All weekend
MEATOPIA: Carnivorous foodie festival Meatopia brings up to 75 live-fire chefs to Tobacco Dock, each serving one carefully curated dish cooked over wood or charcoal — with bars, bands and DJs woven into the mix. 3-6 September 2026
LONDON PODCAST FESTIVAL: Headphones at the ready for London Podcast Festival at Kings Place, which sees both mainstream and more niche podcasts recorded in front of a live audience, with some streamed online too. Shows this weekend include the Disney-themed Disniversity, The Empire Film Podcast and the esoteric An Audience With Madame Magenta (& Bernard). 3-13 September 2026
ART ON YOUR DOORSTEP: After treating Croydonites to free art earlier this year, the National Gallery's Art On Your Doorstep scheme pops up in Brentford with a free outdoor exhibition of the nation's favourite artworks. While the real deals are safely stashed away in galleries, life-sized replicas have been created in fine detail, and go on display around the west London neighbourhood. FREE, 4 September 2026-February 2027
QUEEN'S PARK BOOK FESTIVAL: This year's Queen's Park Book Festival is the final edition of the literary event, and it's going out with a bang: authors Philip Pullman, Sebastian Barry and Jacqueline Wilson are among the big names making an appearance, along with British Museum curator Michael Lewis celebrating the Bayeux Tapestry's return to the UK. 5-6 September 2026
MARILYN MONROE: Portraits and photographs of Marilyn Monroe by renowned artists and photographers are on display at the National Portrait Gallery, along with personal belongings such as books, scripts and clothes. Until 6 September 2026
CECILY BROWN: Serpentine South Gallery hosts a free exhibition of work by artist Cecily Brown, inspired by the gallery's location within Kensington Gardens, a space which holds personal significance for Brown. These new works are shown alongside other key paintings from her career. FREE, until 6 September 2026
EXTRA/ORDINARY WOMEN: The real lives of a whole range of women who supported and inspired author Charles Dickens are revealed in Extra/Ordinary Women at the Charles Dickens Museum. Find out about the clues left in Dickens' work which help us to connect his fictional characters to their real-life counterparts, and view a portrait of the Dickens daughters, Katey and Mamie, on display for the very first time. Until 6 September 2026
GDIF: Greenwich + Docklands International Festival is in its final week, offering free open-air theatre, circus and dance performances in east London. Highlights this weekend include Nature Speaks, an immersive storytelling experience in Thamesmead, and Dancing City, which brings performances to a variety of outdoor spaces in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. FREE, until 6 September 2026
Saturday 5 September
BRUCE LEE FESTIVAL: Martial arts fans should make for Genesis Cinema in Whitechapel for a full-day cinematic celebration of the genre's most iconic figure. The Bruce Lee UK Event features the premiere of the documentary Bruce Lee: The Making of The Big Boss, alongside a special Mandarin-version screening of the original 1971 feature film. Approved by the Bruce Lee Estate, the eight-hour programme also explores Lee's philosophy through the Longstreet documentary and the landmark episode The Way of the Intercepting Fist. 10am
TWIN PEAKS MARATHON: Immerse yourself in the surreal mystery of David Lynch’s groundbreaking series at Lumiere Cinema Romford. The Twin Peaks Season 1 Marathon screens all eight episodes of the first season back-to-back, following FBI Agent Dale Cooper as he investigates the murder of Laura Palmer. The eight-hour session includes scheduled breaks and, in true Agent Cooper style, "damn fine coffee" and donuts are included with every ticket. 10.30am-6.15pm
HORNIMAN PLANT FAIR: Specialist growers and independent nurseries gather in Forest Hill for the Horniman Plant Fair, held across the museum's extensive gardens.The event features a wide range of specimens including Japanese maples, alpines, succulents and cottage-garden favourites. Get direct advice from expert growers and join guided tours of the grounds. 11am-4pm
BELL HOUSE OPEN GARDEN: Explore a three-acre hidden gem in the heart of Dulwich as the Bell House Open Garden welcomes visitors for a late-summer viewing. Maintained entirely by volunteers, the site features a newly landscaped dry garden, a tranquil house garden with pollinator beds, and a nursery plant area. Browse plants for sale propagated on-site or relax with a drink from the refreshment stall while meeting members of local creative groups. 11.30am-1pm
