All weekend
WORLD CUP FINAL: Big weekend in football, as the 2026 World Cup comes to a close. The third place play-off match takes place on Saturday (K/O 10pm) followed by the all important final (8pm on Sunday). At time of writing, we don't know which teams will make it that far in the competition, but check out these London bars, pubs and other venues which are doing screenings.
GREENWICH COMEDY GARDEN: Jack Dee, Sara Pascoe, Jen Brister and Thanyia Moore are on the bill for the final couple of days of Greenwich Comedy Garden, a laughter-inducing festival taking over the grounds of the Old Royal Naval College for eight shows across five days. There are street food stalls and pop-up bars aplenty too. 15-19 July 2026
LEIGHTON HOUSE MINIATURE: To mark its 100th anniversary as a public museum, a one-twelfth scale miniature of Kensington's Leighton House is on display for just a few days. Head to (the real) Leighton House to view the 2.5m-wide replica, which showcases the Silk Room, the Narcissus Hall and the Arab Hall in painstaking detail. 15-20 July 2026
GRAYSON THE MUSICAL: Catch the preview run of a new musical comedy inspired by the life and work of Sir Grayson Perry. The show tells the story of one of Britain's most celebrated contemporary artists — though note that Perry doesn't appear in the performances — at Soho Theatre Walthamstow. 16-19 July 2026
CLOTHES SWAP: SoLo Craft Fair hosts its first clothes swap in the City, taking over Leadenhall Market for four days. Take along clean and undamaged items from your wardrobe which you no longer need, and swap them for tokens which can be used to collect garments donated by others. Mending and crafting workshops are also part of the fun. 16-19 July 2026
SUMMER SERIES: Lightning Seeds and Thee Sacred Souls, are the headliners for the first weekend of this year's Somerset House Summer Series, a programme of open-air gigs taking place in the building's courtyard, continuing into next week. 16-26 July 2026. See other music festivals taking place in London this summer.
CRAFT BEER FESTIVAL: Over 100 breweries are expected to pour into London Craft Beer Festival, which moves to Southwark Park for 2026. Sample from 800+ different brews from established and newer breweries. All beers are included in your ticket. 17-18 July 2026
ROUGH TRADE 50: Check out the programme for a three-day takeover at Southbank Centre marking 50 years since the first Rough Trade shop opened. The line-up mixes gigs, film, live performance and literature, with highlights including Pulp, Scritti Politti, caroline + My New Band Believe, and a live soundtrack screening of Ken Loach's Kes introduced by Jarvis Cocker. 17-19 July 2026
SUMMIT PHOTO: The Royal Geographical Society hosts the three-day Summit Photo featuring talks, exhibitions and practical workshops that look at how photography and filmmaking can drive positive change. Confirmed speakers include Areeba Hamid (Greenpeace), climate change photographer James Balog, National Geographic photographer Bertie Gregory and human rights defender Shahidul Alam. 17-19 July 2026
SWAN LAKE: The State Ballet of Georgia brings Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake to the London Coliseum, with the Royal Ballet Sinfonia in the pit. The production tells the story of Prince Siegfried, Odette and the evil Rothbart, with a 12-performance run. 17-26 July 2026
BBC PROMS: We can't even type those words without Land of Hope and Glory firing up the record player inside our heads — but that's Last Night of the Proms, and there's almost two months' worth of live music to enjoy before that. For all your info on tickets, highlights, promming and the like, peruse our guide to the BBC Proms 2026. 17 July-12 September 2026
Saturday 18 July
SKY GARDEN PILATES: Begin your weekend 36 floors above London, with a pilates session in the Sky Garden. Women's fitness platform Shreddy leads today's session, which is a full-body pilates sculpt session followed by a post-workout smoothie and pastry. 8.30am-10am
GORES BROOK REVIVAL: Help restore the riverbank in Dagenham by joining a community conservation day at Gores Brook. Work alongside the Thames21 team to remove litter and tackle invasive non-native species to help local biodiversity flourish. All necessary equipment, including waders and wellies, is provided on-site, and there are even biscuits and tea to keep you going. FREE, 11am-3pm
