Things to do this week is sponsored by MoreYoga.
All week
ZIP NOW: Whizz on down to Lambeth for one last zip wire ride before Zip Now packs up for the year. Climb the equivalent of ten storeys (ouch!) before sailing over the park below at speeds of over 50kph. Archbishop's Park (Lambeth), from £15, book ahead, until 15 September
GET UP STAND UP NOW: Exhibition Get Up Stand Up Now tackles how black creative pioneers have shaped the UK over the last 50 years. Britain is what it is today because of its diverse communities and this exhibition doesn't pull its punches in making the audience aware of it. Last chance to see it — closes Sunday. Somerset House, £12.75, book ahead, until 15 September
TEXT QUEST: Put your sleuthing skills to the test on a mind-boggling, clue-solving mission around central London. From the gentle-paced Kensington Kicks to the fiendishly difficult Piccadilly Puzzler, these quests are delivered straight to your phone, so you and your team can get cracking whenever works for you. Various locations in central London, £16 per quest, book ahead, all week (sponsor)
STANLEY KUBRICK: Also closing soon is Design Museum's blockbuster exhibition about film director Stanley Kubrick. It's one aimed at the superfans, with extraordinary detail that overwhelms the casual visitor, but offers a fascinating insight into how he went about creating his cinematic masterpieces. Design Museum (Kensington), £16, book ahead, until 17 September
SOFIE HAGEN: Comedian Sofie Hagen performs her latest show, The Bumswing, following an Edinburgh Fringe run. It's a show about the things you forget, the things you remember, and the things you wish you could forget. But also, there’s a bit about bums. Soho Theatre, from £15, book ahead, 10-14 September
WILLIAM BLAKE: The biggest William Blake exhibition for more than 20 years opens on Wednesday. Best-known for his poetry, he was also a skilled artist, albeit under appreciated in his own time. Now, 300 of his original paintings, watercolours and prints go on display side by side. Tate Britain, £18, book ahead, 11 September-2 February
TOTALLY THAMES: The second week of Totally Thames offers plenty of ways to celebrate London's river. Take a walk alongside the water from Rainham to Purfleet, a look at the new Illuminated Rivers installations, or browse the programme for other ideas. 1-30 September
Monday 9 September
DRAG QUEEN: Go behind the scenes in the life of a drag queen at this talk with Keela Kraving. Find out how drag has changed, from its original purpose to filling female theatre roles, and get an insight into how much glitter is too much. Sway (Covent Garden), £12, book ahead, 7pm-9pm (sponsor)
MEDICAL LITERATURE: Two award-winning writers appear on stage together to discuss mental health patient care. Mental health nurse Nathan Filer is author of The Shock of the Fall, and nurse Christie Watson wrote The Language of Kindness. Together, they discuss new ways of thinking about mental health, and of caring for mental health patients. Southbank Centre, £20, book ahead, 7.15pm
Tuesday 10 September
IAIN SINCLAIR: As part of Totally Thames, author and psychogeographer Iain Sinclair appears on a panel discussing tales of London's waterways. Joining him areTotally Thames director Adrian Evans, author Rachel Lichtenstein and poet Rachel Nwokoro. Museum of London Docklands, £15, book ahead, 6.30pm
RUSH HOUR CONCERT: Dodge the rush hour madness and duck into the Royal Over-Seas League for a concert instead. Award-winning singer and BBC Radio 2 presenter Clare Teal performs an intimate show with a piano accompaniment — expect to hear timeless classics with a jazz slant. Royal Over-Seas League (St James's), £28, book ahead, 6.30pm-7.30pm
STARKERS ACADEMY: Figuration offers a life drawing class with a different — all of the nude models are doing it for the first time. The class itself is for artists of all abilities, including beginners, and all materials are provided. The Glory (Kingsland Road), £10, book ahead, 7pm-9pm
Sponsor message
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Wednesday 11 September
PERSONAL DNA: Babble Talks are lectures aimed at parents and carers with babies under a year old — although they're not about parenting, and adults without babies are also welcome. Geneticist Dr Lucy van Dorp talks about comparing the DNA sequences of different people across the world and what this reveals about ancestry, evolution and history. The Bedford (Balham), £10, book ahead, 11.30am-12.30pm
