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Bank holidays can be a real drain on the wallet. A meal out on Friday night, hours basking in a beer garden on Saturday afternoon, a brunch on Sunday morning then a DJ set in the evening – before you know it, your bank account is down to £1.03 and you’re forced to spend your rare Monday off stuck at home, sensibly ticking off chores and scraping by with sad-looking leftovers.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. There are so many ways to fill this coming May bank holiday and still have plenty of cash left to spend over the rest of this glorious month (and, crucially, for the second bank hol in three weeks). Besides the fab stuff that’s free all year round, this bank holiday weekend brings us a bunch of fun events that won’t cost a penny. There’s art, music, photography and loads of free beverages to get your hands on. Read on for the best free events happening this weekend.
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đź“Ť All of the best things to do in London this weekend.
The best free things on in London this bank holiday weekend, May 1-4 2026
1. Venture down the Blackhorse Beer Mile for its fourth birthday
Okay, we acknowledge that you do have to spend some money to truly make the most out of this one, but entry is free and that’s not to be scoffed at. The lagertastic Blackhorse Beer Mile birthday celebration is back for the fourth year in a row this May bank holiday, with all of E17’s best drinks makers taking part. We’re talking Penny Social, Signature Brew, Pretty Decent, Exale, Renegade Urban Winery, Burnt Faith Distillery, East London Brew Co, Burnt Faith and Hackney Church Brew all rolled into one boozy crawl. Plus, across the trail will be DJs, a live brass band and food pop-ups from the likes of ACME Fire Cult, Patty & Pickle, Sereli and more.
Various venues. Sun May 3. Free.
2. Head to the V&A South Kensington for its annual Performance Festival
Every year to mark the birthday of William Shakespeare, the V&A puts on a 10-day festival of performance. You’d think that would mean 10 days of stuff centred around the Bard, but it’s actually an excuse to celebrate performance of all kinds throughout history. This year, the festival’s theme is Echoes, bringing free events exploring music and sound, memory and lost spaces. Highlights over the bank holiday weekend include a talk on the material culture of popular music, reminisces from drag queen Jodie Harsh (May 1), an intimate gig from jazz artist TC.Kylie (May 2), an installation celebrating the sweaty ceilings and sticky floors of London nightlife and a series of talks and short films highlighting grassroots music venues (May 3).
V&A, SW7 2RL. Until May 3. Free.
3. Admire London’s loveliest narrowboats at the Canal Cavalcade
The pretty waterways of Little Venice will erupt with music and colour for the annual IWA Canalway Cavalcade from Saturday. The fundraising event has been going on since 1983, bringing dozens of craft of all shapes and sizes to the area, dressed up to the nines and showing off the best of life on London’s canals. Watch as boat owners compete in boat handling competitions and, after dark, take part in an illuminated procession. On land, there’ll be arts and crafts stalls next to marquees full of food and craft beers from local traders and a programme of live music performers.
Little Venice, W9 2PF and W2 6NE. Sat May 2-Mon May 4. Pay what you can.
4. See the new exhibition dedicated to Southbank’s legendary skate park
The Southbank’s graffitied skate mecca is about as iconic as skate parks get. And this spring, it’s celebrating 50 since the concrete space was first adopted by skaters. To tell the story of the park, the Southbank Centre has collaborated with the skate community to identify key events, figures and moments that have shaped the space, bringing all the stories together in one mega exhibition. Skate 50 will comprise photographs, films, sound art and animations, featuring contributions from Winstan Whitter, Dan Magee, Lev Tanju, Jack Brooks, the Keep Rolling Project, Beatrice Dillon and Sofia Negri.
Southbank Skate Space, 337-338 Belvedere Rd, SE1 8XZ. Until June 21. Free.
5. Flick through indie mags at PageMasters Zine Fair
Nothing sparks creativity like a good zine fair. And Lewisham-based printers and publishers PageMasters puts on some of the best in the city. For it’s market this weekend, the organisation has invited 33 small presses and publishers to join it at Art Hub Studios in New Cross, so you’ll find a huge range of unique zines to dive into.
Stanley Street, SE8 4BL. Sat May 2-Sun May 3. Free.
6. Collect as many free drinks as you can with these giveaways
We hope you’re thirsty. Across the next few days, several brands are running free giveaways throughout the city. For a complimentary pint, find a Greene King pub, walk up to the bar and tell the bartender ‘I’m home’. They’ll hand you a pint, with Greene King’s Level Head IPA, Icebreaker Pale Ale, Flint Eye Lager, Guinness, Ruddles Best, Abbott Reserve or soft drink of your choice. For a free funky-flavoured matcha, go to your nearest Jenki. Each branch is giving away 30 blueberry pie matcha lattes until Saturday, and it’s first come, first served. Finally, for a refreshing can of alcohol-free lime and sea salt lager, pull up to Lucky Saint’s pop-up ‘Hydration Station’ on Broadway Market on Friday between 8.30am and 8pm. The only rule is that you arrive on a Lime bike, in classic east London fashion.
Various venues. Various dates. Free.
Curate your calendar with our guide to all of London’s best things to do in May and June.
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