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
MONTH OF THE DEAD: Macabre-but-fascinating festival London Month of the Dead continues throughout October, putting a cerebral spin on things that go bump in the night. Highlights this week include a surrealist death tea party, a tour of a church crypt, and a lecture about the history of home post mortems. Until 2 November
PINK OCTOBER: Sky-high restaurant and bar Ting Shangri-La at the Shard marks Breast Cancer Awareness Month with Pink October, with a rose-hued twist on several menu items. Top of our list is the Clouds of Pink afternoon tea, featuring pastel pastries inspired by the London sky at dusk. Special cocktails and a pink brunch (think crab pancakes, beef sirloin and a ruby chocolate fountain) are also available, with proceeds supporting Guy's Cancer Charity. Throughout October
SEEN LEWISHAM: Catford's Broadway Theatre is in the midst of hosting Seen Lewisham, an arts festival amplifying under-represented voices and local talent, with shows including IRIE! dance theatre present: Kehã Seebii (9 Oct) and A Night of Classic Lover's Rock (10 Oct). Until 12 October
QUEEN OF SOHO: Following five sell-out runs at the Edinburgh Fringe, the Iron Lady comes to Wilton's Music Hall. Margaret Thatcher Queen of Soho stars Matt Tedford as the former Prime Minister, in a drag show set in Soho on the eve of the vote on Section 28. 6-11 October
DA VINCI'S LAUNDRY: Crime comedy theatre play Da Vinci's Laundry is set in the high-end art world and tells the story of two art sales people and one (possible) Da Vinci masterpiece. See it at Hammersmith's Riverside Studios from Monday. 6-25 October
EMMA: Jane Austen's fourth novel is transplanted to the 21st century at Kingston's Rose Theatre, with Emma Woodhouse back from Oxford University for the summer. One of several Jane Austen adaptations to see on the London stage this autumn, with this week being your last chance to see it. Until 11 October
BENJAMIN BUTTON: F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Curious Case of Benjamin Button about a man who is born old is reimagined in a Cornish fishing village, and takes the form of a lively musical at the Ambassadors Theatre. Until 11 October
VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR: Last chance to follow the child-friendly Very Hungry Caterpillar trail around the gardens at Ham House, learning about the life cycle of a butterfly as you go. Until 12 October
LONDON NEVER DIES: The London Cabaret Club's latest production, London Never Dies, is now in full swing, taking inspiration from the spy world of James Bond. Step inside the Bloomsbury Ballroom and experience a spy thriller brought to life – part high-octane theatre, part glamorous night out, with a three-course meal, themed cocktails, and an afterparty keeping the fun going after the curtain falls. Until 15 November
PUB OF THE WEEK: After over a decade in the wilderness, Clerkenwell's Hat & Feathers — the one with a super, curvaceous exterior — has reopened, as part of the new Hotel Indigo Clerkenwell. Leather armchairs and grandfather clocks lend it a debonair vibe, and there are cocktails and a Sunday roast.
EAT OF THE WEEK: You may have already sampled the delights of Taco Bros from one of their trucks or stalls around town — but now they've opened their first bricks and mortar venue, in East Finchley. Get your gob around delicious family-inspired chicken tinga-stuffed tortillas, and quesadillas made with hand-pressed corn maseca fried with cheese — while swigging margs and palomas.
