All weekend
ENFIELD PRIDE: The Borough of Enfield's official Pride celebrations take place this weekend. Enfield Pride is open to anyone and everyone — and features a stage hosting a variety of performances (singing, dancing, fire acts, aerial hoops), plus representatives from LGBTQ+ charities. Dugdale Centre, free, just turn up, 18-19 June
GREAT EXHIBITION ROAD FESTIVAL: South Kensington institutions including the Natural History Museum, Science Museum, Imperial College, Royal Geographical Society and V&A come together for the Great Exhibition Road Festival, a weekend celebrating science and the arts. Catch live performances on an outdoor stage, along with workshops, panel discussions, food tastings and tours — on topics ranging from AR to space to microbes to Queer history. Plenty for kids, too. Exhibition Road, free, some events require booking, 18-19 June
MARYLEBONE SUMMER FESTIVAL: Live music, a dog show, open-air cinema, bars, food stalls, and family-friendly activities all feature in the Marylebone Summer Festival. Plenty of shops, restaurants and other local businesses have their own events going on too, including discounts, special menus and extended opening hours. Marylebone High Street and Paddington Square Gardens, free entry for most events, charge and booking required for film screening, 18-19 June
MELTDOWN: It's the final two days of this year's Meltdown Festival, curated by Grace Jones. Highlights this weekend include free hula hooping workshops, a celebration of Africa Fashion Week London, and a performance by Grace Jones herself. Southbank Centre, various prices, until 19 June
TASTE OF LONDON: Foodies won't want to miss Taste of London, the huge festival which brings dozens of London's best-known restaurants together to feed hungry visitors. It's also a chance to discover up-and-coming London chefs and food businesses, take part in tastings and watch masterclasses. Regent's Park, from £24, book ahead, until 19 June
FRED PERRY: Last chance to see this exhibition about tennis player turned fashion brand Fred Perry. It's the sportswear brand that's in focus here, from how it was founded, to the people who wear it, to the man whose name adorns it. Design Museum (Kensington), free, just turn up, until 19 June
WANDSWORTH FRINGE: Highlights of this week at Wandsworth Art Fringe include the All Saints Community Music Festival, silent disco tours, choir performances at Battersea Power Station and much more. Browse the full programme. Various locations and prices, until 26 June
GIFFORDS CIRCUS: Roll up, roll up, the circus is in town! Giffords Circus parks up in west London, pitching its tent for a show featuring acrobats, jugglers, dancers, musicians, horses, and Tweedy the clown. Chiswick House and Gardens, from £20 adult/£10 child, book ahead, until 27 June
LONDON FESTIVAL OF ARCHITECTURE: This month-long celebration of buildings continues. Highlights this week include tours of Millennium Mills, the Thames Barrier Park and the Apollo Theatre in Victoria. Various locations and prices, until 30 June
ETERNALLY YOURS: Somerset House presents Eternally Yours, a free exhibition about care, repair and healing. The focus is on creative examples of reuse, such as the Japanese art of kintsugi, where a broken vase or jug is repaired with gold lacquer to make a feature of the imperfection. There's also an on-site repair shop. Somerset House, free, book ahead, until 25 September
GRIME STORIES: Museum of London has a new display — one of the last in its current home — about the grime scene and its east London roots. Grime Stories looks at the individual people and places responsible for the growth of grime music, and is co-curated by Roony 'RiskyRoadz' Keefe, a documentarian recording the movement. Museum of London, free, just turn up, until December 2022
Saturday 18 June
SUMMER SHOWCASE: Head to The British Academy for the second and final day of its annual Summer Showcase, a chance to meet 12 researchers and hear about their work. Events include talks, workshops, performances, an immersive VR experience and live woodcarving. The British Academy (St James), free, book ahead, 9am-5pm
VINTAGE KILO SALE: Rummage through up to nine tonnes of retro clothing at the Peckham Vintage Kilo Sale, and pay by weight (£20 per kilo) for any goods you take a liking to. There's no minimum spend, so if you pick just couple of items, it may well cost you under a fiver. Bussey Building (Peckham), £2-£3, book ahead, 10am-4pm
BECKET PAGEANT: For the second day, Guildhall Yard is transformed into an arena for The Becket Pageant for London featuring a musical, London’s Turbulent Son, by a cast of professional actors and members of the local City community. There's also a Livery Crafts Fair running both days, with stands overseen by members of Livery Companies who will demonstrate their ancient and modern skills. There are four performances across the two days. Guildhall Yard, free entry to craft fair/ticket required for performance, 11am-4pm (performances 12pm-2pm and 4pm-6pm)
