Things To Do This Weekend In London: 30-31 March 2019

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All weekend

Get ready for spring at the Country Living Fair

Don't forget that the clocks go forward an hour at 1am on Sunday.

MOTHER'S DAY: Looking for something to do with your mum this Mother's Day? We've got plenty of ideas, from cultural exhibitions to gin bars to afternoon teas.

ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL: Film premieres, networking events and a gala night are all part of the UK Asian Film Festival. Highlights from this weekend include a short film competition, a panel discussion, and a Bollywood party, as well as plenty of film screenings. Various locations and prices, book ahead, 27 March-7 April

WAR ART: For three days only, the fantastic paintings of Chelsea Pensioner Rick Graham go on display. They show scenes of the first world war, including a battle-damaged city of Ypres, and British men setting off for the battlefields. The exhibition marks the centenary of the signing of the Treaty of Versailles. Royal Hospital Chelsea, free, just turn up, 29-31 March

MADE LONDON: Homeware, fashion, jewellery and furniture makers and designers from all over the country are selling their wares in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere at Made London. Buy some new bits and pieces for your home, stock up on gifts *cough* Mother's Day *cough* or just browse. East Wintergarden (Canary Wharf), free entry, just turn up, 28-31 March

See war paintings by Chelsea Pensioner Rick Graham

COUNTRY LIVING FAIR: Get ready for spring at the Country Living Spring Fair. Browse stalls of homewares, craft products, gifts, food and drink, or take part in workshops including felting, embroidery and cross stitch. Watch cookery demonstrations in the Country Living Kitchen, and pick up gardening tips in the CL Potting Shed. Alexandra Palace, from £8.50 (additional charge for some workshops/events), book ahead, 28-31 March

LONDON COFFEE FESTIVAL: Big caffeine fan? Head east for the London Coffee Festival, a four-day celebration of the humble bean in all its forms. Meet industry experts, watch latte art in the making, see expert baristas go head to head, and of course, sample and buy plenty of coffee. Old Truman Brewery (Brick Lane), £18.50, book ahead, 28-31 March

LAST CHANCE: It's the final weekend to see this exhibition of sketches by local artist Nicky Yianni. His ink drawings capture urban scenes and buildings from across Britain, including several different takes on Forty Hall itself. Forty Hall (Enfield), free, just turn up, until 31 March

TOWEL ART: Berlin based towel artists (yeah, that's a thing, apparently) Hen & Mai show how towel folding is good for calming the nerves and coping with feelings of loss. The theatre performance hinges on the UK leaving the EU, and we're promised plenty of towel swans. Lancaster Gate Hotel, £10/£7, book ahead, 30-31 March

RE-TEXTURED: A multi-sensory electronic music festival that combines a love for hard hitting dance music with an admiration for brutalism. Hence there are some unusual venues set to host events like The Silver Building and Walthamstow Assembly Hall, alongside the usual suspects. Various locations, various prices, book ahead, 28-31 March

Saturday 30 March

Solo Craft Fair comes to Balham

LONDON DOG WEEK: London Dog Week finishes today, so depending on Fido's preferences there are a couple of ways you can mark the occasion. If you've got a leisurely canine, try the doggy street food market. However, if you just want to tire the thing out, head to dog and human fitness bootcamp. Various locations, various prices, just turn up, 10am-5pm

PODFEST: Five popular podcasts come together for a day of live recordings, raising money for the Mental Health Foundation. Be in the audience for recordings of I am. I have, The Naked Professors, What I Wish I'd Known, and The Book Of Man. Special guests include Rizzle Kicks, and there's a free goody bag with every ticket. Kings Place (King's Cross), £10 per session/£40 whole day, book ahead, 10.30am-6pm

BOTANICAL MARKET: Pining for plants? Head to the Green Rooms Market where you can pick up plants, pots, and everything else you need to make your space a bit greener. House plants, garden plants, terrariums, cacti and botanical themed artworks are all available to buy. Workshops take place throughout the day too. Peckham Springs, free entry, just turn up, 11am-4pm

CRAFT FAIR: Head upstairs to the vintage ballroom at this south London venue to browse craft items by independent businesses. There's a bar for you to grab a drink while you browse, and workshops going on all day if you fancy having a go yourself. Balham Bowls Club, free entry, just turn up, 12pm-5pm

DEEDS NOT WORDS: London-based jewellery studio Tatty Devine leads suffragette-themed jewellery workshops. Taking inspiration from objects in the Museum of London's collection, create a bunting necklace in suffragette colours — all materials are provided. Museum of London, £45, book ahead, 1.30pm

Get involved in a neon art rave

POTTING WORKSHOP: If you bagged yourself some plant bargains at the Green Rooms Market this morning, head along to this potting workshop to learn how to pot and care for them. Bond's King's Cross (Coal Drops Yard), £40, book ahead, 3pm

