Things to do this week is sponsored by Ballymore.
All week
AI WEIWEI: Last chance to see Design Museum's exhibition, Ai Weiwei: Making Sense, which brings together several of the Chinese artist's works as a commentary on design. The show features recent art as well as specially-commissioned pieces, and received a five-star review from our art critic. Until 30 July
THE BIG CITY: Also closing this week is The Big City, a Guildhall Art Gallery exhibition showcasing some of the largest paintings in the gallery's collection, including several large-scale paintings of London itself, and many which aren't usually on show to the public. It's also a chance to see new painting, Pomp and Circumstance Adversus, by British contemporary artist Dan Llywelyn Hall, depicting King Charles III's coronation procession. FREE, until 30 July
MARS: As part of the Kensington and Chelsea Festival programme, Luke Jerram's Mars: War & Peace pops up at St John the Baptist Church in Shepherd's Bush. The 7-metre-wide artwork features NASA imagery of the surface of Mars, at an approximate scale of 1:1 million. After this, the installation has stints scheduled at All Saints' Church in Notting Hill and Jubilee Square by Kensington Town Hall. FREE, 22-30 July
PERFORM IN THE PARK: Taking over Coram's Fields in Bloomsbury, Perform in the Park is a family-friendly theatre festival going on throughout the summer holidays. It has live performances every day, including The Three Billy Goats Gruff, and Mermaids & Pirates, in a specially-built air-conditioned theatre. 22 July-28 August
BBC PROMS: Elgar's 'Enigma' Variations and a tribute to Bollywood star Lata Mangeshkar are among our picks of shows to catch at the BBC Proms this week, but do take a look at the full programme, as the classical music festival is looking more varied than ever. Until 9 September
WORLD CUP: The Women's World Cup powers on in Australia and New Zealand throughout this week, with England's Lionesses taking on Denmark on Friday morning. Here's our guide to where to watch the matches being broadcast live here in London.
SCHOOL HOLIDAYS: With most London schools now closed for the summer, we've put together a helpful guide to things to do with children and teenagers in London this summer — including exhibitions, theatre shows, special events, and plenty of free activities.
OUTDOOR CINEMA: Make the most of summer, by heading to one of London's outdoor cinemas, and watching a new release or cult classic film under the stars. This year's pop-up screens are at venues including on rooftops, alongside canals, in parks and in the shadow of palaces and stately homes.
PUB OF THE WEEK: Clapham recently got a new boozer in the Apollo Arms, a well-turned-out gastropub serving summery cocktails, pub grub, and posher restaurant dishes, such as confit duck leg penang with jasmine rice. Worth a look-in next time you're the in hood.
APP OF THE WEEK: Aftab Singh recently shared news of his app Tube Gaps, which monitors trains across the Underground network, and tweets out long gaps between services. Why not check it out some time — although this coming week, there are sure to be some huuuuuge gaps thanks to the strikes (see above).
DAY TRIP OF THE WEEK: As the school holidays get underway, families are probably looking for family-friendly day trips. Might we suggest the real Pooh Corner and Hundred Acre Wood, the place where AA Milne was inspired to write his famous Winnie the Pooh books. You can seek out the Heffalump Trap and Lone Pine Tree, as well as the real Pooh Sticks Bridge (look out for Owl's House in the trees nearby), before heading to a Winnie the Pooh-themed tea room and museum.
