Things to do this week is sponsored by Bill's.
All week
WOMEN'S EUROS: As the Women's Euro tournament hots up, find yourself somewhere to watch the matches in London. These places are all screening at least some of the games — oh, and FYI, England are playing on Monday 11 and Friday 15 July, and both matches kick off at 8pm.
LONDON RIVERS WEEK: This week is London Rivers Week, a celebration of London's many rivers and wetlands, and plans to rewild them. Events taking place across the week include art exhibitions, guided walks, citizen science projects, talks and more — browse the full programme. 11-17 July
CLIMATE HOME: As part of its tenure as London Borough of Culture, Lewisham launches Climate Home, a festival of and resistance around climate change. Workshops, performances, art, music and talks are all on the programme, taking place within an adventure playground. 11 July-20 August
BLACK HERITAGE LONDON: Run in collaboration with Numbi Arts, Black Heritage London brings together budding creative producers aged 18-24 years old to explore the hidden histories of Black communities in London. Many of the displays from Saturday's event are now on display at the Museum of London throughout this week. Until 15 July
BALHAM COMEDY FESTIVAL: Eleanor Tiernan, Seann Walsh, Marcus Brigstocke, Zoe Lyons, Dane Baptiste and Rachel Parris are among the big names on the bill at the final week of Balham Comedy Festival, which takes place at The Bedford. Until 16 July
STONEHENGE: It's your last chance to see the British Museum's epic Stonehenge exhibition — and you'll need to set a few hours aside for this one. The huge exhibition places the mysterious stone circle in the wider context of what was going on in Europe at the time. Read our full review. Until 17 July
EXPRESS YOURSELF: The Museum of Brands' new display, Express Yourself: Find Your Brand is now open, focusing on personal identity and culture. Find out how gender and heritage are portrayed in marketing campaigns, and take part in various activities, including discovery trails for all ages. Until 4 September
SUNSET SESSIONS: Summer's truly underway at rooftop bar Skylight Peckham, where they've got live DJs every night throughout the summer. Head on up to the roof terrace to enjoy an R&B and afrobeats soundtrack, accompanied by some serious skyline views, and a different cocktail on a 2-for-1 offer every night of the week. Throughout summer
Monday 11 July
HOBBLEDOWN HEATH: New family attraction Hobbledown Heath in Hounslow opens today, just in time for the summer holidays. It has indoor and outdoor adventure play areas, over 70 farm and zoo animals, towers to climb, underground tunnels to explore and aerial walkways to scale. From 11 July
UNDERGROUND HISTORY: Join Footprints of London guide Stephen Benton for a guided tour looking at the history of the London Underground, from 1863 to the present day. Ride the Underground from one of the original stations, to one of the newest on the network, learning about stations from different time periods as you go. 11am-1pm
VANISHING DEMOCRACY: Hear from Dr Sam Fowles, a barrister specialising in public and constitutional law, about vanishing democracy here in the UK. Fowles was part of the team which took the Prime Minister to court when he illegally prorogued Parliament, and proved that the Met's restraining of members of the public at a vigil for Sarah Everard fundamentally breached our right to protest. 7.30pm
Tuesday 12 July
FLOATING FILM FESTIVAL: As outdoor cinema season continues in London, a floating film festival pops up in St Katharine Docks, near the Tower of London. Step onto the floating pontoon and plonk yourself down on a deckchair or sofa to watch classic or new-release films. It's Parallel Mothers tonight, followed by Mamma Mia tomorrow, and a varied programme over the next 12 days. 12-24 July
FOODIE THEATRE: Love food? Adore theatre? Hungry is a blisteringly funny play about the queer relationship between chef Lori, server Bex — and one intense night spent in a walk-in fridge. Expect plate-loads of laughs — and plenty of meaty conversations about class, gentrification and grief to chew over. It's just over an hour long, so you can grab something to eat in foodie Soho afterwards. Soho Theatre, tickets from £12, 12-30 July (sponsor)
ART DECO LONDON: Ever noticed the Art Deco architecture of Leicester Square? Join Footprints of London guide Jane Parker for a stroll around Piccadilly and Leicester Square, hunting out Art Deco and Jazz Age style buildings as you go, including tube stations, shops, offices and cinemas. 2pm
POLITICAL MAPS: Hear from artist and cartographer Adam Dant as he launches his new book of political maps at Stanfords in Covent Garden. The 47 artworks touch on topics such as "the messaianic mission of Jeremy Corbyn, London as the playground of Boris Johnson", and Brexit. 6.30pm-8pm
Sponsor message
Indulge in a Summer of Spritz at Bill’s
Feeling summery yet? You will do at Bill’s restaurants, where a whole new bespoke menu of refreshing Fever-Tree Spritzes is being served. How does an Elderflower & White Grape Spritz, Red Berry Spritz, Lemon Drizzle G&T or Italian Blood Orange Spritz sound?