NEON ART RAVE: Head to a pop-up art studio for a rave-themed painting session. Paint collaboratively with your fellow ravers using neon paints on large canvases, with a DJ playing dance tunes all evening. Secret London location, £35, book ahead, 7pm-10pm

EARTH HOUR: WWF's Earth Hour is an international initiative, where everyone is asked to switch off their lights for an hour to raise awareness for climate change. Choose to take part at home, or wander around central London and enjoy the rare sight of the capital's iconic buildings plunged into darkness. Free, 8.30pm-9.30pm

PARTY LIKE IT'S 1999: Doing exactly what it says, Party Like It's 1999 takes you back to the pre-millennium era of Spice Girls, Britpop and dodgy denim for an evening of retro tunes and dancing. Drink, Shop & Do (King's Cross), free entry, sign up for guestlist, 10pm-2am

GUILTY PLEASURES: And if the above wasn't enough cheese for you, party night Guilty Pleasures celebrates its 15th birthday. Dance the night away to pop, R&B, indie and dance tracks, take part in singalongs, and get involves with confetti cannons, glitter and face paint and giant balloons. Electric Ballroom (Camden), £10, book ahead, 10pm-3.30am

Sunday 31 March

Crossness Pumping Station opens to the public today

CROSSNESS OPEN DAY: A sewage pumping station may not be an appealing place to spend your Sunday, but Joseph Bazalgette's Crossness pumping station is often described as a 'cathedral of sewage'. We visited a couple of years ago, and today there's a family open day where you can have a look at the buildings and engines, visit an exhibition about the Victorian sewage works, and learn how it all functioned. Crossness (Abbey Wood), £8/£2 (shuttle service from Abbey Wood station is £3 extra), just turn up, 10.30am-5pm

WOMEN OF WORTH: Learn about Jewish and non-Jewish women alike who made an impact on the Jewish community of the East End in this Jewish Museum walking tour of Whitechapel and Spitalfields. Suffragette and local politician Minnie Lansbury and local GP Hannah Billig are just some of the women whose stories are told. Whitechapel, £15, book ahead, 11am

BIG LONDON FLEA: Rummage for bargains at the Big London Flea Market, a whole hall of salvaged items, including furniture, homewares, vintage clothes, electrical items and more. Earth (Hackney), £1 entry, just turn up, 11am-6pm

MOTHERS IN ADVERTISING: To mark Mother's Day, find out how the role of mothers has been used in advertising and the media throughout history. This 40 minute talk covers depictions of mothers playing Edwardian parlour games, gathering around the 1920s radio, and promoting items from biscuits to cleaning products. Museum of Brands (Notting Hill), £14/£11 (includes museum admission), book ahead, 2pm

FAMILY RAVE: It's never too early to get the next generation of ravers started, which is why Big Fish Little Fish runs regularly family-friendly raves. All generations can dance together, aided by bubbles, balloons and confetti — and there are chill-out and craft areas if all that partying gets a bit much for the younger members of the family. Hangar (London Fields), £10/£7, book ahead, 2pm-4.30pm

Get the kids dancing at a family rave

EAST LONDON INDUSTRY: Join Footprints of London guide Sue McCarthy for a guided walk around the industrial heritage of the Lea Valley. Fine porcelain, gasworks, gin, cosmetics, explosives and film studios are just some of the industries the area has supported since the 18th century. Pudding Mill Lane station, £12/£9, book ahead, 2pm-4pm

EU-NITED: Several scriptwriters showcase their latest work, tackling the subject of present day British politics — which guarantees something of a bumpy ride. The Old Library (Camberwell), £8/£6, book ahead, 6pm-8pm

100 VOICES: The Princess Alice Hospice Community Choir and the Strawberry Hill Singers combine forces for a concert which raises money for the Surrey-based hospice. Expect to hear showtunes from Broadway classics including My Fair Lady, Les Miserables and Phantom of the Opera. Cadogan Hall (Chelsea), £15-£30, book ahead, 6.30pm

TALES FROM STAR CITY: Theatre show Tales From Star City is based on the true events in the life of Polina Semyenova, who is based in ‘Closed Military Townlet No. 1’ during the Space Race, having been handpicked to work on an elite engineering corp. King's Head Theatre (Islington), £18/£15, book ahead, 7pm (repeated tomorrow)

RUSSIAN BALLET ICONS: The legacy of the Russian Ballet School is celebrated in the Russian Ballet Icons Gala. Principal dancers from around the world — including Royal Ballet, English National Ballet, Grand Opera Paris, Berlin Staatsoper, New York City Ballet and  Ballet of Monte Carlo —perform pieces inspired snd influenced by the Russian Ballet, accompanied by the English National Ballet Philharmonic Orchestra. London Coliseum, £50-£165, book ahead, 7pm