All weekend
OPEN GARDENS WEEKEND: London Open Gardens Weekend is a chance to explore the city's green spaces via open days, tours and talks. They range from allotments to small private gardens, to the larger gardens in the likes of Eaton Square, usually only accessible to residents with a key. 6-7 June 2026
LONDON MAP FAIR: The Royal Geographical Society hosts around 40 national and international antiquarian map dealers selling original maps from the 15th to the 20th century, with prices starting from about £10 (and going much higher, if you happen to have deep pockets...). The London Map Fair also features lectures including Rose Mitchell on historic mapmakers and talks by Ashley Baynton-Williams on starting a collection. 6-7 June 2026
BARNET MEDIEVAL FESTIVAL: See re-enactments of the 1471 Battle of Barnet, as well as displays by the gunners, archers and mounted knights, at this year's Barnet Medieval Festival. There's also a medieval-style market, craft displays and an art exhibition, all taking place at Lewis of London ice cream farm, just north of Barnet. 6-7 June 2026
ART MARKET: King's Cross Open Art Market brings local artists and makers to Coal Drops Yard for a weekend of stalls, live music and hands-on workshops. Browse and buy handmade pieces or limited-edition artworks. 6-7 June 2026
SERPENTINE PAVILION 2026: 'a serpentine' (their lower case, not ours) is the apt name and design of this year's free Serpentine Pavilion, erected in the grounds of the Serpentine South gallery, and open to the public from this weekend. Mock-ups show the interior will provide an irregular-shaped courtyard with spaces for sitting, and a brise soleil roof propped up with brick columns. FREE, 6 June-25 October 2026
FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY: Now in its 15th year, the World Food Photography Awards brings together finalists chosen by a global panel, with the winning images on display at Mall Galleries this weekend. See fantastic photos depicting the growing, farming, harvesting, cooking and eating of food across the world. FREE, 3-7 June 2026
ARCHITECTURE FEST: The first weekend of this year's London Festival of Architecture is a packed one. Learn about the Crystal Palace Subway, join a Festival of Britain-themed guided walk around Poplar's Lansbury Estate, or take a tour around Iron Works, a new spot in the Royal Docks, among many other events. Until 30 June 2026
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Mark 175 years of the Great Exhibition at this scientific street party
When it arrived in Hyde Park in 1851, the Great Exhibition became the best attended public exhibition ever staged in London — millions of Victorians flocking from far and wide to gawp at the scientific and industrial breakthroughs of their age.
175 years later, its legacy lives on; not just with institutions like the V&A and Science Museum, but also the Great Exhibition Road Festival. Taking place on Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 June 2026, the Festival continues in the vein of wowing people of all ages with wind tunnels, puppet street parades, a kaleidoscopic carnival butterfly, Bollywood dance classes, Science Cabaret and a lot more besides.
Plus there are special events marking that 175 year anniversary, including the chance to sample dishes from 1851, and an invite to step inside the original Crystal Palace via VR.
By the way, Victorians had to pay to get into the Crystal Palace, but the Great Exhibition Road Festival is entirely free!
The Great Exhibition Road Festival, 6-7 June 2026, 12pm-6pm each day.
All events are free. Register for early info.
