Things To Do This Weekend In London: 8-9 September 2018

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Things to do this weekend is sponsored by Old Spitalfields Market.

All weekend

An end of summer party of epic proportions.

SICILY FEST: Get a taste of the Mediterranean at this celebration of Sicilian gastronomy. Cannoli, arancini, pizza fritta, panelle, gelato and pasta are just some of the treats from the south Italian isle on offer. Buon appetito! The Old Truman Brewery (Brick Lane), free entry, just turn up, 7-9 September

CLASSIC BOAT FESTIVAL: Dozens of colourful vintage boats dock in east London for a weekend of floating fun. Climb aboard, listen to sea shanties, and take to the water yourself with a taster kayak session — whatever floats your boat. Plus, there are heavily discounted Thames tours and swashbuckling shenanigans for the kids. St Katharine Docks Marina, free entry, book ahead, 7-9 September

HAYMAN'S GINEMA: Hayman's gin-themed cinema screens 70s, 80s, and 90s silver screen classics with a whole load of juniper-based merriment. Your ticket includes a welcome G&T, two film-themed gin cocktails, gin-flavoured popcorn, and a £5 voucher towards a tour of the distillery. Hayman's Gin Distillery (Balham), £40, book ahead, 7-10 September

INDONESIAN WEEKEND: The UK's largest festival of Indonesian culture celebrates the Emerald of the Equator with authentic street food, martial arts performances, traditional costumes, and free cooking demos from a Masterchef Indonesia judge. Potters Field Park (Tower Bridge), free entry, just turn up, 8-9 September

ON BLACKHEATH: Summer's not quite over yet, and if you fancy seeing it out in style, head to this end-of-the-season festival. South London legends Squeeze headline Saturday, while Paloma Faith gets top billing on Sunday. Through the weekend, there's performances from the likes of De La Soul, Billy Bragg, and Corinne Bailey Rae, as well as fairground rides, truck loads of  street food, and face painting. Blackheath Common, £56, book ahead, 8-9 September

Saturday 8 September

A swashbuckling sleepover aboard The Golden Hinde.

FARMER'S MARKET: Get all the locally-sourced produce you need to whip up a seriously special supper at Camden's new farmer's market. Goodies on offer include rye bread, fresh seafood, and Italian deli goods. North Yard (Camden Market), free entry, just turn up, 9am-5pm

BERMONDSEY FOLK FESTIVAL: Folk fanatics can enjoy performances from Martin Carthy, Lisa Knapp, and Circulus (to name but a few), as well as Irish dancing, a guided walk with local funnyman Arthur Smith, and lashings of craft beer. Market Place (Bermondsey), free, just turn up, from 12pm

NFL KICKOFF: Today marks the return of Superbowl season but you don't have to go stateside to celebrate. Piccadilly is shut to traffic for a day of American football-themed festivities, featuring US cuisine, an NFL mini pitch, and meet and greets with NFL legends. Piccadilly, free, just turn up, 12pm-6pm

BEARPIT KARAOKE: Unleash your inner Rampensau with Joe Hatchiban's Bearpit sessions. He coaxes a complete stranger into singing karaoke in the park and then persuades spectators from the gathering crowd to give it a go too. Repeat these simple steps until everyone runs out of puff. Easy peasy. Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens, free, just turn up, 3pm-7pm

YOGA FOR YOUR LOVE LIFE: Bond with other single Londoners at Tantra Speed Date — a unique relationship skills class, complete with flirty guided interactions to help you find the one. Anyone for partner yoga? Good Vibes Studios (Covent Garden), £25-50, book ahead, 4.30pm-7pm (sponsor)

FLOTSAM TALISMANS: Part immersive performance, part interactive workshop, part ritual for renewal, this site-specific audio tour will see you search for your own talisman on the banks of the Thames. Join artist and amateur mudlark Sebastian on the hunt for found objects their hidden histories. The Mudlark pub (London Bridge), £10, book ahead, 5pm-6pm

NIGHT VOYAGE: Take the kids for a swashbuckling, time-travelling sleepover aboard The Golden Hinde. You'll be recruited as the new crew of Sir Francis Drake's famous ship — if you have what it takes to become an Elizabethan sailor, that is. Tickets include a Tudor dinner and breakfast. The Golden Hinde (Bankside), £45, book ahead, 5pm-9am

DEPORT, DEPRIVE, EXTRADITE NIGHT: Join academics, activists and artists for a night exploring the racial state under the War on Terror. Observe panel discussions, watch short films and hear dramatic monologues. Rich Mix (Shoreditch), £5, book ahead, 7pm

