All weekend

LOOKING FOR LEONARDO: When the founders of Dulwich Picture Gallery began assembling the collection in the 19th century, they were determined to find a masterpiece by the artist and inventor, Leonardo da Vinci. It proved difficult, a story that is told in new display, Looking for Leonardo: The Quest for a Renaissance Masterpiece. 23 July-26 January

OLYMPICS: The summer of sport isn't over yet! The Olympics take place in Paris, with gymnastics, basketball, beach volleyball, fencing and surfing among the events happening this weekend. As France is only one hour ahead of the UK, everything's happening at a decent hour for us Londoners, with many venues in the capital broadcasting the latest action on large screens throughout the competition. From 26 July

WING FEST: Arrive hungry at the London Stadium for Wing Fest, apparently the world's largest chicken wing festival, with 45 different street food traders, restaurants and BBQ teams serving up their best chicken wings. Tickets include live music, DJs, bands, entertainment, rides, games, axe throwing and eating competitions. 26-28 July

RIVER STAGE: This weekend sees the final incarnation of 2024's River Stage, a programme of free performances on a pop-up stage on South Bank outside the National Theatre. It's the NT itself curating this weekend's programme, so expect family-friendly theatre, dance performances, live music, workshops for all ages, an NT Live screening of Dear England, and backstage tours of the building. FREE, 26-28 July

FAMILY STREET HUNT: Keep the whole family entertained this summer with one of StreetHunt Games' challenges, designed to get you out and about exploring London while working as a team to solve clues. The Case of Colombia's Finest (starting near Fleet Street) needs you to investigate a crime in a coffee company, while in Will Breaker (starting in Holborn) you need to solve a series of brain teasers in order to obtain your inheritance. Suitable for families, teens, couples, or groups of colleagues looking for a unique work social. (sponsor)

TAYLOR SWIFT: Singer-songwriter Taylor Swift is celebrated in a new, free trail at the V&A Museum. Taylor Swift | Songbook Trail consists of 13 stops around the museum, each showcasing some of her costumes, props, instruments or awards. It opens on Saturday, and it's likely to be very busy this first weekend — particularly as there's no entry fee. FREE, from 27 July

LAVENDER HARVEST: For one weekend, Carshalton Lavender invites the public to descend on its allotment, and pick their own lavender — just remember to bring some secateurs or scissors to do your snipping with. 27-28 July

MICHELANGELO: On at the British Museum, Michelangelo: the last decades focuses on the last 30 years of the artist's life, when he'd left Florence to live in Rome. The exhibition features preparatory drawings for the Last Judgment as well as the recently conserved Epifania — one of only two surviving cartoons by the artist — and this is your last weekend to see it. Until 28 July

AFRIQUE EN CIRQUE: Part of Southbank Centre's You Belong With Me summer series, Afrique en Cirque closes this weekend. Inspired by life in Guinea, expect a blend of acrobatics, artistry and Afro-jazz rhythms. Age 8+. 24-28 July

Saturday 27 July

PORTRAIT WORKSHOP: Looking to improve your portrait drawing skills? Artist Zoe Toolan leads a one-day Experimental Portrait Workshop, for artists who already have some experience in portraiture. Over the course of the day, create two experimental portraits and a series of sketches of a sitter, using different drawing mediums and picking up new skills as you go. 10am-5pm (sponsor)

CBEEBIES PROM: This year's Proms programme is well underway, and today the Royal Albert Hall hosts two CBeebies Proms, for younger music fans and their families. Duggee, Bluey, and the Octonauts all make appearances, while the Southbank Sinfonia, BBC Singers and CBeebies East London Schools' Choir perform, in a show celebrating the natural world. 11am/3pm

DRAG BRUNCH: Winner of the fourth series of RuPaul's Drag Race UK, Danny Beard hosts today's drag brunch at Between the Bridges on South Bank. Ticket includes an hour of bottomless bubbly, and food is available to buy from food trucks on site. 11.30am-3pm

SUNDAES IN THE PARK: Ben & Jerry's Sundaes In The Park Festival returns to London for the first time in over a decade, pitching up at Chiswick House and Gardens for a day of live music headlined by Shingai (from the Noisettes), along with vintage theatre acts and cabaret performances and other entertainment. Despite the festival's name, it takes place on a Saturday. 12pm-10pm

GARAGE ORCHESTRA BRUNCH: Tuck into a two-course brunch (fish and chips, cheeseburger, waffles and steak are among the options) while the House & Garage Orchestra performs late '90s & early '00s hits. Takes place at The Anthologist near Bank. 12pm

HEART OF PRIDE: Coinciding with Waltham Forest Pride 2024, the William Morris Gallery in Walthamstow hosts a Heart of Pride family day. Join storyteller Luke Saydon for interactive storytelling sessions throughout the day, combining music, movement and colours to celebrate everyone's individuality. Aimed at 5-12 year olds and their families. FREE, 1pm-4pm

SMARTPHONE PORTRAITS: 11-16 year olds are invited to Leighton House for a portrait photography workshop using smartphones. Learn how to take your own portraits, inspired by Sambourne's street photography showcased in the venue's current exhibition, Out in Paris. 2pm-4pm

