All week
JEWISH BOOK WEEK: Canine psychology, lost freedoms, and the future of Ukraine are among the topics covered in the 80+ events which make up Jewish Book Week, a celebration of Jewish authors and illustrators. It takes place at Kings Place, with 16 of the events also streamed online. 25 February-5 March
ENFIELD CULTURE FESTIVAL: Queer Bruk Heads North — a club celebrating the Afro-Caribbean queer nightlife scene; a night of Cypriot comedy; and a reggae choir form part of Enfield Culture Festival, highlighting a week-long celebration of local culture and creativity, at Dugdale Arts Centre. 28-February-5March
BATTERSEA LIGHT FESTIVAL: This is the final week of this year's Battersea Power Station Light Festival, a free trail of eight installations, in and around the newly reopened Power Station. Until 5 March
CIRQUE DU SOLEIL: Also ending this week isKurios: Cabinet of Curiosities, Cirque du Soleil's current production, which has been at the Royal Albert Hall since January. It's a steampunk-inspired look at the mechanical world, with all of the usual Cirque magic sprinkled through it. Until 5 March
DICKENS' GHOSTS: The ghost stories of Charles Dickens — including A Christmas Carol and The Chimes — are the subject of current exhibition Dickens, Ghosts and the Supernatural, in his former home in Bloomsbury. It looks at the author's interest in and thoughts on the paranormal, but it's only on until Sunday. Until 5 March
KEW DOUBLE BILL: Two current exhibitions at Kew Gardens come to a close on Sunday as well. Pip & Pop: When Flowers Dream is a trippy, psychedelic display of miniature landscapes made from sweets, and has been in situ since last May. Elsewhere, Orchids comes to a close, celebrating the flora and fauna of Cameroon. Until 5 March
VAULT FESTIVAL: Your reminder that VAULT Festival is in full swing at venues around Waterloo right through to March. There are 500+ shows on the programme — book now for a dose of theatre, comedy, cabaret, burlesque and other treats, as the event faces an uncertain future. Until 19 March
MULTISPECIES PHENOMENA: Nobu Hotel London Portman Square has a new, free photography exhibition by Ram Shergill, coinciding with London Fashion Week. The Multispecies Phenomena. The images experiment with colour and light refractions to explore relationships between human and animal life. FREE, until 28 March
JANIS JOPLIN: Lovers and admirers of the late, great Janis Joplin won't want t0 miss Tomorrow May Be My Last — a biopic of the singer performed by Collette Cooper that's back at the Old Red Lion Theatre by popular demand. It's even been touted for West End fame in the future. Until 6 May
TAPROOM OF THE WEEK: Small Beer specialise in low percentage beer, meaning you can sup a few delish hazy IPAs, steam lagers and the like, without overdoing it. Their Bermondsey taproom's open Weds-Sat, and they have events too — this week there's life drawing on 2 March
Monday 27 February
CAFE PALAIS: Older people, those living with dementia, and their carers are invited to Alexandra Palace for Café Palais, a monthly 1920s-style cafe. Get dressed up and enjoy hot drinks, cakes and pastries while enjoying performances from burlesque dancers and local poets. FREE, 2pm-4pm
MONOLOGUE SLAM NIGHT: Mawa, the UK’s first all-Black, all-female Shakespeare company, holds a Monologue Slam Night at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse at Shakespeare's Globe. 20 participants perform classic pieces from Black and Black Mixed Race female artists in front of an audience and a panel of judges. 7pm
WARRIOR QUEENS: Author Kate Mosse takes part in an online discussion about her newest book, Warrior Queens & Quiet Revolutionaries. It's an alternative feminist history, showing us what history would look like if women's stories were at the forefront, including scientists, campaigners, authors and other influential women. 7.30pm
HAPPY HOUR: 2-for-1 drinks are back on the menu at Battersea's Northcote Records (Mon-Thurs weekly), so here's an opportunity for a cheap slurp at the business end of the week. House cocktails include Sour Records, Elderflower Fizz and Tiki As F*ck. Tonight there's live music from Mat Cochran, too. 5pm-8pm
MONDAY FUN: Mondays can be tricky days to fill in London, as many venues are closed. Fear not though, we've put together an evergreen guide to things to do in London on a Monday, so you can always find something to do on the quietest day of the week. Bookmark it now to liven up a future Monday.
