Things to do this weekend is sponsored by The Other Art Fair.
All weekend
FRIEZE LONDON: One of the biggest events in London's art calendar, Frieze London is back in Regent's Park this week, displaying contemporary art from across the world in marquees, while Frieze Masters takes over the other end of the park with artworks dating back centuries. Plus, Frieze Sculpture Park is open nearby, and is completely free to visit. 12-16 October
LONDON PHOTO SHOW: Amateur and independent photographers display their work at the London Photo Show, alongside that of professionals. Over 100 photographers take part, with images on themes of wildlife, architecture, fashion and travel on display at Bargehouse Gallery, Oxo Tower. FREE, 13-16 October
LONDON COCKTAIL WEEK: London Cocktail Week claims to be the biggest cocktail festival in the world, and who are we to argue? Buy yourself a festival wristband for £15 to get unlimited access to £7 signature cocktails in more than 300 bars across the capital, starting today. There are also cocktail tours, special menus and other boozy events going on. 13-23 October
AFRICAN ART FAIR: 50 exhibitors from 21 different countries descend on Somerset House for 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair. See work by African artists across a range of mediums including painting, sculpture and installation. Works from established artists such as Ibrahim El-Salahi, Hassan Hajjaj, and Zanele Muholi sit alongside pieces by young and emerging artists. 14-16 October
BLOOMSBURY FESTIVAL: 'Breathe' is the theme of this year's Bloomsbury Festival, celebrating creativity in the local area. It kicks off with a garden party on Store Street tonight, open to everyone, and includes guided walks, a silent calligraphy session, live music and singing workshops across the nine days. Some events FREE, 14-23 October
HALLOWEEN TRAIL: Things get spooky ahead of Halloween at Chiswick House and Gardens, which hosts a Halloween trail for the first time. Head to the gardens after dark for a family-friendly adventure with glowing pumpkins, a fire garden and fire artists. If that doesn't warm you up, there's hot chocolate and toasted marshmallows too. 14-30 October
LEIGHTON HOUSE REOPENS: Following a lengthy closure and an £8m transformation, Leighton House in Holland Park reopens to the public, along with nearby sister museum Sambourne House. Leighton House was the studio-house of Victorian artist and former President of the Royal Academy Frederic Leighton, and is known for its opulent interiors. Previously unseen rooms and new exhibition spaces will be available to the public when it reopens. From 15 October
DISCOVER DOGS: Bow wow wow your way over to ExCeL London for Discover Dogs, a celebration of all things canine. There's plenty for dog owners, with exhibitors selling all sorts of useful items, but it's also a great chance for would-be dog owners to learn more about having a pet, and to meet different breeds to see which is right for them. 15-16 October
NEW EXHIBITIONS: A wealth of new exhibitions has opened just in time for this weekend, including:
- THE SATIRISTS: Human Stories: The Satirists is a group show by emerging photographers at NOW Gallery, exploring the concept of satire through photography. FREE, until 13 November
- KING ARTHUR: The Legend of King Arthur: A Pre-Raphaelite Love Story looks at how Pre-Raphaelite artists including Dante Gabriel Rossetti and William Morris presented the legend of King Arthur, alongside lesser-known female Pre-Raphaelite artists Eleanor Fortescue-Brickdale and Elizabeth Siddal. Until January 2023
- HIEROGLYPHS: A big new exhibition at the British Museum, Hieroglyphs showcases how the discovery of the Rosetta Stone 200 years ago gave us access to information on 3,000 more years of human history, by allowing us to understand Egyptian hieroglyphs. Until February 2023
- OBJECTS OF DESIRE: Surrealism seems to be having a moment — the Design Museum is the latest venue to dedicate an exhibition to it. Objects of Desire looks at the cross-section of Surrealism and design, from 1924 to today. Until February 2023
- EXECUTIONS: Museum of London Docklands focuses on the history of Executions in the capital, telling the stories of those who died, and displaying the shirt thought to have been worn by King Charles I for his execution. Until April 2023
- WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY: One of our favourite annual exhibitions, Wildlife Photographer of the Year is back at Natural History Museum, showcasing shots by amateur and professional photographers from all over the world. Until June 2023
Sponsor message
The Other Art Fair is back - and free tickets are up for grabs!
DJ sets, pop-up performances, a well-stocked bar... your average art fair, this ain't. The Other Art Fair, which returns to The Truman Brewery this Thursday-Sunday, is all about making art fun and accessible to everyone. And an incredible line-up and cracking tickets offer means it's sure to smash it on both fronts.
The October edition of The Other Art Fair features an immersive installation by neon artist Eve de Haan (Half a Roast Chicken), live tattoos courtesy of Charlotte Mallory, and an appearance by Slaves guitarist and artist Laurie Vincent. You can also catch guest artist and Instagram sensation Sara Shakeel, who'll be exhibiting and selling her enormously popular Swarovski crystal prints for the first time ever. Another first is The Other Art Fair's brand new merch store, which offers a range of goodies created in collaboration with the fair's featured artists.
All of that is on top of an incredible range of affordable and original artworks by 150+ artists that are available to browse and buy on the day. Tickets start at £12 for adults but if you enter The Other Art Fair's special giveaway, you could instantly win a pair of 'em and pay absolutely nothing. But no worries if luck isn't on your side: everyone else gets a 50% discount
The Other Art Fair. Thursday 13-Sunday 16 October at The Truman Brewery.
