All weekend
PLAY MAKE DO: Barbican Centre offers summer holiday entertainment in the form of family festival Play Make Do. Each of the three days this weekend encompasses one of those words, with activities including storytelling and circus skills on Friday, Carnival-themed crafts on Saturday, and dance and creative writing workshops on Sunday. 14-16 August 2026
INFLATABLE ASSAULT COURSE: Apparently the UK's biggest touring inflatable assault course, Action Arena pops up at Chiswick House & Gardens for the weekend. Two different courses are set up in the Walled Garden, one for younger adventurers and the other for bigger kids over 120 cm tall (and yes, that includes adults — form an orderly queue behind us). 15-16 August 2026
WES ANDERSON: This weekend is your last chance to see the Design Museum's incredibly popular Wes Anderson exhibition. The filmmaker granted access to his personal archives, creating a display featuring more than 700 objects, including recognisable costumes, props and set from his films. It's likely to be very busy this weekend, so book tickets in advance to avoid missing out. Until 16 August 2026
DOG MAN: Southbank Centre offers a summer holidays treat in the form of Dog Man The Musical, based on the bestselling children's book series of the same name. With the head of a dog and the body of a policeman, Dog Man loves to fight crime and chew on the furniture, but now he's called on to perform heroics. It's one of our picks of family theatre shows to see this summer, but this weekend is your last chance to see it. Until 16 August 2026
AFTERNOON TEA WEEK: Not that we ever need an excuse to tuck into a scone and a couple of cakes, but it's Afternoon Tea Week. Why not celebrate at one of London's best afternoon teas? Whether you want afternoon tea with a view, in a museum or somewhere really fancy, we've got just the place. We also know the best afternoon teas for children, and, if it's all sounding a bit expensive, here's a guide to London's most affordable afternoon teas too. 10-16 August 2026
PEAKY BLINDERS: Step into the world of gang crime TV show Peaky Blinders, in a new immersive experience in London Bridge. Venture into a replica of the show's Garrison Tavern, and get drawn into Tommy Shelby's world through speakeasy rooms, live performances and interactive challenges. From 13 August 2026
SUMMER SOUNDS: Free music festival Summer Sounds is back at King's Cross, with live concerts every evening, and other theatre performances dotted throughout the schedule. Highlights this weekend include a free evening of opera and musical theatre by internationally-renowned young opera singers, and Afro-Contemporary dance theatre show CAGED, centred around a giant birdcage. FREE, 13-23 August 2026
JEEVES TAKES CHARGE: One-man show Jeeves Takes Charge sees actor Sam Harrison impressively playing 22 different PG Wodehouse characters including Jeeves, Wooster, Florence Craye, Bingo Little, Uncle Willoughby and Aunt Dahlia. This is the first weekend of its limited run at Charing Cross Theatre. 13 August-6 September 2026
ROUNDHOUSE COMEDY FESTIVAL: Sara Pascoe headlines a night of live comedy on Saturday night, joined by Nina Conti, John Kearns, Harriet Kemsley and Michael Odewale. On Sunday, Vittorio Angelone hosts a similar event, with support from Kyla Cobbler, Troy Hawke, Janine Harouni and Micky Overman. Both shows are part of Roundhouse Comedy Festival, and take place at the Camden venue. Until 18 August 2026
CAMDEN FRINGE: Performing arts festival Camden Fringe continues apace, with dozens of shows spanning theatre, comedy, dance and spoken word to choose from this weekend. Our picks include one-woman show A Cup Of Tea With George Eliot, tricky comedy production The Show That Goes Backwards and comedy improv A Bridge Too Farce. Browse the full programme. Until 30 August 2026
Saturday 15 August
IMBERBUS: Alright, so it's not in London, but it is a top-notch (and very popular) event featuring London buses, so indulge us for a second. Imberbus is an annual parade of double-decker London buses from Warminster to Chitterne, via Salisbury Plain and a collection of bucolic villages. Why? It dates back to residents of the small village of Imber being turfed out by the Ministry of Defence in 1943, and never being allowed to return — full story here. From 9.30am
WEST END WOOFS: Dame Elaine Paige and Bernadette Peters co-host live canine adoption event West End Woofs, at St Paul’s Church in Covent Garden. Gates open for a meet-and-greet with adoptable dogs and cats, followed by a staged section of performances with West End stars joining the animals on stage, all in aid of finding good homes for creatures in need. 10.15am
