All week
THE ZOO BY UNDERGROUND: Marble Arch auctioneers Lyon and Turnbull exhibit a collection of eight London Zoo posters, designed between 1913 and 1933 to encourage people to visit the zoo by Underground. Works by John Edgar Platt, Ruth Sandys and Maurice Miles feature. FREE, until 28 June
WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY: One of our favourite annual exhibitions, Wildlife Photographer of the Year ends its 59th incarnation at the Natural History Museum at the end of this week. See photos of animals and the natural world taken by photographers all over the globe, including the overall winners Until 30 June
WHY WOMEN GROW: Last chance to see Why Women Grow, an exhibition at the Garden Museum, telling the stories of women who have been interviewed for Alice Vincent's Why Women Grow podcast, about what gardening means to them. Until 30 June
LONDON FESTIVAL OF ARCHITECTURE: We're in the final week of this year's London Festival of Architecture, but the programme is as strong as ever. Join the Finchley Society's Archive Manager for a stroll around North Finchley, get an insight into the architecture of Tooley Street, find out what Regent Street could look like in the future... or catch one of the exhibitions or displays you've been meaning to see all month. Until 30 June
EUROS: The Euro 2024 men's football tournament continues this week, with the group stages continuing until Wednesday, with the final 16 beginning the next round on Saturday. Here are the best places in London to watch the Euro matches. Until 14 July
OUTDOOR CINEMA: Weather-wise, it's not been the strongest start to summer, but cross your fingers that things are looking up now, and book in a trip to see a classic film or a new release, at London's outdoor cinemas which pop up on rooftops, in beautiful gardens, and along the canal. Some of them are free!
READ OF THE WEEK: Allow us to blow our own trumpet for a moment if you will, with the launch of Londonist: Croydon Edit — our newsletter all about the Cronx. Our first ever piece dives into the launch of Imperial Airways a century ago, at a a time when Croydon was the centre of the universe.
PUB OF THE WEEK: A new whistle-wetting stop for next time you're in Camden — the Lock Inn on Jamestown Road (not to be confused with the Lock Tavern, although why not go there too), vies for your patronage with its own-brewed craft lager, lashings of good spirits, diner-style eats, vinyl-spinning DJs and a roof terrace.
DAY TRIP OF THE WEEK: Hop on the train and in less than an hour you could be in the Kent town of Tunbridge Wells - or Royal Tunbridge Wells to give it its full name. From steam trains to a beautiful shopping precinct to gigs in a former public toilet, read our guide to visiting Tunbridge Wells to help you plan your day.
Monday 24 June
THE GLOBAL SOUTH: The Royal Geographical Society screens Voices from the Global South, a series of six short films reflecting on the difference that geography makes to understanding the climate crisis and its impact. The event is part of London Climate Action Week. 2.30pm-4.30pm
EVENING OF FASHION: Fashion editor and stylist Anna Cascarina, and 'the Wardrobe Whisperer' Sarah Corbett-Winder join forces for an evening of fashion at the Charlotte Street Hotel. They'll discuss Cascarina's new book, The Forever Wardrobe, and give tips for creating a long-term capsule wardrobe, whatever your age, style or budget. 6.30pm-8pm
LEAVING UKRAINE: Documentary photographer Polly Braden takes part in an online talk about her work portraying mothers, daughters, teenagers, and infants who fled Ukraine following the Russian invasion, which is currently on show at the Foundling Museum. The event begins with the screening of a short film about the complexities of refugee life, before a discussion about the importance of photography in documentation. 6pm-7pm
FUTURE OF LONDON: Nobody knows as much about London governance and economics as Prof Tony Travers. He'll be at Temple Bar to talk about the immediate future of London, in the wake of both Mayoral and General Elections. 6.25pm
PANDORA'S BOX: 1929 film Pandora's Box is shown at Wilton's Music Hall, accompanied by a brand new piano score, performed live for the first time. The film stars Louise Brooks as Lulu, a high class dancer who brings destruction to the Berlin bourgeoisie with her turbulent love affairs, both male and female. 7.30pm
BLACK COMPOSERS: As part of the British Library's Beyond the Bassline events programme, get a whistlestop tour through historical Black classical composers in Britain up to the first half of the 20th century, alongside a selection of prose and poetry showing changing Black perspectives. The event is hosted by Decus Ensemble, a group of professional classical musicians who promote the works of lesser-known composers, and celebrated drag cabaret star Le Gateau Chocolat. 8pm
