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!
What's on all week
WAFFLE WEEK: Sky-high City restaurant Duck & Waffle marks International Waffle Day (25 March) with a whole Waffle Week, reimagining favourite takeaway dishes as waffles. Savoury and sweet specials are available alongside the usual à la carte menu including Waffle Pizza, the ‘DWFC’ jerk chicken waffle, and desserts such as Naughty Cookie Waffle and Banana Fritter. 23-27 March 2026
TEENAGE CANCER TRUST: Elbow, Garbage, the Manic Street Preachers and Wolf Alice are among the music headliners at a series of gigs in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust, taking place at the Royal Albert Hall this week. It's not just music either — there's a comedy night on Tuesday, starring Maisie Adams, Jack Dee, Stewart Lee, and other big names. 23-29 March 2026
EASTER HOLIDAYS IN LONDON: The majority of London schools begin their Easter holidays this week. If you've got children or teenagers to entertain, keep an eye on our Easter holidays events guide covering shows, exhibitions and one-off events, as well as some free things to do.
FOOTBALL TOURS: Last chance to take advantage of the current off-peak weekday Stadium Tour offer at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with tickets from just £23 for tours running until this Friday. Go behind the scenes at the state-of-the-art sports venue, visiting locations including the changing rooms, tunnel and pitchside — and get a photo with the UEFA Europa League Trophy. Plus, kids go free! Until 27 March 2026 (sponsor)
QUANTUM UNTANGLED: Science Gallery London’s current exhibition Quantum Untangled — closing this weekend — explores quantum science through artworks, immersive installations and research-led projects. Consider big quantum questions and learn about the power quantum science has to transform our futures. FREE, until 28 March 2026
LONDON'S PARKS AND GARDENS: Art exhibition Melissa Scott-Miller: London Parks and Gardens at the Garden Museum showcases the artist's magnificent paintings of green spaces around the capital. Both private gardens and well-known parks feature, including the Garden Museum's own green spaces. Until 29 March 2026
BLITZ: The Blitz — the short-lived London club night that launched the careers of Spandau Ballet and Boy George — is the subject of a Design Museum exhibition, with over 250 items: clothing and accessories, design sketches, instruments, flyers, magazines, furniture, artworks, photography, vinyls and rare film footage. Until 29 March 2026
EMERGENCY EXITS: Head to the Imperial War Museum to view Emergency Exits, an exhibition exploring the wave of independence movements that followed the end of the Second World War, as many of Britain’s former imperial territories gained independence. Particular focus is on three significant conflicts, fought in Malaya (now Malaysia), Kenya and Cyprus. FREE, until 29 March 2026
DRINK OF THE WEEK: You'll already be familiar with the Porterhouse pub in Covent Garden, but did you know it has just reopened one of its bars, as Mr Turner's Bar, in honour of JMW Turner? The artist was born on Maiden Lane, where the pub now stands, and a brown heritage plaque from the Westminster Archives has been erected at the bar. You can also order yourself a specially-brewed bottle of Mr Turner's Porter, to cheers the London icon.
Today's events: Monday 23 March
LIVING PLANET: Professor Helen Czerski is at Barnard's Inn Hall to give a free lecture exploring the distribution of biomass on Earth and the roles of microbes, wild and domesticated animals in planetary systems. The lecture looks at concrete examples linking biodiversity to ecosystem function and the survival of human civilisation. Watch in person, or online. FREE, 6pm
JOSEPH ARTHUR: Discovered and signed by Peter Gabriel in the mid 1990s, Joseph Arthur treats West Hampstead Arts Club to a night of poetic, experimental (yet catchy) rock. Doors 6pm
AFRICAN HISTORY OF AFRICA: BBC journalist and bestselling author Zeinab Badawi introduces her new book, An African History of Africa, at Kings Place. Hear about the origins of humankind, the emergence of ancient African civilisations and empires, and the joys and challenges of independence, as well as what we can learn about the continent when we separate it from its history with Europe. 7pm
FEMALE SPY STORIES: Ava Glass and Daria Santini discuss female espionage with novelist Peter Hanington at the Frontline Club in Paddington. Glass (author of The Hiding Season) and Santini (A Woman Named Edith) compare real-life agents with spy fiction, and sign copies of their books after the talk. 7pm-8.45pm
