Things To Do This Weekend In London: 24-25 February 2018

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Things to do this weekend is sponsored by London Fashion Week Festival.

All weekend

Last chance to get your skates on at Canary Wharf Ice Rink

BLOOMING MARVELLOUS GIVEAWAY: Spend £30 or more at The Broadwalk Centre and you'll receive a free posy of flowers. For every bunch handed out, some 50,000 poppy seeds will be donated to local groups wanting to brighten up their community ahead of Remembrance Day. The Broadwalk Centre (Edgware), £30 spend, just turn up, 24-25 February

INDEPENDENT LABEL MARKET: Sift through crates from independent labels, get your hands on rare vinyl, then fill up on street food and artisan goods to complete the hipster weekend. West Handyside Canopy (King's Cross), free entry, just turn up, 24-25 February

CANARY WHARF ICE RINK: It's your last chance to get your skates on under a canopy of twinkly trees at Canary Wharf's pretty rink. Canary Wharf Ice Rink, £10, book ahead, until 24 February

ORCHIDS FESTIVAL: Skip into spring at Kew Gardens, where almost 7,000 colourful blooms have sprung up for the annual Orchids Festival. This year's theme is Thailand and at weekends you can tuck into authentic Thai street food in front of live music from Thai musicians at 1pm and 3pm. Kew Gardens, £16/£4, book ahead, until 11 March

Saturday 24 February

Social Bingo Academy has arrived to guide budding champions through the treacherous world of the bingo hall.

CRAFT BEER RISING: £3 pints? Yes please, More than 175 brewers take over the Old Truman Brewery from Thursday. Once you're heavy with hops, hit up the food hall for grilled meat from Kansas City BBQ or vegan grub from Le Bao and stick around for the evening entertainment, which includes sets from Krafty Kuts and Don Letts. Old Truman Brewery (Brick Lane), £15 (includes a pint glass), book ahead, 22-24 February

TOWN HALL TOUR: Hornsey Town Hall may be a little frayed around the edges but it still has all its original features which makes it ripe for tours like this one. Take the 50 minute tour to get a closer look at the 1930s modernism. £6.50, book ahead, 11am

OPEN COCKPITS: The RAF Museum is throwing open its cockpits and cabs for a rare chance to see inside vehicles including the Phantom, Vampire F3 and Jet Provost 5. The special event celebrates 100 years since the formation of the RAF. RAF Museum (Colindale), £10/£13.50, book ahead, 10am-4pm/6pm-9pm

FEMINISM AND TECH: Bring your ideas on how to promote women in tech to this feminist conference, where you can also explore the feminist library resources through a tech lens. The Feminist Library, free (donations encouraged), just turn up, noon-4pm

FABULOUS BRUNCH, DARLING: Expect drag bingo, live DJs, a three-course brunch and more sequins than you can shake a feather boa at. 100 Wardour Street, £42, book ahead, noon-5pm

MARDI GRAS: Mark Mardi Gras with a day of craft, "authentic N'Awlins" live music, a busking stage and plenty of Louisiana themed food and drink. Pop Brixton, free entry, just turn up, noon-midnight

HERBAL TEA WORKSHOP: Learn how to infuse and blend the perfect cuppa in this tea-making workshop, where you create herbal tea bags to take home with you. Stick around for the afternoon debate over who does tea best, Team GB or Team China. The China Exchange, £18, book ahead, 12.15pm-2.15pm

BLACK PANTHER SCREENING & AFTERPARTY: A film as momentous as Black Panther definitely deserves its own afterparty. Watch the film, listen to the post-screening chat, browse the My Tribe Market (which supports black-owned business) then party like you just swallowed a load of vibranium. Lost Rivers Elephant (Elephant & Castle), £5.83, book ahead, 6pm-3am

SOCIAL ACADEMY BINGO: Bingo is no longer the preserve of oldies now there's a new younger crowd taking over the tables. Learn the drill of the bingo hall at this event. 141 Arlington Road (Camden Town), £8.50-£15, book ahead, 7.30pm-11pm