Tuesday 25 June
CLIMATE FESTIVAL: The Fleet Street Quarter Climate Festival takes place across two days, consisting of a series of panel talks about different approaches to tackling the climate emergency. Redesigning cities to prioritise nature, the role the media plays in sustainable living, and the link between the spate of global elections in 2024 and climate policy are among the topics on the programme. FREE, 25-26 June
CONNECTIONS 2024: The National Theatre's Connections 2024 festival shines a spotlight on young people in theatre. 10 youth theatre and school groups have been selected to perform new plays on the Dorfman stage at the National Theatre, spanning topics including neurodiversity, cancel culture and mental health. It's a bargain too — tickets are £5 per performance, or £8 for two performances in the same evening. 25-29 June
ST PAUL'S IN WARTIME: City of London Guide & Lecturer Jill Finch gives a free talk about how St Paul's Cathedral survived the incessant bombing of the second world war, telling the stories of those who bravely defended and protected it. You can watch in person at Guildhall Library, or online. FREE, 2pm-3pm
BERNARDINE EVARISTO: Booker Prize-winning author Professor Bernardine Evaristo gives a Gresham College lecture about the craft of storytelling, and how it is intrinsic to our lives. Particularly, she talks about her experiences as a young graduate, choosing to shape her story herself, through a career in writing. Watch in person at LSO St Luke's, or online. 6pm
TOO MANY CRITICS: Nine Elms-based American restaurant Darby's hosts a dinner and drinks evening in aid of food poverty charity Action Against Hunger — with a twist. Too Many Critics sees renowned food critics including Giles Coren, Hannah Twiggs and Tom Parker Bowles taking over the kitchen to prepare the food, while professional chefs dine with guests and critique. 6pm-10.30pm
PRIDE RIDE: Indoor cycling studio Boom Cycle's Battersea venue offers a themed Pride Ride — think rainbow lighting and confetti cannons — with guest DJ Bimini spinning party tunes as Boomcycle's own instructors lead the 50-minute workout. The event raises money for LBGTQIA+ charity London Friends. 7pm
Wednesday 26 June
REGULAR WEDNESDAY EVENTS: Guided tours, lunchtime concerts, live jazz, life drawing — just some of the events taking place in London most Wednesdays of the year. Bookmark our guide to spending Wednesday in London for things to do today, or any other Humpday when you might find yourself at a loose end.
INDIAN FILM FESTIVAL: Along with venues in Birmingham, Manchester and Yorkshire, London hosts an Indian film festival, showcasing Indian and South Asian premieres. It begins tonight with Paper Flowers, about a Gujarati American who worries about his traditional father finding out he’s in a relationship with a Chinese American girlfriend. More than a dozen other events take place over the coming days. 26 June-7 July
COSÌ FAN TUTTE: Mozart’s comic opera Così fan tutte returns to the Royal Opera House, with Golda Schultz and Samantha Hankey making their Royal Opera debuts as Fiordiligi and Dorabella — whose boyfriends don disguises and attempt to seduce them in order to test their loyalty. 26 June-10 July
EAST CROYDON SPRING PARTY: East Croydon Cool's parties are becoming a regular fixture of the Croydon calendar, and for the spring edition they're taking over Signal Brewery and Taproom. DJ sets, pizza, beer, and the possibility of some sunshine: what are you waiting for? 6-10pm
WEMBLEY ANTIQUES MARKET: The early bird catches the worm — or the best deals — at Wembley Park Antiques Market, which brings together traders selling antiques, collectables, salvage, vintage homeware, jewellery, furniture and more. Takes place in a multi-storey car park, so no need to worry about the weather. FREE ENTRY, 7.30am-4pm
OBSCURE RIVERS: Tom Bolton gives a morning talk, appropriately at Walbrook Wharf, about some of the more obscure tributaries of the Thames. The event also includes a screening of Jack Thurgar’s ‘The Swamp’, a short film about a patch of the Quaggy. Part of London Rivers Week. FREE, 10.15am-noon
SEA LIFE LATES: The Sea Life London Aquarium stays open late for adults only. Enjoy a free drink when you arrive, then spend your evening wandering among the tanks, getting up close to sharks, coral reefs, piranhas and lots and lots of fish, without the usual daytime crowds. From 5pm
LONDON'S GRAND HOTELS: Footprints of London guide Richard Watkins leads a walking tour focusing on London's grand hotels. Find out which one was founded by two embezzlers, and which one was used as a refuge for deposed European monarchs, among other stories of espionage, mafia and assassination. Starts outside Green Park station. 6pm-8pm