MICHAEL PATRICK KING: Michael Patrick King, the writer‑producer behind Sex and the City and co‑creator of HBO's The Comeback discusses showrunning, character creation and the launch of the third season of The Comeback in an evening talk at the V&A South Kensington. 7pm-8.45pm
Today's events: Tuesday 24 March
A LETTER IN MIND: The National Brain Appeal’s envelope-art fundraiser, A Letter In Mind, holds an exhibition of the works for sale at Gallery Different in Fitzrovia. This year's theme is 'Spring Forward', with works by professional and amateur artists, patients, clinicians and supporters (though all are kept anonymous until the works are sold via the online auction, starting at £85). 24-28 March 2026
LUNCHTIME CONCERT: Students of Morley College's Advanced Chamber Music & Piano Accompaniment course perform a free lunchtime recital at the Waterloo Centre. 1.05pm-2pm
CLUB CARNIVORE: Red meat only, red wine only, and wine served in Magnums or larger are the rules at Club Carnivore, a five-course red-meat and wine pairing at Vivat Bacchus London Bridge. The menu includes smoked ostrich, boerewors sosatie, karoo lamb roosterkoek, côte du bœuf and biltong. 6.30pm-9.30pm
HALLIE RUBENHOLD: Historian Hallie Rubenhold, author of The Five and Story of a Murder, is in conversation at St Martin-in-the-Fields about re‑balancing the narratives around the women caught up in historic crimes. Chaired by Peter Florence, the event comprises a one‑hour interview, a 30‑minute public Q&A and a book‑signing, and is part of the venue's The Conversation series of events. 7pm
THREE'S COMPANY: Concert pianist Reiko Fujisawa is joined by Ofer Falk (violin) and Ursula Smith (cello) for a programme of works by four exceptional female composers: Charlotte Sohy, Rebecca Clarke, Cecilia McDowall and Clara Schumann, with introductions from Peter Quantrill. Takes place at Bechstein Hall (Oxford Circus). 7pm-9pm
IRAN + 100: Comma Press’s new anthology Iran +100 asks ten Iranian authors to imagine Iran in 2053, a century after the 1953 coup. Tonight at Lauderdale House, hear readings from the collection followed by a panel discussion with contributors including editor Leila Elder, Alireza Abiz and Navid Hamzavi. It's part of the venue's Nowruz Festival, marking Persian New Year. 7.30pm
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Tumble down the rabbit hole this Easter
Treat the family to an unforgettable trip to the fantastical world of Wonderland during the Easter holidays, as Alice in Wonderland comes to life at Riverside Studios from this Friday.
This "delightfully imaginative retelling” (Broadway World) of Lewis Carroll's beloved tale uses enchanting puppets and breathtaking costumes to draw you into the magic down the rabbit hole. Watch in awe as Alice shrinks, grows, and meets peculiar, yet familiar, characters. Encounter the mischievous Cheshire Cat, the hurried White Rabbit and the hot-tempered Queen of Hearts. Will Alice find her way through the madness? Join her to find out!
Alice in Wonderland is at Riverside Studios in Hammersmith, 27 March-12 April 2026. Recommended for age five+.
Today's events: Wednesday 25 March
CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL: The inaugural London Festival of Chamber Music takes place at Smith Square Hall, with international artists performing music by Mozart, Beethoven, Ligeti, Schubert, Ravel, Respighi, Strauss, Kurt Weill, Luciano Berio, Garth Knox as well as Cypriot folk songs, and much more throughout the week. 25-29 March 2026
LEONORA CARRINGTON: Hampstead's Freud Museum presents the first London exhibition of Carrington's work since 1991. The show gathers together the scattered drawings, painting, letters and other writings made by the British-born Mexican artist between 1938 and 1941, a time when she fled Nazi-occupied France before being hospitalised in a Spanish sanatorium. 25 March to 28 June 2026
SAMUEL JOHNSON: David Charnick of Footprints of London leads a two-hour walking tour around sites linked to Samuel Johnson, with site-specific readings and extracts from James Boswell's Life of Samuel Johnson. Meet outside Covent Garden station, and finish at Dr Johnson's House on Gough Square. Part of the Literary Footprints festival. 11am
PIANO EXPLORED: Howard Shelley (piano) with Ruth Rogers (leader) of the London Mozart Players performs Beethoven's Piano Concerto No.3 in C major, Op.37 and Franck's Symphonic Variations, M.46 at St Paul's Knightsbridge. Shelley combines performance with informal commentary, guiding listeners through the music and its background. 12.45pm-2pm
