All weekend
WIMBLEDON: Did somebody mention Pimm's? It's the first weekend of the world's finest tennis tournament at Wimbledon. Keen to watch the action first-hand? Read everything you need to know about joining 'The Queue' for tickets — just know that Wimbledon station isn't the closest stop to the tennis club. Happy to watch on TV? We've put together a guide to all of the London venues showing the action live on large screens, many of them free. Even better, treat yourself to a Wimbledon-themed afternoon tea to enjoy as you watch.
SUMMER SCIENCE EXHIBITION: The Royal Society's annual Summer Science Exhibition is a free interactive experience for anyone curious about the latest advances in science and technology. Take part in drop-in workshops, meet scientists and researchers, and find out about topics such as the fight against plastic waste, and the next big telescope. FREE, 1-6 July
OTHER PEOPLE'S SECRETS: Head to OSO Arts Centre (Barnes) to watch Other People's Secrets, a series of short plays exploring the power that secrets have to change lives. Comedy, drama, thriller and farce are promised in the 1hr 45 min show. 2-6 July
BATTERSEA JAZZ FESTIVAL: The Battersea Jazz Festival offers live performances at various venues including local churches and Clapham Grand. The Allison Neale Quartet, and the Daniele Gorgone Trio are Saturday's performers, with a celebration of the music of Duke Ellington taking place on Sunday. 3-12 July
COPACABANA: The London Cabaret Club's latest all-singing, all-dancing production is Copacabana, an electrifying celebration bursting with vibrant showgirls, exotic decor and the infectious energy of a Rio carnival. Expect plenty of feathers, cha cha-ing and fruity cocktails. 3 July-27 September
LONDON CHILDREN'S BALLET: A talented company of 50 young dancers, aged 9-16, performs new production Ella's Big Chance: A Jazz-Age Cinderella, based on an original story by Shirley Hughes. It's the story of dress shop owner Mr Cinders, who is left to bring up his daughter Ella on his own when his wife dies. It's suitable for ages three+. See it at the Peacock Theatre. 4-6 July
BALHAM COMEDY FESTIVAL: Esther Manito, Paul Tonkinson and Marcus Brigstocke are among the comedians on the bill at the Balham Comedy Festival this weekend. It's organised by Banana Cabaret and takes place at the Bedford, continuing into next week too. 4-12 July
MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR: Shakespeare’s raucous comedy The Merry Wives of Windsor comes to the Globe, bringing to life the antics of the disreputable knight Sir John Falstaff attempting to seduce two wealthy housewives. 4 July-27 September
MOVIEDROME: Cult 1980s-1990s BBC series Moviedrome gets its time in the spotlight as the subject of the BFI's latest season. Moviedrome: Bringing The Cult TV Series To The Big Screen shows some of the most notable titles screened by the series, this weekend featuring witty and insightful introductions from host Alex Cox. 4 July-25 August
FAMILY RAVES: There are two chances to take the kids to a Big Fish Little Fish family rave this weekend. Horniman Museum's garden hosts the Midsummer's Daydream Family Rave on Saturday, and there's an outdoor rave at Hoxton's Museum of the Home on Sunday. Expect bubbles, balloons, foam and other entertainment at both events, along with live DJs playing club classics. 5 and 6 July
EEL PIE ISLAND: The second of this summer's open weekends at Eel Pie Island offers a chance to set foot on the mysterious and private island in the Thames and visit the artists who live and work there in their studios — and of course, buy artworks straight from the source. FREE (booking required), 5-6 July
BEAUTIFUL WORLD CABARET: Janie Dee, Wayne Sleep and Carly Mercedes Dyer are on Saturday's opening day line-up at Beautiful World Cabaret at Charing Cross Theatre, followed by Lorna Dallas and Cassidy Janson on Sunday. The event features a variety of performers from different backgrounds exploring the themes of nature and wonder through music and storytelling. 5-13 July
SOLDIER MAGAZINE: The National Army Museum's exhibition about official British Army magazine Soldier closes this weekend, celebrating the publication's 80th birthday, looking back over its history and how it has covered big news stories and conflicts. FREE, until 6 July
TRANSPORT PHOTOS: London Transport Museum's latest exhibition is rather clever. Then and Now: London's transport in photographs showcases historic photos of the transport network (ticket gates, Tube station tunnels), some dating back as far as the 19th century. Alongside them are modern snaps taken by photographer and TfL train driver Anne Maningas, who used a Bronica medium format film camera from the 1990s to add a sense of continuity between the old photos and the new. Until 2026
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London's first outdoor country music festival has arrived
Say howdy to a brand new celebration of all things country, roots and blues. This weekend, the inaugural Country on the Common brings boot-scooting live music, sizzling food and drink, and a wealth of Wild West-inspired fun to Tooting Common.
