Free things to do in London this weekend

Pick your way through more than 50 vintage stalls at the Big London Flea, held at the newly refurbished EartH. Market traders will set up shop alongside locals clearing out their attic to sell pre-loved clothes, kitchenware, oddities and accessories. You might find a designer dress, a one-of-a–kind piece of furniture or just a stack of old Bunty comics. It all depends on how sharp your eyes are.

Join Joelle Taylor and a handful of graduates from The Poetry Society's SLAMbassadors programme for an evening of ludicrously good lines. Anthony Anaxagorou and Ollie O’Neill make up the bill, with free tickets available here.

The Southbank Centre Winter Festival returns in 2018 with its programme of festive shows and performances, family fun and music. The riverside venue will also be celebrating the coldest season with a fistful of fun pop-ups and activities. The annual Winter Market will be back with mulled wine and seasonal treats galore, Glittery Clittery will be serving feminist, festive comedy cabaret and the Snow Ball will provide the perfect opportunity to dress up with the little ones. Find out more with our guide to the Southbank Centre Winter Festival

When you think of a 90th birthday party, you probably picture a quiet affair with a bit of cake that's wrapped up by mid-afternoon in time for a pre-dinner snooze. But Mickey Mouse isn't your normal nonagenarian. Celebrate the Disney star's big 9-0 at an exhibition showcasing a collection of artworks created by the rising stars of the UK art scene. Entry is free, but make sure you book onto a session to avoid mousing out.

You’ll find plenty more than baubles and gingerbread to tempt you in the wooden chalets that will make up the Southbank Centre Wintertime Market this year. Stock up on festive food and tipples, unique gifts, stocking fillers and treats.The market is just one part of the Wintertime at Southbank Centre festival. Find more Christmas markets and fairs in London  

Back for its third year, Red Bull Switch Up will be coming to the Copper Box Arena and pitting some of the UK’s top amateur netball teams against each other in a different version of the game. Join the waiting list if you and some pals want to take on the challenge yourself, or grab a free ticket and watch the action unfold.

Remember Paul Cummins and Tom Piper's mega-popular installation 'Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red' and it's torrents of ceramic red poppies sweeping over the Tower of London? When it went on tour around the country, London lost a seriously emotive work of art. But, the poppies are back in the capital this year for 'Weeping Window'. This time they'll be filling the grounds of the Imperial War Museum. Find out more here. 

More than 40 speakers will be taking to the stage during the 10th edition of this free, three-day literary festival. Highlights this year include Michael Rosen, Squeeze's Chris Difford, Viv Albertine, New Statesman editor Jason Cowley and Alison Moore.

This year marks 100 years since the end of the First World War. London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park is pulling out all the stops to commemorate the anniversary, by staging ‘Shrouds of the Somme’ - an art installation physically representing each of the 72,396 British Commonwealth servicemen killed at the Battle of the Somme who have no known grave, and whose bodies are still buried beneath the battlefields in France. Artist Rob Herd spent four years creating thousands of shrouded figures to represent each of these men. Now, you can see all 72,396 shrouds laid out in Stratford for a limited time only. This profoundly moving installation is not one to miss. 

You know Christmas is coming when Oxford Street is transformed by sparkly, glowing lights. This year, the shopping hub will be home to 1,778 decorations (and 750,000 LED lightbulbs) inspired by falling snowflakes, plus the addition of new purple baubles. It’s the fifty-ninth year the road has been decorated for the festive period and the switch on (November 6) is expected to attract over one million Christmas-lovers and the odd famous face. This year their re-inventing their launch, treating Londoners to pop up performances from UK artists in selected stores down the street.   For more info, visit the Oxford Street website. Find more Christmas lights in London Find more festive fun with our guide to Christmas in London