[title]
It’s a huge weekend on the London social calendar, with Halloween parties galore, Day of the Dead fiestas, a smattering of early Bonfire Night celebrations and the final few days of October half-term entertainment all happening over the next couple of days.
But while that sounds really fun, it also sounds...expensive! Blown all your money on a killer Halloween costume and/or a week of entertaining the kids? No worries; it’s also an excellent weekend for wallet-friendly fun around the capital.
From great museum lates to fun pop-ups, here’s where to have fun this weekend without spending any more of your paycheque before November has even started.
RECOMMENDED: All the best things to do in London this weekend.
The best free things on in London this weekend
1. Learn about Nigerian modern art at a Tate Late
Inspired by its new exhibition Nigerian Modernism, the Tate Modern’s October late features talks, workshops and curator chats exploring food cultures, diaspora fashion and key African artworks in the Tate collection. There’ll also be plenty of music with DJ sets curated by Native Soundsystem, Tone and Sample Chief.
Tate Modern, SE1. Fri Oct 31. Free (some events are ticketed).
2. Or go rococo at a V&A Late hosted by Riposte
Have you heard the rumours that Marie Antoinette was actually queer? This late drawing off the V&A’s blockbuster exhibition all about the fated French queen, will be delving into the lesbian-coded history and symbolism of Marie Antoinette, in an evening co-curated by queer art-rave collective Riposte. If their previous parties are anything to go by, there’ll be enough revelry to rival a Rococo era court.
V&A, SW7. Fri Oct 31. Free.
3. Celebrate Halloween around the city
With October 31 falling on a Friday this year, London is going harder than ever with its Halloween celebrations, with all manner of fright-filled parties, nightmare-inducing movie screenings and ghoulishly good events happening this weekend. And plenty of them are free, too. This weekend, head to the Docklands for free festivities at Cody Dock including a costume competition, fortune telling and a big ol’ bonfire, check out hundreds of glowing orbs at the Dalston Pumpkin Lantern Festival, be entertained by eerie installations, quirky characters and trick-or-treat games in Holland Park, or celebrate Day of the Dead at the final day of the British Museum’s Half-Term Festival.
Various venues. Until Sun Nov 2. Free.
4. Do some doodling for The Big Draw
The world’s biggest celebration of drawing marks is its 25th anniversary in 2025, with the theme ‘Drawn Together’. Taking place across the UK, and the capital, the month-long extravaganza will have everything from family-friendly doodle sessions, to sketching workshops held at London landmarks. There are also spray painting workshops, ‘sketchwalks’ and kids’ colouring sessions taking place across the city. Check the Big Draw’s website for the full programme.
Various venues. Until Sun Nov 9. Free.
5. Sample nibbles from around the world at the Skysnacker Lounge
Fancy trying matcha KitKats or seaweed Pringles? You can nab a whole bunch of exotic snacks free of charge at Skyscanner’s Soho pop-up. The flight comparison site is allowing visitors to travel the world via nibbles, with a curated edit of more than 50 international eats on offer – available to grab from vending machines – spanning Europe, Asia, Oceania and the Americas. It’s almost as good as a winter getaway. Sort of.
19 D’Arblay Street, W1F 8ED. Until Sun Nov 2. Free.
6. Or pay a visit to Monocle’s Burberry pop-up
You’ll be able to sip from an Instagram-worthy Burberry-checked coffee cup at the Burberry x Monocle pop-up taking over the Marylebone’s Monocle Café. The terribly British fashion house has joined forces with the lifestyle guide to create London: A city of many characters, an illustrated guide to the city showing London’s many archetypes, all decked out in Burberry, of course. Head to the chic Marylebone spot to pick up your free copy and browse a curated edit of the label’s latest outerwear and accessories.
Monocle Café, W1U 7QA. Until Wed Nov 12. Free.
Start planning a great end to the year with our roundups of the best things to do in November and December.
Get the latest and greatest from the Big Smoke – from news and reviews to events and trends. Just follow our Time Out London WhatsApp channel.
Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out London newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox.