All weekend
BANK HOLIDAY: If you're lucky enough to have all four days of the long weekend off work, take a look at our bank holidays in London guide for ways to fill your time, whatever the weather does. Take a tour, go on a walk, try a new hobby, or entertain the kids.
EASTER HOLIDAYS: Speaking of kids: while the schools are closed for a couple of weeks, our Easter holidays events guide has all you need to keep them busy, including family-friendly events, activities, shows and exhibitions right across the capital.
GARDEN DAYS OUT: Fancy a stroll around a botanical, walled or palace garden? Have a look at London's best days out for garden lovers, and plan your horticultural happenings. And if it's raining cats and dogs? We've written a guide to London's indoor gardens too.
BEST PUBS: Want nothing more than a decent pint in top-notch surroundings? We've carried out exhausting scientific research to bring you our pick of the 100 best pubs in London, from legendary boozers in central to inviting community pubs in London's borderlands.
FREE MUSEUMS: If you're after culture on a budget, peruse London's free museums. Some, of course, are world-famous, while others remain unknown even to many Londoners. Just be aware that opening hours may change over the bank holiday weekend, so check before you set off.
LUMINARIUM: "A feast for the senses and an adventure for all ages", Luminarium opens at Woolwich Works for five days. The walk-through inflatable installation is a colour-changing labyrinth of winding pathways and colourful domes — a nice little adventure for the Easter weekend. 2-6 April
REVEL PUCK CIRCUS: A Glimmer Daze Gambit, a tented touring show by Revel Puck Circus, pitches up at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, offering a celebration of hope, arrival and community for the whole family via acrobatics, clowning and general chaos. 2-12 April 2026
INDIE BEER FEST: Celebrate independent beer producers at the Easter Indie Beer Fest, taking place at London Beer Lab Nano Brewery and Taproom in Brixton. Ticket includes three x 1/3 pints, with additional drinks available to buy. You can also take part in a blind beer tasting competition, testing your taste buds at identifying different brews. 3-5 April 2026
TOY CARS: Take the family along to Alexandra Palace, where you can make and race your own toy car, at workshops all weekend. Suitable for all ages, the sessions give children the chance to build their own wooden vehicle, then test it on a special race track. 3-6 April 2026
EASTER AT GABRIEL'S: Head to Gabriel's Wharf for two afternoons of free Easter fun. Soak up live blues/jazz/Latin sounds by the river on Saturday 4 April and Monday 6 April. Both days also offer global street eats, cocktails, coffees and indie shopping galore: think natural knitwear, artisan chocs, spring dresses, affordable art and plenty more. Everyone welcome. FREE, 4 and 6 April, 12pm-4pm (sponsor)
DIVINE JEWELS: Last chance to see Divine Jewels, a free display of historic jewellery from the Albion Art Collection at V&A South Kensington. It features British aristocratic tiaras, Russian crown jewels, cameos and grand parures — all very glitzy! FREE, until 6 April 2026
Good Friday: 3 April
EGG DAY: Hosted by The Pickleboy and adjudicated by Eggy Joel, Egg Day returns to The Cock Tavern in Hackney for a cracking day of egg racing, a judged egg‑tasting competition, screenings of an award‑winning egg‑racing documentary and live music. Entry is free, and it's £1 per egg to race. From 12pm
PASSION OF JESUS: Wintershall's long-running Good Friday staging returns to Trafalgar Square for two free performances of the Easter story, featuring a 100-strong cast, Roman centurions, large screens and live animals including a horse and a donkey. Both 90-minute shows are free and unticketed, so arrive in plenty of time to get a good spot. FREE, 12pm/3.15pm
SIMMER DOWN: A free, all-ages daytime dance session, Simmer Down takes place in The Clore Ballroom at Southbank Centre featuring the Tomorrow's Warriors house band, vinyl DJs GW Jazz (Gordon and Gillian Wedderburn) and the Reggae Choir — ideal for burning off any excess energy. FREE, 2pm
BAD FRIDAY ALL-DAYER: Head to live music venue Windmill Brixton (not to be confused with Brixton Windmill, across the road) for an afternoon of live music. Eight bands are included in a single ticket, headlined by 80s-inspired Mancunians YAANG. Food is included too! 3.30pm
LONDON BRIDGE TOUR: Unseen Tours guide David leads a two-hour walking tour on the South Bank, visiting Borough Market, Southwark Cathedral, Crossbones Graveyard and the original site of the Globe Theatre, finishing at Red Cross Garden. The route looks at local history — poverty, social exclusion and homelessness — alongside stories of crime, ghosts and a secret archaeological dig. 6pm
QUIZ NIGHT: Aimed at both quiz-whizzes and those who just fancy a party, Edinburgh Fringe show Not Another Quiz Night pitches up at the Clapham Grand for an evening of music, comedy, mayhem, interactive rounds, ridiculous prizes, and surprise appearances, all led by host Jake Bhardwaj. 6.30pm-9.30pm