Monday 24 July
SAPAN VERMA: Indian stand-up comedian Sapan Verma offers one last chance to catch a preview of his Edinburgh show before he heads north of the border for the real thing. Make for Soho Theatre for Shame On Me, featuring killer observations and hilarious storytelling. 24-28 July
MILKY WAY VR EXPERIENCE: Physicist Brian Cox has lent his voice to a new VR experience at the Royal Institution, which launches today. Beyond the Milky Way takes visitors on a tour of the Square Kilometre Array telescope being built in the Australian outback, and offers a look at what it will be able to see when it's complete. 24 July-19 August
FEMALE TRAVEL WRITERS: Paddington's Frontline Club hosts an evening of readings and discussions by female travel writers. Award-winning writer Sara Wheeler chairs a panel consisting of Noo Saro-Wiwa, author of Looking for Transwonderland: Travels in Nigeria; Gráinne Lyons, author of Wild Atlantic Women: Walking Ireland's West Coast; and Taran Khan, author of Shadow City: A Woman Walks Kabul. 7pm-8.30pm
HAPPY MONDAYS COMEDY: Tonight's Happy Mondays Comedy is a double bill of Edinburgh preview shows, by Daniel Foxx and Shelf. Takes place at the Amersham Arms in New Cross and as always, Sion James hosts. 8pm
MONDAYS IN LONDON: Looking for something else to do, today or any other week? Take a look at our guide to things to do in London on a Monday — we've gathered together live music venues, comedy and cabaret clubs which keep going on what is usually the quietest day of the week, along with guided walks and tours scheduled on a Monday, and a few special offers too.
Tuesday 25 July
JULIE THE MUSICAL: Julie D’Aubigny was a 17th-18th century French opera singer, and one of the first public figures to live as an openly bisexual woman. Now, her story is being told in new production Julie: The Musical, which opens today at The Other Palace. 25-30 July
THE RETURN OF TENDRIL: The (mostly) vegan kitchen and bar, Tendril, is back from tonight, with a permanent home near Oxford Street, after several years of sell-out residencies around London. Reservations for the restaurant are open now (but act fast: tickets for their 3-day soft launch sold out in 20 minutes). From 25 July
ALDGATE SOUNDS: Take your lunch along to Aldgate Square and enjoy free lunchtime concert, Aldgate Sounds. It's on every Tuesday lunchtime until the end of August, and today chamber group The Dionysus Ensemble perform a programme of classical music. FREE, 12pm-2pm
LONDON IN 1851: Ever wondered what life was like in London in 1851? It was the year of the Great Exhibition, but for most Londoners, life continued as normal. London Metropolitan Archives offers a free online talk about the life of an average Londoner, based on information from the archives. FREE, 1pm-2pm
SKIN PIGEON: Another day in late July, another comedian offering an Edinburgh preview show. This time it's character comedian Lorna Rose Treen, who performs her show Skin Pigeon at Islington's Pleasance Theatre. 7.40pm
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Sample some of the best food scene in west London this Saturday
Fancy broadening your culinary horizons this weekend? On Saturday 29 July, you’re invited to The Brentford Project Food Festival — a chance to discover long-treasured local restaurants and retailers in this exceedingly leafy corner of west London, as well as the exciting new additions joining the neighbourhood as part of Ballymore’s The Brentford Project.
Head to Catherine Wheel Road between 11am and 6pm to sample a range of cuisines, with great coffee (and even better wine) to wash it all down with. You’ll also have the opportunity to add to your own culinary repertoire, thanks to live cookery demos from Masterchef contestant and freelance chef Olivia Burt, and the team at Sam’s Waterside — a new all-day brasserie from the same group behind the much-loved Sam’s Riverside in Hammersmith.
The Brentford Project Food Festival is part of Ballymore’s Summer Series of community events. Find out more about the programme and book your free food festival tickets here.