Today's events: Monday 6 October
WOMEN IN COOKING: The Aubrey at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park celebrates women in cooking with a new guest chef series. Tonight and tomorrow night, rising star of modern Macanese cuisine, Ana Da Costa takes over the kitchen to serve a menu shaped by her Macanese, Chinese and Portuguese heritage. 6-7 October
HOMELESS LONDON: Ahead of World Homeless Day on 10 October, GetYourGuide and Unseen Tours have arranged a series of guided walks (today, plus Tue and Wed) around King's Cross. The tours are led by Ben, who has experience of being homeless in London, and will discuss key issues that have influenced the lives of those living on the street today. Can't make those dates? Unseen Tours operate various walks along these lines all throughout the year. 2pm
THERE SHOULD BE BLOOD: Tim Richardson is at the Old Operating Theatre in London Bridge to discuss his book, There Should Be Blood. It tells the story of his experience being diagnosed with a rare blood cancer during the Covid pandemic, and the events surrounding his diagnosis. 6pm-8pm
INDIA KNIGHT: Author and journalist, India Knight discusses her new book, HOME, in a book salon event at the Charlotte Street Hotel. Drawing inspiration from her popular Substack newsletter, she offers practical and entertaining exploration of what makes a house feel like home, followed by a Q&A and book signing. 6.30pm-8pm
LIFE WITH OSCAR: Actor and filmmaker Nick Cohen relives his desperate Hollywood years in one-man show Life With Oscar, at Islington's Hope Theatre. Hear about how he left south London for a new life in LA, with a double Oscar-winner, a man who worked regularly with Orson Welles. 7.45pm
WITH MY PATRICK COX'S ON: The Golden Goose Theatre in Camberwell gets in on the Lambeth Fringe action this evening, staging With My Patrick Cox's On, a part coming of age story, part love story that begins with mysterious hotel room meeting between a high-achieving mid-life woman and a man called Mattias. 8.30pm
Today's events: Tuesday 7 October
GILBERT & GEORGE: More than 60 large-scale installations feature in Hayward Gallery's exhibition dedicated to the work of east-London-based artistic duo Gilbert & George. New artworks covering the past 25 years — a sort of retrospective of the century so far — feature, looking at how technology has changed the way the two self-styled 'living artworks' create their images, and how they began digitally distorting their pictures to reflect the anxieties, fears and desires of modern society. 7 October-4 January
PAINTINGS OF ISLINGTON: Footprints of London guide Rob Smith leads a tour around the Angel area, visiting five different locations which feature in paintings of Islington by five different artists. Meet at Angel station. 11am-12.15pm
GREAT FIRE: Find out how — and how quickly — the City of London was rebuilt after the Great Fire of London in 1666, as City Guide & Lecturer Jill Finch gives a free lecture at Guildhall Library (also available to watch online). FREE, 2pm-3pm
REGINALD D HUNTER: Comedian Reginald D Hunter headlines not one but two sets at Market Place St Paul's tonight, with tickets at a very reasonable price. He's supported by Hatty Preston, Josh Pugh and Freddy Quinne. Both sets are the same. 6pm and 8pm
A SPACE ODYSSEY: The Royal Society celebrates World Space Week with an evening of science, comedy, art and discovery for adults only. Find out what the space suits of the future could look like, create your own map of Mars, and hear from Professor Sir Martin Sweeting FRS, co-chair of the Royal Society’s Space: 2075 report, about how space travel could advance in the next five decades. FREE, 6pm-10pm
SUPERMOON VIEWING: With a Hunter's Supermoon (a very large, golden-orange incarnation of the moon) expected in our skies tonight, experience it from a special evening opening at the View from the Shard. Astronomy, astrology and photography all feature, with James Burns (the excellent @londonfromtherooftops) on hand to offer photography tips, plus moon readings with Ruth Flanagan, and specially themed cocktails. 7pm-11pm
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Don’t miss this one-day, multi-venue, genre-bending festival
On Saturday 11 October, Sofar FRINGE takes over 10 surprising Shoreditch venues in an all-out celebration of London’s grassroots performing artists. Forget the mainstream – Sofar’s renowned events are where the headliners of tomorrow come to play. Blending rising talent with unconventional spaces, you could catch RnB in a bookshop, beatboxing in a deconsecrated Grade I church or folk in a tiny treehouse.
Music is a mainstay and Sofar know talent when they see/hear/feel it. In the past four years alone, their alumni have earned 129 Grammy nominations and 21 wins (we’re talking the likes of Chappell Roan, Billie Eilish and Leon Bridges). But far from a popularity contest, Sofar FRINGE is a place for lesser-known artists to perform and passionate festival-lovers to find a new favourite. No fuss, no fakery.
Firmly multidisciplinary, performances extend beyond music into comedy, spoken word, dance and visual art. The movement may be global but the experience is intimate to a tee. Seriously, some of these venues are tiny. Grab your wristband and rediscover the simple magic of live artistry this weekend.
Sofar FRINGE takes places across Shoreditch on Saturday 11 October from 2pm ’til late. Tickets cost £30 and are available here.
