Free And Cheap Things To Do In London This Week: 11-17 November 2024

Budget-friendly things to do in London this week for £5 or less.

Looking for more free things to do in London? Here are 102 of em! We've also compiled this epic map of free stuff in London.

See London's Christmas lights switched on

You may have noticed London getting a glow up in recent days. The Christmas lights are already on in Oxford Street, Regent Street and Carnaby. This week, Covent Garden, Marylebone and The Shard are among the places switching their own illuminations on — full details here. Things tend to get hectic towards Christmas, so if you want to see them without the crowds, we recommend going sooner rather than later.

Watch comedy for free in Stockwell

Running for over 12 years now, Comedy Virgins stages up-and-coming comedy acts thrice weekly (six times if you take into account that each night has two shows). Each act gets a five-minute set, the audience voting for their fave with a clap-off. It's a fun (and cheap) night out, in which you get to see loooads of different comedy — some of which you'll hopefully love.

Free, 11, 12 and 13 November.

Take part in the first Newham Festival of Stories

Newham Libraries launches its inaugural Festival of Stories on Monday, featuring 50 free activities across multiple libraries over 11 days. Speakers and authors such as Dame Zandra Rhodes, Paterson Joseph, Tom Percival and Vaseem Khan are taking part. Children are catered for too, with storytelling sessions, dance workshops and VR demos among the family-friendly activities.

Free, 11-22 November.

Hear from a curator at the Courtauld Gallery

Every couple of weeks, the Courtauld Gallery at Somerset House offers a free talk by one of the gallery's curators. Simply turn up and follow the signs to that day's talk to hear insights into artworks by a specific artist.

Free, 14 November.

Make sense of conspiracy theories

Professor Peter Knight of Gresham College gives a free talk about conspiracy theories, and why they are becoming so common. It's widely believed that the rise in popularity of the internet is responsible for conspiracy theories spreading faster than ever, but Knight asks what if the rise of conspiracy theories is a symptom rather than the cause of a collapse of trust in civic institutions?

You can watch in person at Barnard's Inn Hall in Holborn, or online. 

Free, 14 November.

Test your knowledge in a bookish pub quiz

The Tottenham Court Road branch of Waterstones hosts Books & Brews, a pub-style quiz themed on books and literature. In teams of four-to-six people, test your knowledge on books and authors from Shakespeare to George Orwell to Jane Austen to Margaret Atwood. There are prizes to be won, but don't worry if you don't have a full team — you can join up with others on the night.

£3, 14 November.

Hear from the curators of the new Picasso exhibition

The British Museum has a new exhibition Picasso: Printmaker, focusing on the Spanish artist's lesser-known print works. On Thursday, the exhibition's curators Catherine Daunt and Isabel Seligman give a free online talk about the show's context, scope and themes — and highlight a few specific items on show. 

Free, 14 November. Note that tickets to the exhibition itself are £11.

Wander through a garden of glowing roses

A field of 30,000 glowing white roses takes up residence in Mayfair from Thursday.

The Ever After Garden in Grosvenor Square is an illuminated installation designed as a garden of remembrance, raising money for the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity. Wander paths among the roses, taking time to reflect. It's free to visit, or you can pay to dedicate a rose in memory of a loved one (suggested minimum donation £10). 

Free, 14 November-18 December.

Seek out London's new penguin parade

A dozen penguins take up residence around Fleet Street this winter, for a free sculpture trail. 

The 12 members of the Penguin Parade — each 1.6m tall and individually designed by a different artist — are dotted around Chancery Lane, New Street Square, Ludgate Circus and Fleet Street from Thursday. It's free to visit, though donations to conservation charity WWF are encouraged. 

Free, from 14 November.

Share

View this year's ING Discerning Eye Exhibition

Painting, drawing, sculpture, print, photography, video, textile, ceramic and mixed media art feature in the ING Discerning Eye Exhibition, taking over Mall Galleries from Friday. View the pieces shortlisted from 6,500 entries, chosen by judges including art critic Will Gompertz, artist Adebanji Alade and interior designer Gabrielle Blackman.

Free entry, 15-24 November.

Get Your Groove On at Southbank Centre

As part of the EFG London Jazz Festival, Southbank Centre hosts Get Your Groove On, a free afternoon of live music and dancing open to all ages.

The line-up includes a DJ set from Habibti Nation, showcasing electronic music from the Arabic-speaking world with a focus on female, gender-nonconforming and trans artists, and live performances from Brazilian-Cuban band Mangorata, and saxophonist David Kayode, among others.

Free, 16 November.

See classic cars parked up in Waterloo

The monthly Waterloo Classics takes place on Saturday, when owners of classic vehicles park them up on Lower Marsh in Waterloo for passers-by to admire. Head for the area in front of Scooter Caffe.

Free, 16 November.