Head here on Saturday 5 July or Sunday 6 July (or grab tickets for both days, if you want to get some really good use out of your cowboy boots). There's line-dancing. There's axe-throwing. There's even talk of a rodeo bull. Loads of activities are family-friendly, and there’s enough BBQ and Tex-Mex treats (not to mention whiskey and craft beer) to keep you do-si-doing all weekend long.
As for the music? Saturday's headlined by British duo The Shires, who are joined by the likes Ward Thomas, One Night in Nashville and First Time Flyers. On Sunday, singer-songwriter (and Schitt's Creek star) Noah Reid takes to the stage, following performances from Remember Monday (of Eurovision fame), Kezia Gill, Toby Lee, The Folly Brothers and more.
Country on the Common. Sunday 5 July and Sunday 6 July on Tooting Common. Get your tickets now.
Saturday 5 July
BOOK SALE: Folio Society, the London-based independent publisher of illustrated books holds a pop-up sale, giving you the chance to buy a unique Folio edition direct from the publisher. Head to Glaziers Hall by London Bridge to shop ex-display copies, slightly damaged books, ex-Folio library copies, end-of-stock books and sample copies of recent titles, including a select number of limited editions. 9.30am-4.30pm
BIG GAY BRUNCH: Warm up for Pride (below) at The Actors' Church in Covent Garden, which serves a Big Gay Brunch. Expect a camp village fete vibe, with live music, comedy, games, food and drink — with performers including drag artist Le Gateau Chocolat and the stars of Magic Mike Live, before the main event gets underway in central London. From 11am
MINISTRY OF SOUND GAMES: Fitness meets nightlife at Ministry of Sound Games, which transforms the club into a high-intensity workout playground. The event runs in high-energy, 50-minute waves, with teams of 10 competing across three fitness zones combining functional strength training, explosive cardio and team-based drills, with live DJs soundtracking each room. 11.30am
DRAG BRUNCH: RuPaul's Drag Race star Kyran Thrax and social media drag star Paige Three headline the Pride special drag brunch at Between the Bridges on South Bank. Enjoy live performances and an hour of bottomless bubbly (starting at 12pm, so get there in plenty of time for that!). Food isn't included in the ticket, but the venue has a choice of food stalls on site. 11.30am-3pm
PRIDE IN LONDON: The absolutely huge Pride in London festival takes place today, with a parade winding through the centre of London from Hyde Park Corner to Whitehall, and festival stages set up around Soho. Expect to see many Pride after-parties and other LGBTQ+ events taking place around this time too. FREE, from 12pm
SLAYING THE FIELD: Baller FC — which was set up by passionate members of the queer community and football fans with a mission to grow women's football fandom — puts on a special party at Signature Brew in Walthamstow. Not only is it celebrating Pride in London, but also England and Wales' first games in the Women's Euros tournament. The 12-hour festival has appearances from football collectives including Uhaul Dyke Rescue, Match of the Gay and Purple Pool as well as a chance to watch queer short footy films Solers United and We'll Go Down in History (Truk United FC). 1pm-1am
ADAM DANT: Head to the Heath Robinson Museum in Pinner to hear from artist Adam Dant, whose barmily brilliant work has featured on Londonist in the past. In this illustrated talk, the focus is on Dant's time as Official Artist of the 2015 General Election, when he was granted rare access to certain aspects of modern politics. Hear about his encounters with some of Britain's most powerful and peculiar institutions, from the corridors of Westminster to centuries-old guilds. 3.45pm-5.15pm
