The Time Out London blog team

The second bank holiday of May is upon us, and you know what that means – it’s the start of proper festival season in London. The long weekend is set to see a bunch of festivals take place across the capital, and one of them is Gala in Peckham Rye. The 2025 edition of Gala will be as much of a feast of dance music as the fest always is. The likes of Floating Points, Avalon Emerson and Caribou will play Gala’s star-DJ-studded lineup between Friday and Sunday. This year marks 10 years of Gala, and it will mark the occasion with, among other things, a brand-new stage by the name of Floating Points’ Sunflower Sound System. Heading down to Peckham for a dance and a party over the coming days? Here’s everything you need to know about Gala 2025, from timings and the full lineup to the weather.  RECOMMENDED: The best music festivals in London. When and where is Gala? Gala is in Peckham Rye Park across three days: Friday May 23, Saturday May 24 and Sunday May 25. Timings  Here’s when Gala will open and close on each day. Friday 2pm-10.30pm Saturday 11.30am-10.30pm Sunday 11.30am-10.30pm Last entry for general entry tickets on Friday is 6pm, and 5pm on Saturday and Sunday. After work ticketholders on Friday need to arrive between 5.30pm and 7.30pm. What’s the full Gala 2025 lineup and set times? Friday May 23  JOY 2pm-3.30pm – Haseeb Iqbal 30pm-5pm – Errol 5pm-6.30pm – Tama Sumo & Lakuti 30pm-8.30pm – Moodymann 30pm-10.30pm – Floating Points Patio 2pm-3.30pm – Tash LC 30pm-5pm...

Sunlight dappling through the canopy, pretty chirps from resident birds, sweet blooming wildflowers and isolation from the outside world make forests some of the most romantic settings that planet Earth has to offer. And believe it or not, London has its fair share of wooded areas. And soon, one of them could become an official place that loved-up couples can go to tie the knot.  Highgate Wood spans 28-hectares between East Finchley, Highgate and Muswell Hill. It’s been around for more than 500 years and is officially protected as a Metropolitan Site of Importance for Nature Conservation. It’s also one of the UK’s best places to admire bluebells – oh so romantic.  The London Spy has spotted that the City of London Corporation, which owns the forest, is planning to allow weddings there for the first time in an effort to bring in more income. And, echoing plans for Hampstead Heath and Epping Forest, the corporation is also drafting a ‘marketing document to highlight potential event sites at Highgate Wood for community and commercial use’. That’s according to its new five-year business plan. The problem with weddings is that they tend to involve a lot of people and a lot of partying. The Corporation’s plans could conflict with the its legal responsibility to protect the woods and the prospect of wedding ceremonies is likely to raise concerns over how it’ll affect the wildlife there.  The City of London Corporation acquired Highgate Woods in the 1880s to save it from plans to...

Some things just naturally go together. Knives and forks. Salt and pepper. Bank holiday weekends, and pints. If you’re planning how to celebrate the upcoming bank holiday and its 20C+ temperatures in London, Venn Street Records in south London has got you covered. They’re giving away 1000 pints of beer for free this weekend, and all you have to do to claim yours is sign up. Yep, no catches – it really is that simple, and you don’t even need to worry about getting there super early to beat a first-come-first-served queue. 250 pints of Hells per day will be up for grabs from tomorrow (Thursday May 23) until Monday (May 26). Venn Street Records say this is to celebrate them offering draught beer for the first time ever, describing the event as ‘golden beer, good mates, and the ultimate day drinking’. There will also be music to enjoy come Sunday, as the Brass Funkeys will be playing live at the venue from 6pm. A representative from the company voiced excitement for the giveaway, saying; ‘Bank holidays are a thing of legend in London. Sunshine, Commons and Camden Hells. Nothing comes close. ‘As the last spring bank holiday rolls in and the weather hots up, giving away 1000 free pints is the least we can do to help fans relax in style.’ This is all occurring at the Venn Street Records shop on Venn Street, Clapham Common, and drinks on the house will be available from 5pm on Friday, 4:30pm on Saturday, and 4pm on Sunday and Monday. Sadly, you can only claim one free lager...