ELSYNG PALACE: Discover the royal history of one of Enfield's most significant Tudor sites. This family-friendly day at the Forty Hall Estate offers a rare chance to watch archaeologists excavating the grounds of Elsyng Palace and examine 400-year-old artefacts uncovered from the site. Younger visitors can join in with a hands-on mini dig in a dedicated sandpit excavation area. FREE, 11am-4pm
FAMILY DANCE DAY: Take the kids along to Family Dance Day, a programme of free performances and interactive workshops at Coram's Fields in Bloomsbury. Aimed at children up to 12 and their families, the schedule includes interactive workshops and live dance performances. FREE, 11am-4pm
JURASSIC JUNGLE: Meet a roaming T-rex, Bumble the Brontosaurus, a Megalosaurus, two baby dinosaurs, and another two dinosaurs which you can climb on and ride, all at Jurassic Jungle at the Brunswick Centre in Bloomsbury. The free, family-focused event includes meet-and-greets, photo opportunities and dinosaur encounters. FREE, 11am-4pm
ILLUSTRATORS' FAIR: Over 100 hand-picked illustrators and collectives sell prints, zines, comics, cards, pins, stickers, ceramics and children's books at the Illustrators' Fair in Granary Square. Buy directly from both emerging and established artists. 11am-5pm
WHARFSIDE WATERCOLOURS: Artist Annamaria Antonazzo leads a relaxed afternoon of plein air painting by the water at Royal Albert Wharf. Experiment with watercolour techniques while enjoying live music from Jon Howell's jazz duo and a provided picnic spread of vegan and vegetarian sandwiches. The session is open to all skill levels, with all necessary materials provided. FREE, 12pm-3pm
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM: An outdoor production of Shakespeare's comedy A Midsummer Night's Dream is on at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre until today, telling the enchanting story of a bitter dispute in the fairy kingdom, and four fleeing lovers who find themselves in an enchanted forest. 12.30pm/7.45pm
FOOTBALL EMBROIDERY: Artist Nicole Chui and the Migration Museum lead an embroidery workshop at the Whitechapel Gallery exploring the intersections of sport, migration and belonging. Take your own football jerseys along to learn hand-embroidery techniques, transforming your shirt into wearable archives of personal heritage and identity. FREE, 2pm-3.30pm
KOKUM GRILL-OUT: East Dulwich Indian restaurant holds a hands-on grilling workshop on its terrace teaching you how to whip up Indian-spiced smash burgers, seekh kebabs and charred sweet potato over live flame. Marinades, charcoal technique, heat zones and flare-ups are also covered in the session, after which you can eat what you've cooked. 2pm-5pm
THE BOY WHO HARNESSED THE WIND: Last chance to see The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind at Soho Place, a musical about William Kamkwamba. Based on his book and Chiwetel Ejiofor's film, the show tells the story of a boy who figures out how to build a windmill to save his village from a devastating drought. 2.30pm/7.30pm
GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS: David Mamet's Pulitzer Prize-winning drama Glengarry Glen Ross is at The Old Vic in a production featuring an all-female cast, coming to a close today. Set in a cutthroat Chicago real-estate office, the play charts four salespeople as a brutal competition unfolds. 2.30pm/7.30pm
TRANSATLANTIC FOOTIE FRIENDLY: East London's fan-owned club, Clapton CFC, welcomes American visitors for a special exhibition match at the Old Spotted Dog Ground in Forest Gate. The CCFC Men's First Team vs New York International fixture offers a rare cross-continental meeting at London's oldest senior football ground. 3pm
THREADS OF SOUND: Emerging musicians from the Waltham Forest Music Service take over the café at the William Morris Gallery for a summer evening of live performance. The show features local bands playing a mix of original material and covers in the gallery's ground-floor Deeney's Café. FREE, 4.30pm-6.30pm
