Nick Levine

Stuck on ideas for Mother’s Day (Sunday March 19 2023)? We thought you might end up in a sticky situation like this so that why we’ve pulled together a list of some of the best mum-friendly events happening around London. You can thank us later.  You can treat your mum to a delightful Sunday lunch, a wander around some of London’s loveliest shops, a cultural visit to the best current art exhibitions or a thrilling new theatre production. The options are endless so don’t spend too long creating that masterpiece of a throwback social media post, okay? Check out our top picks for the best events to take mother-dearest to this Mother’s Day 2023. RECOMMENDED: the full guide to Mother’s Day in London 

London would not be the city it is without its eclectic collection of bustling markets. From foodie paradises that heave with visitors snaffling up artisan samples to small, local bazaars loaded with gifts and household essentials, locals and visitors flock to the capital’s best stalls and these days there’s a market for almost anything across London. Whether you’re looking for a farmers’ market, a fashion market, or want to eat up street food or search for antique gems, here’s our pick of the best markets worth making a beeline for from foodie Borough Market to flower-filled Columbia Road. RECOMMENDED: The best things to do in London.

Whether you're a keen singer, newly in lurrve or totally heartbroken, there’s nothing like a good love song (though if it’s the latter, our list of the best breakup songs might be a better antidote for your heartache). True love songs are the kinds of bangers that have you belting falsetto in the shower, dancing in the kitchen, and accidentally singing out loud in public. The kind of song that has you missing an ex you don’t even have.  But the love song genre is, as we all know, an incredibly saturated market. People have been writing those things since the Dark Ages, and they’re still releasing them every damn day in 2023. So we thought we’d do you a favour and cut through the noise, and round up the very best love songs of all time, from old school classics to Beyoncé belters. Whatever the occasion, there’s a love song out there for you. Lovers near and far, here is our definitive ranking of the greatest love songs of all time.  Listen to these songs on Amazon Music RECOMMENDED:🍆 The sexiest songs of all time💕 The best R&B love songs💔 The best breakup songs🎙 The best soul songs🎺 The best Motown songs😭 The best heartbreak songs

Whether you’re throwing a gargantuan house party for everyone you’ve ever met, or just having a restrained night in with a few friends and family, it’s pretty much a fact that on New Year’s Eve, you will stay up until midnight. What sort of monster doesn’t want to see the New Year in? And if you’re having a late one, you’ll need some music. So, while you’re loading up the confetti crackers and chilling the fizz, outfit the night’s playlist with these hits. You’ll need tunes to cover every atmosphere the night may have: the best drinking songs for the lead-up, party songs for the stroke of midnight, and the best love songs for all the New Year’s kisses to come. Whatever the genre, we have you covered, because spinning the top tracks means your soiree should be one of the best parties yet, right? Let’s ring in 2023 the way we mean to go on with these New Year’s songs. Listen to these songs on Amazon Music RECOMMENDED:🎉 The best party songs ever made🎶 The best ’80s songs🎤 The best karaoke songs🕺 The best pop songs of all time🎅 The best Christmas songs

Given its waning cultural profile, all rock’n’roll is rapidly becoming classic – as in, an antique. But for the time being, when we use the phrase ‘classic rock’, it conjures a few distinct images. Hippies in tie-dye. Fender Stratocaster guitars. Bandanas and beards and aviators. It’s the music your parents listened to that you probably spent much of your youth attempting to reject, before giving in and admitting that it’s awesome. Not all classic rock is created equal, though. Just because something’s from the ‘60s or ‘70s and gets played on the radio doesn’t mean it endures as an all-time jam. Here, we’ve separated the biggest gems from the large pile of rock’n’roll antiquities to create a list of the most classic of classic rock tracks – the ones that kids just picking up guitars will forever be trying to learn…as long as guitars still exist.   Listen to these songs on Amazon Music RECOMMENDED: 🎶 The best ’80s songs🏋 The best workout songs🎤 The best karaoke songs🚗 The best road trip songs💪 The best motivational songs