PASSION OF GOOD FRIDAY: Enjoy a Good Friday performance at Union Chapel featuring a dramatic reading of St John's Gospel, new choral pieces by Musical Director Anthony Fort and music from resident choir Union Chapel Voices, accompanied by the venue's historic organ and house band. 7pm-8.30pm
ARABS ARE NOT FUNNY: Regular comedy night Arabs Are Not Funny! — which aims to quash that stereotype — pitches up at the Royal Albert Hall's Elgar Room for a night of laughs featuring Farah Sharp, Ily Hamdia, Fathiya Saleh, Hasan Al-Habib, Elie Maalouf and Alya Soliman. 8.30pm
HOUSE GOSPEL CHOIR: Camden's Jazz Cafe is taken over by House Gospel Choir for a late night of house anthems performed with voice-driven gospel energy. 10.30pm-3am
WILD SWIMMERS: Kennington's Cinema Museum screens new supernatural thriller film Wild Swimmers, ahead of its release to streaming (no pun intended) later this year. Filmed along the River Avon, it follows an investigative journalist looking into why wild swimmers are disappearing without a trace. Writer-director Ric Rawlins takes part in a Q&A session alongside the film. 7.30pm
Saturday 4 April
EASTER BRUNCH: Within the Hilton London Bankside, restaurant OXBO Bankside serves a special Easter brunch on Saturday and Sunday. The menu consists of seasonal dishes, with buffet-style starters and desserts, and plenty for younger diners... all while the Easter bunny hops between tables handing out treats. The hotel hosts a bunny and chick petting zoo on Easter Sunday (10am-1pm). 4-5 April 2026
EASTER FILMS: The cinema at art'otel Hoxton holds two family-friendly Easter film screenings this weekend, with the chance to enjoy a special lunch either before or after the film. Watch chocolate-centric Wonka on Saturday, or the mischievous Peter Rabbit on Sunday. 4-5 April 2026
NEW BOTANICAL MARKET: The new Kensington Botanical Market launches on Phillimore Walk, close to Kensington High Street, with an Easter special. Expect traders spanning growers, makers and botanical artists selling bulbs, tools, vintage garden furniture, ceramics and prints, all on a floral theme. 10am-4.30pm
ELLIE KILDUNNE: English rugby union player Ellie Kildunne, who was one of the stars of last year's Rugby World Cup, is at Waterstones Kingston to sign copies of her memoir, Game Changer. 11am
HORNIMAN PLANT FAIR: Enjoy cracking views of the London skyline while you browse at the Horniman Plant Fair. The Forest Hill museum's gardens are taken over by independent nurseries run by specialist growers selling their plants, trees, shrubs and succulents, and passing on their wisdom for keeping your new green friend healthy and happy once you get it home. 11am-4pm
EASTER MARKET: An Easter special of Duke of York Square's regular food market in Chelsea includes craft activities and face painting for kids, along with appearances by the Easter bunny, and stalls selling seasonal goodies including chocolate and hot cross buns. 12pm-4pm
2026 BOAT RACES: The Oxford-Cambridge Boat Races take place this afternoon. They're broadcast on TV as usual, but if you're keen to see them in person, get down to the riverside between Putney and Mortlake early to grab your spot by the river, preferably a pub garden. FREE to watch, women's race 2.21pm, men's race 3.21pm
100 YEARS OF CINEMA: The Madrid Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Fernando Furones, performs a programme of film scores inspired by Italian composer Ennio Morricone, including music from The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, Cinema Paradiso and Star Wars, at Barbican. 4pm. The orchestra offers another show later this evening, teaming up with DJ Symphonic to blend pop with multi-instrumental flair. 7.30pm
CARIBBEAN PARTY: Expect the full Caribbean party experience at Day Rave: Easter Jam at Boxpark Wembley. Caribbean DJs play dancehall, soca, reggae, bouyon and carnival anthems into the evening, with street food and bars available, and rum flowing freely. 4pm-11pm
CANDLELIGHT CONCERT: All-female choir The L'Inviti Singers, directed by David Guest, perform Pergolesi's Stabat Mater alongside Vivaldi's Gloria in a candlelit concert at St Mary le Strand. 6.30pm/8.30pm
LIVE AT THE CHAPEL: Ivo Graham headlines monthly comedy night Live at the Chapel, at Islington's Union Chapel, joined by Jamali Maddix, Jen Nolan, Rachel Parris and Phil Ellis. 7.45pm
SCARED TO DANCE: Members of the band Mary in the Junkyard are guest DJs at the Scared to Dance club night at the George Tavern in Shadwell, joining resident Paul Richards. Expect a playlist of post-punk, indiepop, new wave and art-rock. 11pm
Easter Sunday: 5 April
DUCK POND MARKET: Locally, ethically and sustainably sourced products are the focus of the Duck Pond Market, in the gardens of Chiswick House. Browse arts, crafts and homewares as you stroll through the grounds, with refreshments available from street food stalls, as well as the Chiswick House Cafe. 10am-4pm