HUW LEMMEY: Radical author Huw Lemmey visits Housmans Bookshop in King's Cross to celebrate the reprinting of his cult novels, CHUBZ and RED TORY. In a conversation with Juliet Jacques, Lemmey discusses his visceral satires of the last decade, which blend eye-watering sexual potency with a terrifyingly predictive look at British political life. FREE, 7pm-9pm
AFRIQUE EXPRESS: Collective AfroDesi takes over the decks at SJQ in Dalston for Afrique Express, a vinyl-only journey through the sounds of Bamako, Lagos, Abidjan and Kinshasa. Expect a night of analog heat featuring rare Afro-funk, driving Afrobeat and vintage Congolese rumba played entirely from wax. 9pm-2am
POUR IT UP: Unpretentious party vibes take over the upstairs club room at the Old Queens Head in Islington for a late-night session of R&B and hip-hop. Pour It Up features a heavy rotation of club bangers from the likes of Kendrick Lamar, Peggy Gou and Burna Boy. 11pm-3am
Sunday 19 July
VINTAGE FAIR: Around 50 vintage traders are selling mid-20th-century furniture, lighting, homeware, posters, maps, books, records and summer fashion in and around Beckenham Place Mansion, as the So Last Century vintage fair returns. Outside, the Beckenham Place Park Food Market offers about 15 food stalls, and the Mansion Bar and Café is open for drinks and snacks. 10am-5pm
CRAFTY FOX MARKET: Crafty Fox brings more than 100 independent designers and makers to The Crossing in Granary Square (King's Cross) for a one-day summer market. Browse handmade jewellery, artwork, clothing, ceramics and homewares at the free-entry event. 11am-5pm
LATINOLIFE FESTIVAL: The UK's largest Latin Festival, LatinoLife celebrates its 10th edition at Walpole Park in Ealing. Britain's only Latina-curated festival offers salsa, reggaeton, samba, jazz, fusion, folk, funk, bolero, tango, hip-hop and more across four stages. 12pm-10pm
SOHO VILLAGE FETE: A tug of war between the police and fire brigade, a best in show where pooches must dress like royalty, and a music stage are all part of the Soho Village Fete. But surely the highlight is the Soho Waiters' Race, which sees serving staff from different restaurants legging it around the area while balancing a bottle of fizz, wine glass and ashtray on their tray. FREE, 12pm-6pm (Waiters' Race at 3.15pm)
COMICS AND ZINES: Small press creatives and independent publishers gather at Stanley Arts in South Norwood for the fifth instalment of the South London Comics and Zine Fair. Browse a diverse range of graphic novels, picture books, and zines, or head to the room hosted by WIP Comics to discover work from first-time exhibitors. The afternoon also features a free programme of panels and talks alongside an extra-large communal table for sharing new work. FREE, 12pm-6pm
IRISH MUSIC: The Irish Cultural Centre in Hammersmith opens its summer season of live performances with the ICC Concert Session. Host and guitarist Tad Sargent is joined by uilleann piper James O'Grady and flute player John Rynne for an afternoon of traditional Clare tunes and set-dance music. O'Grady, a veteran of Cara Dillon's touring band, and Rynne, a co-founder of the Ennis Trad Festival, bring a wealth of experience to this intimate session. FREE, 1pm-3pm
SLACKER SHAKESPEARE: The Slacker Shakespeare season continues at the Rio Cinema in Dalston with a screening of 1998 rom-com Shakespeare in Love. Season curator Travis Elborough introduces the film, about the famous playwright overcoming writer's block when he falls for a woman who disguises herself as a man to appear in one of his plays. 2pm
THE ODYSSEY LIVE: The London Literary Salon presents readings from Homer's Odyssey, performed by Toby Brothers with actor Jane Wymark at Theatro Technis in Camden. The reading is followed by a Q&A, and brings key episodes such as the Cyclops, the Sirens and Circe to the stage. 3pm-5pm
DIVERGENT BOOK CLUB: Dystopian YA novel Divergent by Veronica Roth is the subject of a special book club at Rooftop Cinema Club in Peckham, led by Caitlin Curry from London Girls Book Club. Discussion focuses mainly on the first book in the Chicago-set post apocalyptic series. 5.45pm, followed by a screening of the film adaptation (7.45pm)