You’ve got the drinks. You’ve got the appetizers. You’ve got the lights and decorations. But you don’t have a party until you’ve got the songs. Whether you’re inviting friends over to your apartment or breaking into an abandoned warehouse, the music is the No. 1 most important element of any celebratory gathering, and crafting the perfect playlist is a delicate science. Sure, you might be tempted to show off your broad and obscure tastes. But in most situations, familiarity is what brings the most feet to the dance floor.  In that spirit, when compiling this list of the greatest party songs of all-time, we’ve stuck to the big names with the big tunes just about everyone knows. Within a few notes of any of these tunes popping on the speakers, your living room, wedding reception, backyard barbecue etc is guaranteed to be pulsing with ecstatic energy. And when you’re still hearing about how rad the party was weeks and months afterward…well, you can thank us later.    Listen to these songs on Amazon Music RECOMMENDED:🎤 The best karaoke songs🍻 The best drinking songs🎉 The best birthday songs🎶 The best ’80s songs🕺 The best pop songs

Time was, ‘pop’ meant manufactured acts whose music erred towards the disposable. Sure, there were a few certified geniuses like Michael Jackson or Madonna. But for all the units shifted, in the twentieth-century pop never seemed to be the zeitgeist artform of the day: the Beatles weren’t pop; Pink Floyd weren’t pop; Dolly Parton wasn’t pop; NWA weren’t pop. At the dawn of the new millennium, all the rules for pop went out the window. A complicated series of cultural shifts that can largely be attributed to the internet kicked in: suddenly the bottom fell out of the market for guitar-based music, and suddenly it was sophisticated pop production that was getting the audiophiles drooling. It’s an age we’re absolutely still living through, with little sign of letting up. And so, for this list, we’ve taken a long listen to some of the biggest bangers of the last 20-plus years and did what feels nearly impossible: we’ve ranked them. As a genre, pop has always been nebulously defined, so while we’ve broadly speaking excluded rock, country and hip-hop (though elements of all those things appear), you’ll find R&B jams, dance-floor fillers and insanely catchy earworms not even the snootiest of snobs can deny. These are the best pop songs of the twenty-first century.  RECOMMENDED: 🎉 The best party songs ever made🎸 The best classic rock songs🎤 The best karaoke songs🎶 The best ’80s songs🎵 The best ’90s songs

London’s LGBTQ+ scene has long been full of vibrant venues offering safe spaces to be yourself. Its heartland is still very much located in its traditional home of Soho, but you’ll find brilliant gay bars and clubs dedicated to serving the community south of the river and in the East End too. There’s plenty of diversity in what they offer, from super cool and edgy club nights to events showcasing the best in the city’s cabaret performers. Caught the Bimini Bon-Boulash bug over lockdown? You'll love getting to know the rest of London's incredible drag stars too.   Are you more in the market for a drink and a sit down? Check out these LGBTQ+ pubs and bars.

This Saturday night, July 2 2022, as the Pride in London festivities segue from street parade to dance parties, Duckie will say goodbye to the Royal Vauxhall Tavern after 27 years. In its own inimitable fashion, the queer arts collective and club night is ending this chapter with a healthy sense of humour. The RVT and its neighbouring railway arch will be turned into a tongue-in-cheek ‘Straight Pride’ event where the dress code is ‘smart casual’ and there’s ‘strictly no cross-dressing’. Gay Shame. Photograph: Edson Costa ‘It’s going to be a bit like the Ideal Home Show,’ says Duckie’s producer and co-founder Simon Casson. ‘We’ll have stages around the venue where straight people can demonstrate how they live their lives by doing washing-up and sitting on the sofa watching TV. It’s about celebrating their culture for a change.’ There will also be music from Duckie’s legendary resident DJs, the Readers Wifes, performances from satirical cabaret duo Bourgeois & Maurice and ‘a special guest from America’. They’re being kept secret, but they’ll definitely complement the time-honoured Duckie vibe: edgy yet friendly, with a healthy dose of ‘anything goes’. We just wanted to play the records we’d listen to if we were staying in ‘It’s one last moment of collective joy at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern,’ says Casson, who admits Duckie is departing reluctantly after hosting Saturday nights there since 1995. ‘It’s not our choice,’ he says. ‘The owners want to take back control of Saturday

Yes, every year is 'the summer of sport'. But actually, 2022 has some crackers up its sleeve. Whether you feel like cheering on your home team at the women's Euros, running circles around Mo Farah at a half-marathon or embracing your inner fighter at a muay thai showcase, boy do we have the list for you. Get sporty this summer at these seven unmissable events.  

