney, L.S. Lowry, Henry Moore, Paula Rego and Bridget Riley, are available to buy. 25-28 September
THE LAMBETH FRINGE: Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the Lambeth Fringe (previously known as Clapham Fringe) offers its biggest programme yet, with over 200 shows across 25 venues spanning theatre, comedy, cabaret, music and family events. Highlights include queer comedy night Bianca's Gay Agenda, Gunpowder Plot-inspired show Remember, Remember!, dark comedy Flying Ant Day, and child-friendly The Ultimate Bubble Show. 25 September-25 October
DIRTY LOOKS: Opening today at Barbican, Dirty Looks is an exhibition that challenges conventional beauty in fashion, showcasing how dirt and distress have shaped modern aesthetics. Featuring notable designers like Hussein Chalayan and Alexander McQueen, the exhibition explores the shift from pristine to imperfect styles in fashion. 25 September-25 January
TOUR GUIDING: Ever wanted to be a tour guide, or just interested in the 'art' of guiding? Saira Niazi has done extensive research into tour-guiding all over the world, and put together her thoughts in the book Renegade Guides. She's giving a talk and Q&A at the John Harvard Library in Borough tonight. 5.30pm
ROBIN HOOD GARDENS: Tate Modern hosts an evening of film and discussion about the layered history of Robin Hood Gardens, a social housing estate in Poplar that was home to many communities, but which was demolished between 2017 and 2025. Watch artist Do Ho Suh's film about its Brutalist architecture and hear the stories of the people who lived there. 6.30pm-8pm
CLAPHAM JUNCTION: The Battersea Society hosts local historian Sue Demont for a talk about Clapham Junction, a poorly-named station which, over its 162 years, has become one of Britain's busiest, known nationally and internationally. 6.30pm-8pm
SUPERNATURAL ENCOUNTERS: Join the London Fortean Society at Conway Hall for an exploration into the supernatural with Ben Machell, author of Chasing the Dark. Delve into an array of paranormal investigations conducted by Tony Cornell, noted for his experiences in the field, and hear the details of some intriguing case files, shedding light on the relationship we have with the supernatural. 7pm-8.30pm
PÉTANQUE: The classic French game of pétanque comes to London Fields — but hold the Pernod, because this Circle 13 event proffers exciting zero-proof pours such as the Strawberry Shrub, a mix of Balsamic vinegar, strawberry and soda water. A laid-back way to socialise. And if you want to turn your drink into a hard cocktail, you can. 7pm-late
Today's events: Friday 26 September
TATE LATES: As announced earlier this summer, from tonight Tate Modern stays open later each Friday and Saturday evening, giving you up to three extra hours to explore the galleries and exhibitions. As always, entry to the permanent collection is free, with a charge for some special exhibitions. Until 9pm
LONDON NIGHT HIKE: Do a good deed and sign up to raise money for Maggie's Cancer Charity, in the form of the London Night Hike. Sign up to walk an eight- or 15-mile route alongside the Thames overnight, passing London landmarks as you go. Both routes start at Maggie's Hammersmith Centre and end at the Barts Centre near St Paul's. 26-27 September
FUME FESTIVAL: Get fired up for the final FUME Festival of the year at Woolwich Works. The BBQ experience has 16 top pitmasters from around the globe cooking with various grill styles and flavours, with five sessions available throughout the weekend. 26-28 September
COSTUME COUTURE: Costumes from TV shows and films including Out of Africa, Little Women, Pirates of the Caribbean, Downton Abbey, Pride and Prejudice, Mr Selfridge, Peaky Blinders and The Danish Girl are on display at the Fashion & Textile Museum's new exhibition, Costume Couture, celebrating 60 years of costume house Cosprop. 26 September-8 March
SOANE LATE: Explore the theme of fragments and ruins at Sir John Soane's Museum at a late held in conjunction with the Stone Club. The evening features readings, performances, and films from artists including Jack Catling and poet Rachael Allen. Experience the museum after dark, beautifully lit by candlelight, as you browse its eclectic collections. 6pm-8pm
BRIDGERTON CONCERT: The BBC Concert Orchestra, under the baton of conductor Karen Ní Bhroin, whisks you away to 19th-century England, performing evocative music from beloved period dramas including Bridgerton, Downton Abbey, Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Emma and Sherlock. Takes place at Southbank Centre, with a Regency dance class in the Clore Ballroom immediately after the concert. 7.30pm
Today's events: Saturday 27 September
