All weekend
EXHIBITIONS ENDING: It's your last chance to see several exhibitions around town:
- SKULLPTURE: Artworks by sculpture students from the Slade School of Fine Art, inspired by the many weird and wonderful creatures in the museum's collections. Grant Museum (UCL), free, just turn up, until 7 September
- LEONARDO DA VINCI: A look at items belonging to the famous polymath, including notebooks containing his diagrams and thoughts, and his mirror handwriting. British Library, £7, book ahead, until 8 September
- KALEIDOSCOPE: A free exhibition of photographs taken by first and second generation immigrants, celebrating diversity. Somerset House, free, just turn up, until 8 September
- MODERN BRITISH PRINTMAKING: 120 prints by 10 artist from the Grosvenor School of Art, showcasing the spirit of the 1930s. Dulwich Picture Gallery, £16.50, book ahead, until 8 September
- KISS MY GENDERS: The curation leaves something to be desired, but Kiss My Genders is still a forward-thinking look at at gender fluidity. Hayward Gallery, £15.50, book ahead, until 8 September
TOTALLY THAMES: Get stuck into celebrating London's river with the first full weekend of Totally Thames events. Watch objects made from river clay being fired on the foreshore, enjoy an outdoor promenade show of spoken word performances, and see a new artwork created through typography. 1-30 September
DOCUMENTARY FESTIVAL: The Open City Documentary Festival celebrates the art of making non-fiction films, through a series of screenings, exhibitions, talks and masterclass. Our picks this weekend include rhino documentary The Last Male On Earth, and Breathless Animals, about growing up in Maoist China. Various locations and prices, book ahead, 4-10 September
ART BOOK FAIR: Art books and magazines from around the world are for sale at the London Art Book Fair. Small and large scale publishers are represented, with work by artists, curators and poets available. Whitechapel Gallery, free entry, just turn up, 5-8 September
CLASSIC BOATS: Engage your sea legs and step on board classic boats — including Dunkirk Little Ships — at the Classic Boat Festival. More of a land lubber? Stick to the docks for live music, street food and a programme of watery talks. St Katharine Docks, free, just turn up, 6-8 September
RARE CARS: Petrol heads, head to Hampton Court to gawp at rare (and yes, expensive) cars at Concours of Elegance. More than 60 unusual cars park up in the Fountain Garden, many of which haven't been seen before in the UK. Hampton Court Palace, from £40, book ahead, 6-8 September
PODCAST FESTIVAL: Earbuds at the ready for the London Podcast Festival. See famous and little-known podcasts recorded in front of a live audience, and attend events aimed at budding and experienced podcast producers. Highlights this weekend include LGBTQ+ show A Gay And A NonGay, and Nobody Panic, about the trials and tribulations of being an adult. Kings Place (King's Cross), various prices, book ahead, 6-15 September
CRAFTY FOX: Go on a spree or simply browse at Crafty Fox Market's latest outing. The curated range of stallholders include painters, jewellery makers, ceramicists, printmakers and textile artists, and it's a chance to buy gifts and homewares directly from the local artists who made them. Mercato Metropolitano (Elephant & Castle), free entry, just turn up, 7-8 September
SALVAGE YARD: Rummage out a bargain or two at Peckham Salvage Yard, home to 50 different traders. Items up for grabs include vintage clothes, homewares, furniture and other oddities — but before you buy that retro armchair, think about how you're going to get it on the bus. Bussey Building (Peckham), free entry, just turn up, 7-8 September
Saturday 7 September
DAWNOSAURS: The Natural History Museum opens its doors early, solely for children and the autism spectrum and their families. There's a sensory room available for anyone in need of a bit of calm, a chance to touch some of the objects, and other activities led by autism-aware facilitators. Natural History Museum (South Kensington), free, book ahead, 8am-10am
OPEN ALLOTMENTS: Did you know that there are allotments in Regent's Park? There's a rare chance to visit them today. Have a go at apple pressing (and taste the results), purchase jams and other produce grown on site, and there's a garden hunt for children too. Regent's Park, free, just turn up, 10am-5pm
FINANCIAL TIMES FESTIVAL: The Financial Times hosts historians, journalists, authors, chefs, activists, barristers and others for a day of thought-provoking talks and discussions on a range of topics, from capitalism to climate change to London's housing crisis. The action takes place across nine different stages — pick one, or move between them. Kenwood House (Hampstead), £95, book ahead, 10am-8pm
OPEN STUDIOS: Gasworks Studios opens its doors to the public for an autumn open studios event. Get to know the artists who work there, including sculptors and textile and collage artists. Stick around until 4pm to hear some of them talk about their work. Gasworks (Vauxhall), free, just turn up, 12pm-6pm
AUTHORS ON STAGE: National Theatre's Authors on Stage series continues with a trio of events today. Documentary presenter Stacey Dooley chats to BBC3 Controller Fiona Campbell about Dooley's investigative journalism career to date. (£15-£35, book ahead, 1pm), Candice Carty-Williams is interviewed about the success of her debut novel Queenie, (£15-£35, book ahead, 4pm) and Matt Haig tackles questions about how the world is messing with our minds (£15-£45, book ahead, 8pm).