Come summer, this city is packing out its parks, gardens and event spaces with live music. Whether you're looking to dance the night away to DJs or screaming your lungs out with your favourite pop star, London's festivals are happy to facilitate. Take your summer up a notch and book an unforgettable day out, why don't you? From pop-up stages at Somerset House to all-out takeovers of Viccy Park, here's our guide to eight epic music festivals in London.

Summer calls for alfresco eating, soundtracked by music with a beer to hand. Where better to get this experience than at a festival? Showcasing the very best pop-ups, food trucks and established restaurants, these are the best food festivals in London for eating your way through the whole damn city. Have a scroll through our picks and get stuffed.  

This Hackney Wick club night celebrates queer, trans and nonbinary ESEA (East and South East Asian) artists making waves in electronic music. Performances on the night will come from gendertranscendent witch YaYa Bones and electronic musician ZAH, while Lindrum, Clarity and LARASATI will deliver DJ sets. According to the organisers, ‘Everyone is welcome, with the understanding that this is a space that centres and celebrates queer and trans ESEA identities’. Let the rave begin!

As its title suggests, this drag night is based on a popular challenge from, ahem, a certain TV drag competition. This time around, six up-and-coming performers will impersonate iconic Disney villains in a bid to be crowned the ‘snatchiest’ of them all. Just don’t expect their takes on these classic characters to be quite as PG as Walt originally envisaged...  On the night, there will also be a special halftime performance from Shar Cooterie, winner of the last Disney Snatch Game, and an auction raising funds for local HIV charity Wandsworth Oasis. Book early to avoid disappointment and feeling like one of Ursula’s ‘poor unfortunate souls’. 

Did you know that James I was given the nickname ‘Queen James’ because of his intimate relationships with several male courtiers? I didn’t. Not until I went on Queer Lives at the Tower, a new tour of the Tower of London that shines the spotlight on the lives, loves and experiences of LGBTQ+ figures linked with the landmark. It begins with a kind of disclaimer: because history has been documented predominantly through the eyes and actions of men, this hour-long tour won’t offer as much of an insight into the lives of queer women. That’s a shame, and one that will hopefully be rectified in future LGBTQ+ tours of London’s palaces planned for later this year. Still, the queer stories that the tour does explore are vividly brought to life with ‘creative storytelling’ by actors and a ‘drag raven’. The wingless – but still very fabulous – raven acts as our primary tour guide as we move between rooms watching imagined interactions between several kings and their same-sex lovers. The tour is fascinating and often funny but ends poignantly with a mini-candlelight vigil for Roger Casement. A key figure in Ireland’s fight for independence and in the Easter Rising of 1916, Casement’s homosexual activities were used by the British government to undermine his case for clemency when he was convicted and executed for high treason. That this happened just over a century ago is a crushing reminder that the push for greater LGBTQ+ rights and acceptance has been a long, hard (and ongoing) battl

