Things To Do This Weekend In London: 4-5 August 2018

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Things to do this weekend is sponsored by WingFest.

All weekend

Unlimited brews at London Craft Beer Festival.

CRAFT BEER FESTIVAL: Over 65 breweries are at London Craft Beer Festival so you can chug their range of bevvies. Your ticket gets you unlimited 100ml pours over a five hour sipping session — just remember to pace yourself. Tobacco Dock, from £39, book ahead, 3-5 August

STREET PHOTOGRAPHY FESTIVAL: Forget island sunsets or pastoral landscapes, the most interesting images are captured in public spaces. Learn more about the street photography genre with three days of talks, panel discussions, and print swaps. Stour Space (Hackney), free, just turn up, 3-5 August

CRXSS PLATFXRM WEEKEND: Peckham-based showcase CRXSS PLATFXRM presents a weekend of free street performances curated by dancer and choreographer Ivan Blackstock. There's an experimental hip hop dance battle involved. Southbank Centre, free, just turn up, 10am-11pm, 3-5 August

DLR DISCOVERY TOUR: The Docklands Light Railway, one of TfL's more pleasant services, has launched an exclusive train tour from Tower Gateway to Cutty Sark. With the help of an on-board guide, discover all sorts of tidbits about the transformed Docklands area of east London before arriving at Greenwich to take in some of the city's prettiest buildings. Tower Gateway DLR station, £8, book ahead, tours depart on the hour 10am-5pm, 4-5 August

LEICESTER SQUARE SCREENINGS: Leicester Square might not be your first port of call for a chilled weekend, but bear with us. The square gardens have been decked out bean bags, pixel pitch LED screens and a quality line-up of your favourite family films for your viewing pleasure. What's more, their West End neighbours will be giving away all sorts of goodies across the two days. Leicester Square Gardens, free, just turn up, 10.30am-8pm, 4-5 August


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Chicken wing believers rejoice at this weekend long festival

When you sit down in a restaurant do your eyes immediately scan the menu looking for wings? Are you one of those people who just can't wait to tear away the meat from the bone? Can you eat more wings than any of your mates? Then this weekend festival in the Olympic Park is the one for you.

35 traders and 10,000 punters gather for the chicken extravaganza, London Wing Fest. There's blues music, street entertainment, cooking demonstrations, chainsaw carving displays and most importantly eating wings. Traders are battling it out for the festival's awards, such as 'Best Buffalo Wing' and 'Best WildWing', which you can vote for using the festival's app.

Tickets cost £20 and include entry, a signature trucker cap and a free bottle of Frank's RedHot sauce. Click here for your ticket to chicken nirvana.


Saturday 4 August

Throw some shapes at Tooting's free folk and blues festival.

PIRATE TRAINING: Avaste ye, fledgling freebooters and burgeoning buccaneers! Some old seadogs aboard The Golden Hinde invite 6-11 year-olds to see if they've got what it takes to become a bonafide pirate. They'll be schooled in sword fighting, learn how to fire a cannon, and even sing a sea shanty or two. The Golden Hinde, £5-£10, book ahead, 11am-3pm, 4-10 August

SHIP SHAPE SATURDAY: It's all hands on deck on the HMS Belfast. Learn how the Imperial War Museum preserves its largest treasure and try your hand at restoration and pest-busting. HMS Belfast, included in admission, book ahead, 11am-1pm/2pm-4pm

TOOTING FOLK AND BLUES FESTIVAL: Discover south London's folk and blues scene at The Breathing Room's free open air music festival. This year's line up features the likes of The Rob Booth Band, Gabriel Mesh and the Gas, and Nunhead folk circle. Tooting Common, free, just turn up, 12pm-7pm

GILLES PETERSON TERRACE PARTY: Tuckshop Music is celebrating five years of helping you paint the town red with a huge all-day terrace party — followed by a warehouse all-nighter — headlined by legendary DJ Gilles Peterson. 100% of the ticket proceeds go to Look Up, a pop-up record and bookshop launching in Stoke Newington that explores the connection between mental health and the arts. Studio 9294 (Hackney Wick), £15-£20, book ahead, 12pm-6am

TEQUILA TIME: There's more to Mexico's infamous spirit than salt, lemon, and questionable life decisions. With your tasting bible in hand, discover over 30 different tequilas at London Tequila Festival. To really get you in the fiesta spirit, there's also a Mariachi band, Mexican street food, and colourful piñatas for you to pummel. Acklam Village Market, £19.99, book ahead, 12.30pm-5pm/6pm-10.30pm

THE TERMINAL LAGOON: Performance artist Verity Birt causes a splash in Battersea Park's Pleasure Gardens with a piece about hybridity, evolution, and memory. Set in Nicolas Deshayes' new fountain works, the performance incorporates poetry, music, text and dance. Pump House Gallery, free, just turn up, 2pm-3pm

