Things To Do This Weekend In London: 14-15 September 2024

A dog festival, photos of space, and free Routemaster rides

All weekend

GREENWICH COMEDY FESTIVAL: Phil Wang, Shaparak Khorsandi, Simon Amstell, Ardal O'Hanlon, Nina Conti, Jen Brister and Kerri Godliman are among the headliners at Greenwich Comedy Festival this weekend. Shows take place in a big top in the grounds of the National Maritime Museum. Arrive early to make the most of the pop-up bars and street food stalls running alongside the festival — or if you're heading there on Saturday, check out Greenwich Beer Festival happening nearby (details below). 11-15 September

BRITISH SCIENCE FESTIVAL: The University of East London hosts the British Science Festival, with social media star Big Manny, and Olympic athletes Kelly Sotherton, Diane Modahl and Katherine Grainger headlining. Researchers share their work on a range of topics through talks, activities, interactive events, installations, performances and more. FREE, 11-15 September

Thanks for reading Londonist: Things To Do! Subscribe for free to get our London listings straight into your inbox

Subscribed

LONDON PODCAST FESTIVAL: Food, race identity, and true crime are among the topics covered by different shows at the London Podcast Festival this weekend. Three Bean Salad, Murder Ain't Easy and The History Hotline are among the podcasts being recorded in front of a live audience at Kings Place. Until 15 September

CAMDEN MUSIC FESTIVAL: After the inaugural event last year, Camden Music Festival is back for a second outing, with Paul Oakenfold, Jazzie B and Brand New Heavies among the artists performing on six different stages on pedestrianised streets around Camden Town across three days. 13-15 September

MARKFIELD ROAD FESTIVAL: Taking place in South Tottenham, Markfield Road Festival is a free arts and music festival for all ages. Visit open arts studios, watch live music performances, take part in workshops including life drawing, and watch a carnival procession featuring local school children. FREE ENTRY, 13-15 September

CELEBRASIA: South East Asian culture is celebrated at Battersea Power Station's CelebrASIA festival. Take part in creative workshops including lantern making, batik art and pewter crafting — and watch live dances, orchestras and DJ sets. Food stalls sell dishes from the likes of Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore. 13-15 September

CERAMICS IN THE CITY: Local and international ceramic artists showcase and sell their wares at Ceramics in the City at the Museum of the Home in Hoxton. Browse and buy tableware, stoneware, ornamental objects and collector pieces. 13-15 September

PECKHAM FESTIVAL: Galleries, former factories, warehouses, multi-storey car parks and railway arches are all venues for Peckham Festival, a free celebration of creative and cultural SE15. FREE, 13-15 September

FLOWER FESTIVAL: Sustainable floristry is celebrated at the Strawberry Hill House Flower Festival, which has a theme of 'nature unbound' this year, showcasing the work of 30 floral designers. See arrangements on display inside the Gothic castle, and take tours of the festival led by curators, along with talks and workshops by experts, including a floral drawing session. 13-15 September

ASTRONOMY PHOTOGRAPHY: It's the first weekend of this year's Astronomy Photographer of the Year exhibition at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich. See 100 of the best photographs of space taken in the past year, submitted by photographers from all over the world. FREE, from 13 September

BIG WOOF DOG FESTIVAL: Free canine-centric festival The Big Woof is back at King's Cross, offering workshops, masterclasses, dog shows, agility and scent courses, talks and dog yoga. There's also a market selling all manner of dog-related products. FREE, 14-15 September

DOCTOR WHO: Watch a live performance of a brand-new Doctor Who audio play, The Stuff of Legend, by Robert Valentine, starring Paul McGann as the Eighth Doctor and India Fisher as his companion Charley Pollard. The event, at Conway Hall, is to celebrate the 25th anniversary of licensed Doctor Who audio dramas. 14-15 September

OPEN HOUSE LONDON: It's the most wonderful time of year! All manner of London buildings and structures, which are usually off-limits to the public, fling their doors open and welcome us in for Open House London. This year's programme includes the usual diverse mix of modern offices, livery halls, skyscrapers, churches, and other motley edifices. Some require booking in advance, others you can just drop in and see. 14-22 September

HARRY BECK: London Transport Museum's Cubic Theatre hosts a new play, The Truth About Harry Beck, which delves into the life and work of the creator of the tube map, and his wife Nora. Find out how the world-famous tube map was created, and to what cost. 14 September-10 November

THE GODS: Performed as a live gig on three stages which surround the crowd, The Gods, The Gods, The Gods comes to the Underbelly Festival pop-up near Oxford Circus. It takes the form of a 12-track album combined with spoken word, interweaving several people's stories to look at what we might find in the people who surround us. 10-21 September

Subscribed

Saturday 14 September

FREE ROUTEMASTER RIDES: As part of the national Heritage Open Days programme, free rides on vintage Routemaster buses are being offered on two south London TfL routes today: the 61 between Bromley and Chislehurst, and the 261 between Lewisham and Locksbottom in Bromley. There's also an open day at Bromley Common Bus Garage (small charge for that one). FREE, 10am-5pm