Today's events: Wednesday 8 October
BFI LONDON FILM FESTIVAL: The programme for the 69th BFI London Film Festival is chock-full of gala nights and UK and world premiere screenings, in the biggest event of the year for the London film industry. There are an impressive 14 screenings, including an opening night gala, today alone, with plenty more to come, including showings of the 10 films shortlisted for this year's BFI London Film Festival Awards. 8-19 October
EGYPTIAN DESIGN: The British fascination with all things Egyptian between 1775 and the present day is the subject of Sir John Soane's Museum's new exhibition Egypt: Influencing British Design, opening today. Find out how the aesthetics of ancient Egypt have been incorporated into Regency homes, Victorian factories and more recent houses, shops and offices. Wedgwood ceramics, Liberty fabrics, and an Egyptian-style Singer sewing machine all feature, along with a new artwork by Cairo-born artist Sara Sallam. 8 October-18 January
MUSICALS WALKING TOUR: Celebrate the 40th anniversary of Les Misérables in the West End, and plenty of other shows on the Stepping into the Musicals walking tour. Westminster Guide Roberto Belo-Rovella tells stories of London's musical theatre industry both past and present, including the social and historical contexts of some of the most famous shows. 3pm
MORE MIS: It's possible to do the Les Mis-inspired walk above, and then watch the big-screen adaptation. Tonight's film screening in the Brunel Museum's tunnel shaft is indeed the 2012 blockbuster with Jackman, Hathaway and Crowe. 6.30pm
SOHO NIGHT AND DAY: Tonight's talk at the Sohemian Society in the Horse and Groom pub features Geraldine Norman and Joe Daniel in conversation with Max Décharné. The pair discuss their relative Frank Norman, who co-authored the 1966 book Soho Night and Day with Jeffrey Bernard. 7pm
CHARITY COMEDY: MC Daisy Earl, Eshaan Akbar, Grainne Maguire, Harriet Kemsley, Huge Davies, Laura Lexx, Lou Sanders, Matt Richardson, Ria Lina and Richard Herring are among the comedians taking part in Stand Up Comedy in aid of Sophie Hayes Foundation. The charity fundraiser takes place at The Comedy Store in Leicester Square. 7pm
LOST MAPS: Did you know about UCL's long-forgotten map library? Professor James Cheshire stumbled upon it and spent three years sifting through the treasures. Tonight, you can hear him talking about it, as he launches his new book, The Library of Lost Maps, at Stanfords in Covent Garden. 7pm-8.30pm
Today's events: Thursday 9 October
WOMEN BY WOMEN: 'Rooted in Resistance' is the theme of this year's Women by Women photography exhibition, hosted by charity ActionAidUK to celebrate women both in front of and behind the camera, specifically brave women from around the world who are defending their land from destruction. See it at OXO Gallery. FREE, 9-12 October
KNITTING AND STITCHING SHOW: The Knitting & Stitching Show is at Ally Pally, with hundreds of exhibitors selling supplies including yarn, fabric, buttons, fat quarters, sewing machines and more. Get inspired in the galleries, which display works by textile artists and groups. 9-12 October
OTHER ART FAIR: It's the busiest time of year on the London art scene, with quite a few fairs rolling into town, beginning with The Other Art Fair at the Truman Brewery. It aims to make art fun and accessible to all, combining affordable and original artworks by 175+ independent artists with immersive installations, performances, DJs and a fully stocked bar. 9-12 October
LONDON COCKTAIL WEEK: London Cocktail Week claims to be the biggest cocktail festival in the world, and who are we to argue? Buy yourself a festival wristband for £20 to get access to £9 signature cocktails at hundreds of bars across the capital. There are also cocktail tours, special menus and other events going on. 9-19 October
LUCY RAVEN: Sculpture and moving image both feature in Lucy Raven: Rounds, the artist's new exhibition at Barbican's Curve Gallery which delves into themes of cyclical violence in the formation of the Western United States. It includes the UK premiere of moving image installation Murderers Bar (2025), about the biggest dam removal and river restoration project in US history. 9 October-4 January