WINTER PRIDE MUSIC FESTIVAL: Expect four rooms of indie madness and Brit pop classics, including a set from gay clubbing legends Popstarz at the winter edition of the Pride Music Festival. Alongside the music, there will be 3D projections, fire dancers, body painting and other mayhem. The Scala (King's Cross), £20, book ahead, 9pm-5am


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Get a head start on this summer’s key trends at the London Fashion Week Festival

Haven’t managed to bag yourself an elusive ticket to the upcoming London Fashion Week? Don’t worry, we haven’t either — but London Fashion Week Festival is a great way to get a look-in on the city’s fashion-frenzy this February.

This four-day bonanza grants you unrivalled access to the best of London’s fashion world, with glittering catwalk shows, designer shopping at purse-friendly prices and exclusive appearances from all your favourite industry heroes. More than 150 of the most coveted British and international brands will be in attendance, and you’ll get an exciting first glimpse at this summer’s key trends.

Want in? We’ve teamed up with the organisers to offer Londonist readers an exclusive 20% off tickets — simply quote ‘LONDONIST’ at the checkout. The London Fashion Week Festival takes place from 22-25 February 2018 at The Store Studios, 180 Strand, WC2R 1EA, with tickets starting at just £20.

Code valid on Festival Entry and Silver tickets only, excludes Saturday tickets. Valid until 21 February 2018.


Sunday 25 February

Hear traditional Haitian music courtesy of ensemble Chouk Bwa.

MR SELFRIDGE: Hear about some of the major stores in the West End and the characters who created them on this Footprints of London guided walk. John Lewis, Debenhams, Selfridges and Harrods are all covered. Oxford Circus, £9-£12, book ahead, 11am-12.30pm

VINTAGE FAIR: Satisfy your curiosity to snoop you around the Freemasons Hall, while picking up vintage garb, accessories, childrenswear and homewares, stretching from the Victorian era through to the 1990s. Freemasons Hall (Covent Garden), £4.65, just turn up, 11am-5.30pm

CONTAINER RECORDS: Rifle through vinyl, take a chance on the raffle and shop to the tune of live DJs at the relaunch of record store Container Records. Pop Brixton, free, RSVP, 11am-11pm

CAMDEN BEER FEST: Sadly Proud is closing its doors in March but not without throwing one final beer-soaked soiree. Get half-price beers, German nosh and watch live performers from Proud's past. Proud Camden, £5, book ahead, noon-midnight

SUPA DUPA BRUNCH PARTY: Enjoy a two-course brunch and bottomless mimosas followed by a 90s-now music quiz and party, courtesy of London's finest hip hop clubbers Supa Dupa Fly. Ace Hotel (Shoreditch), £38, book ahead, 1pm-8pm

VEGETARIAN WORKSHOP: Make the transition to a plant-based diet easier with this cookery class, showing you how to rustle up delicious, healthy dishes. London College of Vedic Studies, £20, book ahead, 2.30pm-5.30pm

AFRICAN SUPERHEROES: Hot on the heels of the release of Black Panther is this  African inspired animation night, where you'll find stories of Nigerian women warriors, West African Folk Heroes, teenage black superheroes and other tales which aim to counteract the severe lack of positive images of black people in comics. Golborne Youth Club (Westbourne Park), £8, book ahead, 3pm-6pm

SKETCH COMEDY: It's the brutally funny Sketch Off semi-finals. Watch hilarious acts battle it out to be the hilarious-est. Then vote for your favourite. The quirky venue is smashing too — a crypt stuffed with comedy paraphernalia. Museum of Comedy (Bloomsbury), £8 (plus booking), book ahead, 7.30pm-9.30pm

MAKING TRACKS: Hear traditional Haitian roots music performed by ensemble Chouk Bwa. The music has its roots in religion, but has something of a celebratory sound which will end your weekend on a high. Rich Mix (Bethnal Green), £10-£12, book ahead, 7.30pm