All weekend
HALLOWEEN EVENTS: With Halloween coming up next week, London is well into spooky season, with several bone-rattling events happening this weekend — including candlelit balls and killer seagulls. Peruse our Halloween events guide, dig out your costume and start planning.
PUMPKIN PICKING: Hand-in-hand with Halloween come pumpkins. London itself isn't exactly replete with places growing the gourds, but head to one of these nearby pumpkin patches and farms for an autumnal day out in the bracing air. Don't forget your wellies!
OCTOBER HALF TERM: With most London schools closed for October half term from this weekend, we've rounded up the best family-friendly events and activities in the capital for all ages. Halloween events, a robot zoo, climbing the rig of a famous ship, and an exhibition about pirates are just a few of the many options.
LONDON LITERATURE FESTIVAL: An afternoon with Poet Laureate Simon Armitage, a celebration of poet Seamus Heaney, and a virtual appearance by Aboriginal Australian author Alexis Wright are among the events on the London Literature Festival programme at Southbank Centre this weekend. There's also free entertainment for kids in the form of creative workshop Alphabet Soup, and the festival continues into next week with big names including Jimi Famurewa, Zadie Smith and Sebastian Faulks. 21 October-2 November
MCM COMIC CON: Halloween isn't the only reason to climb into your fancy dress costume this weekend. MCM Comic Con returns to Excel for three days of celebrity guests, panel discussions, cosplay, tabletop and video games and more. 24-26 October
SECRET MAPS: We're looking forward to navigating our way to the British Library for its latest exhibition, Secret Maps, which traces the power, coercion and secrecy that lies behind cartography from the 14th century to present day. In short: see the maps you were never meant to see. 24 October-18 January
HOT WHEELS: The Hot Wheels Stunt Show roars into Wembley Arena, with legendary vehicles from the franchise brought to life, taking on backflips, ramp jumps and the 10-metre-tall 360-loop — in front of a frenzied audience. GT Scorcher, Boneshaker and Rodger Dodger are among the vehicles doing crazy things. 25-26 October
FLEA WEEKENDER: Go East Vintage runs a two‑day flea market at Hackney Depot featuring independent vintage and antiques traders selling clothing, furniture, homeware and collectables. 25-26 October
NOSFERATU: Just in time for Halloween, the Enchanted Cinema pops up at Horniman Museum to screen 1922 film Nosferatu, widely regarded to be the first ever horror film. It's accompanied by a live performance of a score written specifically for the film by composers Kieron Chissik and Caelia Lunniss, and there's a chance to meet the performers after the screening. 25-26 October
COMEDY 4 KIDS: Children's comedy pioneer James Campbell returns from his decade-long hiatus to bring Comedy 4 Kids to the Museum of Comedy in Bloomsbury. Expect a regular stand-up style comedy show, but with the gags tailored to a younger audience. Age six+. 25-26 October
WICKED AFTERNOON TEA: Richmond restaurant 144 On The Hill launches an afternoon tea themed on Wicked, ahead of the new film being released in November. Munch your way through sandwiches, homemade scones, and green and pink sweet treats including macarons and a raspberry mousse. Dressing as your favourite character is encouraged; you'll be rewarded with a bag of sweets. 25 October-30 November
TURNER'S KINGDOM: Rarely seen bird studies are the centrepiece of an exhibition devoted to animals and birds painted by J.M.W. Turner, at Turner's House in Twickenham. Turner's Kingdom: Beauty, Birds and Beasts displays 15 artworks on loan from British public collections, showcasing the landscape artist's lesser-known work with fur, feathers and fins. Until 26 October
WIMBLEDON BOOKFEST: Continuing apace in SW London, Wimbledon Bookfest boasts a number of famous faces on the programme this final weekend, including Thomasina Miers, Elif Shafak, Rupert Everett, Shirley Ballas, Alexander McCall Smith and Susie Dent. Until 26 October
BLESSINGS: In a small English town in the 1960s, formidable matriarch Dorie Deacon is determined to keep her Catholic family respectable, in emotional play Blessings, performed at Riverside Studios in Hammersmith. It comes to a close this weekend. Until 26 October
MARIGOLD FESTIVAL: Marigolds are traditionally used to decorate homes and temples during Diwali celebrations, and Osterley Park and House opens its Marigold Festival to coincide with the Festival of Light. See colourful marigold installations throughout the National Trust property, some illuminated with specially commissioned light projections. A traditional rangoli is installed in the entrance hall, inspired by the floor's original design. 22 October-4 January
Saturday 25 October
SUPER JUMBLE: The second edition of Super Jumble takes place at Mercato Metropolitano in Elephant and Castle today — a supercharged events featuring pre-loved clothes and objects from Traid and Charity Super.Mkt. There are also MCs, DJs, street food and pints. Entry price is between £2.50 and £7, depending when you arrive — with higher fees for earlier entry. 10am-3pm
