All week
SPRING FLOWERS: We're in peak flower season, with the tulips looking resplendent, the tail-end of cherry blossom season, and the wisteria starting to turn things purple. Take a wander around London and see what you can find in bloom.
UNICORN: Nicola Walker, Stephen Mangan and Erin Doherty star in Unicorn, a play at the Garrick Theatre about a couple who appear to have everything, but feel like something's missing. Until 26 April
THE SCORE: Succession star Brian Cox appears in The Score, playing the role of composer Johann Sebastian Bach in 1747 Prussia. The production delves into the tensions and explosive events between Bach and Frederick II, one of Europe's most ambitious and dangerous leaders. See it at Theatre Royal Haymarket. Until 26 April
WAR AND THE MIND: The psychological effects of war are explored in free exhibition War and the Mind at the Imperial War Museum, which ends this week. It questions how humans think, feel and act during conflict, from the First World War to the present day. FREE, until 27 April
SALT COSMOLOGIES: Free exhibition Salt Cosmologies is in the courtyard at Somerset House until this weekend, taking the form of an 80m-long fabric installation representing the Inland Customs Line, a 2,500 mile-long 'hedge' created by the British to enforce salt taxation during colonial rule in India. The exhibition continues inside the building, focusing on other aspects of Britain’s imperial salt monopoly in India. FREE, until 27 April
ADWOMEN: 100 years of women in advertising is celebrated in AdWomen at the Museum of Brands in Notting Hill. Find out how advertising has both influenced and reflected women's societal and domestic roles over the last century, including the pioneering women who created groundbreaking TV ads that transformed the industry. Adverts dating back as far as the 1920s are on show. Until 28 April
DICK WHITTINGTON: Guildhall Library is the apt location for an exhibition about legendary Mayor of London Dick Whittington, given the Library was founded by money left in his will. Find out how, in the intervening six centuries, his story has changed from one of a politician and philanthropist into a rags-to-riches tale of a penniless orphan. FREE, until 30 April
AFTERNOON TEA: Got a special occasion coming up, or just feel like treating yourself? Browse our guide to the latest afternoon menus just launched in London, including a spy-themed afternoon tea in a rather fancy hotel, and a Midsummer Night's Dream themed menu served in an enchanted forest setting.
MUSEUM OF THE WEEK: A museum like no other, Finsbury Park's Museum of Homelessness — created from scratch by people with experience of homelessness — is now open for the season. It's free to visit but pre-booking is essential. See what's on, including regular workshops and get-togethers. FREE, until November
PUB OF THE WEEK: Crouch End has a new pub, or an entirely regenerated one anyhow: The Wooden Cross has risen from the ashes of the Harringay Arms, boasting smart wood panelling, delicious-looking margs and nosh from the North & Ten bagel company.
EAT OF THE WEEK: Run by charitable organisation London's Community Kitchen, and featuring 22 rotating students from the College of Northwest London and City of Westminster College, the brand new Pantry cafe in Alperton turns produce that would otherwise be thrown away into tasty sandwiches and lunch dishes. It's open Mon-Fri.
Easter Monday 21 April
BANK HOLIDAY: It's Easter Monday, the fourth and final day of Easter weekend. If you're lucky enough to have the day off work, peruse our guide to things to do in London on a bank holiday, to make the most of it.
