All week
HALF TERM: For most London schools, this week is May half term. Take a look at our guide to family-friendly half term activities in London, spanning shows, exhibitions and one-off events, featuring Disney, dinosaurs, Paddington Bear and more.
ROMAN ARMY: A reminder about the British Museum's current huge exhibition Legion: life in the Roman army, which offers a lowdown on the West's first modern, professional fighting force through the life and service of a real Roman soldier, Claudius Terentianus. Letters written on papyri by soldiers from Roman Egypt and the Vindolanda tablets — some of the oldest surviving handwritten documents in Britain — feature. Until 23 June
DISNEY 100: Also ongoing is Disney100, at ExCeL, an exhibition which celebrates the centenary of the Walt Disney Company. It spans 10 galleries, covering films, theme parks and more. The carousel horse which Dick Van Dyke rode in Mary Poppins (1964) and the crystal glass slipper from Cinderella (2015) are among the exhibits. Until 23 June
OUTDOOR CINEMA: Whether the weather cooperates is another matter, but it's outdoor cinema season in London, with classic, cult and new-release films being shown in parks and gardens and on rooftops around the capital. Our guide to London's 2024 outdoor cinema season has all you need to know.
THINGS TO DO IN JUNE: And just like that, June begins this week. Plan the month ahead with our pick of 65+ events and things to do in London including festivals, new theatre shows, and a rather special party.
DAY TRIP OF THE WEEK: For this week's day trip, you'll need to time it just right. Mersea Island is a beautiful island on the Essex coast, just near Colchester, home to beautiful beaches, pastel beach huts, sprawling countryside, and some highly-recommended places to eat (oysters are a speciality in these parts). The catch? It's attached to mainland Essex by one solitary causeway, which can become impassable at high tide.
Bank holiday Monday 27 May
BANK HOLIDAY WEEKEND: It's bank holiday Monday, so take a look at our guide to spending a bank holiday weekend in London, and make the most of it.
FOODIES FESTIVAL: Head to Syon Park for the final day of Foodies Festival, a celebration of all things edible (and quaffable), with a generous side of live music. Blue headline the entertainment stage today, with live demos by celebrity chefs, street food and artisan markets, kids' cookery sessions, pop-up bars and more. 25-27 May
SUMMER FETE: Classic fairground games including pinball, hook a duck, and basketball hoops all pitch up at Big Penny Social in Walthamstow for its summer fete, a family-friendly event. 11am-7pm
NEW MUSIC ALL DAYER: For the bargain price of £2.50, you can get entry to the Putney Half Moon's all dayer of new music, featuring boxfresh singer-songwriters, bands, poets, performance artists and more. Acts include City Lake, The Rhodes and The Zeratones. From 2.30pm
MI CASA: South African musical trio Mi Casa take to the stage at Fabric for a gig of their house and soulful pop music, interwoven with storytelling featuring real-life stories. 7pm-10.30pm
KINGDOM CHOIR: British gospel group The Kingdom Choir — who performed at the Royal wedding in 2018 — celebrate three decades in the music business with a 30th anniversary concert at Barbican, conducted by founder Karen Gibson. 7.30pm
KING GONG: Monthly open mic night King Gong takes place at the Comedy Store, with 30 up-and-coming comedians each given a spot on the stage, and challenged to stay there for five minutes in the face of often brutal feedback from the audience. Three people in the crowd are randomly assigned as judges, and each given a red card — when all three red cards are raised, it's game over. 8pm
Tuesday 28 May
OPERA HOLLAND PARK: One of our favourite outdoor cultural events in London, Opera Holland Park's summer season gets under way today. First on the programme is Giacomo Puccini's Tosca, performed by the The City of London Sinfonia and the Opera Holland Park Chorus. From 28 May
JANEY: Picturehouse Central screens Janey, the new documentary about the life of comedian and actress Janey Godley, from a difficult childhood in Glasgow to finding fame for her sweary anti-Trump placards. The screening is followed by a live comedy show by Godley herself. 6.30pm
JULIAN JOSEPH: Jazz pianist Julian Joseph is joined by journalist Kevin Le Gendre to explore the impact of Black American bands and musicians, as they travelled across Britain in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Joseph also performs a selection of pieces from the time. Takes place at the British Library. 7pm-8.30pm
BINGO WITH IDA BARR: "Missy Elliot meets Marie Lloyd" is how The Guardian described entertainer Ida Barr, who hosts a bingo evening at Wilton's Music Hall tonight. Listen out for your numbers (Ida has her own unique bingo calls) and compete to win top prizes. 7.30pm
SCIENCE AND SIP: Conduct science experiments, from mini explosions to extracting DNA, and go head to head against other 'scientists' at Science and Sip at Boxpark Wembley. No science credentials are needed, as you make your own drinks to a soundtrack of R&B, hip hop and Afrobeats tunes. 7.30pm-9.30pm
Wednesday 29 May