HOME MOVIE DAY: Kennington's Cinema Museum invites the public to bring their own films along to its Home Movie Day, and potentially show them on the large screen for others to watch. Museum archivists are particularly interested in seeing your 8mm, Super8, 9.5mm and 16mm films, and can offer tips on how to care for them. FREE, 10.30am-4pm
UPRISING: Brixton House transforms into a 'late night' shubeen in honour of activist and artist Pearl Alcock, who created safe spaces for the Queer Black community in the area. UPRISING: House of Pearl – An evening celebrating Queer love features three separate events through the day: a Runway workshop, a Vogue Femme workshop and the On The Block Kiki Ball. 11am, 1pm and 7pm
SON OF GODZILLA: As part of its All Kaiju Attack: Earth SOS! series celebrating Japanese monster films, Barbican Cinema screens 1967's Son of Godzilla twice today. The first screening is aimed at younger cinephiles (age eight+) and is followed by an origami workshop led by expert Toshiko Kurata. She also offers an introduction to the second screening. 1pm/4.15pm
TWELFTH NIGHT: Shakespeare’s tragicomedy, Twelfth Night, or What You Will closes at the Globe Theatre today, telling the story of twins separated in a shipwreck, along with a lovesick duke, a mourning heiress and a besotted steward. 2pm/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. Catch it in its final performances at Hammersmith's Riverside Studios. 2.30pm/7.30pm
OGREPALOOZA: As part of its Halloween celebrations, Between the Bridges on South Bank hosts Ogrepalooza, a Shrek-themed party headlined by eight-piece Shrek tribute band The Ogretones. Shrek, Fiona and Donkey are among the musicians covering tunes from the films' soundtracks by the likes of Counting Crows, Ricky Martin, The Proclaimers, Bonnie Tyler, David Bowie and Led Zeppelin. 7pm-11pm
HALLOWEEN BALL: One of our favourite Halloween events in London each year is Candlelight Club's Halloween Ball. The legendary speakeasy holds a clandestine, 1920s-themed Halloween ball. Dress code is 1920s elegance, with an optional Halloween twist: think ghostly flapper or vampish witch. Expect live jazz, cabaret and cocktails — all overseen by host Champagne Charlie — at an historic mansion in south London. 7pm
JANG SUPPER CLUB: Jang, a restaurant in the very special setting of London's Royal Exchange, hosts a Sri Lankan-Korean supper club. Chefs Dana Choi and Tasha Marikkar join forces to create a menu featuring lobster tail with doenjang butter, and duck breast with soy jaggery sauce. From 7pm
RESISTANCE COMEDY: British Comedian of the Year finalist Darran Griffiths, the charismatic Junior Booker and the "sharp, fearless, and very funny" Tasha Cluskey are among the stand ups on the bill at Resistance Comedy at Enfield's Dugdale Arts Centre this evening. 8pm
TOM ROSENTHAL: Comedian and Friday Night Dinner star Tom Rosenthal brings his current show, Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I Am to Soho Theatre Dean Street, following a sold-out run at the Edinburgh Fringe. 9.30pm (and until 8 November)
FINAL DESTINATION MARATHON: If you're willing to commit HARD to watching horror films around Halloween, make for the Prince Charles Cinema which holds a Final Destination all-night marathon, showing all six films from the franchise about individuals attempting to cheat death. It's gruesome, it's gory — and it's the reason we refuse to drive behind logging lorries on the motorway. 11.30pm
Sunday 26 October
CLOCKS CHANGE: A reminder that the clocks go back an hour at 2am this morning. Sadly that means winter is truly coming, but fear not, we've put together some ideas for brightening up the dark nights here in London.
VINTAGE FASHION FAIR: Browse and buy rare vintage and antique clothing, jewellery and textiles dating from the Victorian era to more recent pre-loved designer labels at Frock Me! vintage fair. 100 exhibitors take part in the fair at Kensington Town Hall. 11am-5.30pm
STORYTELLING SUNDAY: Ghosts is the theme of storytelling Sunday at Love Shack in Cambridge Heath. London Dreamtime's Vanessa Woolf heads up an afternoon of storytelling, talks and music for adults, with different takes on what it means to be a ghost or to experience something ghostly. 2pm-4pm
LOOKING FOR THE MAGIC: Singer-songwriter Danny George Wilson, Australian guitarist Paul Lush and Americana-inspired group The Ladles appear at Looking For The Magic Records' monthly(ish) showcase at the Sound Lounge in Sutton. Pay-what-you-can-afford tickets are available. 4pm-8pm
HALLOWEEN QUIZ: Test your horror knowhow, creepy curiosities — and maybe even your nerve — at the Halloween quiz at Big Penny Social in Walthamstow. It's a blend of general knowledge and Halloween trivia, with a £100 bar tab and rolling jackpot up for grabs. 6.30pm-9.30pm
FAIRPORT CONVENTION: Following a gig in Twickenham on Tuesday British folk-rock band Fairport Convention bring their autumn tour to the Cutty Sark in Greenwich, performing some of their best-known hits as well as some newer songs from more recent albums, beneath the copper hull of the tea clipper. 7pm-9.25pm
PHIL WANG: You'll know him from Taskmaster/Live at the Apollo — tonight Phil Wang appears for this instalment of the Sunday Service at Up the Creek in Greenwich. Accompanying the laughs are happy hour cocktails and candlelit tables — classy. 7.30pm