MUCH ADO: Cycling theatre troupe The Handlebards pitch up at Strawberry Hill House in Twickenham for an outdoor performance of Much Ado About Nothing. The bicycle-powered production is family-friendly, and doors open an hour before the show starts, so you can enjoy a picnic in the grounds before watching. 6pm-8pm
ENGLAND VS FRANCE: The Lionesses begin their campaign to defend their Euros title tonight, taking on France in their first match of the tournament. The game takes place at Stadion Letzigrund in Zurich, but pubs and venues all over London are screening the Women's Euros — book in advance or arrive early to be sure of getting a spot. K/O 8pm
Sunday 6 July
JOE WICKS FESTIVAL: Join Joe Wicks for a family-friendly wellbeing event at Kew Gardens, featuring fitness sessions led by Wicks and guest experts, including activities like yoga and pilates. Enjoy workshops and inspiring talks covering topics such as nutrition and mental health. 9.30am-6pm
ANTIQUES FAIR: The 'Horti' is London's longest-running monthly antiques fair, held at The Royal Horticultural Halls in Westminster and featuring over 130 exhibitors offering a wide range of antiques such as jewellery, silver and collectables. 10am-4.30pm
GIANT SUMMER FLEA: Over 100 traders pitch up at the Giant Summer Flea, which takes place in a multi-storey car park at the Olympic Park, meaning it's sheltered whatever the weather. Browse and buy furniture, vintage home decor and other items. 10am-5pm
LONDON YOUTH GAMES: The London Youth Games (LYG) Community Sport Festival is happening at Copper Box Arena in Stratford. It features the finals for basketball, volleyball and netball, showcasing the best young athletes in London, as well as offering fitness challenges and other activities for spectators. 10am
LEGO X F1: Battersea Power Station celebrates the British Grand Prix with a Lego X F1 family watch party. Watch a livestream of the Silverstone race on a large screen, alongside family activities including a Lego make and take station. Plus, pose for photos alongside a life-sized McLaren Formula 1 car made from Lego. 10am-6pm
WICKED SING-A-LONG: Spend your Sunday afternoon Defying Gravity at the Prince Charles Cinema, which screens sing-a-long Wicked. Lyrics from the 2024 film starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo are shown on screen, and fancy dress is encouraged. 12pm
HAMPSTEAD BIG FAIR: Heath Street in Hampstead goes traffic-free for the Hampstead Big Fair, with 110 stalls selling crafts, food and drink, alongside a funfair, circus school, live music and other entertainment. FREE, 12pm-5pm
THE CALLY FESTIVAL: Islington's Caledonian Road — affectionately known as 'The Cally' — closes to traffic and puts on its party gear for The Cally Festival. The free-entry celebration of local culture includes live music, a storytelling stage, flower crown workshops, a science discovery zone, dance workshops and a street market. FREE, 12pm-6pm
SOUND LOUNGE: Sutton's Sound Lounge welcomes a trio of North American artists today, namely Canadian folk and country artist Sarah Jane Scouten, North Carolinian singer-songwriter Jeffrey Dean Foster, and Élise LeBlanc, who performs songs exploring queer desire, betrayal, hope and nature lore. It's pay what you can. 4pm-8pm
BREAKING BARRIERS: Taking place at The Other Palace, Breaking Barriers is a night of musical theatre featuring disabled and neurodivergent performers. It showcases a range of emerging artists, aiming to challenge industry norms and amplify underrepresented voices in theatre. 5pm
THE GREATEST SHOW: Musical theatre meets circus acts at Cirque: The Greatest Show, which comes to the Churchill Theatre in Bromley, with a soundtrack of West End hits. Britain's Got Talent Golden Buzzer winner Max Fox stars in the family-friendly show. 6pm
