All week
AFTERNOON TEA WEEK: Not that we ever need an excuse to tuck into a scone and a couple of cakes, but Afternoon Tea Week falls this week. Why not celebrate at one of London's best afternoon teas with a view, or perhaps the best afternoon teas near London's tourist attractions, and combine it with a day of sightseeing? 8-14 August
CARNABY SUMMER FESTIVAL: Head down to Carnaby over the next fortnight for the Carnaby Summer Festival. Music, fashion, food and art events take place in the shopping district, including art and craft workshops, live music performances, and discounts and giveaways in many of the local stores. FREE, 8-21 August
PADDINGTON BEAR BREAKFAST: Throughout the summer holidays, Dotty's Teahouse in Carshalton is offering a Paddington Bear breakfast menu. It includes a marmalade breakfast muffin, pancakes, churros, a shortbread biscuit and a drink, with a separate menu available for grown-ups, all served on a three-tiered stand. Available Monday-Friday, 9am-11am, until 26 August
CAMDEN FRINGE: A Socially Dis-Tranced Comedy Hypnosis Show, artificial intelligence begins trying to master English culture, and a raucous comedy of errors are all on this week's programme at Camden Fringe, a selection of comedy, theatre, music and magic shows taking place at venues around Camden. Until 28 August
RADICAL IMAGINATION: Seven female photographers from around the world are in the spotlight at Radical Imagination, an exhibition at Pancras and Granary Squares in King's Cross. Curated by The Photographers' Gallery, the images were picked for their ability to stand out and make you look twice. FREE, until 31 August
EXPRESS YOURSELF: As part of the Museum of Brands' summer activities, there's a pop-up display about the history of make up. Find out how beauty products have evolved in the last 200 years, and get a closer look at products used by both the general public and the film industry, including MaxFactor products dating back to 1914. Until 4 September
SUMMER HOLIDAYS: From theatre shows, to museum events, to where to find your nearest playground, boating lake or ice rink, our guide to London in the summer holidays has plenty of ideas for family-friendly days out.
Monday 8 August
MERMAID MONDAYS: As part of the summer activities at Royal Docks — which includes a temporary lido in Royal Victoria Dock — local artist Momtaz Begum-Hossian hosts weekly colourful craft sessions for kids inspired by the underwater world of mermaids and narwhals. FREE, 10am-4pm
PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIO: Young V&A hosts a free pop-up photography studio at Oxford House in Bethnal Green, giving local children aged 5-15 the chance to have their portrait permanently exhibited in one of the new galleries when the museum reopens next summer. East London photographer Rehan Jamil is capturing the portraits in celebration of children’s creativity. FREE, 1pm-4pm
HUMAN BRAIN: The Royal Institution livestreams an evening with neurobiologist William Harris as he explores how the brain is built, from the moment of an egg’s fertilization through to a human brain’s development in the womb, and beyond. Age 13+. 7pm-8.30pm
ROSE JOHNSON: After shunning this year's Edinburgh Fringe for the London comedy scene, Rose Johnson performs her debut work-in-progress show at Soho Theatre. It’s about being in your thirties, negativity, Love Island and rats. 7.15pm
HAPPY MONDAYS COMEDY: Julian Deane, Dimitri Bakanov, Estefania Baha, Katerina Robinson and Saban Kazim are all on the programme at this week's Happy Mondays Comedy at the Amersham Arms in New Cross. Siôn James hosts. 8pm
Tuesday 9 August
BEER FESTIVAL: The Cadogan Arms in Chelsea has a five-day long summer beer festival. Try 20 different brews, including five cask ales, and stock up on cans to take home with you. Soak it all up with bar snack platters with items such as a black pudding scotch egg. 9-13 August
GOTHEBORG SHIP: Replica 18th century Swedish ship Götheborg sailed into London yesterday, but it's moored up in South Dock Quay in Canary Wharf for the next few days. You're invited to climb aboard while it's here. Today it's open from 10am-2.30pm
KENSINGTON LITERARY TOUR: Join Footprints of London guide Richard Watkins for a walking tour following in the footsteps of great Kensington writers. Wander past historic homes of writers to the north of Kensington High Street, including Kenneth Grahame and James Joyce. 6.30pm-8.30pm
JOHN KEARNS: One of those comedians who manages to have us in tears before he's even opened his mouth, John Kearns is doing an Edinburgh WIP at Islington's Bill Murray this evening, and we'd be surprised if it's anything short of hilarious. 9.30pm-10.30pm
Wednesday 10 August
