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If you’re anything like us, summer really did a number on your bank account. And now, September (a second New Year of sorts) is all about returning to routine and savvy spending. That doesn’t mean your days off work have to be dull, though.
The month got off to a chilly start, but this weekend London is being graced with another little slither of warm sunshine. It’s perfect timing – the city is playing host to a number of outdoor events over the next few days, and several of them are completely free of charge. Win, win!
From snooping around fancy buildings to showing your appreciation for our River Thames, these are the best free things to do across the city this weekend.
The best free things to do in London this weekend, September 19-21
1. Watch the Red Roses fend off France in the Rugby World Cup semi-finals
There’s just one more match left between England’s Red Roses and the Rugby World Cup final 2025. On Saturday evening, the girls will take on France at Ashton Gate to vie for their place at Twickenham next weekend – and there are a whole bunch of places across London that’ll be following the action. Watch the game go down at free screenings at Battersea Power Station or Canary Wharf, or at your local rugby club or participating pub.
Various venues. Sat Sep 20, 7pm. Free.
2. Witness dance from around the world at the Urban Elephant Festival
Now in its fifth year, this weekend-long festival in Elephant and Castle is a vibrant showcase of dance, music and tradition from a multitude of cultures. Fusion band Grupo Lokito will be bringing Congolese grooves and Cuban rhythms to the headline slot at this year’s edition, alongside Ivorian drumming and dancers from Kaagô, the IRIE! Dance Theatre Youth Company performing West African folktale ‘Anansi and the Pot of Wisdom’ through African and Caribbean dance, and a celebration of Colombia and Latin America from longstanding local dance group Yuruparí Grupo Folclórico.
Castle Square, 40 Elephant Road, SE17 1AY. Sat Sep 20. Free.
3. Nosy around some of London’s most exclusive buildings
If you have a habit of peering through windows of huge posh houses or trying to catch a glimpse through the open doors of important looking places, Open House is your opportunity to finally satisfy that curiosity. Yep, you can have a poke around some of London’s most renowned – and often most secretive – buildings, completely free of charge. That includes the art deco Senate House (supposedly the inspiration for George Orwell’s ‘Ministry of Truth’ in 1984), the 2024 winner of RIBA House of the Year in Crystal Palace and a sneak peek of the newly transformed Olympia. We’ve rounded up our favourite London landmarks and private homes worth a visit.
Various London venues. Until Sun Sep 21. Free.
4. Dive into South Asian cuisine and creativity at the Brick Lane Curry Festival
After a nine year hiatus, Brick Lane’s colourful tribute to its Indian, Bangladeshi and Pakistani restaurants is back. On Sunday, there’ll be street food stalls and chef demonstrations alongside DJs, stilt walkers, magicians, live graffiti presentations and henna and bangla dancing workshops lining the city’s curry capital. If you reserve a ticket, you’ll get 20 percent of your bill at a host of participating restaurants.
Brick Lane, E1 6SA. Sun Sep 21. Free.
5. Cheer on hundreds of rowers in the Great River Race
We spend more time bemoaning London’s rivers their for brown and murky waters than we do really appreciating their charms. But that’s where Totally Thames comes in. Spread over a month, the festival is devoted to unveiling the beauty of the River Thames and its tributaries. Among its free events this weekend, watch 300 crews row from Tower Hamlets to Richmond in the Great River Race, explore all things mudlarking at Fulham Pier or venture to Cody Dock for live music, workshops and performances shining a light on the ecological and social heritage of the Lower River Lea.
Various London locations. Sat Sep 20-Sun Sep 21. Free.
6. Saunter down a car-free Oxford Street
For one day, and one day only, Oxford Street is going to be a traffic-free zone. Sadiq Khan is on a mission to prove just how great permanently pedestrianising the shopping district would be, so in place of growling vehicles, Oxford Street will fill up with live music (from the likes of London Gospel Choir and Bollywood Brass Band), storytelling stations, art sessions and samba drumming workshops. You can also expect interactive pop-ups from Topshop, NBA, the Body Shop and the Twist Museum and an exhibition taking you through the Oxford Street of years gone by.
Oxford Street, W1B 3AG. Sun Sep 21. Free.
Plan a great start to autumn with our roundup of the best things to do in London in October
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