Tuesday 28 February
COLOUR AND SHAPES IN MAPS: London Metropolitan Archives hosts an illustrated talk, using maps from its collection to demonstrate how colour and symbol reveal the living conditions of Londoners from years gone by. FREE, 1pm-2pm
WHY WOMEN GROW: Lambeth's Garden Museum is the venue for the launch of Alice Vincent's new book, Why Women Grow, and although tickets to attend in person have sold out, you can still watch it via a livestream. In writing the book, Vincent visited the gardens of 45 women from all walks of life, and the book is a record of the conversations she had about why women are drawn to gardening. 7pm-8pm
STEAMBOAT BILL: Wilton's Music Hall hosts a screening of 1928 silent comedy film Steamboat Bill Jr, starring Buster Keaton. It's accompanied by a live piano score and some short films are shown too. 7.30pm
GRILLED CHEESE: Wine + cheese. What's not to like? Head to Morty & Bob's in Kensal Rise for a wine and grilled cheese tasting, overseen by sommelier Benedict Butterworth. Over the course of the evening, sample several wines, each one accompanied by a mini grilled cheese sandwich. The wines are available to buy by the bottle at the end of the night if one in particular takes your fancy. 7.30pm-9.30pm
GOLDFINCH COMEDY: Sara Barron, Hatty Ashdown, Luke Craig, Louisa Corr, Sharlin Jahan and a surprise special guest are all on the bill at tonight's Goldfinch Comedy Night at the Goldfinch in Tooting. Siôn James hosts. 8pm
Wednesday 1 March
PINCH, PUNCH: ... first of the month. As March begins, take a look at 66 magnificent things happening in London this month, including a new Royal exhibition, art fairs, film festivals, St Patrick's Day celebrations, and a treat for dinosaur fans. Get your diary out and get booking.
ROBIN MORGAN: Mock The Week and This England star Robin Morgan is at 2Northdown in King's Cross for one night only, performing his current show. Snip Snip, B*tch covers fatherhood, marriage, masculinity and self-care. 7.30pm
COCKNEY SING-A-LONG: At time of writing, there are a few tickets left for Carradine's Cockney Sing-a-long at Wilton's Music Hall. Pianist Tom Carradine hosts and plays ditties from the Music Hall era, first and second world war songs, and other tunes from across the decades, with the audience encouraged to join in. Can't make tonight? Carradine's back at the same venue on Saturday with a brand new show. 7.30pm
CABARET F*CKABOUT: Stars of the international cabaret scene come together at Bethnal Green Working Men's Club for the Great Big Cabaret F*ckabout, which has them performing lesser-known routines, and trialling ridiculous concepts they've never performed before. Drag, mime, spoken word, trapeze and clown acts all feature. 7.30pm
SYLVIA PLATH: Published last year, After Sylvia is a writing anthology celebrating the legacy of American poet Sylvia Plath. Today, the work's co-editor, Ian Humphreys, is at Southbank Centre, hosting readings by poets Mona Arshi, Emily Berry and Mary Jean Chan, who all contributed to the anthology. There's also a Q&A session about Plath's legacy. 8pm
WEAPONS OF MASS HILARITY: Middle Eastern comedy club Weapons of Mass Hilarity is at Soho Theatre tonight, for a special triple bill featuring Laith Elzubaid, Hajar J. Woodland and Jenan Younis. Expect gags about Muslim upbringing, and refugee experiences. 8.30pm
Thursday 2 March
VAN DE VELDES: The van de Veldes were a Dutch father and son artist duo who arrived in London in the 1670s, and worked from a studio in Queen's House Greenwich, which they were offered by King Charles II. Now, 350 years after they arrived, Queen's House opens an exhibition dedicated to their maritime-themed artwork. From 2 March
JUST FOR LAUGHS: Actor-turned-football-club-owner Ryan Reynolds is the headline act at Just For Laughs, a huge comedy festival taking over The O2 from today.Other big names on the bill include Graham Norton, Aisling Bea, Nish Kumar, Suzi Ruffell, Shaparak Khorsandi, Sue Perkins and Rob Delaney. 2-5 March
CLASSICAL VAUXHALL: St Mark's Church in Kennington hosts four performances as part of the Classical Vauxhall programme, featuring both new and established classical musicians. The festival culminates in a day of workshops for young musicians age 11-14, at St Gabriel's College. 2-5 March