SUMMER SOUNDS: King's Cross has rebranded its outdoor gig programme Cubitt Sessions into a new, free event for 2022: Summer Sounds Music Festival. There are live concerts every evening, and family sessions on Sunday afternoon, with London Community Gospel Choir, gypsy jazz quartet Tacla and London-based singer-songwriter Zola Courtney on the line-up. FREE, 10-21 August
KINGSWAY & ALDWYCH: London Metropolitan Archives offers a walking tour around the Kingsway and Aldwych areas, beginning at Holborn station. Find out how the local architecture evolved from Victorian slums to planned Edwardian thoroughfare with revolutionary office spaces — and how it might be reimagined again in post-Covid London. 11am-1pm
ELIZABETH TOWER: Join an online talk about the construction and conservation of the Elizabeth Tower, from 1859 to the present day. Find out how and why the Elizabeth Tower, the Great Clock and the Great Bell, Big Ben, were built, and get an insight into the recent restoration project. FREE, 6pm
LIFE DRAWING: Wednesdays are life drawing evenings at the White Horse pub in Parsons Green. Bring your own materials (or purchase ones provided) and draw nude models — with a chance to top up your wine glass halfway through. 7.30pm-9pm
QUEEFY CABARET: Drag superstar Rhys's Pieces takes centre stage at Queefy Cabaret, a night of drag, dance, burlesque and live music at Roundhouse in Camden. The Queefy Queerdos also appear on stage, in an evening celebrating all that is queer, in a safe space. 8pm
Thursday 11 August
SESSIONS FOOD MARKET: Islington's new foodie venue opens today. Sessions is a restaurant-meets-food-hall set-up, with four menus served at a time, each for a limited period. It launches with Korean, Mediterranean, West African and classic British cuisine — the menus cooked up by featured chefs. 11 August
COCKTAILS IN THE CITY: The second of three cocktail-centric weekends this summer takes place in Bedford Square Gardens. Cocktails in the City brings together some of London's leading bars for three days of al fresco quaffing, plus live entertainment, workshops and street food. 11-13 August
SUMMER ON THE SQUARE: The National Gallery also takes things al fresco for the summer, with a free festival of art out on Trafalgar Square. Summer on the Square offers the public a chance to get involved in creative activities such as sketching and painting, and food trucks will be parked up for when you need refuelling. 11-29 August
CARTOON EXHIBITION: The Cartoon Museum launches a new exhibition, Sarah Akinterinwa & Mary Darly: A Dialogue. It features ten new works by Akinterinwa — the first Black British woman to become a New Yorker cartoonist — responding to works by 18th century caricaturist Mary Darly from the museum’s collection. 11 August-13 November
MENABREA MIDNIGHTS: Italian beer brand Menabrea launches an exclusive series of Italian experiences at Pastaio, Carnaby Street. Menabrea Midnights ‘after parties’ imitate the Italian late-night tradition, ‘La Spaghettata di Mezzanotte’ or ‘Midnight Spaghetti’, combining food, drink, and a workshop to help you recreate the experience at home. 9pm
Friday 12 August
LONDON CRAFT BEER FESTIVAL: Over 100 breweries are expected to be at the 10th anniversary of London Craft Beer Festival, which is at Wapping's Tobacco Dock. Sample from a choice of hundreds of beers, from established and newer breweries. Tickets include a festival tasting glass, and live DJ sets as you sup. 12-13 August
LONDON DESSERT FESTIVAL: An ice cream bar and sprinkle pool, an afternoon tea bar, a pick 'n' mix wall and a sundae school (see what they did there?) are all part of the London Dessert Festival at Business Design Centre in Islington. There's plenty to keep sweet-toothed Londoners happy, including immersive activities, photo opportunities and live DJ sets, as well as plenty of eating and drinking. 12-14 August
RIVER STAGE: It's the final weekend of this year's River Stage, a free, open-air stage on South Bank. The National Theatre takes over this time, with dance workshops, live DJs, choir performances, yoga and more. FREE, 12-14 August
BROWNTON ABBEY: As part of Southbank Centre's In The Black Fantastic event series, Brownton Abbey takes over Southbank Centre's Riverside Stage for an evening of live music and DJs. The performance collective was created by queer and black and brown folks with disabilities, and has events all weekend including a transcendental space-themed event, and screenings of new digital performances. 6pm
SCIENCE FICTION THEATRE: The Castle Cinema in Homerton hosts a screening of Jeff Nichol’s Midnight Special, the latest Science Fiction Theatre event. The screening is preceded by a talk about how members of a small UFO religion reacted when the apocalypse failed to occur as predicted, and its relevance to modern movements such as QAnon. 6.30pm
Saturday 13 August