Gloria Estefan’s life story is worth celebrating: it’s a stirring immigrant-to-riches tale which saw her defy record industry prejudice and potential paralysis to become the ‘Queen of Latin Pop’. And if ‘80s hits like ‘Dr Beat’ – released when she was lead singer of the Miami Sound Machine – and ‘Get on Your Feet’ can’t make you dance, then, to paraphrase another Gloria banger, no rhythm is gonna get you. Even at its cheesiest, this jukebox musical – written by Oscar-winning ‘Birdman’ writer Alexander Dinelaris Jr – does a decent job of turning her creative and romantic partnership with hubbie Emilio into satisfying West End entertainment.Jerry Mitchell’s production, which ran on Broadway in 2015, cha-chas through Gloria’s early life briskly. Reprising the role she originated, a vocally impressive Christie Prades shows how the shy, Miami-raised daughter of Cuban immigrants thrives after she joins a local band led by encouraging and ambitious Emilio (George Ioannides). Her disapproving mother (Madalena Alberto), whose own thwarted ambitions power a poignant flashback sequence, provides one obstacle to success. The other: a bigoted record exec who says they should stick to singing in Spanish. When Emilio claps back by saying that, despite his thick Cuban accent, the bigwig is definitely ‘looking at the face of an American’, it’s an already-powerful moment intensified in 2019 by current US immigration policy. But whether you enjoy the gimmicky decision to bring a conga into the

The award-winning Herne Hill Market is a south London gem. Open Sundays from 11am-3pm, it takes pride in offering carefully sourced food products, plants, and arts and crafts, all from within 100 miles of Herne Hill. Spread over the pedestrianised street outside Herne Hill station, the market has swelled to include more than 50 stalls, but without losing its villagey vibe. Cure your Sunday hangover with a Pie Cart scotch egg or satisfy your sweet tooth with pasteis de nata from Galeta. Once you’re done, pick up a sourdough loaf and some fresh fruit and veg for the week ahead. Nick Levine RECOMMENDED: London’s best markets

Located in increasingly lively Bermondsey, Maltby Street Market is a bit like a calmer, more curated version of Borough Market. It’s only been going since 2010, doesn’t open during the week, and the tourists haven’t quite cottoned on yet. So, if you can’t face the masses, this is the place to come when you’re having a Nigella moment and want to stock your kitchen cupboards with high-end condiments and tipples you can’t get at Tesco. Nestled in and around the atmospheric Victorian rail arches of the Ropewalk you’ll find around 30 artisan food and drink traders selling everything from craft beer to Mozambique-style peri-peri meats. If you’ve got a sweet tooth, Bad Brownie’s gourmet chocolate brownies are definitely recommended. If you’re on a health kick, grab a green juice from the good folks at Bumpin’ Rinds. If you don’t fancy snacking on the hoof, you can tuck into classy comfort food at St John Maltby, a bright and airy restaurant that gets pretty busy and doesn’t take bookings. And if your stomach’s still not fully satisfied, just saunter half a mile down the road to Spa Terminus, where around 25 food producers sell top-notch cheese, wine, ice cream, honey and coffee – we’re talking Monmouth, obviously. Top tip:  Don’t leave it too late to visit. Maltby Street Market is open 9am-5pm on Saturdays and 11am-5pm on Sundays. Nick Levine RECOMMENDED: London’s best markets

Crystal Palace Food Market has impeccable green credentials, championing local and sustainable produce wherever possible. Since launching in 2012, this not-for-profit Saturday market has attracted a loyal band of south Londoners who come weekly for fresh fish from award-winning Veasey & Sons, biodynamic fruit and veg from Brockman’s Farm in Kent, local honey from Croydon and Bromley, and lots, lots more. Open from 10am-3pm, this is a market with a real community feel: the managers support local artists, businesses and buskers and all profits go to Crystal Palace’s Patchwork Farm and other good causes. Once you’ve filled up your tote bags, you can take a breather at the cute on-site café. Nick Levine RECOMMENDED: London’s best markets

It may be located in a car park (Lewisham College’s, to be precise), but don't let this put you off. Award-winning Brockley Market is a terrific place to pick up some top-quality groceries. The focus is on locally-sourced seasonal food, whether that’s a joint for your Sunday lunch, fresh fish, your basic supply of fruit and veg, or cakes, artisan breads, cheese and charcuterie for a special occasion. Highlights include free-range poultry from Fosse Meadow, organic veg from Wild Country Organics and excellent Spanish cheeses and chorizo from Flavours of Spain. If all this makes your mouth water, which it probably will, there are loads of street food stalls to sate your hunger. Grab a porridge bowl, sourdough pizza or vegan Crosstown doughnut, and chow down on one of the benches. This is essentially a very good local farmers’ market, so the vibe is lively and friendly. There’s plenty of parking a short walk away, but it's advisable to arrive early. The stalls only open from 10am-2pm and popular items tend to sell out. Oh, and remember to stuff some carrier bags in your pockets for all the goodies you’ll be taking home. Top Tips:  Brockley Market is cash-only, so make sure you swing by an ATM first.  RECOMMENDED: London’s best markets