SERPENTINE SATURDAYS: Join assistant curator Joseph Constable for a tour of Barrels and The Mastaba (1958-2018). Basically, if you're not sure what that gargantuan structure on The Serpentine lake is all about, this is a good opportunity to find out. Serpentine Gallery, free, just turn up, 3pm

SECOND HELPINGS: Live in Tower Hamlets? The council is inviting the local community to share a free meal made from rescued food that would have otherwise gone to waste. You'll also get tips for cooking with leftovers and making your weekly shop stretch further, and you can bring your own booze. Husk Coffee & Creative Space, £10 refundable deposit, book ahead, 7pm-10pm

FREE CLASSICAL CONCERT: Take in a trio of string quartet performances, including works by Walton and Tchaikovsky, at Brentford's Musical Museum. If you arrive an hour or so early, you'll also enjoy a private pre-concert viewing of the museum's unrivalled collection of weird and wonderful musical instruments — and maybe even a demo or two. The Musical Museum (Brentford), free (donations welcome), just turn up, 7.30pm-9.30pm

POP UP PAINTING: Practice painting like a Dutch Master while guzzling wine by the Thames. With the help of Pop Up Painting, you'll put your own spin on The Starry Night, Vincent van Gogh's seductive celestial masterpiece. Hornimans at Hays (London Bridge), £27.99, book ahead, 7.30pm-10pm

Sunday 5 August

Circus training and street performances at Theatre Deli's Big Party.

PAINTINGS: It's your last chance to see work created in situ at the Old Royal Naval College by resident artist Rob Pointon. Marvel at the majesty of the Painted Hall and then see how it inspired Rob's latest work. Old Royal Naval College (Greenwich), free, just turn up, 10am-5pm

CROYDON AIRPORT OPEN DAY: From first world war airfield, to international airport, to niche tourist attraction, the now-defunct Croydon Airport certainly has a colourful past. Hear all about it at the world’s oldest Air Traffic Control Tower. Croydon Airport Visitor Centre, free (donations welcome), just turn up, 11am-4pm

VINTAGE KILO SALE: Best make some space in your wardrobe, because the East London Vintage Kilo sale is back in town. They've partnered with Europe's largest vintage wholesaler to bring you a whopping six tonnes of stock. Simply roll up your sleeves, get rummaging through those retro tees and denim jackets and pay fifteen quid per kilo of clothes. York Hall (Bethnal Green), £3, book ahead, 12pm

DARK ARTS FAYRE: A macabre miscellany of dark crafts awaits in Archway. From tarot reading to taxidermy, occult books to satanic cartoonists — there's plenty to satiate your witchy side. Night club Kolis (Archway), £3, just turn up, 12pm-6pm

TEXTILE MASTERCLASS: Create your own textile and plaster person with the help of artist Marian Murphy. She'll guide you through moulding your own figure inspired by the Foundling Hospital story. The Foundling Museum (Bloomsbury), £22, book ahead, 1pm-4pm

THEATRE DELI BIG PARTY: Meet a travelling troupe of insects, learn circus skills, and dance to the beat of your own drum at Theatre Deli's Big Party. They're celebrating the final day of the Rain or Shine festival with a family-friendly blow out, featuring music, games and workshops. The Old Library (Camberwell), free, book ahead, 2pm-6pm

ARIELLE SOUMA: Souma Untitled comes with a disclaimer — it's not for those who are easily offended (which is perhaps unsurprising, considering that Frankie Boyle is a fan). But those who like their comedy just a little bit daring will find her stories of sex, love, and lemonade an absolute riot. The Bill Murray (Islington), £5/£7, book ahead, 2.15pm-3-15pm

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST: This madcap tale of marriage proposals, mistaken identity and muffins is Oscar Wilde's wittiest comedy, and today you can enjoy it the open air. So load up your handbags with cucumber sandwiches and follow two foppish bachelors on their descent into farce. The Green Arena (Barnet), £13.20, book ahead, 3pm-5pm

CALL ME OZ: In his youth, former courtier Osric witnessed the Danish Royal Household meet their bloody demise. Now, 40 years after the death of Hamlet, he's ready to talk. Find out what he has to say at this one-man contemporary Shakespearean spin-off. King's Head Theatre (Islington), £16, book ahead, 7pm

TWO ON TOUR: It's last orders for Two at the Camden Fringe. So drink in Jim Cartwright's potent cocktail of emotion, questionable customer service, and unspoken truths from Clueless Theatre while you can. The Lion and Unicorn (Camden), £12, book ahead, 8.45pm

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