All week
FIREWORKS: It's Bonfire Night on Friday, though of course, the whizzbangs aren't confined to one evening. Check out our guide to explosive firework displays in London to find one near you.
SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS: Already over fireworks and thinking about Christmas? The Spirit of Christmas Fair takes over Olympia for a week of festivities, with gift ideas and decorations from more than 600 brands. Find out more about this and other festive fairs with our guide to Christmas markets in London. Olympia, from £21, book ahead, 1-7 November
HOGARTH: See works by William Hogarth alongside those of his European contemporaries at Hogarth and Europe. Francesco Guardi in Venice, Chardin in Paris and Cornelis Troost in Amsterdam all saw Europe change during the mid-18th century, thanks to enlightenment, innovation and materialism — see how these changes were reflected in their work.Tate Britain, £18, book ahead, 3 November 2021-March 2022
DOC 'N ROLL: The eighth edition of Doc'n Roll Film Festival takes place with screenings across six London cinemas and online. Watch documentaries about the music industry made by independent film makers; subjects include 1970s singer Lydia Lunch and the early years of rock band Skating Polly, as well as the 25th anniversary of Buena Vista Social Club. Various locations and prices, book ahead, 28 October-14 November
Monday 1 November
ROSE UNIACKE: Hear from architectural interior designer and furniture expert Rose Uniacke, who's just published her first book, At Home. She chats to design critic Alice Rawsthorn about her design process and what inspires her. Tickets to attend in person have sold out, but you can still watch online. Online event, £5, book ahead, 7pm-8pm
SOUTH AMERICA: Join a virtual tour of Fitzrovia, on the trail of the revolutionary Francisco De Miranda who lived in the area for much of his life, plotting to turn South America into a democratic republic based on the principles of Jeremy Bentham. Tour guide Rob Smith is at the helm. Online event, £8, book ahead, 8pm-9pm
HALLOWEEN HISTORY: Historian and folklore expert Professor Ronald Hutton gives a talk about the history of Halloween. Find out about Pagan and Celtic roots of the pumpkin-spiced festival we all know today, and whether we should still be celebrating it at all. Online event, £10/£5, book ahead, 8pm-9.30pm
Tuesday 2 November
YOLO TO SOLO: Sandra Reekie is at Stanfords to talk about her new book, From Yolo To Solo. It recounts her travels, spending three months along the Silk Road route with a woman she'd never met before, the trials she faced along the way, and the effect it had on her outlook on life. Stanfords (Covent Garden), £5, book ahead, 6.30pm-8pm
MANNINGTREE WITCHES: Winner of the 2021 Desmond Elliott Prize, author A.K. Blakemore discusses her prize-winning work, The Manningtree Witches. The historical fiction novel covers England's 17th century witch trials, and the Puritan regime surrounding them. Waterstones Piccadilly, £13 with book/£8 without, book ahead, 7pm
EGALITARIAN HANDSHAKE: How did the handshake come about as a formal way of greeting people? The Georgian Group hosts Professor Penelope J. Corfield, an expert on the social and cultural history of the time period, to talk about how bows and curtseys became handshakes, and the meaning of this shift. Donald Insall Associates (Marylebone), £18, book ahead, 6.30pm
Wednesday 3 November
LORD MAYOR: Ahead of this year's Lord Mayor's Show, find out what it takes to be a Lord Mayor of London. Tour guide Jill Finch offers a light-hearted look at tips for doing a job that has been around for more than 800 years. Online event, free, book ahead, 2pm-3pm
PORT OF LONDONERS: To tie in with its current exhibition, Port of London, Museum of London Docklands hosts a late looking at people whose lives went undocumented in history books. A selection of speakers discuss the lives of every day people who were linked to the Docklands in some way. Museum of London Docklands, £12, book ahead, 6pm
JOZ NORRIS: 'Award-winning idiot' Joz Norris is doing a dry run of his new show, Blink, at the Bill Murray tonight. 'New ideas, new sketches, new thoughts and new stories' are on the cards, which sounds fab. Sting may also feature, which we're less sure about. Bill Murray (Islington), £5.50, book ahead, 6.30pm-7.30pm
LONDON A-Z: Explore London via the alphabet in this Zoom event. From the Abbey to Zebra Crossings, from Abbess Close to Zoffany Street, it’s a creative, even psychogeographical way of exploring the capital — think Sesame Street meets Dr Johnson. All eight 'walks' for £38 (catch-up available if you miss a live event), book ahead, every Wednesday evening from 27 October, 7pm
Thursday 4 November
JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL: More than 65 short and feature length films are on the programme at the UK Jewish Film Festival, which celebrates its 25th anniversary. Some are in-person screenings at cinemas around London, others are streamed online. Various location and prices, book ahead, 4-18 November
WINTER MARKET: Dozens of wooden chalets return to South Bank from today, as Southbank Centre's Winter Market returns. Browse Christmas gifts and stay refreshed with pop-up bars and street food stalls, under a canopy of twinkling lights. Southbank Centre, free entry, just turn up, 4 November-24 December
CARNABY CHRISTMAS: The festive season in London is officially under way, with the first of the Christmas lights switched on today. Carnaby hosts a shopping party to celebrate, with discounts at the local shops and restaurants, plus a chance to get a first look at this year's neon butterfly themed festive installation. Carnaby, free, book ahead, 12pm-8pm
GREAT NORTH WOOD: Once covering much of south London, the Great North Wood is the subject of new book, The Wood That Built London. Hear from author C. J. Schüler about its history, ecology and the battle to save it. Online event, £1, book ahead, 6.30pm-7.30pm