DOWNRIVER FROM THE CITY: Uncover the maritime history of the Pool of London on a two-hour guided walk through the historic docks and shipping districts east of the Tower of London. Led by David Charnick, the tour explores the traces of global trade and the salty legacy of the tidal Thames, before concluding at the church of St George in the East. Begins at Tower Gateway DLR station. 11am
BARBICAN ARCHITECTURE: Explore the bold, modernist vision of Chamberlin, Powell & Bon on a two-hour walking tour of the Golden Lane and Barbican estates. Led by local resident and Green Badge guide Francis Pugh, the route traces the transformation of a bombed-out industrial site into a radical concrete neighbourhood that rejected the suburban ideals of the Garden City movement, and visits the social housing of Great Arthur House before navigating the highwalks and artificial lakes of the imposing Barbican Estate. 11am-2pm
LA SAGRA DI SHOREDITCH: Renowned Shoreditch restaurant Gloria hosts a sagra — a traditional Italian village festival — in the grounds of the Museum of the Home in Hoxton. The event celebrates and spotlights local businesses, with 100% of profits going to The Felix Project and Shoreditch Trust's Community Table initiative. Tickets include a welcome drink, a four-course feast with wine, entertainment and a tombola entry. 12.30pm-5.30pm
SE8 SUMMER FETE: Deptford's community arts hub the Albany opens its garden for the SE8 Summer Fete, featuring live music, DJs and creative workshops. The eclectic line-up includes Guinness World Record-holding hula hoop troupe The Majorettes, soul artist Laville and a jukebox musical from alien duo Sugar and Spice. Advance tickets have sold out, but there's room for walk-ups on the day. FREE, 1pm-6pm
COWGIRLS & COCKTAILS: Dust off your chaps and head to the Star in Shoreditch for the Cowgirls & Cocktails bottomless brunch, a lively hoedown offering 90 minutes of unlimited drinks paired with pizza from local partners 081 Pizza, set to a soundtrack of country anthems. Expect a riotous afternoon of line dancing, country-themed musical bingo and "country-oke". 2pm-4pm
HIT MACHINE: How I Met Your Mother star Josh Radnor stars in Hit Machine, a darkly funny play about two brothers who grew up making music together. See it at Soho Theatre Dean Street until tonight. 2.30pm/7pm
SATURDAY AFTERNOON COMEDY: Escape the West End crowds and head into the air-conditioned basement of the Spice of Life for a stand-up comedy showcase. It features a resident host and four guest comedians, with previous line-ups including acts seen on Taskmaster and Live at the Apollo. Grab a drink at the upstairs bar before settling into the intimate Soho venue for 90 minutes of live performance. 4pm
AMY WINEHOUSE ANNIVERSARY: Camden's legendary Jazz Cafe pays tribute to the Queen of Soul with a live performance of her seminal album, Back to Black. Vocalist Ciara Haidar and a full house band recreate the magic of tracks like Rehab and Tears Dry on Their Own on the very stage Winehouse once graced. The evening celebrates the 20th anniversary of the record that explored themes of grief and heartbreak to cement her status as a global icon. 6.30pm-10pm
CHARLOTTE DE GRAAF: London-based Dutch vocalist Charlotte de Graaf brings a refined blend of jazz standards and soulful interpretations to the intimate Piano Room at Toulouse Lautrec in Kennington. Having performed at renowned venues such as Ronnie Scott's and Paris's New Morning, she pairs her magnetic stage presence with the venue's French cuisine for an elegant dinner-concert experience. 7pm-9.30pm
BLIND DATE: Miss watching Blind Date on a Saturday night? Corner Corner in Canada Water is bringing it back, with a live version of the dating gameshow. Buy a ticket to be in the audience and watch contestants flex their chat-up lines. Or, if you're feeling brave, put yourself forward to take part. 7pm-10pm
SOUTH LONDON SOUL: Nunhead's community-owned pub the Ivy hosts a lively night of soul classics from across the spectrum. Resident DJs Mole, Phil, Jeff and Tom are joined by guest DJ Mark 'Binsy' Taylor to spin tracks for a crowd that loves to dance. FREE, 7pm