ANTIQUES MARKET: Rise early and head for the monthly Wembley Park Antiques Market, which has up to 200 vendors from across the country selling antiques, collectables, salvage, vintage homeware, jewellery, furniture and more. It takes place in a covered car park, so no need to worry about the weather. FREE ENTRY, 7.30am-4pm
FAMILY FUN DAY: The Canal Museum in King's Cross holds one of its Family Fun Days, which includes an interactive trail around the museum, and a craft workshop where you can design your dream canal boat on a collage. There are also boat trips on a canal boat, which need to be booked in advance. 10.15am-3pm
LONDON EATS ITSELF: Jonathan Nunn, editor of the food newsletter Vittles, leads a panel of special guests to discuss the challenges facing food cultures in the capital, particularly the Whitechapel and Brick Lane areas, in the face of regeneration and gentrification. Panellists include Saif Osmani, a member of the Save Brick Lane Campaign and Lucy Dearlove, host of the food podcast Lecker, with more TBC. Takes place at Rich Mix in Shoreditch. 6.30pm
D-DAY LANDINGS: Stanfords in Covent Garden hosts travel writers Mary Anne Evans and Alastair McKenzie, talking about their new guidebook D-Day Landings: A Travel Guide to Normandy’s Beaches and Battlegrounds. With the 80th anniversary of D-Day coming up, it offers tips for visiting beaches, memorials, museums, battlefields and other sites associated with D-Day and the Battle of Normandy. 7pm-8.30pm
SAS GREAT ESCAPES: Tying in with the current Great Escapes exhibition, historian and author Damien Lewis gives an online talk (hosted by the National Archives), about some of the most dramatic escapes by members of the SAS during the second world war, from the earliest missions through to D-Day. 7.30pm
Thursday 30 May
FARM SPRING FAIR: Vauxhall City Farm holds a spring fair, with demonstrations of sheep shearing, and wool spinning and felting. Also on the programme are art and craft events, educational workshops, and a kids' film screening. FREE entry (charge for some activities), 10.30am-4pm
BODYSNATCHERS: Archaeologist and historian Robert Hartle is at the Old Operating Theatre in London Bridge, talking about the 'resurrectionists': bodysnatchers who stole corpses from churchyards and the like, to be used in medical research and teaching. 6pm-8.30pm
LOST CINEMAS: Get the lowdown on the lost cinemas of both east and west London in an evening of history at the Horse Hospital in Bloomsbury. Oral historian and broadcaster Alan Dein covers east London, from the early years of cheap and cheerful picture houses to the likes of The Troxy, a magnificent 3000-plus seater built in the 1930s. He's followed by cinema historian Nigel Smith discussing the lost cinemas of west London, particularly the Acton area, which once boasted five local picture houses. 7pm-9pm
LATE NIGHT JAZZ: It's multi-award winning trumpeter, composer and bandleader Henry Spencer's turn to head up Late Night Jazz at the Royal Albert Hall. Head to the building's Elgar Room to hear tracks from his newly-released album The Defector. The bar will be open throughout the show. 9.30pm
Friday 31 May
PADDINGTON BEAR EXPERIENCE: Opening at County Hall today, The Paddington Bear Experience promises a 'multi-room, immersive experience' based on the world of the fictional ursine character. A full-sized train carriage puts you in 'Paddington station', before you're whisked to the Brown family's house at 32 Windsor Gardens in time for the Marmalade Day Festival. From 31 May
BROCKLEY MAX: 80+ events spanning live music, theatre, art, comedy, poetry nights and workshops form the programme of local south London festival Brockley Max. It begins with an opening night party this afternoon and tonight, featuring live rock, rap, jazz and ska music. 31 May-8 June
SOANE LATE: See Sir John Soane's Museum illuminated by candlelight at a Soane Late. The event offers a closer look at the current Fanciful Figures exhibition, about the small figures seen in architectural drawings. Explore the house and exhibition, with experts on hand to offer further insight, and enjoy a glass of wine in the Library-Dining Room (included in your ticket). 6pm-7.30pm
SOULSCAPES LATE: Also open late tonight is Dulwich Picture Gallery: it has an evening centred around its current Soulscapes exhibition, which showcases landscape art through the eyes of contemporary artists from the African Diaspora. Tonight's event includes live music, food stalls, performances and workshops. Note that although entry to the late is free, the usual admission charge applies if you wish to visit the exhibition itself. 6pm-10pm
FAMILY FLIGHT NIGHT: To celebrate its new exhibition all about birds, the Natural History Museum stays open late for a family event with an avian theme. View the exhibitions after hours, speak to some of the museum's scientists and get up close to specimens such as wild owl pellets, and handle live animals including snakes, giant snails and stick insects. 6.30pm-9.30pm
GEORGE THE POET: Spoken word artist and podcast host George the Poet headlines a special evening at the British Library (also streamed online), linked to the current Beyond the Bassline exhibition which explores the history of Black British music. Special guests at tonight's event include performers Shystie and Tinchy Stryder who share their own experiences. 7pm-8.30pm
