All weekend
MELTDOWN: Curated by Nile Rodgers, Meltdown Festival comes to its conclusion this weekend. The programme includes James Murphy's legendary club night and the C'est CHIC Vogue Ball. Southbank Centre, various prices, until 11 August
ESPRESSO MARTINI FESTIVAL: Caffeine? Good. Booze? Good. Get your fill of both at this year's Espresso Martini Festival. Register for a free digital pass and try variations of the caffeine-spiked alcoholic ambrosia for just £6 a pop at dozens of bars across London. 7-11 August
OUTDOOR CINEMA: A series of free film screenings comes to Leicester Square. Saturday is retro day, with the likes of E.T. and Mrs Doubtfire gracing the screen, finishing up with a sing along of Grease. The sing alongs continues on Sunday, with Frozen, Mary Poppins, Sister Act and The Greatest Showman. Leicester Square, free, just turn up, 8-11 August
SUMMER SCREEN: Somerset House's outdoor cinema festival Film4 Summer Screen enters its first weekend with a Nicolas Cage double bill on Saturday, and The Princess Bride on Sunday. Watch the films as the sun sets over the courtyard, followed by live DJ sets. Somerset House, various prices, book ahead, 8-21 August
CAMDEN'S BIG BBQ: Celebrate all things flame-grilled at Camden's Big BBQ weekend. A curated selection of local vendors take over grills, barbecues and fire pits to whip up special dishes. Watch live masterclasses, cookery demonstrations and butchery masterclasses, and pick up tips to jazz up your next barbie. North Yard (Camden Market), free entry, just turn up, 9-11 August
CRAFT BEER FESTIVAL: Beer fans descend on east London this weekend for the London Craft Beer Festival, which has more than 80 breweries on the line-up, many of them London-based. The music line-up isn't too shabby either, with Kaiser Chiefs and Friendly Fires both lined up for DJ sets across different sessions. Tobacco Dock, various prices (beginning at £40, which sounds steep, but does include your beer), book ahead, 9-11 August
WILDLIFE FESTIVAL: ***This event has unfortunately been cancelled due to the high winds forecast for the weekend.*** The first ever London Wildlife Festival brings together zoologists, bat and bee experts, a wildlife crime officer from the Met Police, and other faces for a series of talks. The event also incorporates workshops, guided walks and craft activities, all celebrating nature in London. Walthamstow Wetlands, various prices, book ahead, 9-11 August
MEET A QUEEN: Hop on board the Golden Hinde for an audience with Queen Elizabeth I and a series of history activities. Actors play the former monarch and her guards on board a replica of the ship where she had Sir Francis Drake knighted. Golden Hinde (Borough), £5, book ahead, 10-11 August
ARTISTS IN AMSTERDAM: A new Dulwich Picture Gallery exhibition focuses on young painters who made their mark in 17th century Amsterdam, at the time a fast-moving economic power of a city. Works by Meindert Hobbema, Jacob van Ruisdael and Willem van de Velde II from the gallery's own collection feature in the show. Dulwich Picture Gallery, included in admission, just turn up, 10 August-12 January
Saturday 10 August
E H SHEPHARD: It's the final day of this exhibition, which shows another side to artist E H Shephard, best known for illustrating AA Milne's Winnie the Pooh books. He spent many years working as a cartoonist for Punch, and some of his illustrations and cartoons from this period are on display. Chris Beetles Gallery (St James's), free, just turn up, until 10 August
FAMILY FUN DAY: Head down to the canal for a family fun day, with free workshops, live music and food and drinks stalls. Have a go at pot painting, tie-dye, pottery, and upcycling workshops, and get yourself some eco-friendly face glitter to embrace the festival spirit. Here East (Hackney Wick), free, just turn up, from 10am
LGBTQ HISTORY: London Metropolitan Archives hosts an LGBTQ+ history session. See objects including campaign material, correspondence and newspaper cuttings from the collections of rights campaigner Peter Tatchell and group OutRage! London Metropolitan Archives (Clerkenwell), £5, book ahead, 11am-1pm
STORYTELLING: London Dreamtime hosts a family-friendly storytelling event, with interactive fairytales, music and Irish stories, against the backdrop of the regular Blue Market. The Blue Market (Bermondsey), free, just turn up, 11am-2pm
WOOF: Dog lovers, head to Chelsea for a new exhibition themed on the creatures. Humans and their dogs are invited to the launch day today, to browse the canine sculptures and prints while enjoying a glass of bubbly or box of dog treats. Box Galleries (Chelsea), free, book ahead,11am-2pm
