Things To Do In London This Weekend: 8-9 April 2017

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Now Play This at Somerset House

All weekend

EASTER HOLIDAYS: The school holidays are here, and there's plenty going on in London including family exhibitions, nature trails, egg hunts and museum workshops. Take a look at what's on near you, whatever their age, and whatever your budget.

REMEMBERING THE DOCKLANDS BOMB: This exhibition at Republic Gallery remembers the 1996 IRA bomb at South Quay, including a short film and archive images. As well as the immediate impact of the bombing, it explores the effect the incident had on regeneration in the surrounding area. Republic Gallery, free entry, just turn up, 6-9 April

EXPERIMENTAL GAMES: There's a three day experimental gaming festival at Somerset House. Highlights include a ping pong table that creates a work of art as you play, and a physical team challenge to stop an outbreak of the bubonic plague. Somerset House, £8/£6.50 for one day or £23/£15 for weekend, book ahead, 7-9 April

ENDANGERED ANIMALS: This immersive 4K exhibition brings visitors face to face with 10 endangered species. Shoreditch Gallery (133 Bethnal Green Road), free, just turn up, Friday noon-8pm, Saturday 10am-5pm, Sunday 10am-4pm

Saturday 8 April

There's a Twin Peaks party at Paper Dress Vintage

BIRDWATCHING: It's springtime, which means a variety of fabulous birds popping their heads out. Walk along with an experienced birding guide through Woodberry Wetlands and see some of the delightful specimens on offer. Woodberry Wetlands, £10, book ahead, 9am-11am

FOOD MARKET: Leyton Food Market reopens for the year today, with street food stalls, produce including fish and bread, arts and crafts, buskers and live music. After today, it runs every Saturday until December. Coronation Gardens, free entry, just turn up, 10am-4pm

VICTORIA CROSS WALK: The Royal Parks Foundation hosts a guided walk around Green Park themed around recipients of the Victoria Cross. Hear the history of the medal and some of the people who have been awarded it. Green Park, £5, book ahead, 10.30am-noon

WARWICK AVENUE WALK: Join in a canal-side wander from Warwick Avenue to Westbourne Park. Along the way you’ll visit London’s oldest gardening centre, wander through the whimsical Meanwhile Community Gardens and take in Erno Goldfinger’s iconic Trellick Tower. Warwick Avenue station, suggested £4 donation, book ahead, 11am

CHARACTER PARADE: If you're in the vicinity of St Paul's Cathedral, you may well catch a glimpse of the London Games Festival Character Parade, with cosplayers and gaming fans dressing up as their favourite video games characters or designs. City of London, free, just turn up, 1.30pm

SLOW-MO: Discover the parts of London where time ticks to a different beat on this guided tour, taking in places which resist the frenzied pace of metropolitan life. Meet by Cleopatra's Needle, £18/£15 (includes some slow food), book ahead, 2pm-4pm

ELECTRONIC MUSIC: Check out new venue Merton Art Space, with sounds from veteran electronic music crew, Ticklish. Merton Arts Space, £8, book ahead, 8pm-11pm

CULT TV: Twin Peaks is returning to our screens in a little over a month, so what better way to hype up than with a themed party. We're promised an evening of sex, smoke and strobe... Paper Dress Vintage (Hackney), £10, book ahead, 8pm-3.30am

Art review: in the trenches

Walk through a first world war trench and immerse yourself in an artistic response to the conflict, at one of Guildhall Art Gallery's most innovative exhibitions ever. Artist Jane Churchill worked with pupils from London schools to create this significant collection of work, but if, like us, your first thought is dismissing it as 'school corridor art', think again. This is a high-quality response presented excellently: the planes and cases of paper moths are a moving memorial to those who died at the front, while apothecaries' cabinets, tobacco tins and cooks' matchboxes contain miniature worlds and collaborative collages depicting scenes from the trenches. Echoes Across The Century at Guildhall Art Gallery, Guildhall Yard, EC2V 5AE, until 16 July, free ★★★★☆ James Drury

Sunday 9 April

Learn about the creation of the Isle of Dogs

VINTAGE MARKET: Mid-century, decorative and retro items will be on sale from over 60 stallholders at this new vintage market launching in Vauxhall. The Workshop (Vauxhall), free, just turn up, 10am-4pm

ANTIQUES FAIR: If the vintage fair doesn't quench your thirst for bargains, switch tactics and head for this antiques fair, with dealers specialising in fine jewellery, silver, ceramics and paintings amongst other items. Royal Horticultural Halls (Victoria), £4 entry, booking recommended, 10am-4.30pm

GUIDED WALK: Hackney Wick was once little more than a hamlet in the marshlands of the Lea Valley. Since those humble beginnings it's undergone constant change, which you can hear all about on this guided walk. Hackney Wick Station, £10, book ahead, 11am-1pm

FOR PERU: Together For Peru is a celebration of all things Peruvian — food, art and music — to raise funds for the current flood disaster the country faces. Ceviche Old Street, £10, book ahead, noon-11pm

ISLE OF DOGS: Walk around London's Docklands and learn about how attempts to get goods into the overcrowded docks led to the creation of the Isle of Dogs. Museum of London, £12.50/£10, book ahead, 2pm-3.30pm

EXHIBITION TOUR: The recently reopened (and excellent) National Army Museum offers a free guided tour of its temporary War Paint exhibition including a discussion about the purpose of painting during war. National Army Museum (Chelsea), free, book ahead, 2.30pm

STORYTELLING: Hear the wild Persian fairy tale of Seven Princesses, as told by storytelling masters The Crick Crack Club. Age 18+. The British Museum, £8/£6, book ahead, 2.30pm-5pm

B-BOY CHAMPIONSHIP: Watch the nation's most gifted lyrical rappers duke it out on stage. There's also a performance from master of the art form Talib Kweli thrown in for good measure. Kentish Town Forum, £25, book ahead, 5pm-11pm

EVENING COMEDY: There's nothing like a good old chuckle to end your weekend on. Head to Nordic Bar to see Patrick Monahan, Olaf Falafel, Harriet Braine and others entertain you for the evening. Nordic Bar, £3/£4, book ahead, 5pm-8pm