All week
HIGHGATE FESTIVAL: Ten days of events celebrate all that Highgate has to offer in Highgate Festival. Exhibitions, performances, food and drink, music, and kids events all feature on the programme, but our picks are the walk along the hidden River Moselle and the midsummer music evening. Various Highgate locations and prices, book ahead, 14-23 June
DIAMONDS ON JUPITER: Theatre show It Rains Diamonds On Jupiter is based on the true story of Liv, who pays her way through university by working in the escort industry. This choice catches up with her later when she's climbing the career ladder, and it becomes clear that the rest of the world doesn't approve. Drayton Arms Theatre (South Kensington), £14/£12, book ahead, 18-22 June
FITZFEST: Rush hour concerts, guided walks, yoga sessions and family music workshops are all part of FitzFest. The four-day event celebrates both the historical and contemporary music and culture of the Fitzrovia area. Various Fitzrovia locations and prices, book ahead, 19-23 June
HAMLET: Watch an outdoor promenade performance of Shakespeare's Hamlet, in a beautiful church garden. Chances are you already know the plot, and possibly the dialogue, but this production is a chance to see it outside the usual confines of a theatre. St Paul's Church (Covent Garden), £20/£15, book ahead, 19 June-22 July
LONDON INDIAN FILM FESTIVAL: The Bagri Foundation London Indian Film Festival is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a programme packed full of film screenings and premieres, and industry talks. The whole event is designed to showcase independent filmmaking talent from South Asia. Various locations and prices, book ahead, 20-29 June
Monday 17 June
LONDON EAR: Join a two mile sonic stroll through the City of London, tuning into the sounds that control, affect and define us. Church bells and road crossing beeps are some of the noises that we tune out on a day to day basis but this walk pulls them back into focus, and looks at how London's soundscape is changing. Meet at St Botolph's Without Bishopsgate, £18/£15, book ahead, 5.30pm-7.30pm
WATERWAYS: Caroline Crampton, author of The Way to the Sea, and prize-winning author Edward Platt, whose book The Great Flood publishes later this year, are in conversation about water in literature. The talk ties in with the current Leonardo da Vinci exhibition, as the scientist and artist spent a lot of time studying the motion of water. British Library, £12/£8, book ahead, 7.15pm-8.30pm
SCIENCE SHAMBLES: New scientific discoveries are regularly in the news... but what about other scientists whose equally impressive breakthroughs don't make headlines? Podcast Science Shambles records a live episode, telling the stories of little-known but equally important scientific research that's going on right now. Royal Institution (Mayfair), £16/£10/£7, book ahead, 7pm-8.30pm
Tuesday 18 June
JEWISH REFUGEES: The contribution of Jewish refugees to the Armed Forces is the subject of this afternoon talk. Their extraordinary stories of courage and defiance are brought to life using images, memories and objects from the museum's collection. Jewish Museum (Camden), £8.50/£6.50, book ahead, 3pm-4pm
BOAT TOUR: See London's buildings from the river and learn a bit more about their fabric on this London Festival of Architecture boat tour. Sticking with the festival's theme of boundaries, tour guide and architect Benedict O'Looney offers an indepth and thoughtful commentary on the buildings you see every day. Crown Pier (Victoria Embankment), £35.50, book ahead, 6.30pm-9.15pm
Wednesday 19 June
GARDEN PARTY: Why have a summer fete when you can have a garden party? Head to Portman Square for a fancy evening of food, drink, live music, entertainment and a charity fundraising raffle. Portman Square, £45, book ahead, 6pm-9pm
DESIREE BURCH: Comedian Desiree Burch tries out material from her new show Desiree's Coming First, ahead of her appearance at Edinburgh Festival. Expect authentic and acerbic wit. Upper Norwood Library Hub, £10.68-£13.34, book ahead, 7pm
SCIENCE OF CHEESE: What is it that makes cheese taste so damn delicious? The Royal Institution delves into the science of cheese, looking at how the cheesemaking process has changed due to new technology, and how science can make it taste even better in future. Oh, and there are samples too. Royal Institution (Mayfair), £16/£10/£7, book ahead, 7pm-8.30pm