VINTAGE MARKET: So Last Century Vintage Market pitches up at Beckenham Place Mansion, bringing together 50+ traders selling mid-20th century furniture, lighting, homeware and ceramics, original posters, prints, books, records, antique maps and charts, vintage clothes (including for children) and much more. Find stalls both inside and outside the mansion. 10am-5pm
BEER & BITES: Forty Hall in Enfield has a free-entry Beer & Bites festival, with food and drink stalls, and live music and open mic performances throughout the afternoon, all taking place on the lawn. FREE, 11am-4pm
ST GEORGE'S FESTIVAL: Ahead of St George's Day on Wednesday, the free London St George's Day Festival takes place in Trafalgar Square, with live music, dance and performances celebrating English culture, along with the chance to take a selfie with pearly kings and queens... and a dragon. FREE, 12pm-6pm
BIG DISNEY BASH: The Basement Orchestra takes over Big Penny Social for two concerts of some of the biggest Disney songs from the past 100 years: think the Lion King, Frozen and the Little Mermaid. There's a family-friendly matinee show, followed by an evening performance for grown-ups, and both are sing-alongs, so be prepared to join in. 2pm/6pm
PUB QUIZ: The Old Blue Last in Shoreditch hosts a pub quiz up on the top floor. Maximum six people per team, with prizes and a rolling cash jackpot to be won. 7pm
MEMENTO MORI: Death expert Joanna Ebenstein gives an illustrated online talk about the ways that people in countries throughout time have related to death in a positive light. Compared to the contemporary Western world view of death as purely negative, many places have methods to prepare for a good death and afterlife experience. 8pm-9.30pm
Tuesday 22 April
LATIN MUSIC FESTIVAL: La Linea Latin music festival takes place at several venues around central London, opening today with Latin Grammy award-winner Eliades Ochoa, one of the original members of Buena Vista Social Club, performing live at Barbican. Browse the full programme. 22 April-5 May
ESCAPE FROM EXTINCTION: Picturehouse Central near Piccadilly Circus hosts a special World Earth Day screening of documentary Escape From Extinction: Rewilding, narrated by Meryl Streep. The film follows conservationists working on the front line, asking can the world be saved when so much has already been lost? A discussion with an expert panel takes place following the screening. 6pm
CLIMATE UPHEAVAL: Hear from environmental writer Gaia Vince and global rights lawyer Monica Feria-Tinta about how to survive the climate upheaval in this week's The Conversation at St Martin-in-the-Fields. Find out how the relocation of hundreds of millions of people could allow us to adapt habitats and create global economic wealth, and hear about legal cases on topics such as cloud forests in Ecuador and the pollution of British rivers. 6.30pm
WINE TASTING: Francois Haasbroek of Blackwater Wine in the Western Cape of South Africa is at Humble Grape in Islington to lead a wine tasting evening. Sup your way through six wines, learning about each from the expert as you go. 6.30pm-9pm
SARAH ROBERTS: SILKWORM: BBC New Comedy Award regional finalist Sarah Roberts brings her current touring show, Silkworm, to Soho Theatre. In it, she questions everything she thought she knew about herself, and what happens when that turns out not to be true. 9pm (repeated tomorrow)
Wednesday 23 April
ST GEORGE'S DAY: 23 April is St George's Day, celebrating the patron saint of England (and several other countries), best known for slaying a dragon. Several St George's Day events take place around London today, including Morris dancing, a garden party and whisky tasting.
MULTITUDES FESTIVAL: Southbank Centre launches a brand new festival, Multitudes, shining the spotlight on orchestral music while also incorporating dance, visual art and poetry. Highlights include City of Floating Sounds, an immersive musical journey through central London, with six different starting points to choose from, and a collab between George the Poet and Chineke! Orchestra. It begins today with a circus take on Ravel's ballet Daphnis et Chloé, accompanied by the London Philharmonic Orchestra. 23 April-23 May
HERE WE ARE: Stephen Sondheim's final musical Here We Are gets a revival at the National Theatre, starring Rory Kinnear, Richard Fleeshman, Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Tracie Bennett, in this story of a group of friends going out for a meal and experiencing a series of strange events. 23 April-28 June
BEAUTY, BIRDS AND BEASTS: Rarely seen bird studies are the centrepiece of a new exhibition devoted to animals and birds painted by J.M.W. Turner, at Turner's House in Twickenham. Turner's Kingdom: Beauty, Birds and Beasts displays 15 artworks on loan from British public collections, showcasing the landscape artist's lesser-known work with fur, feathers and fins. 23 April-26 October
UKRAINIAN FUNDRAISING DINNER: Ukrainian restaurant Mriya Neo Bistro hosts guest chef Nika Lozovska to cook a special dinner, raising money for the Legacy of War Foundation. Lozovska's menu includes traditional yet modern Ukrainian dishes from her restaurant Dizyngoff in Odesa, and the restaurant is staffed by people who are themselves refugees. The meal is followed by an auction of artworks by top Ukrainian artists to raise further funds. 6.30pm
