The 25 best things to do this May bank holiday in London

When it comes to baby animals to cuddle up to in spring, tiny lambs are obviously the GOAT. Surrey Docks Farm, a sweet little site right next to the Thames with its own blacksmithery, puts on lamb-feeding sessions almost every day during the season. Sessions take place at 12.45pm and 4.40pm, and they sell out pretty quickly – well, who wouldn’t want to feed these fluffy little cuties – so snap up a spot asap! 

For 43 years, Banana Cabaret has been a much-loved fixture on London's comedy circuit. Hosted by Balham pub The Bedford, it's nurtured talents including Lee Mack and Sara Pascoe, and has been central to the birth of the UK's alternative comedy movement. Now, its producer Dave Vickers is ready to retire, and he's throwing one last big bash to celebrate.

Banana Cabaret's farewell festival goes on throughout May, with a packed line-up of big comedy names, including Al Murray doing his touring show 'All You Need Is Guv', and mixed bills with the likes of Zoe Lyons, Luisa Omelan, Stephen K. Amos and many more. It kicks off over the bank holiday with two gigs headlined by comedy panel show veteran Ed Byrne and king of one-liners, Milton Jones. 

Is it warm enough to swim outdoors yet? Well, kinda? The end of May marks the crossover between the period where only the truly hardcore swim outside, and the period where hobbyists in impractical swimwear flood London's watering holes. It's the perfect time to test your nerve, before the crowds descend.

Shakespeare's most sun-drenched play is never far from London's stages, and for good reason: its stories of sparring lovers and vengeful fairies are loads of fun, and capture all the sultry energy of long summer nights. After staging a bleak take on the play over winter, Shakespeare's Globe is lining up a production that sounds like the exact opposite, being billed as ‘a joyful, family-friendly night of mischief, wonder and transformation under starry, summer skies’.

From swanky skyscrapers to casual warehouse hangouts and hidden pub terraces, London has a real crush on a rooftop bar. To enjoy a heatwave high, we are blessed with all kinds of rooftops which offer a winning combination of wicked city views and perfect drinks. So take your pick from stylish Shoreditch, buzzing Soho and Covent Garden, trendy Peckham and more – it’s time to soak up those sunsets, with rooftop bar season now upon us.

Ava Pickett's hit play 1536 is a feminist hybrid of EastEnders, Samuel Beckett and Wolf Hall, set in the year Anne Boleyn was executed. It earned rave reviews when it opened at the Almeida so it's great that Londoners have got a second chance to see this intriguing, witty take on history and gendered power dynamics. 

One of the leading painters of 17th-century Spain, the first ever exhibition dedicated to Zurbarán is coming to the National Gallery. If you’re looking for a bit of solemn reflection, this exhibition could be the place for it – celebrated for their naturalism and emotional depth, Zurbarán’s paintings include stunning life-size depictions of saints, soaring altarpieces and contemplative still lifes. 

This new immersive film is a dive into Ziggy Stardust’s story that’s been fully authorised by the David Bowie estate. Instead of narration, it’ll be told fully using voice clips from the man himself, as well as footage from the Bowie Archive in New York. It’ll be told in Lightroom’s signature style, which involves ultra high-powered projectors covering the walls, ceiling and floor with vivid imagery. It’s directed by Mark Grimmer, who led the design of the V&A’s David Bowie Is exhibition and went on to direct David Hockney: Bigger & Closer. 

Awaken your inner child by delving into enchanted lands, magical creatures and timeless tales at the British Library’s interactive family-friendly exhibition. All the bangers from your childhood will be explored – from Goldilocks, to Aladdin – through books, artworks, interactive displays, theatrical design, story sharing spaces, costumes and activities. Opening in time for the Easter holidays, Fairy Tales is ideal for passing a few hours with the little’uns. 

The first major London revival for the stage version of Ken Kesey’s countercultural classic in over 20 years comes this spring, as Clint Dyer directs Aaron Pierre and Giles Terera as two inmates of a hellish psychiatric ward. Published in 1962, Kesey’s darkly comic satire on psychiatry and institutionalisation was quickly adapted into a 1963 play that starred Kirk Douglas as Randall P McMurphy, a rebellious prisoner who makes the mistake of faking insanity, believing he’ll have an easier time of it in a mental hospital (Jack Nicholson famously starred in the 1975 film as Douglas was too old old for the role by the time it finally got made). Pierre – best known for his role in Netflix hit Rebel Ridge – will star as McMurphy, with Olivier winner Giles Terera as his fellow inmate Dale Harding. 

The Southbank’s graffitied skate mecca is about as iconic as skate parks get. This spring, the Southbank Centre is celebrating 50 years of the concrete space beneath the Queen Elizabeth Hall that was first adopted by skaters in 1976. To tell the story of the legendary 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. 

Imagine a properly good walk and you're probably thinking of rolling hills, mountains, forests and a rustic country pub for a celebratory pint at the end. And although you won't find that exact formula in London, you can come pretty damn close. This city is full of surprisingly peaceful, rural-feeling and very pretty corners where you can immerse yourself in nature for a few hours – without ever being more than half an hour away from a decent macchiato or a TfL station. Check out our tips for the best places for a May stroll full of spring blooms and early summery vibes. 

Fashion brands at the pinnacle of hype culture – think A Bathing Ape, Kenzo and Human Made – will get a look in at the Design Museum in an exhibition dedicated to Japanese designer and OG hypebeast NIGO. Through more than 700 objects, with 600 from NIGO’s personal archive, the exhibition will follow the designer’s career from Harajuku to Paris and will include rarely before seen BAPE fashion and a recreation of NIGO’s teenage bedroom. Brands to feature will include Nike, Pepsi, Louis Vuitton, Snoopy, Uniqlo, Nintendo, Sesame Street and Disney. 

As soon London’s weather reaches anything over 15 degrees, dining chairs and tables start to spill out onto the streets and London takes on a European edge. This bank holiday (provided the sun makes an appearance) book a table in restaurant courtyards, riverside terraces an gardens and al fresco restos to make you feel like you’re on a proper holiday in your hometown. Towpath Cafe in Haggerston, Oyster Shack and Seafood Bar in Epping Forest, Italo in Vauxhall and Fish, Wings & Tings in Brixton are some of our absolute favourties for an al fresco feast. See our full list here. 

In its 70 years of existence, London Film School has spat out the likes of Oliver Hermanus (director of The History of Sound), Tak Fujimoto (the cinematographer on Silence of the Lambs) and Michael Man (who directed films like Heat and Miami Vice). To celebrate all of those decades of excellence, the school is putting on a special season of student film screenings at The Garden Cinema in Covent Garden. The festival will include five different programmes, each featuring up to six short films from the LFS student archive. The first programme on May 1 will be made up of films that were made by students while still at school and selected for competition at Cannes.