Wednesday 26 July
FESTIVAL14: Music, theatre, dance, comedy and children’s activities are all part of Festival14, which returns to parks and open spaces around Canary Wharf from today. Head to Canada Square Park for the main stage, or explore the Crossrail Place Roof Garden, Westferry Circus and other areas for alternative entertainment. MOST EVENTS FREE, 26-30 July
SPONGEBOB MUSICAL: Just in time for the school holidays, The SpongeBob Musical opens at Southbank Centre, starring Ru-Paul’s Drag Race legend Divina De Campo. It features the same citizens of Bikini Bottom as the TV show, who find out that their home is in danger of being destroyed by a volcano. Age 6+. 26 July-27 August
FREUD'S ACROPOLIS: "When he reached the top of the Acropolis hill, gazing toward the sea, Freud experienced a feeling of astonishment and disbelief that puzzled him for decades..." Hampstead's Freud Museum opens its new show, Tracing Freud on the Acropolis, today — examining how a visit to Athens in 1904 changed Sigmund's Freud's outlook on life. 26 July-7 January 2024
ST GILES: Join Footprints of London guide Richard Watkins for a walking tour around the St Giles area near Tottenham Court Road, investigating the area's history as a notorious slum. Hunt out historic social buildings, fine churches, atmospheric old streets and posh shopping thoroughfares which offer an insight into the history. 6.30pm-8.30pm
FREE JAZZ: Wednesdays at NT's Loft in Hackney are Jazz Wednesdays — and provided you get there by 7.30pm, entry is FREE (and just £5 after that). We suggest showing up to the stylish space early, bagging a cocktail and securing a good seat. Doors from 5pm
BAB: "Loud but lols" Midlands comedy pair Bab are at Museum of Comedy tonight, performing Bab's Big Show — their inaugural feature-length performance, which covers life, death... and turning 30. 8.30pm-9.30pm (and again on Friday)
Thursday 27 July
POWER UP: Science Museum opens its brand new interactive gallery, Power Up, today. It's home to 160 consoles where you can play video games dating back over the last 50 years, including Pong, Pacman, Minecraft and MarioKart. Play single or multiplayer, depending how competitive you're feeling. Definitely one to bookmark for bad weather days over the summer holidays. Age 5+. From 27 July
LONDON ART BIENNALE: The London Art Biennale at Chelsea Town Hall presents work by 400+ artists from all around the world, emerging and established, in a celebration of contemporary art. It's free, and open to everyone. FREE, 27-30 July
PARENTS' PUB QUIZ: Parents and carers with infants are invited to take part in the Bring Your Baby pub quiz at Pratts & Payne in Streatham (a venue with an interesting history). It's like a regular pub quiz but in a more relaxed setting, with extra breaks built in to allow you to feed and change your baby as needed. It's one of many events in London for parents with young babies. 12pm-2.30pm
SUMMER CYCLE: For one evening only, you're allowed to cycle around Kew Gardens. Normally it's only the staff who are allowed to take to two wheels inside the botanical gardens, but the Summer Cycle events have become popular in recent years — and the only such event in 2023 is tonight. Adults and children are welcome, and there's additional entertainment including live music, theatre performances and tours. Bring your own bike. 5pm-9pm
COLLYWOBBLERS COMEDY: Yep, you've guessed it: more Edinburgh comedy previews. This time it's a double bill of Abandoman and Patrick Monahan taking to the stage at Sambrook's Brewery in Wandsworth to hone their sets. 8pm
GAMING LATES: Tying in with the launch of Power Up (above), Science Museum's monthly late opening has a gaming theme, as well as celebrating 75 years of the NHS. Enter the museum after-hours for talks, a silent disco, a pub quiz, a new display of the George Cross, and plenty more. Age 18+. FREE, 6.30pm-10pm
Friday 28 July
BLACK EATS LDN: The Black-Owned Hackney Market is back for another outstanding weekend of food traders, drinks and DJs — a chance to shop, dance, eat a lot, and celebrate Black-owned businesses in the community. FREE, 28-30 July