Saturday 6 June
MORNING RAVE: Start your weekend strong with a morning rave at Farmer J in Russell Square. Enjoy high energy, feel-good music with live DJ sets and special guests, alongside healthy food, and a discount on lunch if you stick around after the event. 10am-12pm
CAPITAL ANTIQUE MARKET: Bargain hunters, assemble! A brand new antiques, vintage and furniture flea market launches today, running on the first and third Saturday of every month. Capital Antique Market is by the creators of Capital Carboot Sale Pimlico and takes place at The Pimlico Academy, offering mid-century furniture, antique homewares, vintage jewellery, and all manner of other collectables, curiosities and oddities. FREE entry, 10am-3pm on launch day (£2 thereafter). From 10am (sponsor)
WORLD OCEAN DAY: Greenwich's National Maritime Museum celebrates World Ocean Day with a day packed full of family-friendly workshops, talks and activities exploring the importance of the oceans, conservation and maritime history. The programme includes hands-on sessions for children, films, and talks from museum staff and guest speakers from conservation and science groups. FREE, from 10.30am
BRUNCH BOOK CLUB: Internationally bestselling author Louise O'Neill joins the Brunch Book Club at Utter Waffle in Balham for a hybrid literary event celebrating her new novel, Whatever Happened to Madeline Stone?. Begin with a group discussion and an exclusive author Q&A, followed by a brunch. 10.30am-4.30pm
BRITISH JAZZ LEGENDS: Celebrated saxophonist Art Themen and legendary bassist Dave Green join broadcaster Ian Shaw at Ronnie Scott's in Soho for an afternoon of brunch, songs and stories. The two pillars of the scene recount decades of shared history, from Themen's early years with Alexis Korner to Green's collaborations with Ben Webster and Sonny Rollins. Expect a mix of live musical moments and vivid tales from the road, mapping the evolution of British jazz through the eyes of those who shaped it. 11am
TAKE FLIGHT: An interactive, multi-sensory aerial show for babies aged up to two-years-old and their carers, Take Flight is a 35-minute performance following a musical mother bird as her chick hatches, grows and explores. There's a stay and play session afterwards, where you can try baby-safe props and a silk swing. 11am/1pm/3pm
MARMALADE AND MASQUERADES: Enjoy a one-hour family concert from The Zoffany Ensemble, pairing Herbert Chappell's Paddington Bear's First Concert with André Caplet's Conte Fantastique, with narration. The programme contrasts bright, playful music with darker, dramatic storytelling, introducing children to how music can tell stories. It takes place at St Anne's Church in Kew. 11am-12pm
PRIME MINISTERS' HOMES: Explore the Mayfair and St James's residences of 12 British leaders on a guided walk led by Rob Smith of Footprints of London. While 10 Downing Street is the famous address, this walking tour visits the exteriors of houses previously belonging to figures such as Churchill, Gladstone and Disraeli, while uncovering the scandals and political intrigues of Georgian and Victorian Britain, beginning at Green Park and concluding near Piccadilly Circus. 11am-1pm
OPEN STUDIOS: Meet a diverse collective of painters, sculptors, and ceramicists as Open Studios returns to Wembley Park. Venture into the creative workspaces of Second Floor Studios & Arts across four different buildings, chat with makers about their techniques and purchase original works commission-free. FREE, 11am-5pm
BLOCK PRINTING: Head to the historic Forty Hall Estate in Enfield for a hands-on block printing workshop for adults. This beginner-friendly session introduces the art of Indian block printing, using traditional hand-carved wooden blocks to explore rhythm and pattern. Experiment with layering and various motifs to personalise your own canvas tote bag to take home. 11.30am-1.30pm
THE ARTISTS' FAIR: Somerset House Studios brings together a cross-disciplinary community of practitioners for the fourth edition of The Artists' Fair. This alternative artist-led market features a live programme of talks and workshops in collaboration with Montez Press Radio, including a DIY zine-making session for kids and a frank discussion on the financial realities of maintaining an art practice. 12pm-6pm
LONDON METAL PRIDE: Heavy music and queer power collide at Signature Brew Blackhorse Road for a full-day festival of riffs and zero apologies. The stacked line-up features Battle of the Bands winners Riff Dealer, the horror-infused black/doom of Karnstein, and trans black metal activists Davghter. Expect unhinged energy and danceable chaos from Something or Other? alongside a host of other heavy acts. 1pm