Friday 5 November
FOXES: Masculinity and homosexuality within London's Caribbean Community is explored in Dexter Flanders' debut play Foxes, staged as part of Theatre Peckham's Young, Gifted & Black festival. Theatre Peckham, £15 (concessions from £10), book ahead, 5-6 November (there's an added matinee performance on the Saturday)
WOMEN IN THE ARTS: Rich Mix hosts an all-day conference today to launch its Women in the Arts Festival. Throughout the festival, talks, performances and panel discussions celebrate and support female performance artists. Rich Mix (Shoreditch), various prices, book ahead, 5-12 November
PAUL MCCARTNEY: British Library launches a new display featuring material from Sir Paul McCartney's personal archive, and focusing on the lyrics of songs he was involved in, from The Beatles to rock band Wings and his solo career.British Library, free, just turn up, 5 November 2021-13 March 2022
CASA CHROMATIC: Occasional Londonist contributor and queen of colour Momtaz Begum-Hossain is among the artists involved in a new, psychedelic exhibition. Casa Chromatic brings a splash of colour and joy to The Conference Centre at St Pancras Hospital. Free entry, just turn up, Monday-Friday, 5 November 2021-25 March 2022
ALICE IN WINTERLAND: Queen of Hoxton unveils its Alice in Wonderland themed rooftop bar, Alice in Winterland, tonight. If their past themed installations (Emerald City, Valhalla, Dr Strangelove) are anything to go by, expect toasty wigwams, open fire pits, and decor and cocktails based on the Lewis Carroll classic. Queen of Hoxton, free entry, booking recommended, from 5 November (Wednesday-Sunday)
Saturday 6 November
VINTAGE KILO SALE: Refresh your wardrobe in time for winter at the Brixton Vintage Kilo Sale. Rummage through vintage garments and accessories to put together a new outfit or two, and pay by weight — it's priced at £15 a kilo. Stock is replenished throughout the day, so you won't miss out if you can't get there early doors. Pop Brixton, free entry, just turn up, 6-7 November (11am-5pm)
TUDOR QUEENS: Five experts on the Tudor period give a day of talks and panel discussions, focusing on the women's history of the period. Mary Tudor, Lady Jane Grey and Christmas celebrations in the Tudor period are among the topics covered. Southwark Cathedral, £18, book ahead, 10.15am-5pm
REGENT STREET MOTOR SHOW: Regent Street closes to 21st century traffic for a day, to allow vintage vehicles to park up for the Regent Street Motor Show. Check out cars dating back 125 years, alongside live entertainment and some more modern vehicles too. Regent Street, free, just turn up, 10.30am-4pm
POSSESSED: The Cinema Museum is screening pre-code Romantic drama, Possessed, starring Joan Crawford. It's about a woman who tries to escape a life of small town poverty by going to New York City, where she finds a wealthy politician, played by Clark Gable. Cinema Museum (Kennington), £9.45, book ahead, doors 6.30pm
Sunday 7 November
VETERAN CAR RUN: The Regent Street Motor Show is a precursor to the Veteran Car Run, which sees more than 100 pre-1905 vehicles setting off from London to Brighton. It's a special one this year, as it's the 125th anniversary. You'll have to be up early to cheer them on though — they begin leaving Hyde Park around 7am, heading through Lambeth towards Croydon, and on to the coast. Hyde Park, free, just turn up, from 7am
THEATRELAND WALK: Learn about Black magicians, escape artists, hypnotists — and the 'Beyonce of the 1950s' who owned her own castle, in this tour of the West End led by Black History Walks. West End starting point, £15, book ahead, 10am-12pm
CRAFTY FOX: Oh, how we've missed Crafty Fox Markets, the shopping fairs which bring together local artists and craftspeople to sell their wares. Jewellery, cosmetics and — perhaps most interestingly — vegan taxidermy are among the specialities at this weekend's event. Mercato Metropolitano (Elephant & Castle), free entry, just turn up, 11am-5pm
CEMETERY TOUR: The Friends of Kensal Green Cemetery run regular tours of this evocative space, on select Sundays throughout the year. Today is one of those. Small groups of up to 20 will be led by a tour guide who will explain the notable monuments and history of the site. £12, book ahead, 2pm-4pm
Urban oddity of the week
Here's an apt pub for 5 November. The Pyrotechnists Arms — surely the only one in the country — can be found on Nunhead Green in south London. The peculiar name is a reference to one of Britain's earliest firework factories, called Brock's, which was founded in the 18th century and stood nearby. The chap on the hanging sign is clearly intended to resemble Guy Fawkes.
Good cause of the week
Snap up a work by a famous artist and help charity at the same time. That's the idea behind A Letter in Mind - Making Your Mark, an art sale with a difference taking place online 2-4 November. Here's how it works:
- More than 500 artists have created an original piece of art on an envelope, responding to the theme 'Making Your Mark'. Big names include Grayson Perry, Chantal Joffe, Jeremy Deller, Ishbel and Morag Myerscough.
- You can preview the works online on 2 and 3 November.
- On 4 November from 11am, you can buy any artwork for £85. But here's the thing: all the artworks are anonymous, so you don't know whose work you're buying.
- You only find out after the event whether you've snapped up a household name, or else bagged a work by an emerging artist. You might even get an artwork by a celebrity such as Harry Hill or Andrew Marr. They'll all be brilliant, whoever you get.
- The proceeds go to the National Brain Appeal, so whatever artwork you end up with, you'll know it's so much more than just a picture on an envelope.
Find out more from the National Brain Appeal website.
