Things to do this weekend is sponsored by Loire Wines.
All weekend
THINGS TO DO IN JUNE: And just like that, June begins. Plan your month ahead with our pick of 70+ events and things to do in London including festivals, new theatre shows, and a rather special party.
PADDINGTON BEAR EXPERIENCE: The new Paddington Bear Experience at County Hall promises a 'multi-room, immersive experience' based on the world of the beloved 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 south London festival Brockley Max. This weekend's highlight is a music trail, with musicians and performers taking over front gardens and balconies in Brockley, Crofton Park, Honor Oak and Ladywell. 31 May-8 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. The programme is packed with more than 450 events throughout the month, from public installations to talks, tours, debates and performances — plus family-friendly events too. Highlights this weekend include a self-guided walk through Bromley's Old Palace, a chance to visit Notre Dame de France church in Soho, and a guided walk focusing on regeneration in the Angel area. 1-30 June
Saturday 1 June
MACMILLAN MIGHTY HIKE: Sign up for a sponsored walk around the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, raising money for charity. The Macmillan Mighty Hike offers 13 or 27 mile routes, through the park, along the marshes and out into Epping Forest. There's a £250 per person fundraising pledge, which goes to Macmillan's work supporting people living with cancer. From 7.30am
WILLY WONKA: The 1971 version of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is being shown at today's Family Film Club at Barbican, with Gene Wilder in the role of the enigmatic confectionary crafter. It's wallet-friendly, at £5 per adult/£2.50 per child, but 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
TAP-DANCING PIGEON: Take the kids along to Waterstones in Wimbledon, where children’s author Serena Hassan hosts a lively interactive storytelling performance session of her book, The Tap-Dancing Pigeon of Covent Garden. Younger visitors can get involved in creating the 10 sounds Pigeon encounters on his travels around London, and there's a book-signing and free craft session too. 1pm-3pm
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Craft workshops and wine galore at this free-entry festival
Public service announcement: free wine-tastings are coming to Victoria Park this weekend. Head to the People’s Park Tavern — one of our favourite East End watering holes — for Bloom Big Festival, where you're invited to explore the wonderfully diverse world of Loire Wines.
As you might expect, there's plenty to please wine-lovers at this free-entry, family-friendly celebration. On top of those free guided tastings, there are expert-led wine masterclasses, and a vast variety of styles to purchase by the glass or by the bottle. Carefully curated food pairings are also available, from pub grub to gourmet bites.
Bloom Big Festival 2024 isn't just about wine, though. There's also live music and an array of sip-and-make sessions inspired by the natural beauty of the Loire — from terrarium-making with the Botanical Boys, to Lavender Print School's watercolour workshops, to scented candle-making with Wax/Wine.
While entry to the festival is free, these workshops — plus the wine masterclasses — are ticketed and must be booked in advance. Click here to see the full programme and plan your visit today.
Bloom Big Festival. 1-2 June at the People's Park Tavern.
SEWING MACHINE MUSEUM: The monthly opening of London's Sewing Machine Museum — located in Balham — takes place today, offering a chance to see inside one man's collection of the machines. Many of them are historic, including one which belonged to Queen Victoria's daughter. Here's some more background on the little-known museum. 2pm-5pm
DEMENTIA-FRIENDLY CONCERT: Conway Hall in Holborn hosts a Songhaven concert: a 45-minute programme of well-known film and musical songs, performed live. It's designed for people living with dementia, as well as their friends, family and carers — and it ends with a singalong finale followed by a social afternoon tea. FREE, 3pm-4.30pm
MARIE CURIE: The story of scientist Marie Curie is told in Marie Curie the Musical, opening tonight 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)
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL: Borussia Dortmund take on Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League Final at Wembley this evening, with Lenny Kravitz performing the pre-match show. If you want to watch the action, take a look at our guide to London's best bars and pubs for watching football, as well as London's best sports bars. You'll want to book in advance or get there early to be in with a chance of getting a seat today. KO 8pm
CHUCKIE ONLINE: Tonight's the night BBC 1XTRA DJ Chuckie Online launches a brand new regular club night — Famalee — at the Lower Third in Soho. Expect R&B and rap aplenty. 11pm
Sunday 2 June
SUNDAYS IN LONDON: Looking for things to do in London on Sunday, today or any week? We've compiled a guide to things that happen in the capital on a regular basis on Sundays — bookmark it now to avoid finding yourself at a loose end any Sunday in the future.
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
CLASSICAL COFFEE MORNING: Start your Sunday on a cultural note, at the Royal Albert Hall's Classical Coffee Morning. Today, the Morassi Quartet perform works by Haydn, Dvorak and others in the Elgar Room, while you enjoy hot drinks and pastries. 11am
VINTAGE CLOTHING MARKET: Retro clothing brand Glass Onion Vintage brings a clothing market to Big Penny Social in Walthamstow. Products are priced at £10 per item or three for £25, and you can pay extra for earlybird entry if you're keen. 11am-5pm
OPERA OPEN DAY: As its 2024 season gets underway, Opera Holland Park holds a free open day, offering the public an insight into how its productions come together. Take a tour of the theatre, including the backstage area, get a closer look at the costumes, or take part in workshops on topics such as choreography. FREE, 12pm-4.30pm
CREPE CITY: Head to Boxpark Wembley for Crepe City London, an event for those with a serious interest, not in French pancakes, but sneakers. There's a marketplace with traders selling coveted shoes from a range of brands, a live stage with games and giveaways, and the 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 ages 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 — as well, of course, as acclaimed TV show Succession — is at Leicester Square Theatre to talk about his life and work. He's interviewed by his 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 Brannagh'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 includes a three-course dinner following the talk. 4.15pm
R&B NIGHT: A full band performs covers of R&B hits by artists including Usher, TLC, Rihanna, Destiny's Child and Lauryn Hill, at Camden's Jazz Cafe. 7pm-10.30pm
POETRY EVENING: Actors Tamsin Greig, Tim McInnerny, Paterson Joseph and Ben Miles are the special guests at Arise! poetry evening, taking place at St Michael's Church in Kensal Rise. Several poetry readings take place throughout the evening, with proceeds going to therapeutic arts charity, Talitha Arts. 7.30pm-9.30pm
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 — set in Nigeria in the late-1960s — is a tale of guilt against the backdrop of civil war. 7.45pm
BARKING'S BEST BUILDINGS: Footprints of London guide Rob Smith offers a virtual tour, 'visiting' some of the best buildings in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham. From your own home, hear about medieval buildings such as Barking Abbey and Valence House, structures relating to the area's fishing history, and 20th-century constructions such as power stations and the Ford car plant. 8pm-9pm