WILLIAM FINN: Sail through the songbook of one of musical theatre's most influential voices at The Other Palace in Victoria. A Celebration of William Finn features songs from his most honest and fiercely funny works, including Falsettos, A New Brain, and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, honouring Finn's significant contribution to authentic LGBTQ+ representation on stage. 2pm
POLYMATHS AND PIONEERS: Humanist heritage expert Madeleine Goodall leads a two-hour guided walk through the streets and squares of Bloomsbury to uncover the history of its most remarkable female residents. Starting at Conway Hall, the tour explores the homes and haunts of trailblazers who broke new ground in law, health, print and design. 2pm-4pm
BLACK HISTORY: Discover how ancient and modern African stories are reshaping mainstream media at Fulham Palace. This special presentation explores the rise of self-published works and their transition into billion-dollar visual media, and features a Q&A with Hollywood producer Terry Jervis, covering topics ranging from Caribbean-designed spacecraft to the fight for equality in publishing. 2pm-5pm
MAGIC SHOW: Vaudevillian duo Norvil & Josephine bring a magical extravaganza to The Exchange in Twickenham, blending 1905-style whimsy with contemporary flair. Rabbits Out Of The Hat features a mix of magic, circus skills and showstopper songs to tell a spellbinding story about the importance of being yourself. 2.30pm
LAUREL AND HARDY: The London branch of the Laurel & Hardy Appreciation Society gathers at the Cinema Museum in Kennington for its quarterly meeting, The Live Ghost Tent. This afternoon of slapstick nostalgia offers a curated selection of features and shorts screenings, including the 1941 film Great Guns and the 1927 silent short With Love and Hisses. 3pm-7pm
RHINESTONE RODEO: Between the Bridges on South Bank throws a country music-themed outdoor party, Rhinestone Rodeo. It's an afternoon of live music, a mechanical rodeo bull, line-dancing classes, country karaoke, dancing and prizes for best dressed. Yeehaw! 4pm-11pm
ECHOES OF PRINCE: Parisian funk band Echoes Of returns to The Jazz Cafe in Camden to celebrate the life and legacy of the High Priest of Pop. This birthday party marks what would have been Prince's 68th year with a high-energy set of classics including When Doves Cry and I Would Die 4 U. 6.30pm-10pm
FORENSIC SCIENCE: A team of UK forensic specialists — including Dame Lorna Dawson, Katherine Brown, Iain Macauley, Georgios Zouganelis and Nicholas Dawnay — leads an evening of demonstrations and recreated crime scenes at the Royal Institution. Learn how evidence, from DNA to soil, is used in investigations, and find out about the SCAnDi project, a technique for tracing DNA from single cells to help 'unmix' mixed profiles. 7.30pm-9pm
LIVE AT THE CHAPEL: The monthly comedy showcase returns to Union Chapel with a headline set from David O'Doherty. The "Ryanair Enya" and king of tiny keyboards tops a high-calibre bill, featuring Taskmaster star Bridget Christie, viral comic Red Richardson and Hasan Al-Habib. Chloe Petts takes on hosting duties for the evening. 7.45pm
GAMES MUSIC FESTIVAL: Hear three decades of music from video game series Diablo, performed by the London Mozart Players and a choir at the Royal Festival Hall. The concert features themes from across the series and special guests Ted Reedy (lead composer) and Derek Duke (music director) are present. It's the opening event for the Games Music Festival 2026. 8pm
THE CLONG SHOW: Courageous clowns go head-to-head in a series of hilarious tasks and challenges to compete for the prestigious London Clown Festival Clong Award. Hosted by Dan Lees and Neil Frost at Soho Theatre Dean Street, The Clong Show leaves the final verdict to the audience to decide who will be crowned the biggest idiot of all. 10.15pm
TALKING HEADS: Regular club night Scared To Dance holds a Talking Heads special at the George Tavern in Shadwell. Resident DJ Paul Richards is joined by Finn Kidd for a Talking Heads‑focused night of post‑punk, new wave, indiepop and art‑rock. 11pm
Sunday 7 June
HEAVY HORSE SHOW: Capel Manor Gardens in Enfield hosts the Herts Heavy Horse Show and Country Show. See heavy horse breeds in action, taking part in various events in the show ring. There's also a dog show, farrier demonstrations, a mini zoo and children's rides. A great excuse to explore the venue's 30-acre gardens. 10am-5pm
