All weekend
BRICK LANE JAZZ FESTIVAL: The Brick Lane Jazz Festival returns for a weekend of live licks, noodling and what-not. Headline acts include American multi-instrumentalist Laraaji, soul-funk-r&b artist and producer Adi Oasis, and MOBO-nominated Ragz Originale, among many others. 25-27 April
CHRONIC YOUTH FILM FESTIVAL: Chronic Youth Film Festival is on at Barbican, championing emerging and underrepresented filmmakers with a weekend of screenings and events programmed around the theme of Against All Odds. It launches with the UK premiere of José María Cabral's Tiger, a coming-of-age feature examining a teenager's act of defiance towards machismo culture in the Dominican Republic. 26-27 April
BEEKEEPING COURSE: Ever wanted to give beekeeping a go? The London Beekeepers's Association offers a two-day beginners' course, at Mudchute Park and Farm, with a specific focus on keeping bees in an urban environment. Learn the basics of husbandry skills, bee disease and pests, components of the hive, and making your own frames and beekeeping equipment. 26-27 April
GLADIATOR IN CONCERT: Believe it or not Russell Crowe film Gladiator turns 25 this year, an anniversary being celebrated at the Royal Albert Hall, where it's shown on the large screen, accompanied by the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra performing Hans Zimmer and Lisa Gerrard's Golden Globe-winning score live. 26-27 April
CLASSIC CAR BOOT SALE: Pre-1990 vehicles including cars, campervans, hot rods, scooters, caravans, motorbikes and custom bicycles park up in King's Cross for the Classic Car Boot Sale — a weekend of shopping, eating and dancing. Browse and buy vintage clothing and homewares from the Charity Super.Mkt, and visit the Repair Shop for advice on caring for your vintage garments. 26-27 April
HIST FEST: The Titanic, Ancient Mesopotamia, Auschwitz, Jane Austen and royal scandals are among the topics at this year's HistFest, a huge weekend of history at the British Library, spanning talks, discussions and live performances. Experts including Professor Kate Williams, Dr Kate Lister, and fashion historian Amber Butchart are all on the schedule. 26-27 April
AFTERNOON TEA: Got a special occasion coming up, or just feel like treating yourself? Have a read of our guide to the latest afternoon menus just launched in London, including a spy-themed afternoon tea in a rather fancy hotel, and a Midsummer Night's Dream themed menu served in an enchanted forest setting.
SALT COSMOLOGIES: Free exhibition Salt Cosmologies is in the courtyard at Somerset House until this weekend, taking the form of an 80m-long fabric installation representing the Inland Customs Line, a 2,500 mile-long 'hedge' created by the British to enforce salt taxation during colonial rule in India. The exhibition continues inside the building, focusing on other aspects of Britain's imperial salt monopoly in India. FREE, until 27 April
ADWOMEN: 100 years of women in advertising is celebrated in AdWomen at the Museum of Brands in Notting Hill. Find out how advertising has both influenced and reflected women's societal and domestic roles over the last century, including the pioneering women who created groundbreaking TV ads that transformed the industry. Adverts dating back as far as the 1920s are on show. Until 28 April
LATIN MUSIC FESTIVAL: La Linea Latin music festival takes place at several venues around central London. This weekend, catch Franciso, el Hombre's farewell show at the Jazz Cafe on Saturday, and a Queer Salsa Takeover at Brixton House on Sunday. Browse the full programme. 22 April-5 May
MULTITUDES FESTIVAL: Southbank Centre launches a brand new festival, Multitudes, shining the spotlight on orchestral music while also incorporating dance, visual art and poetry. The Multi-Story Orchestra perform a musical response to Mickalene Thomas' current Hayward Gallery exhibition, All About Love, on Saturday, and The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra performs Shostakovich's Symphony No.7 accompanied by a video installation on Sunday. 23 April-23 May
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Two giants of women's football collide at Stamford Bridge
It’s a big weekend for footie fans, with the UEFA Women's Champions League semi-finals coming to what's set to be an explosive conclusion. On Sunday 27 April, Chelsea Women play reigning champions Barcelona in the second leg of the tie, right here in London.
This is a rematch of last year's semi-final — which was the first ever sell-out at Stamford Bridge for a Chelsea Women fixture — so it's safe to say that it's going to be huge. Head to the historic west London stadium and witness a wealth of super stardom, in the form of Chelsea's Lionesses (including Lucy Bronze and Millie Bright) and Spain's Aitana Bonmatí and Alexia Putellas, to name but a few.
