| Things to do this weekend is sponsored by HiddenCity. All weekend The London Classic Car Show is in town all weekend.HALF TERM: Struggling to keep the kids occupied in the final days of the school holidays? Take a look at our guide to things to do in London in half term, for inspiration in the form of shows, exhibitions, workshops, and family-friendly restaurants. CLASSIC CAR SHOW: Vroom vroom. For the first time, the London Classic Car Show takes place at Olympia London, with what claims to be one of the UK's widest collections of classic cars on show. Over 500 motors are there for the ogling, plus there's a special Car Stories stage hosted by motoring expert Max Girardo. Olympia London, from £25, book ahead, 20-23 February LONDON BOOKSHOP CRAWL: 'Like a pub crawl but with bookshops' is how the London Bookshop Crawl describes itself. The three-day event celebrates and supports London's local and independent bookshops through a variety of talks, tours and other events. Take the opportunity to discover as many new bookshops as possible, or just revisit an old favourite. Across London, free, some events require booking, 21-23 February Last chance to see Moving to Mars at Design Museum. Image: Felix Speller for the Design MuseumLAST CHANCE: Several big exhibitions close their doors for the final time this weekend: Science Museum's Top Secret exhibition looks at British codebreaking through the centuries, as well as the modern work of GCHQ. Learn about what the intelligence agencies do, as well as times when surveillance has failed. Science Museum (South Kensington), free, book ahead, until 23 February Moving To Mars is an insightful exhibition about the possibilities of a future on the Red Planet. The show looks at the history of our relationship with Mars, its role in films and popular culture, as well as what it would be like for humans to inhabit it. Design Museum (Kensington), £12-£18, book ahead, until 23 February This extremely aesthetic exhibition on Buddhism has beautiful illustrations and objects relating to the religion on show, including Manga versions of Buddhist teachings. British Library, £12.60, book ahead, until 23 February It's also your last chance to see 24/7, an inventive exhibition about our always switched-on lifestyles. A darkened room and a chance to lock your phone away offer some calm, while a remote control helicopter signifies our permanent attachments to our smartphones. You might find yourself questioning your lifestyle at this one. Somerset House, £14, book ahead, until 23 February Sponsor message Go down the rabbit hole on a real-world adventure that's straight out of Wonderland Spring is right around the corner, which means it's time to step out of hibernation and into one of HiddenCity's magical real-life adventures. HiddenCity sends a trail of cryptic clues straight to your phone, which take you all around the capital as you uncover secret locations and solve perplexing puzzles. Basically, it turns London into your own personal playground. Our favourite adventure right now? The Hunt for the Cheshire Cat. Wander through galleries and scour literary archives in pursuit of that mysterious feline with a mischievous grin, in a game that delves into the darker side of Wonderland. There's even built-in break times to paws (geddit?) for food and drink — hopefully it won't make you shrink! Like all HiddenCity adventures, The Hunt for the Cheshire Cat can be played by 2-5 individuals or teams at a time that suits you — making it perfect for both celebrations and livening up a lazy afternoon. Book your adventure here, and don't forget to check out HiddenCity's other offerings. From Sherlock Holmes-inspired sleuthing, to fairy tale escapades, there's something to suit all manner of mystery-solvers. Saturday 22 February Cask Beer Festival comes to PeckhamCASK 2020: The Cask series of beer festivals has moved to a new venue this year to cope with demand. 30 breweries are serving up their best cask beers — many filling one-off casks specifically for the festival. Soak it all up with nosh from 'artisanal food producers', and enjoy talks from the brewers. Copeland Park (Peckham), from £35, book ahead, 21-22 February POETRY FAIR: The Poetry Book and Magazine Fair is in town, bringing together publishers and promoters from across the poetry industry for a market. There are events going on all day too, including readings, performances and workshops. Conway Hall (Holborn), free entry, just turn up, 10.30am-4.30pm Greenwich Market hosts a pancake raceVICTORIAN ENTERTAINMENT: Author Lee Jackson, historian Dr John Woolf, and theatre expert Ian Gladhill are among the speakers at a day of talks about Victorian entertainment. Hear all about the rise of Gilbert & Sullivan, poet Edward Lear teaching Queen Victoria to draw, and how the Victorians basically invented mass entertainment. Southwark Cathedral, £17.50/£15, book ahead, 10.30am-5pm PANCAKE RACE: Flippin' heck, it's almost pancake day. Greenwich Market starts the fun early