VINTAGE MARKET: Dulwich Picture Gallery fills its stunning gardens and galleries with a curated selection of 40 handpicked traders for the So Last Century Vintage Market. Hunt for mid-century furniture, original 1950s art, and French brocante while enjoying live New Orleans jazz from the Alvar Treefrogs, street food from Sarrasin and coffee from the Flotsam & Jetsam Café. FREE ENTRY, 10.30am-5pm
LITTLE HOLLAND HOUSE: Carshalton's Little Holland House is a Grade-II listed building packed full of hand-made furniture, paintings, interior decoration, carvings and metalwork. Take a look inside at the monthly open day, with guided tours available. FREE, 11am-5pm
VINTAGE FAIR: Frock Me! is at Royal Horticultural Halls in Westminster for a one-day vintage fair featuring some 80 exhibitors specialising in antique textiles, menswear, womenswear, workwear, jewellery and accessories. 11am-5.30pm
MITCHAM CARNIVAL: After a successful return last year, a parade takes place as part of Mitcham Carnival again this year. The mile-long route starts in the town centre and finishes at Three Kings Piece, where you'll find live performances, wrestling demos and funfair rides. FREE, 11am-6pm
ZOO HISTORY TOUR: As part of the ongoing ZSL200 celebrations, take a tour of London Zoo themed on pop culture, and find out how the zoo's animals, buildings and staff have inspired films, music and art, from James Bond to Harry Potter. 11.30am
FLEETING PARADISE: Clarinetist Ewan Bleach brings his 10-piece big band to Jamboree in King's Cross for a lunch gig dedicated to the "territory" bands of 1920s and 30s America. The Fleeting Paradise Orchestra performs authentic arrangements of blues and jazz numbers originally made famous by the likes of Duke Ellington, Bennie Moten and Charlie Johnson. 12.15pm
WE ARE NOT MACHINES: Sarah O'Connor of the Financial Times is at Conway Hall to give a talk about how AI and automation are reshaping the world of work, using examples from translators, warehouse workers and graduates to look at both harms and possible improvements. 3pm-4.30pm
HIGHGATE WALK: Join a two‑hour walking tour of Highgate Village, visiting Lubetkin's High Point flats, Waterlow Park, Highgate Cemetery, Holly Lodge Estate and St Anne's Close, soaking up architectural titbits and local stories as you go. 3pm-5pm
BEATS AND BANDS: Get lively at Beats and Bands, a stadium-scale fitness party at Craven Cottage. A live DJ plays Afrobeats, Amapiano, dancehall and hip hop while group workout classes take place. 3pm-7pm
MONET'S GIVERNY: Capture the light and colour of the French Impressionist movement at the London Art Bar in Holborn. This creative workshop invites you to paint Monet's Bridge Over Giverny, using loose brushstrokes to recreate the famous Japanese bridge from the artist's own garden. All supplies are provided, including a canvas to take home and a glass of prosecco to help the creative process along. 3.30pm-6pm
CLIMATE EMERGENCY: Gather at Southwark Cathedral for a screening of The People's Emergency Briefing, a short film presenting the latest evidence on the climate and nature crisis. The 50-minute documentary features expert interviews and celebrity reactions, exploring the human impact on food security, health and extreme weather. A short Q&A session with the Bishop of Kingston follows the film. FREE, 4.15pm-6pm
CINEMATIC BLOCKBUSTERS: Hear the spectacular scores that defined modern cinema performed by the London Symphony Orchestra at Barbican. Conducted by Dirk Brossé, the programme features iconic music the orchestra originally recorded for the big screen, including John Williams' themes from Star Wars and Superman alongside more recent hits from Harry Potter and Thor. The evening also includes world premiere suites from Pandora – The World of Avatar and Asterix: The Kingdom of Nubia. 7pm
LOST IN MUSIC: Step back into the era of glitter balls and groove as the Churchill Theatre in Bromley stages Lost In Music. A live band and powerhouse vocalists recreate the golden age of disco with a high-energy production featuring the hits of Donna Summer, Gloria Gaynor, Earth, Wind & Fire, and Chic. Expect a non-stop setlist of classics including I Will Survive and Boogie Wonderland, turning the main auditorium into a massive 70s dance floor. 7.30pm
COUNTRY SOUL SESSIONS: Western Swing and Americana fill the basement of The Spice Of Life in Soho for a high-energy double bill. The Boot Heel Playboys return to the venue with their authentic 1940s-style dance tunes, while Honest Hal and His Buried Hearts launch their debut 10-inch pink vinyl LP, Kentucky Bound. Expect a mix of steel guitar, fiddle and rock 'n' roll melodies, designed to get the audience two-stepping. 7.45pm