Thursday 27 June
TREASURE HOUSE FAIR: Art, antiques and design pieces — each carefully vetted by a panel of independent experts — are being sold by specialist dealers at the Treasure House Fair, taking place in the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea. 27 June-2 July
FILM NIGHT: The William Morris Gallery in Walthamstow hosts the UK premiere screening of Nirmal Chander’s The Lotus and the Swan, a documentary about Sardar Gurcharan Singh, founder of Delhi Blue Pottery in India. His work is currently on display in the museum's Art Without Heroes: Mingei exhibition, which you can view after the film. 6pm-9pm
ATLAS OF IMAGINED CITIES: Londonist editor-at-large Matt Brown, along with his co-author Rhys B. Davies and illustrator Mike Hall, are at Stanfords in Covent Garden to talk about Atlas of Imagined Cities, sequel to their award-winning Atlas of Imagined Places. The book plots thousands of locations from film, TV, books and comics onto vintage-looking maps to illustrate which fictional characters live where. 7pm-8.30pm
EDINBURGH FRINGE PREVIEW: 'Tis the season when many comedians offer previews of the shows they're taking to Edinburgh this summer, including Alice Snedden and Huge Davies, who team up for an Edinburgh Fringe Preview at the Dugdale Centre in Enfield. 8pm
LATE NIGHT JAZZ: The Royal College of Music Junior Department Jazz Ensemble's sixteen-piece big band perform at tonight's Late Night Jazz in the Elgar Room at the Royal Albert Hall. The programme includes work by Artie Shaw, Cannonball Adderley, Horace Silver, Miles Davis, Joe Henderson, the Jazz Messengers, John Coltrane, Chick Corea, Robert Jospé, Lionel Loueke and Nate Smith. 9.30pm
Friday 28 June
STEP-UP EXPO: Do you know — or are you yourself — a teenager who’s thinking about their future? Step Up Expo is an exciting and engaging free event at Olympia London that’s all about helping young Londoners and their parents navigate educational choices, explore future career pathways, and learn about life skills. Until 29 June (sponsor)
PUB IN THE PARK: Food and music festival Pub in the Park pitches up in Chiswick. Scouting for Girls, Busted and Jools Holland are all on the eclectic music line-up over the coming days, with a chef demo stage, fire pit, artisan food market and pop-up bars taking care of the refreshment. Look out for Lenny Henry, Gaby Roslin, Helen George, Tom Kerridge and Matt Tebbutt appearing on various stages to get the party started tonight. 28-30 June
FUSE INTERNATIONAL: For 10 days, performing arts festival FUSE International takes over Kingston, with a programme of music, theatre, dance, comedy, visual arts, spoken word, circus and more, kicking off with the Ugly Bug Drag Ball (age 18+) tonight. Browse the full programme for details. 28 June-7 July
TOBEY MAGUIRE: Coming to London after a sold-out premiere run in New York, I'm Gonna Marry You Tobey Maguire is a comedy play, set in 2004, about para-social relationships between celebrities and superfans. See it at Southwark Playhouse Borough. From 28 June
ROYAL LATE: The Society of Antiquaries in Burlington House has a new art exhibition called Reign to mark 150 years at the venue, with new works inspired by its historic collections. A special Late event gives you the chance to wander around this remarkable building to admire the art. There will be live music and refreshments, and Henry VIII himself will make an appearance, on this his birthday. 5pm-8pm
SOANE PRIDE LATE: Sir John Soane's Museum stays open late for a Pride Month special. Spend the evening exploring objects from the collection which have LGBTQ+ connections, while enjoying short talks and drag performances. Drinks are available, and the museum will be lit in the Pride flag colours and with candlelight. From 6pm
ZOO NIGHTS: Also celebrating Pride is London Zoo: this week's Zoo Nights late opening is a Pride takeover, with special events and activities (TBC) in addition to the usual talks and chances to see the animals outside of usual zoo opening hours. For another take on 'pride', swing by the lions to see the new trio of cubs. Age 18+. 6pm-10pm
FLEETWOOD MAC: Tribute act Rumours of Fleetwood Mac — personally endorsed by Fleetwood Mac founding member Mick Fleetwood — take over Fairfield Halls in Croydon for an evening of the band's greatest hits. 7.30pm
PRIDE SCIENCE PARTY: Celebrate London Pride in a 'scientifically satisfying way' at the Royal Institution's Big Pride Science Party, hosted in collaboration with Pride in STEM. The event begins in the theatre with weird science acts from Khalil Thirlaway, Jasmine Qureshi and Alfredo Carpineti along with some colourful fire, followed by demonstrations and activities that cover a multitude of science topics. 7.30pm-9.30pm
Saturday 29 June