IBIZA HOUSE PARTY: Freight Brixton — which claims to have London's largest rooftop venue — throws a daytime Ibiza-themed house brunch, with DJs Huck Finn, Carl Willis and guests, plus live performers and roaming acts. Tickets include entry and 60 minutes of bottomless drinks; food is available to buy on site. 12pm-4pm
ARTS FESTIVAL: 1951's Festival of Britain is the inspiration for the lively Gabriel's Wharf Arts Festival. Get stuck into jazz, swing dance performances and workshops on the South Bank, plus DJs spinning tunes from the 1950s-60s. Children are welcome, with free drop-in craft activities and an all-ages painting session. The Wharf's independent shops are open throughout the festival too; here you can meet the makers and pick up unique products, as well as enjoying food and drink from local traders. See the website for the full line-up. FREE, 12pm-5pm (and on Saturday 19 September) (sponsor)
FEMINIST DIY MUSIC: Shoreditch arts hub Rich Mix welcomes the 11th edition of the UK’s largest celebration of feminist DIY music. The LOUD WOMEN Fest features an international line-up of over 20 artists, including Diva Cup from the USA, Ukraine's Folkulaka and London-based punk veterans Hagar the Womb. The event provides a vital platform for women, trans, and non-binary performers across the global independent scene. 12pm
BLACK ON THE SQUARE: Celebrate London's Black cultural and creative talent at the fourth edition of Black On The Square, a free festival in Trafalgar Square offering live music and performances, activities for children, games, stalls — and a wealth of Black-owned food stalls. FREE, 12pm-6pm
ART CAR BOOT FAIR: Play Free is the theme of this autumn's Art Car Boot Sale, which sees almost 120 artists selling their artworks out of car boots at Granary Square in King's Cross, with plenty of comedy entertainment to enjoy while you browse. 12pm-6pm
DENMARK STREET SESSIONS: Denmark Street — aka the British Tin Pan Alley — celebrates its musical chops with a one-day free festival: Denmark Street Sessions takes place at venues in and around the Soho street, offering gigs, talks and an afterparty. FREE, from 1pm
REMEMBERING ST. CLEMENT’S: Join a walking tour of the former St Clement’s Hospital site on Bow Road to mark 20 years since the closure of the East End psychiatric institution. Led by former staff members, the walk explores the hidden histories of the patients and carers who lived and worked here, featuring an art intervention by activist Dolly Sen. FREE, 2pm-4pm
HEDGEFEST 2026: The world’s only benefit concert dedicated to London’s urban hedgehogs takes place at the Ivy House in Nunhead. The line-up features Steely Dan 2, Gareth Freiheit, and the Uncanny Valley Girls, followed by a late-night disco set from DJ Exotic Woodwork. All proceeds from HedgeFest 2026 support the performers alongside the British Hedgehog Preservation Society and the People’s Trust for Endangered Species. 2pm
RIGHT BEFORE I GO: Created by Stan Zimmerman, a writer on both Golden Girls and Gilmore Girls, Right Before I Go At Soho Theatre Dean Street draws on real suicide notes and testimonies to explore the lives of people affected by suicide. It gives a voice to individuals including public figures, veterans, young people, members of the LGBTQ+ community and people living with mental health challenges. Each performance is followed by a conversation with a local mental health professional. 2.30pm
WATER LANTERN FESTIVAL: Head to Danson Park at dusk for the Water Lantern Festival, where you can personalise your own lantern with a wish or memory before releasing it onto the water alongside thousands of others. The lanterns are made from paper, natural wood and an LED candle, so no open flame, no plastic and nothing that harms the water or the wildlife. All debris is collected after the event, so nothing is left behind in the water. 6pm
SILENT DISCO: Kew Gardens hosts a lively Silent Disco inside the Victorian Temperate House, where you can dance among rare plants from around the world. Switch between two channels featuring DJ Goldierocks and DJ Sugai, with a bar and food available throughout the evening. 7pm-10.30pm
FEELING GLOOMY: Dance with tears in your eyes at the Phoenix in Cavendish Square as long-running club night Feeling Gloomy celebrates two decades of melancholic melodies. The playlist features an eclectic mix of "sad songs" from the likes of David Bowie, the Cure, Joy Division and Kate Bush — providing a curated soundtrack for the maestros of mooching. 10pm-3am
POP NEVER DIES: Not feeling gloomy? Stoke Newington’s basement venue the Waiting Room hosts a club night dedicated to the boldest anthems in the pop canon. Expect a chaotic mix of sing-along staples from Britney and Beyoncé alongside contemporary bangers by Charli xcx and Chappell Roan, along with queer icons like MUNA and Troye Sivan, keeping the dance floor moving until the early hours. 10.30pm-3.30am