ARAB WOMEN ARTISTS NOW: Rich Mix hosts Arab Women Artists Now, a festival celebrating music, performance, spoken word, film and talks by Arab women artists from across the globe. This is the eighth year of the festival, and highlights include comedian Fatiha El Ghorri's work-in-progress show, and an aerial hoop performance by Danielle Adourian, inspired by burlesque and drag. It begins tonight with a screening of Beirut, The Aftermath, a film about an artist returning to the city a month after the 2020 explosion, with a Q&A with director Fadia Ahmad. 2-18 March
PRIME SUSPECT: Jackie Malton is a former Detective Chief Inspector, and the inspiration for Lynda La Plante TV series Prime Suspect. Tonight, she's at Bow Street Police Museum to discuss her book, The Real Prime Suspect, and the challenges she faced as a gay woman working within the Metropolitan Police. 7pm
GLASGOW FILM FESTIVAL: Kensington's Cine Lumiere hosts two screenings as part of the Glasgow Film Festival On Tour. How To Blow Up A Pipeline is shown today, and follows young environmental activists on a mission to sabotage an oil pipeline. 8.45pm
Friday 3 March
NEW MODEL ARMY: Cromwell's New Model Army was a fearsome fighting unit that triumphed at major battles such as Naseby and Langport. But how much that we're told about the army is actually true? Paul Lay, author of Providence Lost: The Rise and Fall of Cromwell’s Protectorate, investigates at this National Army Museum talk. FREE, 12pm
COLLECT 2023: Head to Somerset House to browse contemporary craft and design pieces at art fair Collect 2023. 400 artists are represented, spanning ceramics, glass, jewellery, metalwork, textiles and more. 3-5 March
POSTER ART: Barbican Library opens a new exhibition, The Poster Art of Hans Arnold Rothholz, displaying work by the poster designer and graphic artist who immigrated to Britain from Germany in 1933. He worked on posters for Festival of Britain, London Transport, Ealing Studios and Lyons Corner House among others, and some of his works are for sale at this exhibition. FREE, 3-29 March
MALAWI PHOTOS: Carrying Life: Motherhood and Water in Malawi is a new outdoor exhibition by British-Egyptian photographer, Laura El-Tantawy. Head to More London near Tower Bridge to see stories of mothers and babies in Malawi’s Ntchisi district impacted by dirty water, poor sanitation and a lack of hygiene. The exhibition is put on by charity WaterAid. FREE, 3 March-14 April
LONG NIGHT IN LONDON: On 3 March 1943, 173 people died in Bethnal Green tube station as a result of a crush in the staircase, as people hurried to seek shelter during the war. Now, exactly 80 years on, A Long Night in London is a stage show telling the stories of the people who were involved. Watch it at Oxford House today at 1pm or 7pm
Saturday 4 March
COMIC CON: Dust off your costume and head to Olympia London for London Comic Con Spring, a three-day celebration of film and TV. VIP guests on the line-up this time around includie Vinnie Jones, Moosa Mostafa (Wednesday), Mandip Gill (Doctor Who) and BRIAN BLESSED. 4-5 March
BARNES MUSIC FESTIVAL: Harpists, flautists, saxophonists, singers and a concert band are just some of the performers lined up for this year's Barnes Music Festival, which takes place at venues across the area from today. For the opening concert tonight, pianist Benjamin Grosvenor performs a programme of music which interprets the festival's theme, the Musical Environment. 4-19 March
BONNIE AND CLYDE: The Garrick Theatre is the new home of musical Bonnie and Clyde, which tells the story of the real-life American fugitive couple Bonnie and Clyde through song and dance. From 4 March
WOMEN'S DAY FILMS: This week's Family Film Club at Barbican Cinema features a prorgamme of short films by female filmmakers from around the world to celebrate International Women's Day. The exact line-up is TBC at time of writing, but it's the same price as any other Family Film Club screening — a very reasonable £3.50 for adults and £2.50 for children. 11am
SINGING WORKSHOP: Got a decent pair of lungs on you? Join conductor Paul Ayres and pianist Philip Shannon for a City Chorus singing workshop, where you'll belt out melodies from the world of opera, operetta and musical theatre. You don't need to be an amazing singer, although it helps to have a little experience. 11am-4pm