Built in 1881 and fully restored to its Victorian glory 110 years later, Leadenhall Market is a beautiful indoor shopping space close to the City of London. Filmmakers adore its ornate roof structure and general sense of grandeur, which is why you might recognise it as Diagon Alley from ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’. It also featured in Terry Gilliam’s fantasy flick ‘The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus’ and Erasure’s ‘Love to Hate You’ music video. Given its location near London’s wealthy commercial centre, you won’t be surprised to learn that there are no cockney fruit-and-veg sellers here. These days, the weekday stallholders offer jewellery, arty gifts and a variety of tasty lunch options to nearby office workers and tourists. Leadenhall also contains characterful retail units occupied by mid-to-upmarket brands like Diptyque,  Barbour and Reiss. If City slickers need to source a last-minute birthday gift, this is their first port of call. When you’ve finished browsing the stalls and shops, head to the historic Lamb Tavern, an ideal spot to soak up Leadenhall Market’s atmosphere. GrabThai, Leon and popular Italian restaurant Osteria Del Mercato are among the food options contained within the market while The Bootlegger is a cool, speakeasy-style cocktail bar a couple of minutes walk away. Top tip: The main market space is open 24/7, so pop in during off-peak hours if you fancy taking photos of the glorious roof. Nick Levine RECOMMENDED: London’s best markets

Broadway Market continues to thrive following its clever makeover nearly 15 years ago. This compact Hackney street, which neatly connects London Fields to the Regent’s Canal, has had a traditional fruit and veg market since the 1890s. But it went into steep decline in the ‘80s, and trade had all but petered out before the community relaunched it in 2004. Now taking place on Saturday from 9am-5pm, Broadway Market is a bustling hub for the Hackney hipsters and East End creatives who have settled down and started families. It now welcomes around 135 stalls selling a fabulous array of fresh produce, vintage clothes, flowers, coffee, books and groceries. There’s also plenty of delectable street food, including Deeney’s toasted sandwiches, Fin and Founder’s crab-cake burgers, Floris Bakery’s chocolate eclairs and the modern cult classic Yorkshire Burrito. Although there are no stalls during the week, Broadway Market is still worth visiting for its cute coffee shops, one-off restaurants and chic boutiques. Gentrification has more than crept in, but it still feels like a local high street complete with a kebab shop, post office, Costcutter, old-school barber shop and excellent hardware store. Even outside market day, you’ll find it buzzing with people pottering about, nattering over coffee and doing their weekly shop. Top Tip: Broadway Market can get very busy, especially when the weather’s good, so it’s best to allow plenty of time to avoid stress when perusing the stalls. Nick Levi

Now in its twelfth year, Cabbages and Frocks Market is among London’s fanciest. Held every Saturday afternoon (11am-5pm) in the quaint cobbled courtyard behind St Marylebone Parish Church, it's a fashionista fave which specialises in vintage clothes, handmade jewellery and eclectic designer goods, often at (relatively) affordable prices. If bargain-hunting leaves you parched, you can catch your breath on the courtyard’s benches over coffee and macarons – it’s that kind of market. Coupled with a leisurely stroll down Marylebone High Street (which it’s adjacent to at the Baker Street end), Cabbages and Frocks Market is an ideal way to sample the bijou London life. Nick Levine RECOMMENDED: London’s best markets  