Thursday 24 April
JIMMY'S BBQ CLUB: Al fresco pop-up restaurant Jimmy's BBQ Club — one of our favourite outdoor dining spots in London — returns to the South Bank for the summer 2025 season. Enjoy a six-course tasting menu focusing on local produce, with at least one element from each course cooked over your table's barbecue, before your very eyes/nostrils. From 24 April
EALING BOOK FESTIVAL: A sterling line-up of writers assemble in west London over the next few days, as part of the Ealing Book Festival. On the roster are Konnie Huq, Elif Shafak, Roger McGough and Hanif Kureishi. There's also a showcase of local authors. Until 27 April
LIVE ART PODCAST: Londonist's art critic Tabish Khan and artist and broadcaster Anna Gammans host a live edition of their podcast, The Good, The Bad and The Arty at Mall Galleries. Hear them chatting to award-winning pencil artist Kelvin Okafor, followed by a Q&A session and a chance to view the gallery's current exhibition, curated by Tabish. 6pm-8.30pm
SWAP, SHOP & MAKE: Knitting brand Wool and the Gang have teamed up with TRAID Walthamstow for a swap, shop and make event centred around wool. Take along any unwanted parts of your yarn collection and trade with fellow makers or whip something up on the spot at the making station, with free patterns provided. 6.30pm-9pm
ONE-ARMED CHEF: Triple amputee Giles Duley, a photographer, writer, chef and presenter, cooks up a special meal at the Food & Drink Studio at Fortnum & Mason. Tuck in as Duley tells you about his life, from being a music photographer working with Mariah Carey and Oasis, to being injured while working in Afghanistan in 2011. 6.30pm-9pm
THE HAIRY GIRL: Storytelling collective Crick Crack Club is at Folklore in Hoxton for the latest edition of Fairytales For Grown Ups. Storyteller and singer Kersti Ståbi recounts the Scandinavian tale of The Hairy Girl, about a twin who thunders into the world on her goat, armed with a wooden spoon, beating up troll hags and saving her sister from a grim destiny. 7pm
FORGOTTEN AERODROMES: A double header of forgotten aerodromes for you tonight at the Horse Hospital in Bloomsbury. Historian Mark Amies explains how Hendon was once an essential part of British aviation history, while Londonist Editor Will Noble transports you back to the 1920s and 30s, when Croydon was the capital's continental travel hub, swarming with Hollywood stars and tourists. 7pm-9.30pm
SAHĀYA: Stoke Newington music and mezcal bar Doña hosts Sahāya Sessions, a platform celebrating female and non-binary musicians and artists from BIPOC backgrounds. On the bill are multilingual singer-songwriter Maharani, alternative RnB musician Idele, and the soulful, candid Naya Yeira. 7pm-11pm
JOHN CRACE: The Guardian’s political sketchwriter John Crace takes part in a live show at Bloomsbury Theatre, offering a comedic look at the last 10 years in British politics, spanning the Scottish referendum, Brexit... and the Queen's final words to Liz Truss. 7.30pm
Friday 25 April
BRICK LANE JAZZ FESTIVAL: The Brick Lane Jazz Festival returns for a weekend of live music. Headline acts include American multi-instrumentalist Laraaji, soul-funk-r&b artist and producer Adi Oasis and MOBO-nominated Ragz Originale, among many others. 25-27 April
PERFORMANCE FESTIVAL: The V&A's Performance Festival 2025 explores the theme of illusion through a variety of events including live performances, talks, screenings and workshops. The festival features artists and curated works that encourage audiences to question their perspectives, with events for all ages, many of them free. FREE, 25 April-4 May
ROMEO AND JULIET: Shakespeare's Globe stages arguably the playwright's best-known work, Romeo and Juliet... except it's been plucked from the streets of Verona and dropped in the Wild West. Saloon brawls and frenzied parties ensue as the son and daughter of two rival families fall in love. 25 April-2 August
ROOFTOP PARTY: DJ Fat Tony spins the choons on JOIA's rooftop, as it reopens for the season. Enjoy Iberian small plates and sunset drinks overlooking Battersea Power Station at this glamorous spring blowout. Tickets include two tokens to be redeemed on refreshments. From 5pm
FRIDAY LATE: Stay late at the Science Gallery near London Bridge for an evening with a theme of 'beautiful futures'. Learn how to adapt traditional Chinese recipes to reduce their carbon footprint, experience a tarot card reading, or watch short documentaries on themes of climate and science. FREE, 6.30pm-9.30pm
LEGENDS' TABLE: As part of the British Library's Food Season, celebrate three food writing legends who were at the forefront of bringing the flavours of their homelands to the UK: Anna Del Conte, Claudia Roden and Ken Hom. Roden and Hom are present in person, and a short video of Del Conte features, with chef Angela Hartnett discussing their contributions to Italian, Middle Eastern and Chinese food here in the UK. 7.30pm
Saturday 26 April
