London events in May

Fidelio Orchestra Café is an eating and drinking establishment in which classical music happens. But not in the way you probably imagine, where posh old people slowly saw through beef fillets while studiously ignoring an insipid string quartet. No, Fidelio’s is for people who a) enjoy fun and b) actually like music. The café is due to open its doors for (Covid-safe) inside concerts from Tuesday May 18. Why is this news, you ask? Well it’s because Fidelio’s has decided that the music of Chopin, Beethoven and Brahms should be available to everyone and so has introduced a new extremely affordable ticket band for all its concerts. For 15 quid you’ll be able to have a pint while watching some of the world’s most skilled musicians play some of the most incredible pieces ever composed.

Already a familiar sight in 15 countries, Italian food market Eataly is finally dropping anchor in London at the end of April. Its first UK venue is a whopper at Broadgate next to Liverpool Street Station in the City. A kind of epicurean B&Q superstore, the 42,000 square foot temple of gastronomy features a huge retail market, several restaurants, takeaway food stalls, a drinking and dining terrace, and even a cookery school. The market offers more than 5,000 products alongside 2,000 wine labels, constituting London’s biggest cellar.

Have you ever looked at the iridescent colours on the wings of a butterfly and thought: ‘how can I recreate that?’ Well, there is a way, and it involves a new technology called Pure Structural Colour, a method developed by scientific researchers at Lifescaped lab that can synthetically produce any shade of colour in its most vivid form using transparent materials. The technology is at the centre of Kew Gardens’ upcoming exhibition ‘Naturally Brilliant Colour’ which will feature artworks created using Pure Structural Colour. The curators at Kew aren’t holding back, and are making some big promises for the show, including a chance to see the ‘brightest colours ever to have been created’, a giant kaleidoscope and an evolutionary journey through vision and colour that will chart back through a tidy 500 million years. 

Theatres can reopen from May 17, and most of them aren’t messing around. There's been no outdoor theatre at London’s iconic Shakespeare’s Globe since 2019, but it roars back into action with ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, from May 19.

Brixton Courtyard has been a great fixture in a year of otherwise zero DJs and clubnights and general fun. Its outdoor space has seen a consistently great line-up of DJs and parties, and now that it’s able to reopen along with the rest of London’s beer gardens and terraces, it’s pulled together a stonking bill of entertainment for the grateful masses (that’s you/us). Spring highlights include Hot Chip’s Joe Goddard, the proudly rearing-on-their-hind-legs Horse Meat Disco, Bolier Room regular Ahadadream and Carnival legends Channel One. There’s also a new regular Sunday brunch with food from Only Jerkin’ (who are also going to be on hand for the other events dishing up barbecue, fried chicken, hot wings and more).

By now, we’ve all seen Auguste Rodin’s ‘The Thinker’, but you might be less familiar with his 1898 sculpture ‘Balzac’, a monument to the French novelist that may or may not depict him fondling his penis beneath his coat. The artist was influenced by the sculptures of ancient Greece, but as this Tate Modern exhibition seeks to show, Rodin was a modern radical. Tate Modern. May 18-Nov 21. £18, £17 concs. Find out more here. 

Gearing up for one last ‘big lockdown stroll’? Try the Hampstead Heath Circular Walk. Time it just right on a Saturday or Sunday, and you can finish up with a takeaway pint and big slab of mature farmhouse cheddar from the stalls at Parliament Hill Farmers’ Market. William Ellis School, off Highgate Road.
Every Sat and Sun.

Every Saturday, Lloyd Park is taken over by a bigger-than-you’d-expect street-food market. Traders change a little each week, but you’re guaranteed to find single-origin coffee and some sourdough. Watch out for the plethora of hyper toddlers that have the run of the park each weekend. Lloyd Park. Every Sat.

Sessions at West Reservoir Centre are only open to experienced open-water swimmers, but courses for beginners will be offered as the temperature increases. The reservoir covers 23 acres, with a clear view of the built-up London skyline, which makes it feel like you are taking a giant, freezing bath right in the middle of the city. Green Lanes. £10 (for non-Better members). Find out more here. 