NUTTY SCIENTISTS: Take the kids to The Sidings at Waterloo for interactive pop-up shows by The Nutty Scientists, where they'll discover that science can be as mesmerising as magic, through hands-on participation in live experiments. In Magical Science, they will make water disappear, feel magically powerful air, make something fly, and learn Bernoulli’s principle – all in a fun way. Tickets are £10 per child (adults go free with paying child). 28-30 July (sponsor)
GENESIS: New audiovisual immersive experience Aurorium: Genesis comes to the Swiss Church in Seven Dials, telling the story of the beginnings of the world as we know it through a 360º spectacle of sound, light and colour. It's a 30-minute experience that's previously taken place in mainland Europe. 28 July-22 October
BARBIE: She's the subject of one of the most anticipated films of the year, and she's got plenty of history. Shoe Lane Library in the City hosts an online discussion about the cultural impact of Barbie, looking at how the doll became one of the most iconic figures of 20th century pop culture, how she's evolved over time, and why she's still popular today. FREE, 1pm-2pm
COURTAULD LATES: On the last Friday of each month, Courtauld Gallery stays open late. See highlights from The Courtauld’s art collection, including Van Gogh’s Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear and Manet’s A Bar at the Folies-Bergère, before heading to the pop-up bar for a Courtauld Cocktail, and enjoying performances, live music and DJs. 6.30pm-10.30pm
SUMMER PARTY: The Sky Garden, up on level 35 of the Walkie Talkie skyscraper, throws a one-off Summer Party, so you can drink and dance as the sun sets over London. DJs play party anthems until the small hours, with bars open to keep the drinks flowing. 8pm-1am
Saturday 29 July
FERIA DE LONDRES: Celebration of Spanish food and culture Feria de Londres pitches up at its new venue, Wembley Park, for two days of Spanish music and flamenco performances — plus workshops, food and drink stalls and other family fun. 29-30 July
LONDON E-PRIX: All-electric vehicles take over the area around Royal Docks and ExCeL for the London E-Prix. The track partially goes inside the ExCeL Centre itself, as well as using the local roads, and there's a fan village, live music and kids' area for spectators. 29-30 July
CAMP YA: A book festival celebrating the YA (young adult) genre comes to east London — as well as online — for two days. Camp YA includes author talks and signings, a book swap and a marketplace, with authors Cynthia So, Sara Barnard and Luke Palmer confirmed so far. 29-30 July
LA CAGE AUX FOLLES: The season's well underway at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre, which gallops into its fourth production of the year, La Cage aux Folles. For the uninitiated, it's a musical set in St Tropez about a gay couple and an ultra-conservative couple who meet when their children get engaged. 29 July-16 September
LAVENDER HARVEST: This weekend sees the 24th annual Carshalton Lavender Harvest. You can pick your own lavender, tuck into cakes, buy upcycled art — and loads more besides. Booking ahead is recommended. 10am-5pm (and again tomorrow)
SECRET CITY: This two-hour walk from London on the Ground takes in some of the secret spaces to the west of the Square Mile, including "Roman walls, ruined churches, sculpture, glimpses of Shakespeare and beautiful trees and plants hidden among the City of London's office blocks and skyscrapers". 11am-1pm
OLD WAPPING: Tour guide Alison Turner leads a small group around the atmospheric Georgian riverside wharves and stairways of Old Wapping. Discover tales of London’s maritime past, pirates, executions, and murder most foul. Meet noon for 12.15pm start
MUSIC QUIZ: Know your power ballads from your indie bangers, and your chart classics from your guilty pleasures? Over 100 songs spanning multiple genres feature in the Sounds Familiar music quiz brunch at Juju's in Shoreditch. Tickets include bottomless prosecco for two hours, with food available to buy on the day. Teams of up to 10 people. 12pm-4pm
REGENT'S ROOTS: This free family festival takes place on Drummond Street, and features a "vibrant mix of performance, dance, circus, workshops, interactive art, inflatables and food, as part of Camden’s South Asian Heritage Month programme". FREE, noon-6pm
