All weekend
WOMEN'S DAY WALKS: For International Women's Day on Sunday, Katie Wignall from Look Up London runs a series of guided walks celebrating the history of London's women. Topics this weekend include Women at the National Gallery, and Kickass Chelsea Women. Everyone's welcome on the walks. Various locations, £15, book ahead, 3-8 March
MADE IN ITALY: Cinema Made In Italy is an annual film festival celebrating Italian films, and this year, focus is firmly on female directors. Your choices this weekend include 5 Is The Perfect Number, about a retired hitman taking revenge for his son's assassination. Cine Lumiere (South Kensington), various prices, book ahead, 4-9 March
WOMEN IN FOCUS: To coincide with International Women's Day, three-day festival Women In Focus comes to Poplar. Events include a musical evening by a line-up of all female-identifying artists, and a burlesque dance class led by the reigning Queen of Burlesque Idol UK 2019. Poplar Union, free, book ahead, 6-8 March
WOMEN OF THE WORLD: Southbank Centre's annual Women of the World Festival begins today, with three days of events looking at the state of gender equality across the globe today. Highlights include appearances by feminist activist and journalist Caroline Criado Perez, and anti-racism educator Layla Saad. Southbank Centre, various prices, book ahead, 6-8 March
SCIENCE WEEKEND: Cutty Sark celebrates British Science Week with family-friendly events taking place on board all weekend. Learn how cargo was loaded onto the ship, and have a go at building your own winch. Or find out how gold leaf is applied to the gilded decorative elements. Cutty Sark (Greenwich), included in admission, book ahead, 7-8 March
CRAFTY FOX MARKET: Another month, another round of small, local businesses to support at Crafty Fox Market. It's free to browse the stalls, which include artists specialising in ceramics, embroidery and linescapes, among many other mediums. Mercato Metropolitano (Elephant & Castle), free entry, just turn up, 7-8 March
ORCHIDS: Time's running out to visit Kew's beautiful Orchids Festival. Wander through rainbow floral arches, ogle the volcano centrepiece floating on a pond, and look out for model orang utans, rhinos, and other wildlife from this year's chosen country, Indonesia. Kew Gardens, included in admission, book a time slot, until 15 March (extended from 8 March)
TROY: It's the final weekend of the British Museum's blockbuster exhibition, Troy: Myth and Reality. It's a huge — and fascinating — show about the former city, and worth setting aside a couple of hours to explore thoroughly. British Museum, £20, book ahead, until 8 March
JEWISH BOOK WEEK: The 68th Jewish Book Week has an impressive programme, covering everything from cookery to fashion to spies to politics to trees. Former Children's Laureate Michael Rosen, celebrated novelist Elif Shafak and historian Helen Fry are among participants across the 80+ events celebrating Jewish themes and writers. Kings Place (King's Cross), various prices, book ahead, until 8 March
FORGOTTEN VICTIMS: Last chance to see The Wiener Holocaust Library's exhibition Forgotten Victims, focusing on the genocide carried out against the Roma and Sinti communities in Europe during the Nazi era. The 'forgotten Holocaust' resulted in the persecution and murder of up to 500,000 people, and documents, photos and eyewitness accounts are used here to tell their stories. Wiener Holocaust Library (Russell Square), free, just turn up, until 11 March
ADVENTURES IN THE DARK: Visit a Victorian seance, experience collective dreaming, and take the flight of your life — all in complete darkness. Inside three mysterious shipping containers, immersive theatre company Darkfield present a trio of pitch-black adventures. Lewis Cubitt Square (King's Cross), £6.75-£9 per event, book ahead, until 22 March (sponsor)
Saturday 7 March
SHAPE THE WORLD: Today's the final day of LSE's Shape The World, a festival of free events looking at how the social sciences can make the world a better place. Today's events include a talk about the legacy of African women writers, and a panel of youth organisers sharing their experience on how to start a campaign. LSE (Holborn), free, book ahead, 2-7 March