They’re not doing this summer thing by halves — Bill’s will be bringing touches of the Mediterranean to London this summer, complete with lemon-themed decorations and a curated seasonal playlist packed full of summer vibes.
Top tip: Visit Bill's anytime after 5pm Monday-Friday, and those Fever-Tree Spritz Spritzes are two for £12... it would be rude not to, really. Get your family and friends together to toast summer, and tuck into limited edition sharer starters, including roasted flatbread or crispy calamari.
All about long, lazy weekends? Book in for Saturday or Sunday, and enjoy two Fever-Tree Spritzes for £12 when you order any brunch dish. Plus, Fever-Tree’s Spritz Truck is doing the rounds, where the team will be handing out samples and talking through the cocktails for guests and passers-by for #FeverTreeFriday. Catch it at Bill’s Hammersmith on 15 July and Bill’s Clink Street on 29 July.
Visit the Bill’s website for more info and to book, or follow @billsrestaurant to stay up to date.
Wednesday 13 July
ROCK STAMPS: Freddie Mercury was an avid philatelist in his youth, collecting stamps between the ages of 9 and 12. His collection, artfully displayed in a 54-page album, goes on display at the Postal Museum from today. 13 July-30 October
BRITAIN'S SECRET DEFENCES: Head to the National Army Museum in Chelsea for the launch of historian Andrew Chatterton's new book, Britain's Secret Defences. He explores the secrets behind the top-secret, highly trained and ruthless civilian volunteers who were being recruited as early as the summer of 1940 to defend against a German attack on Britain. 6.30pm
LONDON CLAY: Tom Chivers, author of London Clay, discusses the book with archaeologist Dr Rebecca Wrag Sykes, at Waterstones on Gower Street. The book uncovers some of London's geological mysteries — read our full review. 6.30pm-7.45pm. Tom Chivers is also at Southwark Cathedral on Saturday.
NATURE STORYTELLING: Head to Rich Mix for The Moth Storyslam, a regular spoken word and storytelling event. Nature is this month's theme, and anyone can sign up for a five-minute slot to tell their story. Don't fancy getting up on stage yourself? Not a problem — just relax and watch other people. 8pm
Thursday 14 July
MIGUEL'S WAR: Barbican Cinema screens international film Miguel's War, the story of a gay man who grew up oppressed and shamed during the Lebanese civil war, and who faces his past 37 years later. It's shown as part of SAFAR Film Festival, which showcases cinema from the Arab world. 6pm
CIRCUS SCIENCE: Ever wondered about the science behind circus acts? Head to the Royal Institution for an insight into the art of balancing on a tightrope, what makes the best hula hoopers, how corn kernels pop, and plenty more. The event is a mix of talks and demos, and is for age 18+. 6pm-10pm
WINDRUSH PIONEERS: The Albany in Deptford hosts an evening of music, poetry, dance and presentations to celebrate the Windrush pioneers who settled in the area. It's part of the Lewisham Borough of Culture celebrations, and is in collaboration with the Windrush Foundation. 7pm
Friday 15 July
ISLINGTON FESTIVAL: Music and art go hand in hand at Islington Festival, a nine-day event which began in the form of garden concerts as we emerged from lockdown in summer 2020. Drawing classes, photography workshops, a string quartet, piano recitals are just part of the programme this year. 15-24 July
RIVER STAGE: National Theatre's River Stage — a free, open-air performing arts festival — is back for five weekends this summer, kicking off today. This weekend's programme, The Glory, celebrates 50 years of Pride, with live DJs, drag performances, cabaret, lip syncing, drag life drawing and more. 15 July-14 August
BBC PROMS: We can't even type those words without Land of Hope and Glory firing up on the record player inside our heads — but that's Last Night of the Proms, and there's almost two months' worth of live music to enjoy before that, kicking off today with Prom 1, Verdi's Requiem. For all your info on tickets, highlights, promming and the like, peruse our guide to the BBC Proms 2022. 15 July-10 September