Sound the long weekend klaxon! Spring is upon us and you know what that means – there's a bank holiday on the horizon. The early May bank holiday on Monday May 3 2021 is one of two bank holidays this month. The second, late May bank holiday falls on Monday May 31 2021. This means you have many sweet, empty days to fill. Make them count.

Rooftop Film Club is doing its best to push the LA-style drive-in dream at multiple locations: the romantic horizon of Alexandra Palace, and the not-so-romantic rooftop of Brent Cross Shopping Centre. The movies on the slate are the usual event-cinema fare (‘Pulp Fiction’, ‘Dirty Dancing’) but there are some welcome surprises, like  ‘Dazed and Confused’ and director Lee Isaac Chung’s intimate Korean family drama ‘Minari’ (Brent Cross). If you happen to have a dog, a car and a high tolerance for whimsy, there’s also the option of a canine-friendly screening of ‘Isle of Dogs’ (May 2, Ally Pally) where there will be dog dress-up, pup popcorn and an appearance from the ‘puparazzi’. We did say a high tolerance for whimsy. Alexandra Palace, Brent Cross Shopping Centre. Various dates until May 16. From £27.50 per car. Find out more here. 

Inside the Museum of Youth Culture’s pop-up shop and gallery space, you’ll find a bunch of books on youth counterculture, as well as dozens of pictures of mods, rockers, ravers and glum punks. 3 Carnaby St. Until July. Free entry. Find out more here. 

Like Lewis Carroll’s Alice, we’ve all been living on the wrong side of the mirror this year, so it feels like a good time for this V&A exhibition, which explores the way Carroll’s character has been milked to death by the visual worlds of fashion, illustration, film and photography. They can add this event listing to the pile. Find out more here. 

Whether you’re craving a space for peace and mindfulness or fancy sweating it out in a high-octane rowing class, London’s health and fitness options are wide-ranging. Whether you want to try a completely new activity such as a skipping class at 12x3, challenge yourself on the gymnastic rings at Gymbox or simply perfect old-school weightlifting techniques with BXR’s Form & Focus class. Let’s not forget the classics either – from Barry’s Bootcamp to Barrecore. There’s something for everyone on the London fitness scene, but here’s our pick of the best exercise classes in London right now. 

Don't know about you, but a relaxing trip with no airports or Brexit-related passport queue confusion sounds pretty tempting already. And while the weather's going to be a bit hit and miss you can't beat the UK's restaurants, museums, shops and stunning scenery. When you want to get out of London without any faff, look no further than these gorgeous getaways – from cosy rural retreats to proper city breaks.

London’s art scene has been locked down with the rest of us, but now it’s had a towel down, spat in the bucket and is coming out of its corner swinging. The major art galleries are reopening on or around May 17, including major shows from Matthew Barney, Zanele Muholi and Jean Dubuffet. Until then, there are scores of shows at small independents. We've rounded up where you should be heading to get your spring art fix. Check with the galleries first if you ned to book an appointment.

Between April and May, the elusive bluebell comes out to play, creating a carpet of cobalt across the country. We've rounded up the best places to catch them in London. Don’t wait around, these guys don’t stay in bloom for long. Just remember, no picking them – the native flowers are a protected species.

You know that Joni Mitchell song about paving paradise to put up a parking lot? (‘You don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone’ etc). Well, in Hackney Wick, the exact opposite is happening –an alfresco paradise has popped up IN a parking lot. The space was the car park at Hackney venue HWK, which opened up as an events space last summer. Now, it has a new name – The Lot – and is officially open again as of this week. New for this year, the venue now has a custom-built sound system, which will come in handy for its weekly programme of ace DJs. You can also expect a new food offering thanks to an outdoor kitchen and barbecue, which will be dishing up Californian- and Mexican-inspired dishes including beer-battered fish tacos, tuna tostadas and loaded burritos.

Like ‘Hollyoaks After Dark’ or Ballie Balllerson, the Thursday evening events are basically a spicier version of just visiting the (mainly for children) museum but for adults’ eyes only, shhh. You can expect all of your favourite classic museum late activities like interactive poetry sessions, quizzes, panel talks and drinking lukewarm wine from disposable cups. Plus, each session is themed around hot topics like London’s lost rivers and the history of the Thames Tunnel. They kick off from mid-May and will run every couple of weeks, from 6.30pm until 9pm.