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Here we are again. A new month, a new payslip and a long list of items you’ve been aching to purchase. But the countdown to Christmas is now on, and you’ve got to set aside that cash for presents and all the mulled wine at the festive gatherings you’re obliged to attend.
Best avoid any plans this weekend so you can save up, right? Wrong! Making plans in London doesn’t always mean spending loads of money. Over the next few days, for example, there’s a pop-up chippie, a LEGO workshop, a Diwali party and a thought-provoking symposium that all require no cash whatsoever.
That’s not all. Read on for a full list of the most exciting free things happening in London this weekend. And if they’re not enough, take your pick from Time Out’s guide to the best free things you can do any time of the year.
The best free things on in London this weekend, November 6-8 2026
1. Celebrate Diwali at the National Maritime Museum
Head to Greenwich to take part in family-friendly events to mark the Hindu festival of lights. Mehala Ford, founder and curator of COMMONGROUND&, has curated a day of dance, colour and traditional Indian food. The programme is packed with flute performances, contemporary ballet performances, puppet shows, craft workshops, drumming workshops and, for the first time, a Diwali Bazaar showcasing South Asian-made jewellery, accessories, lifestyle products and more. It all concludes with a gorgeous lantern parade, which will set off from the Greenwich Park side of the museum.
Romney Road, Greenwich, SE10 9NF. Sat Nov 7, 10.30am-5pm. Free.
2. Make your very own LEGO gift
This special pop-up LEGO workshop allows you to whip up a bespoke brick-based present for that special someone (or yourself). The free pop-up is styled like a gift-making factory and will see you answer questions about the person you’re getting the gift for before receiving a personalised build recommendation. Collect your bricks, build the build, wrap it, boom! While we’d assume that the gift is on the smaller side and you’re unlikely to be offered a 10,000-brick behemoth that would cost £200 in the shops, it sounds like good fun nonetheless.
Borough Yards, Stoney Street, SE1 9AD. Thur Nov 5-Sun Nov 8, 10-7pm. Free.
3. Stop by South Bank’s Winter Market
Every winter the Southbank Centre turns the banks of the Thames into a frosty wonderland, full of little wooden Alpine-style cabins selling gifts, warming drinks, and snacks. You’ll find huts serving up truffle burgers, duck wraps, mulled wine, Dutch pancakes, churros and many more tasty morsels to nibble on while you look through gifts, jewellery and decorations made by independent craft traders. Or, once you’re done browsing, snuggle up at pop-up king Jimmy Garcia’s riverside venue Fire and Fromage, where you can snaffle all you can eat raclette, sip on seriously decadent hot chocolates, and even toast your own marshmallows round a cosy fire pit.
South Bank, Queen's Walk, SE1 8XX. Until Jan 3. Free.
4. Delve into stories of transnational resistance and solidarity at the Tate
Across two days, academics, artists and archivists will come together at Tate Modern to explore solidarity and resistance across borders. The programme includes a discussion on feminist art practices in Ireland and the SWANA region, a presentation on Egyptian artist and activist Inji Efflatoun who was a political prisoner between 1959-63 and a screening of two documentaries highlighting resistance movements: Chris Reeves’ Home Soldier Home (1977—78), and Marceline Loridan-Ivens and Joris Ivens’ The 17th Parallel: Vietnam in War. Explore the whole programme here.
Bankside, SE1 9TG. Fri Nov 6-Sat Nov 7. 10am-8.15pm. Free.
5. Mooch around sample sales in Hackney
Yes, we know. While the entry to a sample sale might be free, the temptation to spend money on something may well be hard to resist. But at least the things on offer will be a fraction of their usual price. From Friday to Sunday, the Great Divide Sample Sale in Tanners Yard will offer an ever-so-enticing 80 percent off brands like Adsum, Dubbleware, Frizmworks and Pendleton. A Japanese sample sale in the Factory on Saturday and Sunday will showcase more than 30 Japanese small businesses selling everything from vintage kimono to traditional prints and illustrations. Reserve free entry online.
Various venues. Various dates. Free.
6. Pick up a box of flavour-loaded chips at the McCain pop-up
The potato purveyors at McCain are opening a pop-up chip shop this weekend. The entire menu is chips and it’s totally free. Visitors can choose from a selection of chip toppings inspired by hyped food trends of the last few years. Think truffle, matcha, salted caramel, pumpkin spice, yuzu, pickles, everything bagel seasoning, hot honey and more. Order one of the combinations that have been put together for you, or create your own concoction of garnishings.
2 Westgate Street, London Fields, E8 3RN. Thur Nov 5-Sun Nov 8, 11.30am-7pm. Free.
Make the most of November with our guide to the best things to do in London this month.
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