TUNNELLING HISTORY: Dig into the history of tunnelling in London, from the Brunels' Thames Tunnel, to the mega projects of recent years such as the Elizabeth line. Jonathan Baggs, a trustee of the Brunel Museum, gives the illustrated talk, showing how the Brunels' work paved (or rather, bored) the way for the tunnels of today. 6.30pm-8pm
ORWELL: Bertha DocHouse in Bloomsbury screens Orwell 2+2=5, a documentary film about the 1984 author, and how his political observations are still relevant today, through his original diary entries and contemporary footage. It's followed by a Q&A with director Raoul Peck. 7pm
Today's events: Thursday 26 March
ASSEMBLY 2026: Somerset House Studios’ experimental sound and music series, Assembly 2026, brings a three‑day programme of concerts, installations and talks to the New Wing, featuring artists including Laurel Halo and Hanne Lippard, Ellen Arkbro with Raheel Khan, felicita, DeForrest Brown Jr, Trevor Mathison and others. Listening sessions and conversations are led by Aura Satz, Sarah Shin, Onyeka Igwe and Test Dept. 26-28 March 2026
CHOIR BOY: Opening today at Stratford East Theatre, play Choir Boy follows Pharus (Terique Jarrett) and his peers at Charles R. Drew Prep School as they confront race, sexuality, faith and brotherhood. The production, transferring from the Bristol Old Vic, features a cappella gospel hymns. 26 March-25 April 2026
LAST PRINCESSES OF PUNJAB: Punjabi princess and suffragette icon Sophia Duleep Singh, and five women who shaped her life, are in the spotlight in a new exhibition at Kensington Palace. Sophia and her sisters Catherine and Bamba, her mother Bamba Muller, grandmother Jind Kaur and godmother Queen Victoria each became powerful change-makers in their own right. 26 March-8 November 2026
COMING OF AGE: Experiences and perceptions of ageing, from adolescence to later life, are explored in The Coming of Age at the Wellcome Collection. Artworks and historical artefacts are among the objects on display, looking at why life expectancy is increasing in different areas around the world. FREE, 26 March-29 November
WOLF HALL: Fans of Hilary Mantel’s magisterial series might fancy this guided walk around some of the historic City locations which played a role in the 'King’s Great Matter' — Henry VIII’s ruthless campaign to divorce his wife Katherine of Aragon and marry Anne Boleyn. City guide Ali Turner is writing a book on the subject so expect to hear some fresh nuggets from the ménage a trois that ignited England’s Reformation. 11.15am
THE CAR CONUNDRUM: London Transport Museum's Driving for Change series of talks comes to a close with The Car Conundrum. Watch a discussion exploring the role of private cars in cities and how public perceptions of them are changing, followed by a Q&A session. 6.30pm-7.30pm
STAR TREK LATE: The Science Museum hosts a late opening to launch its Star Trek At 60 season, celebrating six decades of the franchise. Get first access to the museum's new Star Trek Trail, take to the catwalk dressed as your favourite character, plus comedy, talks, and a chance to explore the museum after hours. FREE, 6.45pm
ROOFTOP RONNIE'S: Ronnie Scott's makes an excursion south of the river, to Perola, a cocktail bar/small plates joint overlooking Battersea Power Station. This inaugural evening welcomes Sarabanda, bringing Cuban vibes both classic and modern — and likely to put you in the mood for a mojito or two. 7pm-10pm
JON UDRY: Performer Jon Udry brings his award-winning mix of juggling and comedy to Jacksons Lane, presenting a full-length solo show that blends technical juggling (clubs, rings and balls) with comic timing and his noted ‘drops’ routine. 7.30pm
JEN BRISTER: Comedian Jen Brister headlines a night of laughs at Big Penny Social in Walthamstow, accompanied by support acts TBC. 8pm-10pm
Today's events: Friday 27 March
AMALFI-INSPIRED ART: Discover contemporary sculpture, prints and a dreamy programme of cultural events, all inspired by Italy’s Amalfi coast, at Great Pulteney Street Gallery in Soho. Horizon – The Amalfi Series showcases art by GianPiero Franchi. It also offers live opera, an accessible touch tour and a rum tasting event with Clifton Hall Rum. 27-31 March (sponsor)
SPRING ON THE EYE: Experience spring from 135 metres above the Thames with floral installations and scent elements on the London Eye from today. Each pod is decked out for spring, with a narrator pointing out the city's cherry blossom displays. Included in a regular ticket. 27 March-4 May 2026