SEWING MACHINE MUSEUM: The monthly opening of London's little-known Sewing Machine Museum takes places today, giving the public a chance to view more than 600 sewing machines, including one which belonged to Queen Victoria's daughter. Read about our visit, in August 2018. FREE (charity donations appreciated), 2pm-5pm
SOHO CABARET: Cabaret artists Martha d'Arthur and Wilma Ballsdrop get the party started at Soho's Admiral Duncan tonight — they're followed by another two acts (TBC). 5pm-12am
Sunday 5 March
CROYDON AIRPORT: The monthly opening of Croydon Airport Visitor Centre is today, with regular tours of the museum depicting the airport's history, from the first world war to its closure in 1959. Some of the displays are located inside the world’s oldest air traffic control tower. 10am-2.30pm
VINTAGE FAIR: Head to Kensington Town Hall for Frock Me! Vintage Fair, an event with over 100 exhibitors selling vintage clothing, jewellery, textiles and accessories. It's not unusual for high-end designer items to surface at this event, so have a good rummage. 11am-5.30pm
FLEET STREET AMBLE: Fleet Street has to be one of the most historically fascinating roads in the city. London On The Ground has a guided walk that weaves in and out the alleys discovering the "Printers, Papers, Pubs and Prisons" that have characterised the area. 2.30pm
THE FEMALE ANIMAL: Lucy Cook, author of Bitch, is at Conway Hall to discuss what it means to be female, and how interpretations of the females of all species have changed in recent decades. Examples include female lemurs of Madagascar, who dominate the males of their species physically and politically. 3pm
LORD OF THE RINGS: Enjoy music from The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit and Game of Thrones performed live by the London Concert Orchestra and Brighton Festival Chorus at Southbank Centre. Pieces from The Witcher, Dragonheart, The Chronicles of Narnia, How to Train Your Dragon, Pirates of the Caribbean, Star Wars and Avatar also feature.3pm
ME LOST ME: Soaring vocals and atmospheric electronics combine to create Me Lost Me's unique style of storytelling music, described by BBC 6Music as "brilliant peculiar noise". They're headlining Cafe OTO tonight, with support from Bulbils and Luki. 7.30pm
WOMEN OF IRELAND: Dr Gillian Kenny is a specialist in women’s lives in medieval and early modern Ireland and Europe. In this online talk, she discusses how women have engaged in (or been rumored to have engaged in) magical practices over thousands of years in Ireland, from the battle queens of mythology to 19th century wise woman and healer Biddy Early. 7.30pm-9pm
Urban oddity of the week
If you're heading to the final week of Dickens' Ghost, at his house museum (see 'all week') then look out for a pair of special artefacts. The Museum itself inhabits the author's last surviving house, but fragments of his former homes can be found inside. The keystone above comes from the doorway to 1 Devonshire Terrace, which Dickens occupied from 1839 to 1851. Meanwhile, you can also see a window frame from his childhood home in Camden.
Good cause of the week
Want to help bring a community pub back to life? The Step in Bowes Park was "a much-loved venue which served as the beating heart of the neighbourhood". It's now under threat from redevelopment, but a local group are raising money to return it to the community's hands.
Over the next four weeks, members of the public can purchase community shares, a unique form of investment designed specifically for bringing communities together to run local projects. Of the £250,000 target, £51,000 has already been committed by the Booster Fund, run by Co-operatives UK. The group is now looking to the public to raise the remaining £199,000, every pound of which will be matched by the Government’s Community Ownership Fund grant, which was awarded to the project in December 2022.
Should the money be raised by the 19 March deadline, the funds will be used to buy the building, refurbish and restore it as a central meeting point for locals and visitors alike on Myddleton Road, Haringey’s best preserved Victorian high street.
See here for more information on how to invest in this community pub.