PROTEST AND POWER: The Royal Parks celebrate Women's History Month with a guided walk through Hyde Park. Hear stories of women in the park throughout history, from pickpockets to queens, all of whom shaped the park into what it is today. Hyde Park, £10, book ahead, 10.30am-12pm
CLIMBING FESTIVAL: Celebrate all aspects of the climbing scene at London Climbing Festival. Meet fellow climbers, hear talks about the sport, watch demos, and stock up on all the gear you need at the stalls. HarroWall Climbing Centre (Harrow), £75, book ahead, 12pm-8.30pm
#IDENTITY FESTIVAL: Celebrate International Women’s Day by exploring the experiences of British-Bangladeshi women and children at free family event, #Identity Festival. Share recipes in a community recipe book, make your own traditional hand fan, or get some henna hand art, among other activities. Museum of London Docklands, free, just turn up, 12pm
EXPLORE ZOOLOGY: Take the kids along to the excellent Grant Museum of Zoology, and get hands-on with some of the artefacts which are normally kept behind glass. Handle the objects and ask the experts your questions. Grant Museum of Zoology (UCL), free, just turn up, 1pm-5pm
FILM FESTIVAL: Today's offering from Crystal Palace International Film Festival is the European premiere screening of Max Winslow and the House of Secrets, an American production about five teenagers competing to win a mansion. Three short films are also shown as part of the event. Picturehouse West Norwood, £10, book ahead, 7.45pm
FOUND FOOTAGE FESTIVAL: Today's the final day of The Found Footage Festival. Organisers have sorted through America's thrift stores and charity shops to dig out old VHS tapes. Watch the resulting footage, including the 1987 Miss Junior America Wisconsin pageant, and a fitness video called Jugglercise. Soho Theatre, from £15-£18, book ahead, 9.30pm
Sunday 8 March
FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE: 2020 marks 200 years since the birth of The Lady With The Lamp, and the Florence Nightingale Museum is celebrating with a special programme of events. Nightingale in 200 Objects, People and Places opens today, showcasing little-known aspects of her life, as well as objects including the famous lamp which gave her the nickname. Florence Nightingale Museum, included in admission, book ahead, from 8 March
VINTAGE FURNITURE FLEA: Looking to pimp up your pad? Head to the East London Vintage Furniture Flea, where you can stock up on everything from wardrobes and tables to cushions, prints and crockery. Items on sale date back as far as the 1950s, and include plenty of kitsch collectibles. York Hall (Bethnal Green), £4.50/£3, just turn up, 10.30am-4.30pm
VINTAGE FASHION: Rummage through rails of retro clobber at the Frock Me! Vintage Fashion Fair. Over 60 vintage fashion dealers set up stall, with items dating from the 1900s onwards. Clothing from the likes of Chanel and Biba has been at past events, as well as more affordable pieces. Kensington Town Hall, £5/£3, book ahead, 11am-5.30pm
CRAFTS DOG SHOW: No, that's not a typo — BrewDog puts its own twist on a dog show, inviting pooches and their owners to an event which raises money for abandoned hunting dogs in Spain. Four-legged attendees can compete in categories such as 'best trick' and 'goofiest grin', with BrewBucks vouchers for the winners. BrewDog Tower Hill, £3 entry, just turn up, 12pm-6pm
GIRLS CAN: For International Women's Day, a team of female artists attempts to redress the gender imbalance in graffiti culture by running free activities to get women into street art. The event will result in a large-scale public mural featuring symbols or words which are considered stereotypically male. Leake Street (Waterloo), free, book ahead, 1pm-5pm
RANKINGS THAT RANKLE: Why are we so obsessed with status? Professor Paul Goodwin talks about factors such as awards and university league tables which affect the decisions we make, and argues that in many cases, using such markers can do more harm than good. Conway Hall (Holborn), £8/£5, book ahead, 3pm-4.30pm
PAINT STREET ART: Wind down your weekend by attempting to create your own version of painting, Coming of Spring. No experience is necessary, and all materials and guidance are included. It takes place in a bar too, so plenty of drinks are available to get your creative juices flowing. Horniman at Hays (London Bridge), £32.99, book ahead, 5.30pm-7.30pm