MEDIEVAL JOUST: Travel back to medieval times at Eltham Palace's Legendary Joust. Watch four knights competing for honour on horseback, and enjoy falconry displays too. It's part of the wider Medieval Season taking place at the palace throughout the summer. 13-14 August
TOUGH MUDDER: Feeling fit? Show what you're made of at Tough Mudder, a challenging obstacle course in Morden Park. Choose between a 5K or 10k route (or a one-mile route for kids) and sign up solo or as part of a team. 13-14 August
DAYS LIKE THIS: Head to Horniman Museum and Gardens for DLT: Live From Lewisham. Days Like This is a brunch event combining food and music, and is part of Lewisham's tenure as London Borough of Culture. 1pm-9pm
VOGUE BALL: Vogue Rites is a weekly vogue mini-ball series and music collective at Somerset House, part of This Bright Land series of events. 'Seeing red' is this week's theme, celebrating political activism as members of the Voguing community walk the catwalk competing in categories across fashion, beauty, realness and performance. 6pm-10.30pm
BREAKING THE STIGMA: African & Caribbean Mental Health Organisation SAIE hosts a night of music, poetry, conversations, food and drink, breaking the stigma surrounding mental health. This Peckham Levels event also offers the chance to meet some of SAIE's mental health partners. 7pm-11pm
HAROLD AND MAUDE: Kennington's Cinema Museum screens Harold and Maude, a 1971 film about a young person obsessed with death, who meets an older person obsessed with life. The screening is preceded by musician Maggie Nicols playing an improvised voice and piano set. 7.30pm
Sunday 14 August
HORNIMAN MARKET: Browse and buy fruit and veg, cheese, bread, cakes, clothing, jewellery and more at the Horniman Market, which takes place most Sundays. Soak up incredible views towards the central London skyline as you shop. FREE, 10am-3pm
TUNNEL BOAT TRIP: Venture into the Islington Tunnel on the Regent's Canal, with a boat trip that sets out from the Canal Museum. Opened in 1820, the tunnel is around three quarters of a mile long! The boat trip is suitable for blind and visually-impaired people, deaf and hearing-impaired people, and those with moderate walking difficulties. Various times 11am-4pm
RADICAL WOMEN: Join Footprints of London guide Oonagh Gay for a walking tour around the East End, focusing on the area's radical women. See where Sylvia Pankhurst and Millie Lansbury campaigned to improve the lives of women in the East End, and where the Bryant and May matchwomen held their strike. 2pm-4pm
PINK JUKEBOX: Aimed at members of the LGBTQ+ community and their friends, Pink Jukebox is a Ballroom and Latin dance club. It's open to dancers of all abilities, and starts with classes to familiarise you with steps, followed by an evening of social dancing. 2pm-7pm
CURRIED MUSTARD: 'Savage-tongued' comedian Joe Bains performs a show at Museum of Comedy about growing up in the deepest darkest parts of India, then being thrown into the West with no language, culture, personality, looks... or even a clue. 7pm
Urban oddity of the week
If you're heading to the craft beer festival in Tobacco Dock (see Friday) watch out for tigers. The venue includes this peculiar sculpture of a big cat attempting to swat a boy. It recalls an actual incident from 1857. A Bengal tiger escaped from the menagerie of Charles Jamrach on nearby Ratcliffe Highway, and carried off a small boy who had approached it without fear. The boy was rescued unharmed, but later won compensation from Jamrach. The tiger lived on, and was sold to another menagerie owner George Wombwell. (If his name is familiar, you may recall his impressive tomb at Highgate Cemetery.)
Good cause of the week
"Help please!" said an email in the Londonist inbox this week. "The idea is simple, I want to provide free suits to people from low/no income backgrounds to get them into work. But I need money for materials, I am giving my time and skill for free."
The appeal comes from professional tailor Sonny Grant of Grant & Co. Tailoring. He's hoping to raise at least £5,000 to help with the initiative, and wondered if you might be able to help.
Sonny benefited himself from such a scheme. "Some years back I was down on my luck and needed a suit for a job interview, I barely had the money to buy food let alone a suit. Then an organisation called Suited & Booted gave me a life-line. Within 24 hours I was in their studio and was given a suit, 4 shirts, a pair of shoes and a bag full of ties. I got the job and then some...! Fast forward a few years and in a bizarre twist of fate, I'm now making suits myself!"
Sonny's now working with Suited & Booted to supply free suits to the vulnerable and those on low income. To help with the cause, visit his JustGiving page. He'd also like to hear from you if you have any good quality second-hand suits (i.e. those suitable to be given away, with no stains or rips etc.).