BOTTOMLESS BRUNCH: Brunch dumplings — featuring Taiwanese sausage and smoked bacon, served with salted egg yolk, crispy chilli oil and tomato — feature as part of Peckham restaurant Mr Bao's new brunch menu, which can be supplemented with bottomless mimosas or passionfruit rum punch. Saturdays and Sundays 11.30am-4pm
CHRONIC YOUTH FILM FESTIVAL: Chronic Youth Film Festival returns to Barbican, championing emerging and underrepresented filmmakers with a weekend of screenings and events programmed around the theme of Against All Odds. It launches with the UK premiere of José María Cabral’s Tiger, a coming-of-age feature examining a teenager's act of defiance towards machismo culture in the Dominican Republic. 26-27 April
CLASSIC CAR BOOT SALE: Pre-1990 vehicles including cars, campervans, hot rods, scooters, caravans, motorbikes and custom bicycles park up in King's Cross for the Classic Car Boot Sale — a weekend of shopping, eating and dancing. Browse and buy vintage clothing and homewares from the Charity Super.Mkt, and visit the Repair Shop for advice on caring for your vintage garments. 26-27 April
HIST FEST: The Titanic, Ancient Mesopotamia, Auschwitz, Jane Austen and royal scandals are among the topics at this year's HistFest, a huge weekend of history at the British Library, spanning talks, discussions and live performances. Experts including Professor Kate Williams, Dr Kate Lister and fashion historian Amber Butchart are on the schedule. 26-27 April
TWEED RUN: Style meets cycling as the Tweed Run meanders through London's streets and parks, with cyclists competing in categories including best-dressed individuals, finest moustaches, and most elegantly adorned bicycles. Stops for tea, a picnic and a celebratory cocktail are built into the schedule. How sophisticated. FREE to watch, 9am-6pm
BOOKS IN THE PARK: After a successful first year, literary festival Books in the Park is back at Beckenham Place Park for a second innings. It's a day of events for both adults and children with talks, guided walks, workshops and even a cheese tasting. Yum! From 11am
SECRET CITY GARDENS: Among the skyscrapers of the Square Mile lie dozens, if not hundreds, of tiny green spaces and pocket parks. Join tour guide Jonathan Wober of London on the Ground to explore some of the more historically interesting green patches. 11am
ABOLITION: Take a tour of the central London sites that played a key part in the campaign to end slavery. Fugitive and former slaves, white lawyers, activists and orators along with Black activists, authors and musicians come alive in a walk from Chancery Lane to Embankment Gardens, with Laura Agustin. 1pm-1.30pm
UNUSUAL ISLINGTON: Nigel Smith launches a new walking tour today; Unusual Islington takes you to hidden alleyways, secret gardens and architectural oddities — unveiling an Islington that's a darned sight odder than you cared to think. 3pm-5pm
TWILIGHT WALK: Join actors, musicians and Dr Matthew Green on an immersive twilight walk through the slaughter grounds of Smithfield and cobbled alleys of Clerkenwell exploring how, over two thousand years, London went from darkness into light, with torch-lit performances in darkened churchyards and courts, and piping-hot wine. 5pm-7pm
Sunday 27 April
LONDON MARATHON: It's that time of year again, when thousands of runners pound the pavements in London, many in bizarre costumes to raise money for good causes. This year's London Marathon follows the usual route and format. Even if you're not watching or taking part, be aware of widespread road closures, bus diversions and the like, on and around the route. From 8.50am
VINTAGE SUPERSTORE: Nine tonnes of vintage and pre-owned clothing are coming to Big Penny Social in Walthamstow for the Vintage Superstore, where you can shop clothes by weight, at £20 per kilo. There's no minimum spend, so pick well and you could pick yourself up a whole new outfit for a bargain price. 10am-4pm
PIAF: Singer-songwriter Susan Black transforms into 'the Little Sparrow' for The Piaf Story, a musical storytelling about the life of Edith Piaf. Journey from the slums of Paris to Piaf's iconic performance on the Eiffel Tower. There are two performances today at Theatre at the Tabard, Turnham Green. 3pm and 7pm
CRAFT AND CHILL SUNDAYS: Colour expert and Londonist contributor Momtaz Begum-Hossain runs one of her regular crafting afternoons for adults at Well Bean Co Cafe in the Royal Docks. All art and crafts materials are provided, no artistic experience is necessary, and the session runs on a pay-what-you-can basis, with a different project each month — this time, focus is on folk art textiles. 4pm-6pm
SHOOT FROM THE HIP: Chaotic games, epic scenes and ever-so-slightly unhinged performances are promised as improv comedy show Shoot From The Hip comes to Clapham Grand. 6.30pm-9.30pm
COMEDY HYPNOSIS: Hypnotist and mind reader Daniel Sinclair brings a two-part show to Backyard Comedy Club in Bethnal Green. The first half focuses on mind reading and mentalism, with impressive predictions made live on stage. That's followed by a comedy hypnosis section, with members of the audience having their imaginations unlocked live on stage. 8pm-10pm