POPLAR COMEDY CLUB: Have a laugh at local community centre Poplar Union, where Poplar Comedy Club brings together six comedians from all over the world. Exact acts TBC at time of writing. 8pm
Saturday 1 June
D-DAY WEEKEND: The RAF Museum in Hendon marks the 80th anniversary of D-Day with a weekend of family-friendly events including live music, swing dancing, glider making, and a programme of talks. FREE, 1-2 June
LONDON FESTIVAL OF ARCHITECTURE: A celebration of architecture and 'city-making', the London Festival of Architecture celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. It begins today, and the programme is packed with more than 450 events throughout the month, from public installations to talks, tours, debates and performances — plus some family-friendly events too. Highlights include tours of the Old Palace in Bromley, Crystal Palace Subway, and some of London's suburban cemeteries. 1-30 June
E17 ART TRAIL: Also celebrating its 20th anniversary is this huge arts festival in Walthamstow. It reckons to have 4800 exhibitors, 250 events and exhibitions and 150 locations, so a bit much to fit into one listing! Browse the programme to find out about talks, walks, bus tours, workshops, exhibitions and a ton more. 1-16 June
WILLY WONKA: The 1971 version of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is shown at today's Family Film Club at Barbican, with Gene Wilder in the role of the enigmatic factory owner. It's wallet-friendly at £5 per adult/£2.50 per child, and the rules are strict — no adults can attend without children, and no children can attend without adults. 11am
SUMMER STREET FEST: The King Street Summer Street Fest takes place in Hammersmith, with a Pride theme. The area goes traffic-free, with 100 stalls plus live music and free activities. Some, such as guided walks and craft workshops, need to be booked in advance — check the website for details. FREE, 11am-7pm
SOUTH LONDON HISTORY: The Woodfield Pavilion in Tooting Bec Common has a number of talks and walks today as part of its heritage day. Catch talks on the local asylum (11am), V1 and V2 strikes on south London (noon), lost rivers of south London (1pm), a walk in Balham (2pm) and Streatham in the past (3pm). 11am-4pm
MARIE CURIE: The story of scientist Marie Curie is told in Marie Curie the Musical, opening at Charing Cross Theatre, its first time being performed in English after premiering in Asia. When she discovers radium as a potential cure for cancer, Curie faces a moral dilemma, as factory workers are succumbing to radium poisoning. 7.30pm (and until 28 July)
Sunday 2 June
HEAVY HORSE SHOW: Capel Manor Gardens in Enfield hosts the Herts Heavy Horse Show and Country Show. See heavy horse breeds in action up close, taking part in various events in the show ring. 10am-5pm
CREPE CITY: Head to Boxpark Wembley for Crepe City London, an event for those with a serious interest in sneakers. There's a marketplace with traders selling coveted shoes from a range of brands, a live stage with games and giveaways, and chance to pick up tips and tricks on keeping your footwear looking box fresh. 12pm-7pm
OUTDOOR THEATRE: The walled garden at Fulham Palace is the setting for an outdoor performance of William Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors. The production is suitable for age 5+, and you can bring a picnic or stock up on snacks at the cafe, to enjoy during the show. 2.30pm-4.30pm
BRIAN COX: Actor Brian Cox, who has appeared in films such as The Ring, The Bourne Identity, Troy and Rise of the Planet of the Apes, is at the Leicester Square Theatre to talk about his life and work — interviewed by his own son, Alan Cox. 3pm
COSTUME DESIGN: Hear from costume designer Sammy Sheldon Differ about her career, including working on several Marvel films as well as The Imitation Game, Kenneth Branagh's A Haunting in Venice, and the upcoming Kraven the Hunter, by J. C. Chandor. She chats to writer and curator Keith Lodwick, at the Soho Hotel. Ticket include a a three-course dinner following the talk. 4.15pm
CHIGOZIE OBIOMA: Twice Booker-shortlisted author Chigozie Obioma is at Southbank Centre, discussing his new book with fellow author Ayòbámi Adébáyò. The book, The Road to the Country, is set in Nigeria in the late-1960s, is a tale of guilt against the backdrop of civil war. 7.45pm
Good cause of the week
During E17 Art Trail (see 1 June), Fiona Mairead McKeith, author and Illustrator, of Zarah and the Superpowers, is hoping to raise £1,000 for charity Haven House children’s hospice through sales of her book. She will be at Ye Olde Rose and Crown, on 1 and 8 June, 2-4pm. £5 per book, with all proceeds (after print costs) going to the cause.
The book is a sci-fi fantasy satire for 10-14 years olds, threaded with real life problems, humour and humility in equal measures. Zarah struggles with engrained self-doubt while transforming from a nobody, to national hero. Come and hear about the journey of 20 years to write and illustrate the book. And if you can’t make a reading, the book will be available to buy from Fiona Mairead’s Etsy shop from 9 June till 20 June, with proceeds going to Haven House.