SPICE FESTIVAL: Following on from Regent's Roots (above), a second festival takes place on Drummond Street. The short road near Euston is famed for its South Asian restaurants — but they've taken a huge hit in the wake of Covid and HS2 construction. Drummond Street Spice Sundowner this evening is a community-led celebration of the area, featuring dishes for £5 from 15 restaurants, DJs, Bollywood dancing, henna artists and creative workshops. 6pm-11pm
FREE MUSIC: Welsh soul artist Nia Wyn heads an evening of free live music at JuJu's Bar & Stage in Spitalfields. She's on the bill alongside alternative hip hop artist Kwoli Black; singer, rapper and songwriter R.A.E, and Duchess, who fuses R&B, soul and hip-hop. FREE, 6pm
AFRICA FESTIVAL: Head to Rich Mix for Focus Africa Festival, a celebration of music and fashion from all over the African continent. Musicians including Yaaba Funk, Grupo Lokito and Koroleko Moussa Dembele provide a soundtrack to the event, alongside a showcase of celebrated fashion creatives from Africa and the African Diaspora. 7pm
Sunday 30 July
CHICKENSHED THEATRE: Chickenshed Theatre's Festival of Fun kicks off with Tales Big Day Out — a family-friendly day of bitesized theatre performances taking place both inside and outside Chickenshed's venue in Southgate. Expect plenty of singing and dancing, along with workshops and more. 10am/1pm
WHITEWEBBS: It's the last Sunday of the month which means Whitewebbs Transport Museum in Enfield opens to the public, offering us a chance to see all manner of historic vehicles, from motorbikes to fire engines, via cars, bicycles, tractors, buses and more. Read about our visit so you know what to expect. 10am-4pm
CROYDON CARNIVAL: Croydon Carnival parades through town, closing London Road to traffic for a series of stages which will host — among others — garage legend Artful Dodger. The whole event is a celebration of the diversity of food, religion and culture in West Croydon. FREE, 11am-6pm
SWING MUSIC: Put some swing into your Sunday, with an afternoon of free music at Jamboree in King's Cross. Sure to have your toes tappin' and head swayin'. FREE, 3pm-5pm
CREATIVE CRAFTERNOON: Colour therapist and Londonist contributor Momtaz Begum-Hossain launches a new crafting event, offering Londoners somewhere to step away from distractions and immerse yourself in a creative project — all materials are provided, and no experience is necessary. Takes place at Well Bean Co Café in Royal Docks. Age 16+. 4pm-6pm
CUTTY SARK COMEDY: Finish up your week having a laugh on board the Cutty Sark in Greenwich. Leroy Brito headlines this month's comedy show, which takes place in the vessel's lower hold, with support acts Sarah Roberts and Vlad Ilich. 6.30pm-8.30pm
NEWSREVUE: See out the week with a satirical look back on all the increasingly crazy things that've been going on in the world lately, courtesy of long-running song/sketch show Newsrevue — as ever at Little Venice's Canal Cafe Theatre. 7pm
Museum treasure of the week
St Bartholomew's Hospital, widely known as Bart's, celebrates its 900th birthday this year (just let that sink in a moment... 900th!). Needless to say, it's steeped in history. Happily, the hospital has its own museum, which is free to visit, Tue-Fri 10am-4pm (but check website for planned closures). Amongst its many treasures is this rarity: a plaque to people who never existed. It was in the laboratories of Bart's that John Watson first set eyes upon his future flatmate, a certain Sherlock Holmes. "You have been in Afghanistan, I perceive," was Holmes's immortal greeting. Make a note to visit the museum before 1 September, when it closes for over a year so that restoration works can be made to the wider wing.
Good cause of the week
Speaking of hospitals, the Great Hospital Hike is back on Saturday 16 September 2023. The event supports the King's College Hospitals Charity, to "Raise money for cutting edge equipment and facilities, support staff, and improve patient care through innovative research and pioneering treatment for our hospitals across London."
The main hike itself is between two of the hospitals in the King's group. It starts at Ruskin Park near the Denmark Hill hospital and takes in 18 miles to reach the Princess Royal University Hospital in Bromley. A shorter 4 mile hike starts at The Knoll Pickhurst Lane, Bromley and shares a finish line with the 18-miler.
To find out more and sign up for the fundraiser, see the King's College Hospital Charity website.