BARE FASHION: Calling all vegan fashionistas! Bare Fashion's cruelty-free catwalk returns today. This year's edition of the UK's only fully vegan fashion show also includes live make-up tutorials, a panel discussion on sustainable living, a DJ and loads of delicious plant-based grub. Old Truman Brewery (Brick Lane), from £20, book ahead to guarantee a ticket, 11am-6pm (sponsor)
LIVE MUSIC: The first in a series of free live music sessions takes place by the river today. South-east London based singer and guitarist Mary-Grace Dineen performs a set in the shadow of the OXO Tower. Gabriel's Wharf (South Bank), free, just turn up, 1pm-3pm
NERF GUNS: Kids aged 8+ and their families can indulge in a little target practice, armed with Nerf guns. The Fortnite-themed sessions tie in with the current exhibition of war posters by artist Abram Games. National Army Museum (Chelsea), £5, book ahead, 2pm/3.15pm
PRINCESS AND THE FROG: Watch a free, family-friendly ballet adaptation of classic fairytale The Princess and the Frog. It's the story of a princess who loses her bouncy ball in a pond, and has to agree to a friendship with a frog in order to get it back. Jubilee Park (Canary Wharf), free, just turn up, 3pm
GLOBAL BLACK VOICES: Curated by poet and journalist Bridget Minamore, the first ever Global Black Voices showcases excerpts of plays by black writers from around the world, all of which have never been staged in the UK before. Expect six readings followed by a post-performance conversation about common themes. Roundhouse (Camden), £8, book ahead, 6.15pm
GUILTY FEMINIST: Popular podcast The Guilty Feminist hosts a live show at Udderbelly Festival. Comedian Deborah Frances-White and special guests discuss fundamental principles of 21st century feminism... and what it is about those principles that makes them uncomfortable. Underbelly (South Bank), from £17, book ahead, 7.15pm
SQUAD GOALS: Catch a one-night-only performance of theatre show Squad Goals, based on this year's Women's World Cup. It's the story of Lexi, who has never been taken seriously, until she inspires a group of school leavers to redefine the game in her hometown in Essex. The Other Palace (Victoria), £10-£15, book ahead, 8pm
Sunday 11 August
VINTAGE SALE: Have a rummage through tonnes — literally — of vintage clothes and accessories, and pay for your new clobber by weight. It's priced at £15 per kilo, but there's no minimum purchase, so you could pick up a belt for as little as 50p. Cecil Sharp House (Camden), £3/£1.50, just turn up, from 11am
CROSSNESS: Crossness Pumping Station (also known as the 'cathedral of sewage') holds a family open day. It's a chance to see inside the beautifully ornate building, view an exhibition about its history, and learn about the Victorian sewage system which still serves the capital today. Crossness (Abbey Wood), £5/£2, just turn up, 10.30am-4pm
DICKSENSIAN WALK: Join a guide from the Charles Dickens Museum for a wander through the streets of Borough that would have been familiar to the author. See landmarks which are still as they would have been in Dickens' day, and pass a surviving wall of the Marshalsea Prison where his father, John Dickens, was incarcerated for debt in 1824. Borough station, £10, book ahead, 11am
CHIMNEYS AND TUNNELS: Visit chimneys and tunnels along the Thames, on a guided walk looking at themes of power, pollution and danger. Track down the unmarked monuments and buried tubes around Greenwich and the Isle of Dogs, all while keeping your feet on firm ground. Greenwich Pier, £15/£12, book ahead, 11am-1.45pm
PALACE TOUR: Go behind the scenes at Fulham Palace, on an expert-led tour. Visit both the house and gardens, finding out about their development over the last 1,300 years, and how they're cared for today. Fulham Palace, £6, just turn up, 12.30pm-1.30pm
R N BEACH: Head to what claims to be the largest urban beach in Europe for an all-afternoon beach party. Feel the sand between tour toes as you listen to r'n'b tunes, sup on summery cocktails, tuck into street food and play beach games. Lee Valley White Water Centre, £10-£25, book ahead, 1pm-10pm
TWO AND A HALF IRISHMEN: Part of Camden Fringe, comedy show Two And A Half Irishmen brings together three mostly Irish comedy acts for a show covering topics including what it means to be Irish in 2019. The Albany (Fitzrovia), £5, book ahead, 9pm (until 14 August)