Sunday 6 September
LIVING MEDICINE: Medical herbalist and author Alex Laird leads a one-day workshop at Chelsea Physic Garden focused on natural remedies for the body's largest organ: the skin. Learn to identify healing plants from the daisy family and create your own infused oils, ointments, and lotions. The session includes a tour of the historic grounds to smell and taste key herbs, followed by a hands-on remedy-making class and lunch in the Physic Garden restaurant. 10.15am-4.30pm
MUSICAL STATUES: Discover the songs, symphonies, and seven-inch singles that soundtrack the history of London on the musical statues walking tour. Wander through Westminster exploring the surprising musical connections of figures like Winston Churchill, Florence Nightingale and Abraham Lincoln, complete with an accompanying audio soundtrack at each stop. Learn why Churchill disliked whistling, which song turned the tide of the Second World War, and the identity of the 18th century Londoner who inspired a band with six Billboard hits. 10.45am-12.45pm
SAXON LONDON ARCHAEOLOGY: Archaeologist Kevin leads an outdoor exploration into the mysterious transition from Roman Londinium to the Germanic-speaking kingdom of the Anglo-Saxons. The walking tour uses recent genetic research and excavation data to challenge traditional myths about the "Dark Ages" and the desertion of the City. Meet outside Moorgate station to discover how the settlement recovered to become England's leading town by the time of the Norman Conquest. 11am-1pm
LONDON TRANSPORT: See a tiny version of London's transport system as the King's Cross Model Railway Club opens a one-day London's Transport in Miniature exhibition, in collaboration with the London Underground Railway Society. See various layouts including the fictional/semi-fictional Waddesdon Manor, Carlton Vale and Lammas Lane. 11am-4pm
IMAGINING ANIMALS: Whitechapel Gallery hosts a day of puppetry, movement, and music inspired by the historic Royal Menagerie once housed at the Tower of London. The programme features shadow puppet-making workshops, movement sessions led by choreographer Suzy Willson, and a new commission from award-winning poet Arji Manuelpillai exploring themes of empire and the natural world. Plus, join a panel discussion with wildlife experts on the future of human-animal coexistence. 11am-4pm
BROMPTON CEMETERY DAY: Though you can visit Brompton Cemetery any day of the year, the renowned burial site holds a special open day today, offering tours of the cemetery and its catacombs, local stalls, children's activities, and birds of prey displays. FREE, 11am-5pm
WALTHAMSTOW FLEA MARKET: Walthamstow Flea Market pitches up at Big Penny Social with dozens of stalls selling vintage clothing, vinyl, homewares and craft goods, with street food and drinks from local traders. 11am-5pm
PALMERS GREEN FESTIVAL: Broomfield Park is the venue for the 2026 Palmers Green Festival, a fete-style celebration with funfair rides, an art show, a model boat display on the boating lake, a dog show and other entertainment for all ages. FREE ENTRY, 12pm-5pm
THE SCIENCE OF HANGXIETY: Head to Pizza East in Shoreditch for an afternoon unpicking the biological and psychological roots of the dreaded hangover. Bestselling author and Sober Girl Society founder Millie Gooch leads the session, drawing on her book The Science of Hangxiety to explain how alcohol disrupts sleep, alters mood and triggers intense overthinking. 2pm-3.30pm
BILLIE EILISH FAN EXPERIENCE: Fans of Grammy-winning pop icon Billie Eilish can gather at the Camden Club for an immersive event blending a concert screening with live performance. A live singer and resident DJ provide the soundtrack to the afternoon, which is designed to bring the fan community together. 2pm-4pm
ICE HOCKEY: Romford's Sapphire Ice and Leisure hosts a pre-season clash as the Romford Raiders take on the Peterborough Phantoms. It's a chance for sports fans to catch the local side in action before the main campaign begins — with seating and standing tickets available across the arena. 5.15pm
ONE NIGHT OF ELVIS: Lee Memphis King brings his acclaimed tribute to the King of Rock 'n' Roll to the Churchill Theatre in Bromley. The production features a full live band and large-scale visuals to recreate the energy of Elvis Presley’s legendary concert tours. 7.30pm
FLEETWOOD MAC TRIBUTE: Millfield Theatre in Edmonton stages Go Your Own Way, a spellbinding production celebrating the rock 'n' roll legacy of Fleetwood Mac. An acclaimed ensemble of musicians performs a journey through the songbook, recreating the energy of hits including Dreams, Rhiannon and Little Lies. 7.30pm