with a pancake race around the area. It's free to watch and cheer the participants on, though if you do want to take part, you can book a place in exchange for a donation to the Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice. See other Pancake Day events in London. Greenwich Market, free to watch, just turn up, 11am Take the kids to Creature Creations at the Grant Museum of ZoologyTHE SNOW QUEEN: Vanessa Woolf and George Hoyle of London Dreamtime perform a retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's The Snow Queen. Storytelling, music, and the venue's organ are all deployed in the production, which is for all ages. Union Chapel (Islington), suggested donation £5, just turn up, 12pm CREATURE CREATIONS: One of London's best small museums, the Grant Museum of Zoology, hosts a free, family-friendly art workshop. Get involved with inventing and creating your own brand new animal, based on the weird and wonderful creatures in the museum's collection. Grant Museum of Zoology, free, just turn up, 1pm-4pm Celebrate National Margarita DayCOINTREAU MARGARITA: Celebrate National Margarita Day at Roundhouse Bar, where booze brand Cointreau leads a cocktail masterclass. Work in pairs to perfect your Cointreau Margarita recipe, with plenty of tastings along the way. Roundhouse (Camden), £12, book ahead, 3.30pm/7pm WEST END SWINGS: Head to The Other Palace to see singer Richard Hadfield and his jazz trio perform a night of musical theatre. Hadfield began his career as a busker in Brighton and has performed in jazz clubs all over the world, including Ronnie Scott’s and The Hippodrome here in London. The Other Palace (Victoria), £20, book ahead, 8pm HIP HOP ZOO: Club night Hip Hop Zoo is exactly what it sounds like — the pandemonium of crossing hip hop with a zoo, with actors and hosts dressed in animal costumes, and Jumanji-style decor. If that's your jam, you can dance until the small hours. The Book Club (Shoreditch), £5, book ahead, 8pm-3am Sunday 23 February Enjoy a classical coffee morning at the Royal Albert HallBEAR FEST: No, that's not a typo — we're talking bears rather than beer. The Hugglets Winter BearFest is aimed at teddy bear collectors and fans, with 10,000 examples of ursine stuffing on display, and most of them available to buy, with prices ranging from a few pounds to thousands of pounds. Accessories and clothes for your stuffed bear are on sale too, and there's a teddy bear hospital for any furry friends who need a bit of repair work. Kensington Town Hall, £5, just turn up, 10.30am-4pm CLASSICAL COFFEE MORNING: Get your Sunday off to a cultural start with a Classical Coffee Morning. Tuck into hot drinks and pastries as South African pianist Roelof Temmingh performs live. He's the latest in a series of young performers from the Royal College of Music to showcase his talents. Royal Albert Hall, £12.50, book ahead, 11am MICHAEL ROSEN: Former Children's Laureate Michael Rosen makes an appearance at the final day of Imagine Children's Festival to talk about his new book, The Missing. It's the true story of Rosen's search for his relatives who disappeared during the Holocaust and the second world war, told through prose and poetry. Aimed at age 10+. Southbank Centre, £12/£9, book ahead, 11am Hugglets Winter Bearfest comes to KensingtonHORSE-DRAWN TRAMS: Marble Arch marks 200 years since the Cato Street Conspiracy with a free community event recreating an 1820 street scene. Learn more about the plot to murder the prime minister, watch performers in period costumes, and take a ride on a vintage horse-drawn tram. Cato Street, free, just turn up, 12pm-2.30pm FLEAS AND CHEESE: Finish off half term with a theatre show all about the plague and the Great Fire of London. One-man production Tales of the Plague is told from the point of view of Alfie, a 17th century peasant, and his pet rat, Robert Watts. Age 5-11. Lauderdale House (Highgate), £5, book ahead, 2pm Mark the 200th anniversary of the Cato Street ConspiracySEEING JEWS: Artist John Offenbach and sociologist Keith Kahn-Harris have contrasting approaches to how Jewishness should be signalled to the viewer in photographic projects. Hear them discuss how Jews are portrayed, and the wider topic of Jewish identity. Jewish Museum (Camden), £8.50/£6.50, book ahead, 2pm WOMEN OF ISIS: Azadeh Moaveni, one of the few American correspondents allowed to work continuously in Iran since 1999, discusses her book, Guest House For Widows: Among the Women of Isis. In it, she talks about the young women — including some from London — who felt compelled to travel to Syria and join the caliphate, and the brutal terrorist regime they were trapped in once they arrived. Conway Hall (Holborn), £8/£5, book ahead, 3pm-4.30pm INSANE IN THE MEN BRAIN: Attend a live recording of podcast Insane in the Men Brain. In it, comedian Rich Wilson has comedic and philosophical conversations with funny and interesting people about mental health.Pleasance Theatre (Islington), £5, book ahead, 7.30pm |