CHILD OF GLASS: See a new music-drama about the life of composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky at Opera Holland Park. The seasonal venue showcases the pressures, passions and conflicts that shaped Russia's most celebrated composer through a cast of four: musician Tama Matheson, actors Suzy Kohane and Oliver Holland, and the Royal Ballet's Téo Dubreuil. 7.30pm
I'M JUST A GIRL: Three women reunite in a toilet for the first time in a decade during a mutual friend's hen do in this new production at Harrow Arts Centre. Part of the Boiler House Festival 2026, I'm Just a Girl uses a mix of comedy, drama and puppetry to examine shifting attitudes toward womanhood. The 30-minute show contains strong language and adult themes, including puppet nudity, as it explores how the characters' lives have diverged since they last met. 7.30pm
BETTY BLACK REVUE: Singer Elisabeth Troy performs as her alter-ego Betty Black in a one-night soul and R&B showcase at World Heart Beat Embassy Gardens in Nine Elms. The performance launches her new single Save Me, with the backing of a full band plus backing singers and choreography that reference 50s-70s soul, Northern Soul and vintage funk. 7.30pm
Sunday 16 August
FORMULA E: Start your (quiet) engines: Formula E races back into London in the form of the 2026 London E-Prix. The electric car motorsport championship takes place at — including inside — Excel London, with the start, finish and pit lane all located inside the giant building, and part of the course venturing outside. 8.30am-4pm
CHISWICK CHEESE MARKET: The monthly Chiswick Cheese Market returns to the Old Market Place on Chiswick High Road, showcasing artisan cheeses from across the UK and beyond. Expect a range of independent stallholders offering samples of the gouda stuff, and cheeses to buy. 9.30am-3pm
SAMPLES AND PROPS SALE: Crafty Fox holds its first ever market at the National Theatre, a Samples and Seconds Sale, allowing you to shop a curated selection of independent designers and makers at exclusive discounted prices. Additionally, the NT holds its first-ever public props sale, selling off a selection of props from previous productions. 10am-4pm
CARIBBEAN HISTORY: Notting Hill Walks offers a guided walk through the neighbourhood's hidden Caribbean history, visiting sites of former shebeens, clubs, cafés and a restaurant linked to British civil‑rights events, and telling stories of the Mangrove Nine, local resistance and social history. The tour starts outside Notting Hill Community Church on Kensington Park Road and finishes at the Tabernacle on Powis Square. 11am-12.15pm
REGGAE COOKOUT: Islington’s Union Chapel hosts an afternoon of sound system culture and Jamaican popular music. World-renowned DJ collective The Tighten Up Crew joins forces with legendary selector Gladdy Wax to spin vintage vinyl ranging from hot ska to dangerous dubwise. Uptown Cuisine provides the Caribbean food, with a special bonus for the first 30 guests to arrive, who can enjoy the menu for free. FREE, 3pm-8pm
CHINESE GHOST STORY: Holborn's Garden Cinema screens a newly restored version of Ching Siu-tung's 1987 fantasy-horror A Chinese Ghost Story. Produced by Tsui Hark and starring Leslie Cheung, Joey Wang and Wu Ma, it reimagines a classic ghost story through a blend of romance, horror, fantasy, action and comedy. 3pm
HECK: Hardcore outfit HECK return to the stage for a final run of shows, stopping at Signature Brew Haggerston for what is billed as their penultimate performance. Known for a live style defined by "truly unique carnage," the band is calling time on their career with this "end of the road" event. Witness their high-intensity show in an intimate brewery setting before they disband for good. 7pm
HAIR OF THE DOG: Soho landmark the Spice of Life welcomes a fresh line-up of emerging talent for an evening of live music in the West End. Substance presents Hair of the Dog features a headline set of feel-good funk and reggae from Hugo Velvet. The bill is completed by singer-songwriters Alan Gurung, Cameron Douglas and Sam Taylor. 7.15pm
INTERSTELLAR: Christopher Nolan's 2014 sci‑fi film Interstellar, starring Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway, is screened at Rooftop Cinema Club's Stratford branch. There's a bar and snack stand on site, and other food may be purchased from the vendors at Roof East, which shares the space. 7.30pm
FREE COMEDY: Show up at Brewhouse & Kitchen in Islington for another bout of free comedy from London Comedy Group. You won't know who you're seeing till you get there, but your funny bone will surely be tickled — especially if you avail yourself of the bar beforehand. FREE, 8pm
