All weekend
WOMEN BY WOMEN: 'Rooted in Resistance' is the theme of this year's Women by Women photography exhibition, hosted by charity ActionAidUK to celebrate women both in front of, and behind, the camera, specifically brave women from around the world who are defending their land from destruction. See it at OXO Gallery. FREE, 9-12 October
KNITTING AND STITCHING SHOW: The Knitting & Stitching Show is at Ally Pally, with hundreds of exhibitors selling supplies including yarn, fabric, buttons, fat quarters and sewing machines. Get inspired in the galleries, which display works by textile artists and groups. 9-12 October
OTHER ART FAIR: It's the busiest time of year on the London art scene, with quite a few fairs rolling into town, beginning with The Other Art Fair at the Truman Brewery. It aims to make art fun and accessible to all, combining affordable and original artworks by 175+ independent artists with immersive installations, performances, DJs and a fully stocked bar. 9-12 October
CHOCOLATE FAIR: Ahead of Chocolate Week (yep, it's a real thing) next week, the Cocoa Runners Craft Chocolate Fair brings together chocolate makers from all over the UK to showcase and sell their goods, with a market, talks and tastings — all taking place at Fidelio Cafe in Farringdon. 11-12 October
COMEDY FESTIVAL: Sean McLoughlin gets the Choose SE27 Comedy Festival under way in West Norwood on Saturday with a stand-up show at the South London Theatre, with kids' comedy Shelf on Sunday. Sooz Kempner, Michael Akadiri and Elf Lyons are among those on the schedule for the rest of the festival. 11-18 October
BOTANICAL ART: The Shirley Sherwood Gallery at Kew Gardens has two new exhibitions, both exploring the colonial history of botanical art. The Singh Twins features fabric light boxes detailing how plants such as cotton, spices and dyes played a pivotal role in colonial expansion. Concurrently, Flora Indica: Recovering the lost histories of Indian botanical art is the first ever public display of 52 rediscovered botanical illustrations by Indian artists commissioned by British botanists between 1790 and 1850. 11 October-12 April
GILBERT & GEORGE: More than 60 large-scale installations feature in Hayward Gallery's new exhibition dedicated to the work of east London-based artistic duo Gilbert & George. New artworks covering the past 25 years — a sort of retrospective of the century so far — feature, looking at how technology has changed the way the two self-styled 'living artworks' create their images, and how they began digitally distorting their pictures to reflect the anxieties, fears and desires of modern society. 7 October-4 January
BFI LONDON FILM FESTIVAL: The full programme for the 69th BFI London Film Festival is chock-full of gala nights and UK and world premiere screenings, in the biggest event of the year for the London film industry. Highlights this weekend include a celebration of David Lynch, and showings of the 10 films shortlisted for this year's BFI London Film Festival Awards. Events are selling out fast, so be quick. 8-19 October
EGYPTIAN DESIGN: The British fascination with all things Egyptian between 1775 and the present day is the subject of Sir John Soane's Museum's new exhibition Egypt: Influencing British Design. Find out how the aesthetics of ancient Egypt have been incorporated into Regency homes, Victorian factories and more recent houses, shops and offices. Wedgwood ceramics, Liberty fabrics and an Egyptian-style Singer sewing machine feature, along with a new artwork by Cairo-born artist Sara Sallam. 8 October-18 January
LONDON COCKTAIL WEEK: London Cocktail Week claims to be the biggest cocktail festival in the world, and who are we to argue? Buy yourself a festival wristband for £20 to get access to £9 signature cocktails at hundreds of bars across the capital. There are also cocktail tours, workshops and food pairing sessions. 9-19 October
LUCY RAVEN: Sculpture and moving image both feature in Lucy Raven: Rounds, the artist's new exhibition at Barbican's Curve Gallery which delves into themes of cyclical violence in the formation of the Western United States. It includes the UK premiere of moving image installation Murderers Bar (2025), about the biggest dam removal and river restoration project in US history. 9 October-4 January
CECIL BEATON: Cecil Beaton's Fashionable World is the first exhibition dedicated solely to Beaton's fashion and portrait photography. 200 items including photographs, letters, portrait sketches, fashion illustration and costume are displayed at the National Portrait Gallery, with depictions of icons including Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor and Marlon Brando; Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret; Lucian Freud, Francis Bacon and Salvador Dalí making an appearance. 9 October-11 January
NORDIC NOIR: The macabre, melancholy — and sometimes provocative — themes of Nordic art are explored in the British Museum's latest exhibition, Nordic noir: works on paper from Edvard Munch to Mamma Andersson. Two works by Munch take centre stage among over 150 others by 100 artists from the Nordic countries, spanning themes of Norse myth, mental health — and the fight to protect nature. 9 October-22 March
PINK OCTOBER: Sky-high restaurant and bar Ting Shangri-La at the Shard marks Breast Cancer Awareness Month with Pink October, a rose-hued twist on several menu items. Top of our list is the Clouds of Pink afternoon tea, featuring pastel pastries inspired by the London sky at dusk. Special cocktails and a pink brunch on Sundays (think crab pancakes, beef sirloin and a ruby chocolate fountain) are also available, with proceeds supporting Guy's Cancer Charity. Throughout October
VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR: Last chance to follow the child-friendly Very Hungry Caterpillar trail around the gardens at Ham House, learning about the life cycle of a butterfly as you flit around. Until 12 October
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Water Lantern Festival lights up London
Clapham Common gets a glow-up this weekend, as the Water Lantern Festival floats into town for two magical nights.