ELECTRIC SUMMER FESTIVAL: Electric Shuffle Canary Wharf hosts the Electric Summer Festival, with Brazilian singer-songwriter Lucas Berloff belting out summer classics accompanied by a live saxophonist. A two-hour bottomless brunch session includes a Paloma slushie cocktail on arrival, a bottle of prosecco (or four beers) per person and unlimited sourdough pizza. 2pm-5pm

METALBREW: Heavy metal music and craft beer combine to form Metalbrew — a festival that's been rocking Hendon to its core for two decades now. Bands on the bill include Leaf Hound, Heavy Sentence and Parish, whileamong beers being poured is the specially-brewed MetalBrew from East London Brewing Company. 12pm-10.30pm

SOUL CITY: Regular Saturday night event Soul City breaks free from its home at Camden's Jazz Cafe, for a special summer afternoon at new venue Camden Courtyard. Dance the afternoon and evening away to house and disco, with cocktail bars and street food stalls nearby. At 10.30pm, the party moves back to the Jazz Cafe, and keeps going until the small hours. 3pm-3am

WOMEN'S CYCLING: Herne Hill Velodrome hosts Women's League cycling today — come cheer on racers while enjoying Volcano coffee and local craft brews from Jan's Cafe. 5.30pm-9pm

GRIEF COMEDY: Alison Larkin offers a preview of her show Grief... A Comedy, before she takes it up to Edinburgh. It's the story of how she found true love for the first time in her 50s, with an Indian climate scientist who had also immigrated to the US. Then, he died... 6.45pm

DAVID DUCHOVNY: Musician-actor-author David Duchovny (best known as Fox Mulder on The X-Files) is joined on stage by his band, for a live performance at Shepherd's Bush Empire. Hear songs from his 2021 album, Gestureland: a blend of 70s California pop, alternative rock, folk and country sounds. 7.30pm

TWILIGHT SAGA: All five films in the Twilight saga series are shown back to back through the night at the Prince Charles Cinema, in an event lasting close to 11 hours. Kristen Stewart plays high school student Bella who moves to a new town and enters into a romance with a local vampire. 10.45pm

Sunday 28 July

HOT AIR BALLOONS: Today's the final standby date for this year's balloon regatta, which sees up to 50 balloons of all shapes and sizes taking off from Battersea Park at dawn. Whether it goes ahead depends on weather conditions. There's no public access to the launch site, but if you're awake early, turn your eyes to the skies over London to get a glimpse. From 5am

VIETNAMESE BRUNCH: Shoreditch's Viet Grill recently started doing a Sunday brunch, featuring the likes of Hanoi steamed rolls or beef pho, served with a Vietnamese iced coffee or freshly-pressed sugar cane drink for £18. It's weekly, and runs 11am-7pm

STRAWBERRY HILL TOUR: Twice a month, there are Sunday morning tours of Strawberry Hill House in Twickenham, a Georgian Gothic building designed by Horace Walpole. Learn about the house's history, view its splendid interiors, and hear stories of some of the people who have lived there — and the novel it inspired. 10am

FAMILY SUNDAY: The new Museum of Homelessness in Finsbury Park hosts Family Sunday, with storytelling sessions centred around objects in the museum's collection, leading the way into discussions around topics such as how people become homeless, and how others can help them. FREE, 12pm-3pm

MINDFUL CRAFTERNOON: Colour expert and Londonist contributor Momtaz Begum-Hossain hosts a special edition of her monthly mindful crafting workshop to celebrate the event's first birthday, at the Well Bean Co cafe in Royal Docks. Go along to learn a new crafting skill (each session covers a different craft) and spend a couple of hours in a relaxed environment. All materials are provided, and sessions are donations-based, with money raised going to suicide-prevention charity CALM. 3pm-6pm

MARTINI SUNDAYS: Fancy rounding off the weekend with an expertly made martini? You could do a lot worse than a Martini Sunday in the swanky surroundings of the Library Bar at the Lanesborough Hotel in Mayfair, where £19 gets you a bespoke drink made with Edinburgh Gin Cannonball Navy Strength, plus live music from pianist Kwaku. From 6pm

CUTTY SARK COMEDY: Head to the lower hold of the Cutty Sark in Greenwich for an evening of comedy in an unexpected venue. Lebanese-American comedian Janine Harouni headlines, with Will Rowland and Neil O'Rourke also on the bill. 6.30pm-8.30pm

OUTDOOR THEATRE: Cycling theatre troupe the Handlebards seem to be ubiquitous in London this summer. Tonight, it's the turn of Dulwich Picture Gallery to host them, for an open-air performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream in the gardens. Take along your own chair or blanket, and a picnic to tuck into as you watch. 7pm-9pm

RAP BATTLE FINALS: Boxpark Wembley hosts the Pengame Rap Battle semi-finals and finals, with £5,000 up for grabs for the winner. It's Sevs V Skamz and DrizzGB V Ren DMC in the semis, with the winner from each round going on to the final showdown. 5pm-11pm