CULTURAL COMEDY TOUR: Giggles meet museums and galleries on the Cultural Comedy Tour at the Grant Museum of Zoology, offering a funny and insightful tour of the museum, featuring a theme tune for the jar of moles, hot taxidermy takes, and plenty of facts. 6.30pm/7.30pm
Saturday 16 July
LAMBETH COUNTRY SHOW: A children's funfair, bouncy castles, farmyard animals, sheep dog and owl displays, food stalls, live music, and crafts stalls are just some of the activities at the huge — and free entry — Lambeth Country Show in Brockwell Park. We once found a model of Jarvis Cocker made from vegetables... that's the kind of show this is. 16-17 July
CANAL FESTIVAL: To the water for the East End Canal Festival, taking place around Mile End Park. Enjoy boat trips and a floating cinema, learn some canal history, take part in craft workshops and storytelling sessions, or simply sample tea and cake from the East End WI. 16-17 July
LONDON WING FEST: Wing Fest, apparently the world's largest chicken wing festival, stops by the London Stadium on its UK tour. Expect to see several chicken wing vendors pitting their finger-lickin' dishes against each other, with 200,000 wings served over the course of the weekend. 16-17 July
FOOD FESTIVAL: Eat your way around the world at the National Geographic Traveller Food Festival, held at the Business Design Centre in Islington. Hear from cookbook authors, and watch live cooking demos and masterclasses, so you can attempt to recreate your favourite dishes at home. 16-17 July
CART MAKING CEREMONY: One of London's quirkier events is the Ceremony of Cart Making, a 500+ year old tradition by the Worshipful Company of Carmen. See a collection of handcarts, horses and carts, steam-driven vehicles, electric, solar-powered and hydrogen vehicles on display at Guildhall, with Livery Masters and Court Assistants in their official robes, chains and hats. 10am-5pm
INTERNATIONAL BUSKING DAY: They take International Busking Day very seriously at Wembley Park, with big-name acts and grassroots performers taking to the stage for an afternoon of live music, plus circus, hip hop and juggling shows, a special food festival, and plenty to keep kids occupied. 1pm-7.30pm
Sunday 17 July
CHESSFEST: Trafalgar Square hosts a free chess festival, open to all, whether you're a seasoned player or want to learn the game. This year's ChessFest marks 50 years since the 1972 World Chess Championship match between the American, Bobby Fischer and the Soviet, Boris Spassky, and includes a living chess set with actors taking on the role of the pieces. 11am-6pm
VOGUING WORKSHOP: South Londoner Jay Jay Revlon offers a voguing workshop for anyone, of any ability, who wants to master the improvisational dance style, which is inspired by the poses often seen in fashion magazines. You don't need a partner, or any experience — just head to Southbank Centre and join in. 12pm
EXPANSION REBELLION: This week's Thinking On Sunday focuses on the 2018 decision to allow a third runway at Heathrow to go ahead, and what effect that will have on climate change targets. Journalist and author Celeste Hicks focuses on the legal case which claims that the extra 700 planes a day will jeopardise the UK’s ability to meet its commitments of the 2015 Paris Agreement. 3pm
Urban oddity of the week
In celebration of London Rivers Week (see top), here's a photo of one of London's 'lost' rivers. Yes, really.
The Westbourne rises on Hampstead Heath and flows down to the Thames at Chelsea. Unless you work for Thames Water, though, you'll probably never get to see it, for it runs through the sewers these days. However, head to Sloane Square underground station, and you can stand beneath the river, which spans the tracks in this cast iron tube.
As urban oddities go, this one is fairly well known, but always surprises people who learn it for the first time.