Thousands of eco-friendly floating lanterns are released onto the water at sunset, in a beautiful blend of reflection and celebration, set to live music. Even better, you can decorate your own lantern with a personal message of hope, love or reflection, and release it as part of the event. Honour a loved one, plan a romantic night, or just enjoy the spectacle.
Each lantern is made from sustainable materials, and the event partners with charities to support clean-water initiatives and local causes. The Water Lantern Festival is for all ages, with food trucks, family activities, and a relaxed atmosphere.
The internationally-renowned event has taken place in more than 150 cities worldwide, and now it's London's turn. But it's only here for two evenings, so don't miss it.
London Water Lantern Festival is at Clapham Common, Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 October. Get your tickets here. Children aged seven and under go free!
Saturday 11 October
DAY OF CATS: Southwark Cathedral's resident feline Hodge hosts (presumably with some human input) A Day Of Cats. Various speakers give talks about selected aspects of the cat world: historian Kathryn Hughes delves into how Britain fell in love with cats, writer Charlie Creed looks at how they made their way into folklore, and feline behaviourist Lucy Hoile asks 'what is your cat thinking?'. Actually, we'd rather not know the answer to that. This annual event always sells out fast. 10am-4pm
MINISTRY OF SOUND GAMES: Lycra at the ready as Ministry of Sound Games returns. The nightclub is split into five workout zones for the fitness event, with teams going head-to-head in rounds including circuits, lunges, burpees and bear crawls. It culminates in an afterparty in the courtyard with drinks, DJs and dancing... if you can still move by then. 10am
CHARITY DESIGNER SALE: Head to the Vinyl Factory Soho for the Ultimate Designer Sale, featuring luxury new and pre-loved clothes and accessories, all in support of The Trust's Change a Girl's Life campaign. Curated by Trinny Woodall, it features labels including Chanel, Jil Sander, Loewe, Zimmerman, Jimmy Choo, Prada and many more. 10am-5pm
BABY BROADWAY: Take the whole family along to Woolwich Works for the Baby Broadway concert, aimed at zero-seven year-olds. West End singers perform tracks from hit musicals and films, with everyone welcome to join in. 11am
DRINK JAPAN: For two days, St Mary's Church in Marylebone is awash with Asian beverages. Drink Japan covers sake, soju, whisky, sochu, teas and more — and is open to seasoned connoisseurs and newbies alike. Sample new drinks, stock up on your favourites, and learn how they're made. 12pm-4pm/5pm-9pm
SOFAR FRINGE: Go beyond the mainstream at this multi-disciplinary, multi-venue festival all about local grassroots artists. From a deconsecrated church to a tiny indie bookshop, 10 unexpected spaces in Shoreditch become the intimate setting for live performances spanning music, spoken word, comedy, dance and visual art. Forget follower counts, this is where talent takes centre stage. From 2pm 'til late (sponsor)
QUEEN OF SOHO: Following five sell-out runs at the Edinburgh Fringe, the Iron Lady comes to Wilton's Music Hall. Margaret Thatcher Queen of Soho stars Matt Tedford as the former Prime Minister, in a drag show set in Soho on the eve of the vote on Section 28. 2pm
BENJAMIN BUTTON: F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Curious Case of Benjamin Button — about a man who is born old — is reimagined in a Cornish fishing village, taking the form of a lively musical at the Ambassadors Theatre, closing today. 2.30pm
EMMA: Jane Austen's fourth novel is transplanted into the 21st century at Kingston's Rose Theatre, with Emma Woodhouse back from Oxford University for the summer. One of several Jane Austen adaptations to see on the London stage this autumn, with today being your last chance to see it. 2.30pm/7.30pm
DA VINCI'S LAUNDRY: Crime comedy theatre play Da Vinci's Laundry is set in the high-end art world and tells the story of two art sales people and one (possible) Da Vinci masterpiece. See it at Hammersmith's Riverside Studios. 2.30pm/7.30pm (and until 25 October)
STORIES IN THE DARK: Developed in collaboration with visually impaired and blind adults, Stories in the Dark is an unusual take on performance storytelling, centring the imagination and creating an experience that is the same for everyone, regardless of their state of sight. Hear tales of enchantment, transformation, things lost, things found, grown-up fairy tales and weird myths — told by Crick Crack Club experts Ben Haggarty, Sarah Liisa Wilkinson and Steph Brittain, with music by Sheema Mukherjee, at Richmond Library. Age 18+. 4.15pm/6.45pm