CECIL BEATON: Fashion photographer Cecil Beaton is in the spotlight at the National Portrait Gallery, where Cecil Beaton's Fashionable World is the first exhibition dedicated solely to his fashion and portrait photography. 200 items including photographs, letters, portrait sketches, fashion illustration and costume are displayed, with depictions of icons including Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor and Marlon Brando; Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret; Lucian Freud, Francis Bacon and Salvador Dalí making an appearance. 9 October-11 January
NORDIC NOIR: The macabre, melancholy and sometimes provocative themes of Nordic art are explored in the British Museum's latest exhibition, Nordic noir: works on paper from Edvard Munch to Mamma Andersson. Two works by Munch take centre stage among over 150 works by 100 artists from the Nordic countries, spanning themes including Norse myth, struggles with mental health, and the fight to protect nature. 9 October-22 March
WOOL EXPERIENCE: Spend the evening on board the Cutty Sark celebrating the world of wool through film, history and live music. Step on board the vessel — which supported the booming 19th-century sheep industry — for an exclusive screening of Sheep, Actually, a film documenting Britain's enduring fascination with sheep, introduced by director Paul Wyatt. It's followed by a Q&A session, and live music. 6.30pm
Today's events: Friday 10 October
DRINK JAPAN: For two days, St Mary's Church in Marylebone is awash with Asian beverages. Drink Japan spans sake, soju, whisky, sochu, teas and more and is open to seasoned connoisseurs and newbies. Sample new drinks, stock up on your favourites, and learn how they're made. 10-11 October
CHARITY DESIGNER SALE: Head to the Vinyl Factory Soho for the Ultimate Designer Sale, featuring luxury new and pre-loved clothes and accessories, all in support of The Trust’s Change a Girl’s Life campaign. Curated by Trinny Woodall, it features labels including Chanel, Jil Sander, Loewe, Zimmerman, Jimmy Choo, Prada and many more. 10-11 October
MADE LONDON: Browse and buy goods from 120 exhibitors spanning jewellery, homeware, ceramics, textiles, furniture, lighting and design at Made London, which takes place at One Marylebone. The fair focuses on original and innovative designer-makers from across the UK and beyond. 10-12 October
LONDON YEAR: Artist and long-time Londoner Lesley Dabson opens her exhibition, A London Year, at Highgate Gallery, showcasing city scenes throughout the seasons and in all lights, recreated in oil paint. FREE, 10-23 October
THE MAGIC FLUTE: Catch a rendition of Mozart's comedy opera The Magic Flute, at the Royal Opera House. The final opera he wrote before his death, it features the famous ‘Der Hölle Rache’ (‘The wrath of hell’) aria as Prince Tamino attempts to rescue the Queen of the Night's daughter Pamina from the enchanter Sarastro. 10 October-3 November
ARTIST TALK: Londonist's art critic Tabish Khan hosts an artist talk and reception at J/M Gallery Space on Portobello Road. Hear from artists Jerome, Regina Kim, Soryun Ahn and Tong Wu, whose works feature in this week's Oh Dear Human exhibition at the gallery. Stick around afterwards for a drinks reception and a chance to mingle. 6.30pm-8.30pm
SILK ROAD FLAVOURS: Iranian-American food writer Anna Ansari celebrates the launch of her book, Silk Roads: A Flavour Odyssey, with an evening of stories, recipes and snacks at Bard Books in Bethnal Green. She's joined by Marie Mitchell, a British-Caribbean cultural practitioner and cookbook writer, for an evening of food knowledge and storytelling. 6.30pm-9.30pm
Today's events: Saturday 11 October
LEIGHTON HOUSE: Leighton House — former home and studio of the Victorian artist Frederic, Lord Leighton — is celebrating 100 years of the address being a museum, with three exhibitions, all launching today. They are Ghost Objects: Summoning Leighton’s Lost Collection, Leighton House: A Journey Through 100 Years, and The View from Here: contemporary art from the Middle East and North Africa.