Saturday 15 October
GOLDEN KEY: The City of London turns into one huge open air theatre today, with scores of performers flooding the Square Mile for day-long interactive spectacular The Golden Key. Look out for circus acts, brass bands, stilt walkers, drag acts, storytellers and more all across the Square Mile, culminating in a fire garden at sunset. FREE, from 12pm
POETS' CORNER: Across four Saturdays in October, a 'Poets' Corner' pops up in Canary Wharf, giving a platform to young Black poets to share their work. Today, head to the Crossrail Place Roof Garden to hear from T.S. Eliot Prize winner and Malika's Poetry Kitchen co-founder, Roger Robinson. FREE, 1pm
BUBBLE SHOW: Take the kids along to ArtsDepot for The Bubble Show, starring Mr Bubbles and his soapy creations in all shapes and sizes. Bouncy bubbles, square bubbles and fire bubbles all feature, along with magic and storytelling. Aimed at ages 3-12. 2pm
THE RITZ: Footprints of London guide Richard Watkins leads a guided walk telling the story of London's grand hotels. Meet at Green Park tube station, next to The Ritz to hear the story of Lord Byron's revolutionary butler, and a hotel turned into a refuge for deposed European monarchs. 2.30pm
LADYSMITH BLACK MAMBAZO: World renowned South African choir Ladysmith Black Mambazo perform two shows at Southbank Centre today, part of their first UK tour for several years, and slotting into London's Black History Month programme. Expect to hear plenty of uplifting songs, with an appearance from special guest, Cameroon-born guitarist and singer Muntu Valdo. 2.30pm/7.30pm
TANGO AFTER DARK: German Cornejo's Tango After Dark is a celebration of Argentina's sensuous national dance, with some of the world's best tango stars whirling their way to the Peacock Theatre to take part, with music by the great composer Astor Piazzolla. 2.30pm/7.30pm (and until 22 October)
OUR PLANET: Southwark Cathedral hosts a screening of David Attenborough: A Life On Our Planet, by candlelight. The 2020 documentary sees wildlife presenter Attenborough talk about the devastating destruction humans are wreaking on planet Earth, and offering a message of hope for future generations. FREE, 7pm-9pm
POP-UP ITALIAN: Italian food brand, Crosta & Mollica hosts its first ever pop-up restaurant, taking over Benk&Bo in Whitechapel. Tuck into a traditional Italian five-course feast (aperitivo, antipasto, primo, secondo and dolce), and take home a goody bag. Proceeds from the event go to Crosta & Mollica’s charity partner, EMERGENCY UK. 7pm-9.30pm
HUGH BONNEVILLE: Lord Grantham himself (or Paddington's Mr Brown, if you prefer), is at Cadogan Hall tonight for An Evening with Hugh Bonneville. Hear him talking about his life and career, from navigating Highclere Castle where Downton is filmed, to his mother, whose life in the secret service only emerged after her death. 7.30pm
SPONTANEOUS POTTER: Taking place at Bloomsbury Theatre, Spontaneous Potter is an entirely improvised wizarding comedy play. The audience suggest a title to the cast who then create a new Harry Potter story on the spot, complete with musical accompaniment. 7.30pm
THE GREATEST LOVE: Part of London's Black History Month celebrations, South African singer Belinda Davids performs a tribute to Whitney Houston at Fairfield Halls in Croydon. The Greatest Love of All features a live band, backing vocalists and choreographed dance routines. 7.45pm
BELLE & SEBASTIAN: Indie pop club night How Does It Feel To Be Loved? holds its annual Belle & Sebastian special at The Phoenix in Cavendish Square. Expect to hear plenty of tunes from the Scottish indie pop band's career, mixed in with lashings of other indie and soul tunes. 9pm
Sunday 16 October
VINTAGE KILO SALE: Looking to update your wardrobe as the seasons change? At Peckham Vintage Kilo Sale you can rummage through vintage clothing and accessories, and pay for your finds by weight (£20 per kilo). There's no minimum spend. 10am-4pm
RECORD FAIR: Browse through more than 40 tables of vinyl at the Walthamstow Record Fair at Truman's Social Club. Items for sale range from rare vinyls to stock from new indie labels, as well as hi-fi dealers. 11am-5pm
WIND IN THE WILLOWS: Take the kids along to Artsdepot in North Finchley, for a performance of The Wind In The Willows. Kenneth Grahame's classic children's book is brought to life on stage, telling the story of Mole, Ratty, Badger and Mr Toad through music and puppetry. 11am/2pm
BANGLA BOOK FAIR: The rich Bengali cultural heritage is on show at the London Bangla Book Fair. As well as a chance to browse and buy books from more than 20 publishers from Bangladesh and India, the event is a cultural festival, with poetry readings, an exhibition of paintings, and live music and dance performances. FREE, 12pm
SKELETAL SECRETS: As part of London Month of the Dead, Curator of Human Osteology at the Museum of London Jelena Bekvalac talks about what she's learned from the museum's Bone Archive. Specifically, she discusses the period 1547-1852, and what bones and teeth can tell us about people's living environments, socio-economic status, health and lifestyle at this time. 1.30pm
IRISH MYTHS: Storyteller Clare Muireann Murphy of Crick Crack Club pitch up at the British Museum for a mystical performance of Irish myths. Hear tales of the arrival of ancient gods setting foot onto Irish soil for the first time, and burning their boats so they could never leave. Age 14+. 2.30pm-3.45pm
SILVER SCREEN SCIENCE FICTION: Watch new-release film Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness at the Royal Observatory. Take a trip through the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the Peter Harrison Planetarium before hearing a short talk from an expert astronomer about a whole other universe. 6pm-9pm