ARCHITECTS UNDERGROUND: The Royal Institute of British Architects — or RIBA — launches a new series of weekly events, The Architects Underground. It's open to everyone, not just architects, and covers all aspects of design. Tonight's inaugural event has Giles Martin, son of Beatles producer George Martin, talking about remixing Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club band for its 50th Anniversary, along with other entertainment and a pop-up cocktail bar. RIBA (Portland Place), £15, book ahead, 6pm-10.30pm
THAMESMEAD: As the Stanley Kubrick exhibition comes to a close (see above), learn about one of the London locations used in Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange. Thamesmead was built after the second world war to deal with London's housing shortage — hear a panel discuss its architecture, community and people. Design Museum (South Kensington), £12, book ahead, 6.30pm-8pm
Thursday 12 September
FOOD FESTIVAL: A food festival pops up in the Tower of London's moat, starting this evening and running all weekend. Browse artisan producer stalls, tuck into street food, and watch celebrity chefs share their secrets in cooking demos. Tower of London, £5 for evening entry tonight/£24.50 for other days, book ahead, 12-15 September
TOWER BRIDGE: Tower Bridge continues its 125th anniversary celebrations with a talk about Sir Horace Jones, the architect who designed it. Architectural historian Dr Jennifer Freeman talks through his life and legacy — including the many other London buildings he designed — and how Tower Bridge remains so impressive to this day. Tower Bridge, £20, book ahead, 7.30pm
FIRST TO FIGHT: Historian Roger Moorhouse talks about the German invasion of Poland, which started the second world war. It's something he researched for his book First To Fight, using Polish, German and Soviet sources. Ticket includes a glass of wine or soft drink. National Army Museum (Chelsea), £10, book ahead, 8pm
Friday 13 September
HANDMADE FESTIVAL: Get your craft on at Kirstie Allsopp's Handmade Festival, where crafts as diverse as cross stitch, stamping and blacksmithing are all covered. Browse stalls selling the materials, tools and patterns for your chosen hobby, and watch live demonstrations and talks. Have a go at new things too, with dozens of workshops including pottery throwing and embroidery. Hampton Court Palace, from £16, book ahead, 13-15 September
AFRICA UTOPIA: For three days, Southbank Centre celebrates the African continent and its diaspora, and the effect they've had on art, culture, gender and race here in the UK. The Africa Utopia programme includes film screenings, an African marketplace and talks and debates. Southbank Centre, 13-15 September
DAVID CHIPPERFIELD: Celebrated architect Sir David Chipperfield opens up about his career and his eponymous architecture practice, founded in 1985. He's worked on more than 100 buildings around the world, including the refurbishment of the Royal Academy. Barbican Hall, £15, book ahead, 8pm
Saturday 14 September
LONDON DESIGN FESTIVAL: Taking place at venues and hubs across the city, London Design Festival is a celebration of creativity in the capital. It gets underway today with a playful installation at Oxo Tower, a tour of a new riverside park, and a colourful pop-up lounge, plus plenty more. 14-22 September
BAG OF GOLD: Discovering London tour guide Peter Berthoud leads an unusual tour around Bloomsbury, that pays no attention to the usual tourist sites such as the British Museum. Instead plan your own funeral, do some grocery shopping, experience a divorce, puzzle at a magic square and all importantly, share and spend a bag of gold. Intrigued? Us too — and that's before we factor in the four pub stops. Russell Square, £25, book ahead, 11.30am-3.30pm
Sunday 15 September
SUMMER STREETS: The final Summer Streets event of 2019 takes place on Regent Street, closing the busy thoroughfare to vehicle traffic for an afternoon of activities. The festival-style event includes talks, catwalk shows, street food from local restaurants, and activities, offers and competitions inside the shops. Full programme here. Regent Street, free, just turn up, 12pm-5pm
BREXIT WITHOUT THE BULL: It's a brave person who tries to get to the facts behind Brexit, but that's what journalist and author Gavin Esler has done in his new book, Brexit Without The Bull***. Hear him talk about how Brexit will affect food and diet, health and the NHS, jobs and industry, education and travel. Conway Hall (Holborn), £8/£5, book ahead, 3pm-4pm