ROMAN LONDON WALK: Join a qualified City of London Guide to explore traces of Roman Londinium beneath the modern streets — from the site of a Roman bathhouse turned garden to a Mithras temple revealed after the Second World War, and sections of the original Roman wall. Walks meet at the City Information Centre near St Paul's. 11am-1pm
ZOO AND YOU: Continuing the celebrations for charity ZSL's 200th anniversary, London Zoo offers a guided tour around its site, shining the spotlight on the people — staff, volunteers and visitors — who have shaped the zoo throughout the years. Note: you'll need to purchase a zoo entry ticket in order to join the tour. 11.30am
CHRISTATHON: Several Jesii (that's the plural of Jesus, FYI) walk into a pub. Not the start of a joke, but rather the start of Christathon, a biblical pub crawl which organisers say aims "to astound not offend". The route takes in several pubs with biblical names, beginning in Borough and ending in Whitehall. Participants don Jesus costumes to stroll around with a fold-out musical crucifix on wheels. 1.30pm
AWFUL CHILDREN: French-not-really-French comedian Marcel Lucont is at the Questors Theatre in Ealing, to host Les Enfants Terribles - A Gameshow For Awful Children. As its name suggests, the presenter puts kids through their paces to discover who is truly the most terrible enfant of the lot. Adults will enjoy this as much as the young 'uns. 2.30pm-3.30pm
MYRA DUBOIS: Self-styled 'Siren of South Yorkshire' Myra DuBois throws a party at the Clapham Grand, with an unorthodox Easter Sunday of songs, stand-up and brutal audience reads. Myra is joined by Frank Lavender, Rose Lavender and the Myrettes. 6pm-10pm
MOVIES TO MUSICALS: Live performance Movies to Musicals makes its London debut at Cadogan Hall, featuring Dom Simpson, Jenna Innes and Jacob Fowler alongside an ensemble and live orchestra, performing songs from Chicago, Wicked, Heathers, Dear Evan Hansen, A Chorus Line and Back To The Future. 6.30pm
KYAN QUARTET: This week's Sunday concert at Conway Hall stars the Kyan Quartet, an international group of musicians who have performed together across Europe and Asia. Works by Mozart, Bartók, Berg and Haydn are on tonight's programme. 6.30pm-8.30pm
BOLLYWOOD BRATPACK: Vocalist Chirag Rao leads The Bollywood Bratpack in a blend of classic jazz standards with Bollywood hits. The set reimagines songs associated with Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack alongside Bollywood numbers from Mohammed Rafi, Kishore Kumar and others, accompanied by a live band. See it at the Leicester Square Theatre. 7pm
BLACK COMEDY UK: Richard Blackwood, Lateef Lovejoy, Nadz and Jay Handley feature on the bill, with Christopher Savage as host, at an evening of laughs at Backyard Comedy Club in Bethnal Green, produced by Black Comedy UK and aimed at fans of observational and satirical stand-up. 7.30pm
SEVEN DRUNKEN NIGHTS: A tribute show to the music of Irish folk band The Dubliners, Seven Drunken Nights is at Bromley's Churchill Theatre, for one night only. Celebrate the band's 50 year career with covers of songs including Whiskey in the Jar, The Irish Rover and Rocky Road to Dublin. 7.30pm
POSTMORTEM: Top Slayer tribute Postmortem are at the Cart & Horses in Maryland tonight, with a special show celebrating 40 years of the Reign in Blood album. Pirate-thrashers Cutlass and prog-metallers Kardinal X bring the support. 8pm
Easter Monday: 6 April
VINTAGE MARKET: Both inside and outside Beckenham Place Mansion, 50 vintage traders pitch up for the So Last Century vintage market. Browse and buy furniture, homewares, posters, prints, books and records, with street food stalls serving up crepes, bao buns and burritos. 10am-5pm
CHAIR LIFTING: One of those quirky annual traditions which London does so well is the Easter Monday chair lifting in Greenwich. The Blackheath Morris Men make the rounds of local landmarks, pausing to allow people (well, women) to climb onto a beautifully decorated chair, which they then hoist above their shoulders between dances. FREE, 12pm-4pm
KILL BILL: The Prince Charles Cinema shows Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill Volume 1 and Volume 2 back-to-back in a single screening, complete with a new, never-before-seen anime sequence. 6.15pm
LIGHTYEAR: Headlining the Fighting Cocks in Kingston tonight are Lightyear, known for their blend of ska/funk/indie-rock/hip-hop wrapped up in a fun (perhaps topless) set. Support comes from high-energy ska-punkers Slow Gherkin. 7pm
PRIMARY SCHOOL BANGERS: Round off Easter weekend with a good old sing-song. James B Partridge hosts Primary School Bangers at Barbican, a show where the audience can sing along with tunes familiar from childhood school assemblies. Altogether now... Shiiiine Jesus Shine. 7.30pm
IMPROV SHAKESPEARE: "Shakespeare hasn't written anything new for an age, so we thought we'd give him a hand." Enter Shake it Up: The Improvised Shakespeare Show, appearing at the Hen & Chickens in Islington this evening, and doing exactly what it says on ye olde tin. 7.30pm-8.30pm