BRUNCH IN BALHAM: Exhibit in Balham is celebrating 25 years in business — no mean feat these days — so if you're anywhere in the vicinity soon, do pop in sometime. This weekend, as ever, bottomless brunch is served from 11am throughout the day on both Saturday and Sunday. Get yourself a pulled pork benedict, 90 minutes' worth of bubbles/beers, and join in the party. 27-28 September
CLASSIC CAR BOOT SALE: Vintage vehicles park up at King's Cross for the autumn edition of the Classic Car Boot Sale. Ogle the wheels, while buying vintage fashion from the back of them. Other entertainment includes clothing repair workshops, live DJs and motorcycle and scooter ride-ins. 27-28 September
TWIN PEAKS FESTIVAL: Six years since the last edition — and following director David Lynch's recent death — the Twin Peaks Festival returns to London as A Gathering of the Angels. Head to Genesis Cinema for live interviews with Lynch collaborators, the first UK screening of I Know Catherine, The Log Lady; Lynch-inspired short films and more. 27-28 September
MILO EDWARDS: Underbelly Boulevard Soho brings its Fringe Fix series of Edinburgh Fringe highlights to a close with Milo Edwards: Sentimental. The award-winning comedian performs his hit show, about being a 32 year old orphan, one last time for a one-off special taping. 3pm
THE CORDS: Rough Trade West in Notting Hill welcome The Cords, for a 45-minute acoustic set of tracks from their self-titled debut album, followed by a signing. Ticket price includes a copy of the album. 5pm
LEONARDO DA VINCI: The Royal Institution invites you to delve into the scientific mind of Leonardo da Vinci in an evening with Martin Kemp (not that Martin Kemp), the world’s leading authority on Leonardo da Vinci. Find out how the great thinker’s revolutionary ideas continue to resonate today, spanning multiple disciplines including anatomy, geology, and optics. 7pm-8.30pm
SILENT DISCO: The Painted Hall at the Old Royal Naval College makes for rather impressive surroundings for a silent disco. Come dressed as your favourite film or TV character to celebrate 100 years of filming at the venue, and boogie beneath the baroque ceilings to your choice of soundtrack hits, R&B favourites and indie anthems. 7.30pm-11pm
Today's events: Sunday 28 September
SHEEP DRIVE: One of London's wackiest annual events is the London Bridge Sheep Drive and Livery Fair. Each year, a chosen celebrity has the honour of herding sheep over Southwark Bridge while the public watch, followed by a livery fair at the north end of the bridge — keep an eye on the website for this year's celeb announcement. FREE, 10am-4pm
CLASSICAL COFFEE MORNING: Start your Sunday the cultural way with the Royal Albert Hall's classical coffee morning. Vocalist Mariana Rodrigues and keyboardist Andrew Cowie combine vocal music and spoken poetry together with improvised music, while you enjoy a hot drink and a pastry in the Hall's Elgar Room. 10.30am
SUNDAY PAPERS LIVE: Imagine the Sunday newspapers brought to life via talks, performance, food and drink. That's the concept of this much-loved live event, which spans a whole afternoon in a Clerkenwell event space. 12.30pm-6pm
QUEEN: The latest production of Prunella Scales' famous one-woman show Queen stars Deborah Findlay as Queen Victoria and features Prunella in a specially-recorded voiceover she made in 2023, with live piano accompaniment by Michael Dussek. It uses Queen Victoria’s own words, with music that she’d have known, to reveal her private thoughts and feelings. See it at Kings Place. 2pm
NIRVANHER: The ingeniously-monikered Nirvanher are — you guessed — an all-female Nirvana tribute, and they're thrashing out a 90-minute set at the Hope & Anchor in Highbury this afternoon. 2pm-3.30pm
YARD SALE: The Tufnell Park area holds a yard sale every September, with 80 or so houses taking part, selling toys, books, clothes, bric-a-brac and more from their doorsteps. You need to be a resident to set up a stall, but everybody's welcome to browse. 2pm-5pm
BLACK HISTORY CRUISE: Black History Walks offers a guided cruise from Camden to King's Cross and back, delving into the centuries of Black history across Britain's canal networks. Hear about Black scientists and inventors, Ancient African engineering, Caribbean labour and the British Industrial Revolution, and plenty more topics as you float along. 2.30pm-4.30pm
IMPROV COMEDY: The Free Association improv group are upping sticks to a new venue next month, but in the meantime you can catch them above the Lord Stanley pub in north London — and tonight it's Harold Night, a 'Harold' being when the comedians take an audience suggestion, and perform a series of scenes and games from it. 7pm
