All weekend

SMALL ISLAND VIBES: Head to Peckham Square for four days of free exhibitions, events, music and activities, bringing together communities of African, Caribbean and Latin-x heritage, at Small Island Vibes. Activities include steel band and choir performances, a reading group, a supper club and a children's carnival. FREE, 4-7 August

RIVER STAGE: The Hofesh Schechter Company — an internationally touring dance company — takes over National Theatre's open-air River Stage this weekend. Free events include dance and percussion workshops, live DJ sets, and performances of past and new work. FREE, 5-7 August

POP UP SCREENS: Hilly Fields Park in Brockley is the chosen location for Pop Up Screens this weekend. Book tickets to watch Grease on Saturday or The Greatest Showman on Sunday, all in the open-air, with a bar open throughout — or bring your own picnic. 5-7 August

HAPPY PLACE: Fearne Cotton's Happy Place festival takes over Chiswick House & Gardens for two days of guest speakers and contributors, live podcast recordings, fitness and wellness classes, workshops, and food and drink. 6-7 August

GREEN CITY: London Metropolitan Archives' roving Green City exhibition moves on to its second location, Aldgate Square. It's a collection of photographs and prints celebrating London's green spaces. Look out for the exhibition at Hampstead Heath and Epping Forest later in the summer. FREE, until 14 August

CAMDEN FRINGE: No ticket for Edinburgh Fringe? No problem — Camden Fringe offers 200+ events in north London throughout this month, across theatre, comedy, dance and music. With many performers feeling priced out of Edinburgh, it's a great opportunity to see talented performers at reasonable rates. Until 28 August

THIS BRIGHT LAND: Somerset House hosts a celebration of community and culture, This Bright Land, which opened this week. The open-air courtyard has been transformed into something of a wonderland, with performances, talks and workshops — all centred around a 35m-high temporary observation wheel, with a different sound installation in each gondola. Plus, there's a street food market curated by Black Eats LDN and different events each weekend.Until 29 August

REGGAE ON FILM: BFI Southbank hosts a Reggae On Film season, to mark 60 years of Jamaican independence, celebrating reggae music and culture and its relationship to cinema. One highlight is the re-release of 1972 Jamaican crime film The Harder They Come, which is often credited with bringing reggae to the world through its soundtrack. Browse the full programme. Until 30 August

KLIMT: Immersive art experiences are quite the trend, and Austrian painter Gustav Klimt is the latest to get the treatment, at The Boiler House in Shoreditch. It's the first weekend of an exhibition featuring floor-to-ceiling large-scale digital projections to create moving versions of Klimt's paintings, with a VR experience thrown in too. Booking until 31 August

SCHOOL HOLIDAYS: Running out of ideas to keep the kids entertained yet? Take a look at our guide to spending the summer holidays in London, for ways to keep them smiling through until September.

Saturday 6 August

STORIES OF CATS: Southwark Cathedral celebrates cats with a day of feline-themed talks from historians, behaviourists and poets. Veterinary surgeon Dr Jo Lewis offers an insight into what your cat might be thinking, Celia Haddon — formerly the Daily Telegraph's pet agony aunt — discusses strays and ferals, and broadcaster Oliver Soden is in conversation with the Dean of Southwark. 10.15am-5pm

BEAVERTOWN TURNS 10: Beavertown Brewery has been around for a decade, and is throwing a party at its taproom in Tottenham Hale to celebrate. It's a day of food, music and beer — your ticket includes all the beer you can drink, plus one item from the food menu, and a goodie bag to take home. 11am-11pm

IN THE HOP: Head to the Hayward Gallery Terrace at Southbank Centre for Belonging (in The Hop), a series of dance performances centred around the current The Hop pavilion. The structure represents the journey hop pickers used to make between London and Kent, and today's dance performances have been specially created by choreographer Adesola Akinleye. FREE, 12.30pm-2pm

BLINKING BUZZARDS: Kennington's Cinema Museum hosts the UK Buster Keaton Society for an event dedicated to the silent comedian. Watch a selection of short films starring Keaton, before settling down for a screening of Blinking Buzzards, the 1926 film in which Buster plays Alfred Butler, the son of a wealthy family who finds himself on a hunting holiday. 4pm

THE PINK SINGERS: Europe's longest running LGBTQ+ choir, The Pink Singers, take to the stage at Kings Place in King's Cross. Expect a programme of popular music, show tunes, folk and classical music by the group of amateur singers. FREE, 6.45pm

HALCYON NIGHTS: New cabaret show Halcyon Nights launches at Brasserie Zédel near Piccadilly Circus. The art deco venue transforms into a golden age nightclub, with acrobats, dancers, comic singers and a live house band taking to the stage. 1950s Sunset Strip themed cocktails are available throughout the evening, and dressing up is encouraged — though not compulsory. 7pm

JOHNNY WOO: Comedian and drag queen Johnny Woo brings his latest show, Jonny Woo's Summer Songbook, to Soho Theatre. Expect an evening of pop, rock and disco anthems sung live at the piano, with guest stars Rudi Douglas and Fi McCluskey. 9pm

Sunday 7 August

LONDON TRIATHLON: Swim, bike and run your way across the city as the London Triathlon comes to town. Even if you're not an athlete (or spectator) be aware of road closures on the day. Road closures in place 5am-6pm

CROYDON AIRPORT: Once a month, Croydon Airport opens to visitors. Book onto a tour to visit the control tower, once the centre of London's first international airport. It's also a chance to see exhibitions relating to the airport's history, from first world war, to its closure in 1959. 10am-2.40pm

DRAG SYNDROME: Drag collective Drag Syndrome have enjoyed success at several London venues and events recently, and now they're headlining the first Sunday Street Party at This Bright Land at Somerset House. Comprising drag queens and kings with Down's syndrome, the group takes over the Courtyard for a celebration of neurodivergent culture. 12pm-10.30pm

PALACE TOUR: A Victorian chapel, a Tudor great hall and Georgian dining rooms are all part of Fulham Palace, and all can be visited on today's guided history tour. Learn about the building's past as home to various Bishops of London, and discover gems including a secret door. 2pm-3.15pm

GHOSTSIGNS OF ISLINGTON: Hunt down ghosted or faded advertising signs in the Islington area, on this Footprints of London guided walk. See several surviving examples of hand painted signs in the streets that surround Islington Green, and learn more about the stories behind them. 2pm-4pm

DENDÊ NATION: UK-based Samba Reggae band Dendê Nation hosts a workshop, giving the public a chance to play and sing along with popular Afro-Brazilian songs. Learn techniques for certain instruments alongside discovering more about the culture behind the music. Age 12+. 3pm-5pm

SAD SUMMER GIRL: A cabaret featuring contemporary pop songs by the likes of Taylor Swift, Lorde, Lana Del Ray and Ariana Grande — Sad Summer Girl is performed by a line-up of talented West End singers. Expect divas, despair and devotion, at this Phoenix Arts Club matinee show. 4.40pm