CHOCOLATE FAIR: Ahead of Chocolate Week (yep, it's a real thing) next week, the Cocoa Runners Craft Chocolate Fair brings together chocolate makers from all over the UK to showcase and sell their goods, with a market, talks and tastings, all taking place at Fidelio Cafe in Farringdon. 11-12 October
COMEDY FESTIVAL: Sean McLoughlin gets the Choose SE27 Comedy Festival underway in South Norwood today, performing a stand-up show at the South London Theatre. Sooz Kempner, Michael Akadiri and Elf Lyons are among those on the schedule for the rest of the festival. 11-18 October
BOTANICAL ART: The Shirley Sherwood Gallery at Kew Gardens opens two new exhibitions, both exploring the colonial history of botanical art. The Singh Twins features fabric light boxes detailing how plants such as cotton, spices and dyes played a pivotal role in colonial expansion. Concurrently, Flora Indica: Recovering the lost histories of Indian botanical art is the first-ever public display of 52 rediscovered botanical illustrations by Indian artists commissioned by British botanists between 1790 and 1850. 11 October-12 April
DAY OF CATS: Southwark Cathedral's resident feline Hodge hosts (presumably with some human input) A Day Of Cats. Various speakers gives talks about selected aspects of the cat world: historian Kathryn Hughes delves into how Britain fell in love with cats, writer Charlie Creed looks at how they made their way into folklore, and feline behaviourist Lucy Hoile asks 'what is your cat thinking?'. Actually, we'd rather not know the answer to that. This annual event always sells out fast. 10am-4pm
LONDON NOBODY KNOWS: Fans of Geoffrey Fletcher's pioneering book The London That Nobody Knows (1962), or the subsequent James Mason-fronted documentary, should book onto this guided walk that revisits some of the Islington sites from this and Fletcher's other writings. Guide Jonathan Wober will later (2pm) lead another tour up the tower of St Mary's Islington (book separately). 11am
BABY BROADWAY: Take the whole family along to Woolwich Works for the Baby Broadway concert, aimed at 0-7 year olds. West End singers perform tracks from hit musicals and films, with everyone welcome to join in. 11am
STORIES IN THE DARK: Developed in collaboration with visually impaired and blind adults, Stories in the Dark is an unusual take on performance storytelling, centering the imagination and creating an experience that is the same for everyone, regardless of their state of sight. Hear tales of enchantment, transformation, things lost, things found, grown-up fairytales and weird myths, told by Crick Crack Club experts Ben Haggarty, Sarah Liisa Wilkinson and Steph Brittain, with music by Sheema Mukherjee, at Richmond Library. Age 18+. 4.15pm/6.45pm
HARINGEY HUSKIES: The Haringey Huskies ice hockey team are at their home rink at Ally Pally this afternoon, taking on Guildford Phoenix. Fancy hitting the rink yourself? The match is followed by an hour-long ice disco straight after. Doors 5pm for a 5.30pm start
DISCO SISTERS: The Big Chill in King's Cross launches Disco Sisters — a women-only club night, spinning floor-filling dancefloor classics, with mass karaoke, women-led bar and door staff and a buddy system for those attending on their own. Also a nice early finish time. 6.30pm-10pm
DECODING AGEING: Head to the Royal Institution in Mayfair for a talk on the molecular causes of ageing. Speaker Carina Kern is the CEO of LinkGevity, an AI-powered biotech seeking anti-ageing therapies. 7pm
Today's events: Sunday 12 October
ROYAL PARKS HALF: The Royal Parks Half Marathon takes runners on a route through four of the eight Royal Parks (Hyde Park, Green Park, St James's Park, Kensington Gardens), and other closed roads around central London. There's a new route this year, with a finish line right outside the Royal Albert Hall. Get yourself a last-minute place via a charity, or turn up on the day to support the runners. Either way, be aware of road closures around central London on Sunday. From 9am
BLACKHEATH KITE DAY: Let's go fly a kite, at the annual Kite Day on Blackheath. Watch performances by the Kent Kite Flyers, accompanied by a steel pan band from local schools. There's a funfair taking place nearby this weekend too, so you can make a day of it. FREE, 12pm-3pm
GUJARATI BRUNCH CLUB: Tuck into an Ayurvedic-inspired Gujarati brunch at The Boathouse in Paddington, raising money for Breast Cancer UK while also celebrating Diwali. Dishes on the menu include pumpkin and paneer skewers, and activated charcoal waffles with crispy potatoes with a garlic and ghee dressing. 12.30pm-3.30pm
DIWALI FESTIVAL: Although Diwali falls on 20 October this year, London's official celebrations in Trafalgar Square take place today, with live music, dancing and yoga, South Asian street food and more. Keep an eye on our Diwali events guide for details of other Diwali celebrations around town. FREE, 1pm-7pm
HANK WANGFORD: Hank Wangford & The Lost Cowboys play a lunchtime show at Putney's Half Moon, with songs from the latest album, Whistling in the Dark. Though Hank has spent his career 'picking at the miserable underbelly of country music', there are some funny songs to enjoy too, promise. 1.30pm
RAILWAY POEMS: Keats House in Hampstead marks 200 years of the railways with an afternoon of poems dedicated to the romance of travelling by train, read by the Keats House Poetry Ambassadors. FREE, 2.15pm