PUNK NIGHT: Get to know New Orleans punk rockers Patsy, hardcore punk band Nekra and Bamya, a band whose post-punk world-influenced music defies easy categorisation at this live show. There will be moshing involved. New River Studios (Harringay), £6, book ahead, 7.30pm

SAY HELLO TO C-3PO: Star Wars fans, meet the human inside your favourite droid at an evening with Anthony Daniels. Costumes are totally welcome, but no sneaking in any blasters. Chickenshed Theatre (Cockfosters), £12.50-£17.50, book ahead, 7.30pm


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Discover something new at Old Spitalfields Market this weekend

Nothing caught your eye on the high street? Fed up with internet shopping? Head down to Old Spitalfields Market this weekend for a chance to get hands on with items that you won’t find anywhere else.

Taking place on 8-9 September, Urban Makers is just one of many brand new guest markets appearing every weekend this autumn — and that’s in addition to the usual acclaimed line-up. Visitors can peruse from up to 30 new stalls each week, featuring a curated mix of the best designer-maker brands London has to offer.

It's a great chance to get your hands on something unique, as well as meet the individuals behind the work. Guest markets to look forward to over the coming weeks include Cultural Traffic, the arts and publishing fair, and Wasted Chic, full of fun, fashion-forward and vintage items plus Mother Maker, P.S. Shop Up and Wimbledon Art Studios - and don't forget to check out The Kitchens, too. We hear they serve up some pretty darn tasty street food...


Sunday 9 September

We may not be sure what all of these antiques actually are, but they sure look pretty.

ADAMS ANTIQUES FAIR: Channel your inner Fiona Bruce at London's longest running Sunday antiques fair. It's usually packed to the rafters with vintage treasures, so watch those elbows, lest you cause a rather expensive accident. Lindley Hall (Victoria), £4, book ahead, 10am-4.30pm

TEDDIES FESTIVAL: We're all going on a bear hunt... a teddy bear hunt, that is. Teddy bear collectors descend on Kensington Town Hall to browse over 10,000 antique and modern furry friends, costing from a couple of quid to over a grand. There's also a teddy bear hospital, where you can check in your well-loved and injured bears for treatment. Kensington Town Hall, £4, just turn up, 10.30am-4pm

ALEGRA SAMBA SCHOOL: This inclusive Brazilian-style samba school invites both disabled and non-disabled people of all ages to create some Afro-Brazilian folklore-inspired carnival costumes before joining the carnival parade and throwing some serious shapes. Southbank Centre, free, just turn up, 11am

FLOWER FAIRIES PAPER ART: Create your own botanical work of art inspired by Cicely Mary Barker's flower fairy illustrations. A professional artist guides you through making your own watercolour and paper cuts, and your ticket includes a visit to the flower fairies exhibition. Garden Museum (Lambeth), £60, book ahead, 11am-4pm

SUNDAY SWING: Liven up your Sunday lunch with The Down for the Count Swing Orchestra. They'll performing absolute bangers from the 1930s and 1940s while you tuck into one of Hideaway's rather epic roasts (sold separately). Hideaway Jazz Club (Streatham), £15, book ahead, 12pm-4pm

BRIXTON HILL WALK: Follow a Blue Badge guide around Brixton Hill's oldest surviving windmill, glimpse a 19th century reservoir and learn about Brixton Prison's celebrity inmates on a guided walk. Meet at Brixton Windmill, £5, just turn up, 1pm

LITTLE ANGELS SUMMER PARTY: That first week back at school sure flies by, eh? If you're in need of something to entertain your 5-11 year-olds, the Little Angel's annual summer party has face painting, crafty workshops, and a puppet parade. St. Mary's Church Gardens (Islington), free, just turn up, 1pm-5pm

VAMIK'S ROOM: For those with an interest in group psychology, work-in-progress documentary Vamik's Room is worth a watch. Molly Castelloe's film traces the life of Cypriot psychoanalyst Vamik Volkan and his work attempting to heal conflicts in traumatised regions around the globe. Freud Museum (West Hampstead), £8-£10, book ahead, 2pm

THE GREAT FIRE OF LONDON: Surreal comic Michael Brunström takes London's epic conflagration, the Great Fire of London, as the subject for his latest one-man performance. There's a prancing duck named Samuel Pepys involved. The Bill Murray (Islington), £5 to reserve a seat/ pay what you want OTD, 4.45pm

UNFOLDED: Sick of seeing the same old thing at the theatre? Unfolded is a new writing night dedicated to elevating socially and politically relevant stories. Plus, the boozer downstairs promises a cracking selection of brews. The Bread and Roses Theatre (Clapham), £7, book ahead, 7.30pm