WESTMINSTER CINEMAS: Footprints of London guide Stephen Benton offers a walking tour focusing on the history of cinema in the Westminster area. Meet at Piccadilly Circus and wander past cinemas which are still in operation today, as well as buildings which were once used as cinemas but have since changed purpose. 11am-12.30pm

SUSHI MAKING: Keeping with the current Japanese theme offered by its current Yoshida exhibition, Dulwich Picture Gallery offers a sushi-making class for adults. Join chef Yuki Gomi to learn how to make perfect sushi rice, and perfect your rolling technique as you create dishes including tempura prawn hand roll with sweet chilli sauce, and tuna hoso roll. 12pm-1.30pm

GREENWICH BEER FESTIVAL: Seven local London breweries — including Lewisham's Ignition Brewery and Herne Hill's Bullfinch — take part in Greenwich Beer Festival at the Duke of Greenwich. Each brewery has its own stand in the pub's garden, serving up their selection of craft beers. 12pm-10pm

KISS ME, KATE: Last chance to see Line of Duty star Adrian Dunbar in Kiss Me, Kate at the Barbican, alongside Stephanie J Block. Set in the 1940s, it's the story of theatre director Fred Graham who is reunited with his ex-wife, when the two are forced to play opposite one another in a new production of Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew. 2.30pm/7.30pm

HELLO, DOLLY!: Another big star currently on the West End stage is Imelda Staunton, appearing in the role of socialite turned matchmaker Dolly Levi in Hello, Dolly! at the London Palladium — again, this one closes today. 2.30pm/7.30pm

MUDLARKING: Mudlark Lara Maiklem is at Conway Hall to talk to poet Tom Chivers about the hobby of looking for lost or discarded items on the banks of the Thames, and how it changes with the seasons through the year. She also talks about her new book, A Mudlarking Year — which you can read an extract from here. 7pm-8.30pm

Thanks for reading Londonist: Things To Do! This post is public so feel free to share it.

Share

MYRA DUBOIS: Drag comedy persona Myra Dubois brings her UK tour Be Well to Hackney Empire, offering a comically scathing look at the state of the wellness industry. Comedian Frank Lavender is the support act. 7.30pm

ELVIS TRIBUTE: Elvis has re-entered the building — or at least Elvis tribute act Ben Portsmouth has (and he won the Worldwide Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist award in Memphis). He's on stage at Fairfield Halls in Croydon, getting you All Shook Up by playing The King's best-known songs spanning the 1950s-70s. 7.30pm

Sunday 15 September

REFORM! REBEL! RIOT!: The Bow Street Police Museum team offers a guided tour around Covent Garden focusing on the history of protests in the local area. Hear about discontented theatre-goers and suffragettes demanding votes for women, and find out when a protest becomes a riot in the eyes of law enforcement. Age 18+. 11am

SNEAKER FESTIVAL: Walthamstow's Big Penny Social combines sneakers and coffee for one big festival. KicksNCoffee is a chance to splash out on a new pair of kicks while sampling coffees to find your new favourite brew, under the same roof. 11am-5pm

ANTIQUES FAIR: 18 shops and galleries on Church Street and 90 dealers from Alfies Antique Market take part in Marylebone's annual Church Street Antiques Fair. The street is pedestrianised to allow for browsing and there are food and drink stalls and live entertainment in addition to the shopping. 11am-5pm

VINTAGE FAIR: Browse your way through goods from more than 60 dealers at the Frock Me Vintage Fair at Chelsea Old Town Hall. Rare vintage and antique clothing, jewellery and textiles are available to buy, including vintage British labels such as Ossie Clark, Bill Gibb and Biba. 11am-5.30pm

JAZZ CAFE FESTIVAL: The Jazz Cafe leaves its Camden home for a one-day festival in Burgess Park. Regular Jazz Cafe performers pop up at four stages across the Peckham park, including a grand arena style stage for headline acts, a tropical plant room which blurs the boundaries between the stage and the natural world, and a secret stage. There are also food trucks and pop-up bars to keep everyone fed and watered. 12pm-10pm

THE GREAT GATSBY: Head up to Rooftop Film Club at Peckham's Bussey Building for a screening of the 2013 version of The Great Gatsby. Leonardo DiCaprio stars as nouveau riche millionaire Jay Gatsby with Tobey Maguire as his new neighbour, Nick Carraway. 1pm

FILM SCORES: Hear music from films including Star Wars, Harry Potter, Indiana Jones, Jurassic Park and Schindler's List at Southbank Centre. The London Concert Orchestra performs the celebration of the work of film composer John Williams. 3pm

THE DRAG CIRCUS: Drag and circus combine at the Two Brewers in Clapham. Circus drag superstar Luspinda takes on the role of ringmaster, hosting an evening promising hoops, clowns, contortion, juggling, and a seal... Other acts include variety performer J'aiMime and drag artist Richard Melanin the Third. 7pm

MUSICALS MAYHEM: Singing drag icon Le Gateau Chocolat promises an hour of high kicks, high drag, high glamour and comedy as Musicals Mayhem comes to the Regent's Park Open-Air Theatre, featuring covers of songs from plenty of well-known musical theatre shows. 7.30pm

Share Londonist: Things To Do

© 2024 Londonist: Things To Do
hello@londonist.com
Unsubscribe