DOCKLANDS REGENERATION: Join a Museum of London Docklands tour guide for a walk around the Docklands area, covering how derelict docks were transformed into a thriving business hub. The event also looks at Crossrail, and the continued effect the much-awaited railway is having on the Canary Wharf area. Museum of London Docklands, £12.50, book ahead, 2pm
FEMINIST RIPPER: There are many Jack the Ripper tours available, but this one tells the often-overlooked stories of his victims. Katie from Look Up London leads the walk around the streets of Whitechapel, focusing on the hardships that Mary Ann Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes and Mary Jane Kelly would have faced in the 19th century East End. Aldgate East station, £30.44, book ahead, 2pm
ANIME FILMS: A mini-festival of anime films takes over Picturehouse Central. New and classic anime films are covered, and all films are shown in Japanese with English subtitles. Picturehouse Central, various prices, book ahead, from 2.20pm
JENGA CHAMPIONSHIPS: Got Jenga skills? Show them off at this rooftop Jenga championship, the first of what is intended to be an annual event. 30 teams of two people compete in rounds including building the tallest tower, and erecting a structure while wearing ski gloves. Roof East (Stratford), £10, book ahead, 3pm-5.30pm
CHIHULY NIGHTS: If you've not yet been to Chihuly Nights, we thoroughly recommend you put that right. Taking place every Thursday-Saturday until October, it's a chance to see Dale Chihuly's colourful glass sculptures illuminated against the backdrop of Kew Gardens. Follow the trail outside and into magnificent conservatories, before stopping for a drink and a bite to eat. Kew Gardens, £18/£12, book ahead, 7.30pm-10.30pm
THANK YOU FOR HAVING US: Part of both Totally Thames and the Feats of Architecture event programmes, Thank You For Having Us is a free street performance by French street-theatre titans Générik Vapeur and flying trapeze experts Gorilla Circus. It's raising awareness of the plastic problem, by transforming the City's streets into the 'eighth continent' — a giant rubbish dump in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. City of London, free, just turn up, 8pm-9pm
Sunday 8 September
VINTAGE CAR SHOW: The Classic and Vintage Car Show at Capel Manor Gardens has vehicles dating as far back as the 1920s on display. We're promised an RAF flypast, food stalls, miniature train rides and live music. Capel Manor (Enfield), £8, just turn up, 10am-5pm
DICKENSIAN LONDON: Join a guide from the Dickens Museum for a guided walk around the Borough area, a locale that would have been familiar to author Charles Dickens. Among the sites, see part of the surviving wall of the Marshalsea Prison where his father was incarcerated, and a graveyard which may have inspired a scene from A Christmas Carol. Borough station, £10, book ahead, 11am-12.30pm
DOG SHOW: Bow wow wow your way over to east London for the All Dogs Matter dog show. The canine care charity offers competitions in areas such as cutest pup, best rescue and golden oldies — take your pooch along to show off their mettle, or just go along and watch for your daily dose of cute. Victoria Park, £5 to enter your dog, just turn up, 11am-3pm
THE MAYHEW: Animal welfare charity The Mayhew hosts an open day, inviting the public in to find out what it does, and have some fun. Meet some of the cattery's residents, browse stalls selling products for you and your pets, and get stuck into a veggie barbecue, live music and games. The Mayhew (Kensal Green), £3/£2, just turn up, 11am-4pm
VINTAGE FASHION: Refresh your wardrobe at The Vintage Collections, a vintage fashion fair with items dating back more than 100 years. More than 50 traders sell women's, men's and kids' clothes, along with accessories and homewares — have a rummage through the racks and see what you come up with. Freemasons Hall (Covent Garden), £5/£2, just turn up, 11am-5pm
PLANT MARKET: Buy a lily for your living room or a cactus for your kitchen at the Green Rooms Market. In addition to offering greenery for sale, the plant-centric event has a range of green-fingered experts on hand to offer advice on buying and caring for your plant, as well as the tools and accessories you'll need for it to thrive. Brixton Village Market, free entry, just turn up, 11am-5pm
HACKNEY CARNIVAL: Line the streets of Hackney between Mare Street and Landsdowne Drive (route map here) to see the floats of Hackney Carnival go past. Reggae bands, gymnasts, marching bands and dancers are just some of the performers in the procession, while other performances and events take place in clusters around the area. Hackney, free, just turn up, 11am-7pm
FOLK FESTIVAL: Family-friendly entertainment takes place all day at Bermondsey Folk Festival, with performances by local musicians. Things really hot up from 6pm when east London folk band Stick in the Wheel headline the evening session. Street food and craft beer available all day. Biscuit Factory (Bermondsey), free entry, just turn up, from 12pm
COMIC FAIR: Over 40 comic artists, writers and publishers are present at the Hackney Comic + Zine Fair. The one-cay celebration of the comic art medium covers a range of styles and genres, with a focus on self-published and small press works. Comic fanatics and complete newbies all welcome. London Fields Arches, free entry, just turn up, 12pm-6pm
PARK KLEZMER: Annual event Klezmer in the Park celebrates its 10th anniversary with a free afternoon of entertainment for guests of all ages. BBC Radio 3's Max Reinhardt is the special presenter at the open-air event, organised by the Jewish Music Institute. There's also a kids' activity area to keep younger guests busy. Regent's Park bandstand, free, just turn up, 12.30pm-6.30pm
MALORIE BLACKMAN: Author Malorie Blackman introduces her new novel Crossfire, a much-awaited sequel to Noughts and Crosses, set 34 years after the original. Blackman chats about writing the new book, and about the upcoming TV adaptation of Noughts and Crosses. Southbank Centre, £20, book ahead, 2pm
SARA PASCOE: Comedian Sara Pascoe chats about her new book, Sex, Power, Money, with podcaster Deborah Frances-White. The book takes a not-entirely-serious look at the things that matter most to humans. Southbank Centre, £15-£25, book ahead, 7.30pm