ICE HOCKEY: It's a sure sign that autumn's arrived in the capital when we're filling our weekends with ice hockey again. Head to Ally Pally this evening to see home team Haringey Huskies taking on Guildford Phoenix in the fast-paced sport. It's followed by an ice disco. Doors 5pm
LONDON NEVER DIES: The London Cabaret Club's latest production, London Never Dies, is now in full swing, taking inspiration from the spy world of James Bond. Step inside the Bloomsbury Ballroom and experience a spy thriller brought to life — part high-octane theatre, part glamorous night out, with a three-course meal, themed cocktails, and an afterparty keeping the fun going after the curtain falls. 6pm (and until 15 November)
GETTING TRIGGY WITH IT: Mathematician and author Matt Parker comes to Artsdepot with his current show Getting Triggy With It (the name alone sells it for us), a light-hearted performance which sees him tackling some serious numbers with a comedy twist. 7.30pm
LULU: She'll make you want to shout! Singer and actress Lulu celebrates the launch of her autobiography If Only You Knew with an evening of stories and music at Cadogan Hall in Chelsea. A copy of the book is included with your ticket. 7.30pm
IMAGINE LENNON: Tyson Kelly stars as John Lennon in musical tribute show Imagine Lennon at Boisdale Canary Wharf. Backed by a five-piece band, he takes the audience on a journey through the music of Lennon (and McCartney) including 10 years of solo hits. 9pm
Sunday 12 October
ROYAL PARKS HALF: The Royal Parks Half Marathon takes runners through four of the eight Royal Parks (Hyde Park, Green Park, St James's Park, Kensington Gardens), and other closed roads around central London. There's a new route this year, with a finish line right outside the Royal Albert Hall. Get yourself a last-minute place via a charity, or turn up on the day to support the runners. Either way, be aware of road closures around central London on Sunday. From 9am
CHELSEA VS SPURS: It's a London derby as the Chelsea Women and Tottenham Hotspur Women teams go head to head in a match at Chelsea's home ground, Kingsmeadow — a great chance to see Euro 2025 winners including Lauren James and Hannah Hampton in action. 12pm
LATERAL WITH TOM SCOTT: A global festival of comedy podcasts, Cheerful Earful takes place across London, Melbourne and New York. The Bedford in Balham and the Clapham Grand host London's end of the bargain, including a live episode of Lateral With Tom Scott, which sees the YouTube star joined on stage by comedians Ria Lina, Alasdair Beckett-King and Iszi Lawrence at the Clapham venue. 12pm-2pm
BLACKHEATH KITE DAY: Let's go fly a kite, at the annual Kite Day on Blackheath. Watch performances by the Kent Kite Flyers, accompanied by a steel pan band from local schools. There's a funfair taking place nearby this weekend too, so you can make a day of it. FREE, 12pm-3pm
GUJARATI BRUNCH CLUB: Tuck into an Ayurvedic-inspired Gujarati brunch at The Boathouse in Paddington, raising money for Breast Cancer UK while also celebrating Diwali. Dishes include pumpkin and paneer skewers, and activated charcoal waffles with crispy potatoes and a garlic and ghee dressing. 12.30pm-3.30pm
DIWALI FESTIVAL: Although Diwali falls on 20 October this year, London's official celebrations in Trafalgar Square take place today, with live music, dancing and yoga, South Asian street food and more. Keep an eye on our Diwali events guide for details of other celebrations around town. FREE, 1pm-7pm
RAILWAY POEMS: Keats House in Hampstead marks 200 years of the railways with an afternoon of poems dedicated to the romance of travelling by train, read by the Keats House Poetry Ambassadors. FREE, 2.15pm
SUNDAY CONCERT: Works by Debussy, Fauré and Mendelssohn are on the programme as the Ortus Trio perform at Conway Hall's Sunday Concert today. Additionally, violinist Tiago Silva and pianist Elizabeth Haughan from the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire give a recital before the main concert. 5.30pm
SOLOMON: Handel's oratorio Solomon, widely considered to be one of the composer's most accomplished works, tells the biblical story of King Solomon in three acts. Today the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, conducted by John Butt, performs the work at Southbank Centre, continuing the tradition of Handel's casting of two women (Helen Charlston and Nardus Williams) in the lead roles. 7pm