Thursday 20 June
FOOD FESTIVAL: Get your stretchy trousers on — Streatham Food Festival is back, celebrating its 10th anniversary. Culinary tours, a food fair, tasting events and film screenings all appear on the three-day programme. Various Streatham locations, 20-23 June
ANIMAL HISTORY: Tying in with the current Beasts of London exhibition, Museum of London hosts a panel discussion about the history of London's animals. Zooarchaeologist Alan Pipe introduces the animals of prehistoric London, Historic Royal Palaces Curator Sally Dixon-Smith talks about the medieval menagerie at the Tower of London, and author Tom Almeroth-Williams covers the working animals of Georgian London. Museum of London, £15/£10/£9, book ahead, 6.30pm
ARABS ARE NOT FUNNY: Comedy night Arabs Are Not Funny aims to bust that myth by bringing some hilarious comedians from the Arab world to the stage. Young Moroccan comedian Mo Magaleo, London circuit regular Mustafa Fecto and British-Syrian Talal Karkouti are on the line-up. Theatre Deli (Broadgate), £7/£5, book ahead, 8pm-10pm
Friday 21 June
SUMMER CEILIDH: Waterloo Festival kickstarts the weekend with a lively summer ceilidh. Don't worry if you're a complete beginner — there's a chance to be guided through the dances. Plus there's a buffet and bar, and the event raises funds to refurbish the church. St John's Church (Waterloo), £20/£15/£10, book ahead, 7pm
QUEER WALLS: Hear some of Eltham Palace's queer stories and history at this Pride month late opening. Actors play the roles of John Seely and Paul Paget, the palace's designers, who were partners in life and in business, and who give an insight into what it was like to be queer in the first half of the 20th century. Also enjoy cabaret, swing dance lessons and choir performances. Eltham Palace, £15/£10, book ahead, 7pm-10pm
JUDI DENCH: Watch the premiere screening of Judi Dench's Wild Borneo Adventure, a documentary following the actress into the Borneo rainforest as she learns about conservation projects in the area. The screening is followed by a Q&A session with Dame Judi herself. Royal Geographical Society (Kensington), £50, book ahead, 7.30pm-9pm
Saturday 22 June
SPACE SPECTACULAR: Lights, lasers and indoor fireworks all feature in Royal Albert Hall's Space Spectacular. Deep space-themed music by the likes of Holst, Strauss and John Williams is performed live by the London Concert Orchestra — think E.T., Star Wars, and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Royal Albert Hall, £20-£67.51, book ahead, 3pm/7.30pm
THE LAST WORD: The Last Word Festival has its, er, last word today, drawing to a close with HUH. R&B, classical music, poetry and song blend in the one-off show performed by artists from across the UK. Highlight is a performance of Errollyn Warren's song In Our Lifetime, inspired by Nelson Mandela’s prison release. Roundhouse (Camden), £10, book ahead, 7.15pm
ROLLER DISCO: Get your groove on at an all-singing, all-dacning roller disco at Roller Nation's new Tottenham venue. '80s and '90s tunes are the theme of the evening, with a live DJ and party lighting. Roller Nation (Bruce Grove), £10, book ahead, noon-2am
Sunday 23 June
ART CAR BOOT FAIR: An impressive line-up of 120 artists have created work to sell at the Art Car Boot Fair, which the public can buy at very good prices. Love is the theme for this year's artworks, and there's also a raffle, games, portrait sessions and more. Cubitt Square (King's Cross), £10, book ahead, 1pm-6pm
JACK THE RIPPER: Katie Wignall of the excellent Look Up London launches a new walking tour, taking a feminist look at the story of Jack the Ripper. Instead of focusing on the cliched man-in-top-hat, hear the tales of his victims, Mary Ann Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes and Mary Jane Kelly, looking at the unfair situations they faced in 19th century London. Meet at Aldgate East station £28, book ahead, 2pm-4pm
GEORGE MICHAEL STORY: Tribute act The George Michael Story comes to Clapham, with a show raising money for animal welfare charity Mayhew. Michael's hits are performed in chronological order, telling the story of his rise to fame and successful career, with video footage of the singer himself as a backdrop. The Clapham Grand, £25-£150, book ahead, 7.30pm