FAIRY TALES: Interactive displays, theatrical design, costumes and activities feature in family-friendly exhibition Fairy Tales at the British Library. Familiar characters and magical creatures are brought to life as you learn how fairy tales have been transformed through time. You can step into a couple of tales too, by sitting at the Three Bears' breakfast table, telling the Genie your wish and smelling the Wicked Witch's potions. 27 March-23 August 2026
PAINT! PATTERN! PRINT: The Fashion & Textile Museum's new exhibition explores the painterly patterns of design pioneers Susan Collier and Sarah Campbell, from first sketches and studio photographs to printed cloth, fashion and homeware. The sisters worked together for 50 years, creating vibrant patterns and collaborating with brands such as Liberty’s, Heals and Jaeger. March-13 September 2026
ASTRONOMERS TAKE OVER: The National Maritime Museum opens new interactive space-themed adventure Astronomers Take Over, suitable for all ages and anyone with an interest in space. Try your hand at landing a Mars rover, use a starlight splitter, and chat with one of the Royal Observatory’s astronomy team. Plus, while the Peter Harrison Planetarium is closed for refurbishment, visit an alternative planetarium experience in a more intimate space. From 27 March 2026
V&A LATE: As part of London Games Festival, this month's Friday Late at the V&A South Kensington encourages visitors to rethink the boundaries of play, performance and spectacle with artists engaging with games and interactivity. Experimental live-coded music, improv comedy, live-action roleplay and cosplay drag are among the evening's events. FREE, 6.30pm-10pm
ERIN O'CONNOR: The National Gallery launches its new Picture This series, hosted by journalist and presenter John Wilson, with special guests reflecting on their life and work through the lens of a National Gallery painting. It kicks off tonight with British fashion model Erin O’Connor MBE, who rose to prominence working with fashion houses including Alexander McQueen and Versace, as well as advocating for diversity and healthier standards in the fashion industry. 7pm-8pm (sponsor)
STOLEN DREAMS REDEMPTION: The Black Film Club is a programme of films that showcase Black talent, filmmakers, stories, voices and actors, across all genres. Tonight, at Enfield's Dugdale Arts Centre, it screens Stolen Dreams Redemption, new film from British filmmaker Emeka Egbuonu, exploring youth violence, consequences, and redemption. 7pm
PEOPLE'S COMEDY: Kemah Bob, Chantel Nash, Alex Bertulis‑Fernandes, Ben Docs, Gary Walsh, Tasha Cluskey, and MC Denis Len are on the line-up for Friday night comedy at Club Silly in Brixton. The People's Comedy is a platform for the best new and established acts and a celebration of diverse voices from across the UK comedy scene, and it's followed by an afterparty at the venue. 7pm-10pm
Today's events: Saturday 28 March
LAMBING WEEKEND: See newly born lambs and rare breeds including Lincoln Longwool, Boreray, Jacob, Manx Loaghtan and Norfolk Horns at the lambing weekend at Forty Hall Farm in Enfield. The weekend also features falconry displays, vintage fairground rides, Morris dancing, a chance to meet pigs, cows and goats, and street food and drinks. 28-29 March 2026
SCHIAPARELLI: The V&A South Kensington's fashion exhibitions are always phenomenally successful, and they'll be hoping for another hit with Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art. It tells the story of fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli, including the inspiration she took from the Surrealism movement, and the fashion house she established, which is still going strong today. From 28 March 2026
KEW PALACE: Reopening today for the 2026 season, Kew Palace is the smallest royal palace managed by Historic Royal Palaces, and is the former home of George III and Queen Charlotte. It's located within Kew Gardens and encompasses Queen Charlotte’s Cottage and the Royal Kitchens (note you also need a Kew Gardens ticket to access the palace). 28 March-27 September 2026
LIFELINE: Featuring a chorus of real-life nurses, doctors, vets, dentists and scientists, Lifeline launches at the Southwark Playhouse Elephant today. The split-timeline play looks at Scottish scientist Alexander Fleming falling in love, and a junior doctor whose estranged childhood sweetheart is suddenly rushed to hospital. 28 March-2 May