Tickets start from just £20 for adults and £10 for U20s and seniors — so it's ideal for a family day out. Plus, there's the dedicated (and totally free) Families at the Bridge space, featuring crafts and activities for the smallest members of your squad. Book now, while you can!
Chelsea Women v Barcelona Femeni. Sunday 27 April 2025 at Stamford Bridge. Kick off at 2pm.
BEAUTY, BIRDS AND BEASTS: Rarely seen bird studies are the centrepiece of a new exhibition devoted to animals and birds painted by J.M.W. Turner, at Turner's House in Twickenham. Turner's Kingdom: Beauty, Birds and Beasts displays 15 artworks on loan from British public collections, showcasing the landscape artist's lesser-known work with fur, feathers and fins. 23 April-26 October
JIMMY'S BBQ CLUB: Al fresco pop-up restaurant Jimmy's BBQ Club — one of our favourite outdoor dining spots in London — returns to South Bank for the summer 2025 season. Enjoy a six-course tasting menu focusing on local produce, with at least one element from each course cooked over your table's barbecue right in front of you. From 24 April
PERFORMANCE FESTIVAL: The V&A's Performance Festival 2025 explores the theme of illusion through a variety of events including live performances, talks, screenings and workshops. The festival features artists and curated works that encourage audiences to question their perspectives, with events for all ages, many of them free. FREE, 25 April-4 May
Saturday 26 April
ITALIAN BOTTOMLESS BRUNCH: The Market Kitchen & Terrace within the 22 Bishopsgate skyscraper launches a new Italian bottomless brunch today. Tuck into dishes including sourdough topped with mushrooms, an Italian breakfast pizza, or a steak and goats' cheese sandwich, with bottomless prosecco or Aperol spritz. Your ticket includes access to the Horizon 22 viewing gallery (which is free to visit anyway, but usually requires booking a couple of weeks in advance). 9am-3pm
TWEED RUN: Style meets cycling as the Tweed Run meanders through London's streets and parks, with cyclists competing in categories including best-dressed individuals, finest moustaches, and most elegantly adorned bicycles. Stops for tea, a picnic, and a celebratory cocktail are built into the schedule. How very sophisticated. FREE to watch, 9am-6pm
BOOKS IN THE PARK: After a successful first year, literary festival Books in the Park is back at Beckenham Place Park for a second innings. It's a day of events for both adults and children with talks, guided walks, workshops, and even a cheese tasting. Yum! From 11am
KING'S DAY: Head to the Dutch Church near Liverpool Street for a celebration of King's Day, or Koningsdag, a national holiday in the Netherlands marking the King's birthday. The event includes market and food and drink stalls, a raffle, an orange dress code with prizes for the best dressed, and a rendition of the Dutch national anthem. 12pm-6pm
JAZZ BRUNCH: On the final Saturday of each month, 108 Brasserie in Marylebone puts on a jazz brunch, with unlimited antipasti, salads and seafood, served alongside seasonal new brunch dishes, and finished with a trip to the Pie Room (!) where you can choose from desserts including lemon meringue pie, pecan pie and salted caramel apple pie. Live music is performed throughout the event. 12.30pm-4pm
LET THERE BE LIGHT: Aimed at children 10+ and their families, the Royal Institution hosts physics professor Gideon Koekoek to talk about the existence of light, including why it exists and how it relates to the rest of physics. 2pm-3.15pm. There's also an adults event, why does light exist?, at 7pm.
