Various

Always charming but never mired in nostalgia, ever summer the Shakespeare in the Squares company tours a play by the Bard around some of London’s lovliest outdoor squares. This year’s choice of show is forever problematic battle of the sexes comedy The Taming of the Shrew. The general modern approach to the story of oddball Petruchio’s attempts to tame the fiery Katherine is either to make it very sad or lighten it up to the point it doesn’t seem quite so dodgy: we could certainly take a guess which route Toby Gordon’s production will take, boasting as it does of ‘wild romance and toe-tapping pop classics’.  The complete touring itinerary for this summer is as follows: Jun 4 7pm – Leinster Square W2  Jun 5 7pm – St James’s Gardens W11  Jun 6 7pm – Crystal Palace Park SE19  Jun 7 2.30pm and 7pm – St Anne’s Church Garden, SW18  Jun 10 and 11 7pm – Cleveland Square, W2  Jun 12 7pm – Connaught Square, W2  Jun 13 7pm – Norland Square, W11 Jun 14 – St Peter’s Square, W6  Jun 15 3pm – Coronation Gardens, SW18 Jun 17 7pm – Arundel & Ladbroke Gardens, W11  Jun 18 7pm – Charterhouse Square, EC1 Jun 19 7pm – Albert Square, SW8 Jun 20 7pm – Tredegar Square, E3  Jun 21 5pm – Kensington Gardens Square, W2 Jun 22 5.30pm – Manchester Square Gardens, W1  Jun 25 7pm – Cornwall Gardens, SW7  Jun 26 7pm – Paultons Square SW3  Jun 27 7pm – Arundel & Elgin Gardens W11  Jun 28 2.30pm and 7pm – Queen’s Park NW6 Jun 30 7pm – Fitzroy Square W1  Jul 1 7pm – Montagu Square W1  Jul 4 7pm – Charlton...

Vision Cinema has stopping by several London locations this summer for a series of summer al fresco film screenings. It’ll be at Cator Park in Greenwich from June 20-22, Millenium Green in Poplar from July 11-13, Royal Arsenal Riverside in Berkeley on July 18-20 and at Hackney’s Britianna Leisure Centre from August 8-10. Expect a line-up that’ll satisfy any kind of film fan, like ‘The Hangover Part Two’ for the comedy buffs, ‘The Monkey’ for the horror freaks and ‘Despicable Me 4’ for something more family-friendly. 

If you're a completist who wants to watch every damn match in the Women's Euro 2025, Boxpark is here to help you achieve that dream. It's claiming to be the only place in London to show all the games in the tournament, not just the ones where the Lionesses are playing. Big screens will show matches in Boxparks at Croydon, Shoreditch, Wembley and Camden, as well as new venue PLAYBOX Croydon, which offers interactive gaming too. If you want to make sure you get a good spot, book a ticket in advance: you'll get a £10 voucher to spend on drinks or street food to scoff as you watch the game. Just remember, have fun but not too much fun: the Boxpark website warns fans to leave their airhorns at home. 

Wandsworth’s annual festival is back for 2025, featuring a wide variety of talks, walking tours, workshops, and exhibitions (many of them free) celebrating the vibrant south London borough’s parks, museums and cultural spaces. The the theme for 2025 is ‘Wandsworth and the Arts’, with an extra-long four-week edition to mark Wandsworth’s year as London Borough of Culture. Highlights include a free talk about Oscar Wilde’s time in Wandsworth Prison, held at the prison; an exhibition on the origins of Cromwell, held at Putney Library and hosted by the Head of Collections at the National Archives; and a walking tour based all around the medical history of Nightingale Lane. Many events are free to join, and some are very family-friendly. Check out the full programme of events on the website. 

Calling all jazz heads. A new community-led festival is launching in London this summer celebrating the free-form musical genre, taking over De Beauvoir, Islington and Hackney for two days this July. De Beauvoir Jazz Festival will spread over multiple venues, including The Scolt Head, St Peter’s Church and Hoxton hall, with performances from rising stars like Georgia Cecile, and established legends such as the internationally acclaimed clarinetist Adrian Cox. Tickets range from £17 to £88.60 for a day pass, plus on Sunday, July 12 there are a number of free performances and workshops, including dance, drumming and costume workshops, Kinetika Bloco and Grand Union Orchestra in De Beauvoir Square, and Irene Serra in the East and South East Asian Community Centre.  Line-up includes: Georgia Cecile, Adrian Cox, DJ Lil Koko, Ewan Bleach & The Fleeting Paradise Orchestra, Giacomo Smith.  

Ever wanted to have a nosy around some of London’s coolest private buildings? Open House London gives guests free access to architectural wonders that are not normally open to the public – from schools and offices to places of worship. It’s an often rare chance to explore iconic or just interesting buildings that make up the capital’s storied history, while the programme usually includes tons of workshops, exhibitions and more, as well as the usual tours. This year, the full programme will be announced on July 16, with bookings opening on August 20. Get practising your clicking now – these tickets go faster than Glastonbury.

Every year, the EFG London Jazz Festival brings together the best and brightest of the genre in venues across the city, from capital’s arts venues like Southbank Centre and Barbican, to atmospheric gig spots like Village Underground and Union Chapel. This year is no different. The 2025 line-up promises a bounty of bops, whether you’re looking to discover new artists on the scene (Rita Payés, Nov 19), or want to witness some legends in action (Dee Dee Bridgewater, Nov 15). As well as tons of concerts every day, there’s also sessions, workshops, talks and more to take part in and enjoy. More announcements to come.