FOOTBALL WRITING FESTIVAL: Gunners fans, unite. The British Library hosts football journalists, fans, celebrities and special guests for a day of talks, conversations and fun all about the British Library’s local team, Arsenal FC. Meet the journalists who cover the team each week, as well as fans who write and blog about the club, and hear from celebrities including former Arsenal Ladies player Rachel Yankey, and football pundit and former player Martin Keown. 11.30am
RIVER RACE: The Head of the River Race is rowed annually from Mortlake to Putney, with up to 400 crews of eights taking part. Get down to the river's edge this afternoon to watch the action. FREE to watch, from 12.15pm
RUGBY SHOWDOWN: Get to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for The Showdown 6, to watch not one but TWO rugby matches (Saracens Women v Sale Sharks, KO 2.30pm, and Saracens Men v Northampton Saints, KO 6pm). What's more, there's a live set from Dizzee Rascal. From 2.30pm
HARLOTS, STRUMPETS AND TARTS: Herstorical Tours' guide, performing as ‘The Baroness’, leads a two-hour theatrical walk through 18th-century Covent Garden and the backstreets of Charing Cross, finishing at the Nell Gwynne pub, telling the stories of courtesans, madams and women working the streets. 5pm
EARTH HOUR 2026: For one hour on Saturday evening, London switches the lights off for WWF's Earth Hour, raising awareness of the effects of global warming. Individual businesses and households are encouraged to take part by turning off the lights, but several of the capital's major landmarks will be plunged into darkness too. FREE, 8.30pm-9.30pm
MYSTERY MOVIE MARATHON: Five completely secret films are screened back‑to‑back at the Prince Charles Cinema in an all‑night mystery movie marathon. The films are completely unrelated to each other, and you won't find out what they are until you turn up. 11.30pm
Today's events: Sunday 29 March
SOUTH LONDON FLEA MARKET: Over 70 curated traders bring 20th-century furniture, salvaged French homeware, vintage clothes, curiosities and collectables, kitschenalia, reclaimed industrial fixtures and unexpected oddities to Peckham for the Big South London Flea. 10am-5pm
PUBLIC HOUSING: Learn about the development of public housing in London during the 20th century on a guided walk from Old Oak to White City. You’ll see an extraordinary range of homes, from an early LCC Arts and Crafts cottage estate, to Peabody flats channelling Hampton Court, to a hexagonal modernist block inspired by the Giants’ Causeway. 11am-1.15pm
MAKERS' MARKET: A curated mix of independent stalls comes to Big Penny Social in Walthamstow for the Makers' Market, with illustration, vintage bric‑a‑brac, plants, jewellery, ceramics, candles, sustainable goods and street food available, and a focus on small, local traders rather than mass-produced items. 11am-5pm
GOSPEL MOTOWN: A live gospel choir and powerhouse vocalists pop up at The Refinery – Regents Place for a feel‑good Motown brunch. Expect covers of soul and Motown classics (Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Sister Act, Beyoncé), plus two-course brunch plates, a welcome drink and cocktails. 12pm-4pm
ALWAYS, SOMETIMES, MAYBE: As the Look For The Woman clowning festival draws to an end, take this opportunity to catch Always, Sometimes, Maybe — a solo clown show about a janitor so lonely, she makes friends out of rubbish. It's on at the Rosemary Branch in Islington. 2pm
BLACK HISTORY BUS TOUR: Join a three-hour guided bus tour from Brixton that examines London's landmarks — including the Tower of London, Trafalgar Square and the Houses of Parliament — through an African and Caribbean historical perspective. The event is organised by Black History Walks and covers individuals and themes such as Claudia Jones, Windrush arrival points, Nelson Mandela and James Baldwin. Proceeds support plaques honouring notable Black historical figures. 2pm
PUNK: In the mood for a riotous Sunday afternoon? Walthamstow Trades Hall hosts a boisterous triple bill, featuring Sunderland ragers Irked, Joyously anarchic racket Rabies Babies, and the wild AAA Gripper. You'll be home in time for Antiques Roadshow, too. 2pm-6pm
FILM CLOSING GALA: Kinoteka Polish film festival comes to an end with a closing night gala at Cine Lumiere in Kensington. Watch Brother, a coming of age drama focused on a family where violence and manipulation is always simmering under the surface, followed by a Q&A with director Maciej Sobieszczański and actor Agnieszka Grochowska. 6pm
THE WONDER OF STEVIE: Saxophonist Derek Nash and singer Noel McCalla celebrate the songs of Stevie Wonder at the 606 Club in Chelsea. Nash is known for his work with the Jools Holland Band and Sax Appeal; McCalla has sung with Morrissey/Mullen and Manfred Mann’s Earth Band. 8pm