WICKED SING-ALONG: London's outdoor cinemas are opening for the summer, including Rooftop Film Club in Peckham and Stratford. This afternoon the Peckham branch offers a sing-along screening of Wicked, starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo as Glinda and Elphaba. Could be rather special, singing/screeching along to Defying Gravity, a few storeys above the streets of south London. 3pm
UNUSUAL ISLINGTON: Nigel Smith launches a new walking tour today; Unusual Islington promises to take you to hidden alleyways, secret gardens and architectural oddities — unveiling an Islington that's a darned sight odder than you cared to think. 3pm-5pm
COMEDY JAZZ: Stand-up comedy meets live music in Don't Stop I'm About To Jazz at Leicester Square Theatre. Sophie Duker, Daniel Foxx, Ali Woods, Lara Ricote and Katie Green are among the comedians performing, accompanied by comedy musicians Rose Kelso and Two Tree Hill in a night of comedy songs. 7pm
WOMB PARTY: Last chance to see Womb Party, a new piece of dance theatre exploring reproductive justice and the power of choice, at The Place. Dance artist Stefania Pinato and interdisciplinary artist Amarnah Ufuoma Cleopatra play Fanny and Gina in the interactive dance show, as they try to host a party of fun and games in a celebration of their most magical abode, that keeps getting interrupted by unwanted thoughts and uninvited guests. 7.30pm
Sunday 27 April
LONDON MARATHON: It's that time of year again, when thousands of runners pound the pavements in London, many in bizarre costumes to raise money for good causes. This year's London Marathon follows the usual route and format. Even if you're not watching or taking part, be aware of widespread road closures, bus diversions and the like, on and around the route. From 8.50am (though road closures begin on Saturday)
VINTAGE SUPERSTORE: Nine tonnes of vintage and pre-owned clothing are coming to Big Penny Social in Walthamstow for the Vintage Superstore, where you can shop clothes by weight, at £20 per kilo. There's no minimum spend, so pick well and you could land yourself a whole new outfit for a bargain price. 10am-4pm
SPRING FLEA: Also hosting a vintage market today is Chiswick House and Gardens. The Lazy Flea Spring Flea brings 30+ vintage traders to the gardens, selling homewares, clothing and jewellery. 10am-4pm
DRINK, DEATH & DEBAUCHERY: The Foundling Museum offers a walking tour focused on the debauched and boozy history of 18th century London. Meet at the Dominion Theatre and wander through St Giles, Seven Dials and Covent Garden, learning about the gin craze of the 18th century, and the inspiration behind William Hogarth’s artwork Gin Lane, stopping for a drink at The Lamb pub on Lamb's Conduit Street along the way. 11am-1pm
WAYZGOOSE: A wayzgoose was a day of entertainment provided to workers in the printing industry by the company owners, a tradition kept alive by the St Bride Foundation, which invites the public in to enjoy its annual wayzgoose. Browse stalls selling letterpress supplies, type and ornaments, paper, printed items, second-hand books and type specimens, while raising money for the Foundation. 11am-4pm
RING OUT!: The National Open Youth Orchestra, formed of 15 young disabled and non-disabled musicians, offers a relaxed performance of new pieces commissioned specially for the orchestra's mix of acoustic and electronic instruments. Enjoy the world premieres of piano concerto Ring Out! by British composer Liam Taylor-West, and Fragile by Yfat Soul Zisso, at Milton Court Concert Hall in Barbican. 3pm
PIAF: Singer-songwriter Susan Black transforms into 'the Little Sparrow' for The Piaf Story, a musical storytelling about the life of Edith Piaf. Journey from the slums of Paris to Piaf's iconic performance on the Eiffel Tower itself. There are two performances today at Theatre at the Tabard, Turnham Green. 3pm and 7pm
CRAFT AND CHILL SUNDAYS: Colour expert and Londonist contributor Momtaz Begum-Hossain runs one of her regular crafting afternoons for adults at Well Bean Co Cafe in the Royal Docks. All art and crafts materials are provided, no artistic experience is necessary, and the session runs on a pay-what-you-can basis, with a different project each month — this time, focus is on folk art textiles. 4pm-6pm
NETBALL SUPER LEAGUE: Watch home team London Pulse take on the Cardiff Dragons in the Netball Super League, at the Copper Box Arena in the Olympic Park. 6pm
SHOOT FROM THE HIP: Chaotic games, epic scenes, and ever-so-slightly unhinged performances are promised as improv comedy show Shoot From The Hip comes to Clapham Grand. 6.30pm-9.30pm
MADAMA BUTTERFLY: The Ukrainian Opera & Ballet Theatre Kyiv teams up with international soloists for Ellen Kent's production of Puccini's Madama Butterfly. The story of a young Japanese girl who falls in love with an American Navy officer comes to life at Fairfield Halls, with a Japanese garden set, and costumes including antique wedding kimonos from Japan. 7.30pm
COMEDY HYPNOSIS: Hypnotist and mind reader Daniel Sinclair brings a two-part show to Backyard Comedy Club in Bethnal Green. The first half focuses on mind reading and mentalism, with impressive predictions made live on stage. That's followed by a comedy hypnosis section, with members of the audience having their imaginations unlocked live on stage. 8pm-10pm
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