KEW MIDSUMMER FETE: 100+ stalls, multiple food and drink outlets, a fairground, a tug of war, a dog show, charity raffle and beer tent are some of things going down at the Kew Midsummer Fete, a traditional-style village fete in picturesque surroundings, close to the River Thames. Kew Green, free entry, just turn up, 11am-6pm
LSE FESTIVAL: How do create a positive post-Covid world? That's the topic of this year's LSE Festival, a mixture of online and in-person events, which concludes today. Topics include animal sentience, the future of the United Nations, and a film screening about trauma, inequality, and healing from Covid-19. Browse the full programme. 11am-6.30pm
HANWELL CARNIVAL: A parade featuring floats, vintage vehicles, Hanwellians dressed up to the nines, cycles, schools, marching bands and mobility scooters kicks off Hanwell Carnival, which then continues with a dog show, stalls, a craft tent and live music. Elthorne Park, free entry, just turn up, 12pm-6pm
RUSKIN PARK FETE: Busy weekend for summer fetes, as there's another one in Ruskin Park. Head to the bandstand for the usual blend of live music, food and drink, face painting and craft stalls, plus a performance by the UK African Acrobats, and a chance to meet some rescued reptiles. Ruskin Park (Denmark Hill), free entry, just turn up, 12pm-6.30pm
QUEER SUMMER FAYRE: Hackney Bridge blends Pride month with a traditional summer fete for the Queer Summer Fayre. It's the work of queer performing arts charity Raze Collective and queer collective Naked Presents, and is a fully inclusive LGBTQIA+ event featuring a Queer Makers Market, craft corner, arts workshops, cabaret, and an afterparty going on into the night. Hackney Bridge, free entry, just turn up, 2pm
ADVENTUROUS COCKTAILS: Adventurous cocktail brand Mr Fogg's has just opened its latest venue, in Mayfair. Treat yourself to a location-themed bevvy — Nepal, Hong Kong, San Francisco or our fave... London. Mr Fogg's Apothecary (Mayfair), book ahead, open from 2pm on Saturdays
MONSTER JAM: Watch 12,000-pound monster trucks go head to head in races and stunts at Monster Jam. It's the first time the family-friendly event has come to London, and it's fairly high-adrenaline stuff. The London Stadium (Stratford), from £78, book ahead, 2.30pm
THE CANDLELIGHT CLUB: Dance the night away at regular speakeasy party The Candlelight Club. Elise Roth and her band headline the stage, hosted by Champagne Charlie, with live vintage DJs, pop-up tarot reading and other entertainment throughout the evening. Central London location, from £25, book ahead, 7pm
JAZZ POETRY: 'Jazz-Poetry like they used to do in the 60s' is how this Beat Generation/Langston Hughes-inspired evening is billed. Expect playful improvisers, delightfully risqué humour and a bohemian ambience — candles and all. Lodge Space (Surrey Quays), £9, book ahead, 7pm-10.30pm
Sunday 19 June
FATHER'S DAY: Consider this your reminder to pick up a card, and maybe a box of chocolates and a new book, for your dad on Father's Day.
BSL TOUR: Every month, Kew Gardens offers BSL tours for anyone who is deaf or hard of hearing, to learn more about the gardens, their history, and the scientific work being undertaken here. Kew Gardens, included in admission, book ahead, 11am
VINTAGE FAIR: Refresh your summer wardrobe at the Frock Me! vintage fair, with brings together 100 vintage fashion, textile and jewellery traders. Browse and buy items dating back to the 1920s — and keep an eye out for designer pieces too. There's a pop-up cafe inside the fair to revive flagging energy levels. Kensington Town Hall, £3.83-£5.98, book ahead, 11am-5.30pm
GHOSTSIGNS: Footprints of London guide Jane Parker leads you through the Holloway area, in search of ghostsigns from historic advertising and bygone businesses. Holloway Road station, £12, book ahead, 11am
POP-PARK SESSIONS: Today is the first in a series of relaxed, free live music performances on the cafe patio at Poplar Union. Treat yourself to something from Poplar Bakehouse to enjoy as you listen — today it's singer-songwriter Leo Walrus. Poplar Union, free, just turn up, 12pm-1pm
RURAL HAMPSTEAD: Join Footprints of London guide Marilyn Greene for a walking tour around the more rural parts of Hampstead, including the Heath extension, the Hill Garden and Golders Hill Park. Learn about residents past and present, a 17th century farmhouse, and finish up at the pub for a drink. Golders Green, £12/£9, book ahead, 2.30pm
BANTU JAZZ ORCHESTRA: Pianist and composer Frederic Gassita is joined by the Bantu Jazz Orchestra for a celebration of African Bantu music. Over 70 artists feature in the show, including a big band, orchestral string section, the Eben Voices of Gabon Choir, special guest singers and a dance troupe. Barbican, £20-£35, book ahead, 8pm