PRIDE IN LONDON: Pride in London is the capital's biggest LGBTQ+ party. Some 30,000 participants and 300 floats are expected to take part in the procession from Hyde Park Corner to Trafalgar Square, with stages featuring live performances dotted around the West End. FREE, from 12pm
DRAG BRUNCH: Whether you're planning to join the parade later, or want to mark Pride in a different way, head to the South Place Hotel near Liverpool Street for a drag brunch, with a live drag performance bottomless Peroni and Prosecco, and classic brunch dishes. 12pm-3pm
PUNK ALL-DAYER: Signature Brew on the Blackhorse Beer Mile will vibrate to all manner of punk bands — including Darko, False Advertising, One Fall and Oh The Humanity at its all-dayer, which also features a record fair. From 1pm
GIN FESTIVAL: A gin-vitation that juniper lovers can't refuse: the Andover Arms in Hammersmith hosts a gin festival street party this afternoon, starring over 30 different gins and a eye-opening range of garnishes and tonics. They're lighting up the BBQ too. From 2pm
BST HYDE PARK: BST Hyde Park is back, bringing Stevie Nicks, Kings of Leon, Morgan Wallen, Andrea Bocelli, Robbie Williams and Shania Twain to the huge pop-up festival site in Hyde Park. It begins tonight with SZA headlining. The Open House midweek events take place again this year too (selected dates from 28 June) with outdoor cinema, live music, and other events open to everyone. From 29 June
EEL PIE ISLAND: The mysterious art studios on Twickenham's Eel Pie Island open to the public for the weekend, giving you the chances peruse handmade ceramics, oil paintings, jewellery, ceramic sculptures, and the like. Though the island itself is open to visit anytime, the studios — shrubbery-ensconced huts festooned with headless mannequins, skeletons in cages, and other forms of screwball sculptures — are usually kept private. 29-30 June (also 6-7 July)
CANDLELIGHT CLUB: Travel back to the 1920s with The Candlelight Club, a speakeasy-style event celebrating the glamour of the Jazz Age. The Summer Ball takes place in a south London ballroom, with live jazz music, saucy burlesque performances and tarot card reading, hosted by Champagne Charlie. From 7pm
LAUGH FOR LEUKEMIA: Comedian Nick Mohammed brings his beloved alter ego back for one final performance of his show, The Very Best & Worst of Mr. Swallow, in aid of Blood Cancer UK. Takes place at Bloomsbury Theatre. 7.30pm
Sunday 30 June
SUNDAY FUNDAY: Looking for things to do in London today or any other Sunday? We've compiled a guide to things that happen in the capital on a Sunday, so you can find something to keep you busy, whoever you're with and whatever your budget.
LONDON GAMING MARKET: The London Gaming Market is back at the Royal National Hotel in Russell Square, where you can buy and trade retro video games, board games and merchandise. Note that there's a new ticketing structure compared to previous events, with different opening and closing times, and no door ticket sales until 3pm. 10.30am-4.30pm
CRYSTAL PALACE MUSEUM: Been to this pint-sized museum about the Crystal Palace yet? It's actually based in an old lecture room building that was part of the original complex, and is stuffed with fascinating photos and trinkets related to the glass landmark destroyed in 1936. It only opens on Sundays 11am-4pm
CANADA DAY: Trafalgar Square will be awash with poutine, Mounties and maple leaves for London's annual Canada Day celebration. Meet members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, take part in interactive hockey-themed activities courtesy of the National Hockey League, watch live music on stage, and tuck into Canadian-inspired dishes such as poutine. FREE, 12pm-8pm
SPIDER-MAN CONCERT: 2018 film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is shown on a huge HD screen at Southbank Centre, accompanied by music from the score and soundtrack performed by a live orchestra, electronic musicians and a DJ. Age 7+. 2.30pm/6.30pm
COUNTRY AND BLUEGRASS: Yeeee-hah! The Archway Mountain Lightin' Boys ride into the Dukes of Highgate armed with guitars, banjos and fiddles — for a couple of hours of live music this afternoon. FREE, 3pm-5pm
BIYI BÁNDÉLÉ: Brixton House hosts A Night To Remember Biyi Bándélé, in memory of the Nigerian novelist, playwright and filmmaker. The evening celebrates the launch of his final novel, Yorùbá Boy Running, completed just before he died in 2022. 5pm
PRIDE BINGO: See out Pride weekend with a Pride-themed bingo night at The Table in Battersea. Try your luck winning prizes at the bingo, before a guest performance by drag act Carmen Emissions. There are prizes for the best dressed, and the venue's happy hour takes place for the two hours prior to the event, so worth getting there early if you want to make a night of it. 7pm-10pm