Alexandra Palace Farmers’ Market ranks among north London’s finest for fresh produce. Taking place most Sundays from 10am-3pm, locals flock here for fruit and veg from Kent, pressed fruit juices, rare-breed meats and sausages, top-quality fish, organic bread, cakes and biscuits, relishes and sauces, and handmade pies. There's a decent selection of street food, too, including pancakes, pastries, vegan Indian food, Chinese dumplings and even Guadalupian cuisine. Because it takes place in the leafy park surrounding Alexandra Palace, this market doesn’t need to pack its stalls super-tightly. There’s a relaxed, villagey vibe and you can peruse while holding a latte without worrying about shunts and spillages. Some temporary seating is provided for market-goers, though on a pleasant day you might prefer to have a picnic in the park. You’ll find the market near the park’s Muswell Hill entrance. If you have access to a car, there’s loads of free parking on site. If you’re coming on public transport, the W3 bus passes nearby and Alexandra Palace railway is a short stroll away. Turnpike Lane and Bounds Green are the nearest tubes, though you’ll need to allow for a brisk 25-30 minute walk from each. Which, as it happens, is perfect for working up an appetite. Top Tips:  Definitely check the website before setting off. The farmer’s market doesn’t take place every single Sunday, and it moves to nearby Campsbourne School when there’s an event on at Ally Pally. Nick Levine RECOMMENDED: Lo

What is monkeypox? Monkeypox is an infectious viral disease that until recently was very rare in the UK. However, an outbreak is now escalating, with 2,367 cases confirmed across the country, of which 1,699 are in London. Anyone can contract monkeypox, but at present it’s spreading almost exclusively among MSM (men who have sex with men).  ‘The latest data shows that around 98 percent of confirmed monkeypox cases continue to be in gay and bisexual men in big cities and particularly in London,’ says Greg Owen of sexual health charity Terrence Higgins Trust. ‘That’s why it’s especially important for this group to be aware of the signs and symptoms, and to get tested if they have any concerns by calling ahead to their local sexual health clinic and making arrangements.’ With this in mind, here’s everything you need to know.  What are the symptoms of monkeypox? According to the NHS, if you’re infected with monkeypox, it normally takes between five and 21 days for the symptoms to show. The initial symptoms include a high temperature, headache, muscle aches, backache, swollen glands, shivering/chills and exhaustion. Within five days of these initial symptoms, a rash usually appears, often beginning on the face before spreading to other parts of the body. Lesions can appear on the genitals and anus.  The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) updated its list of monkeypox symptoms this week (July 26) to emphasise that this rash may not be extensive, at least to begin with. Dr. Meera Cha

1972: The first Gay Pride Week takes place in London, culminating in a march from Trafalgar Square to Hyde Park on Saturday, July 1. Time Out’s Gay News editor Denis Lemon reports on the week’s events, noting that plain-clothes police officers in Hyde Park ‘totally failed to look part of the happy crowd of gays’. 1976: After just a few years, Gay Pride Week has become an annual fixture. A listing posted by the Campaign for Homosexual Equality in Time Out’s AgitProp section reads: ‘We are coming together for a public demonstration, in various ways, that we are glad to be gay, and to demand our rights as citizens.’  1978: Time Out reports that an argument broke out in a Bloomsbury pub during Gay Pride Week after a customer made an anti-gay remark. Two women who reacted to the comments were arrested for allegedly using threatening language and obstructing the police. They plan to plead not guilty, but the Gay Activists Alliance says ‘the gay movement will pay their fines’ if they’re convicted. 1979: Time Out puts a pink triangle on the cover to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots (which are generally considered the wellspring of the modern-day LGBTQ+ rights movement). It's a powerful statement reflecting the fact that where once the pink triangle was ‘a mark of oppression’, it’s now been reclaimed as a ‘badge of Pride’. 1987: As London gears up for Gay Pride Week, Time Out staffer John Gill reports on what London can learn from San Francisco's response to the

As we kick off the month of June there's one huge block of days on the immediate horizon all ringed off with regal purple on our calendars – or more likely flagged as ‘OOF’ on our phone alerts. Like some seriously deep work of literature or art they have a level of meanings: that it's the Queen's Platinum Jubilee 2022 and that it’s a bumper four-day bank holiday weekend  for us Londoners. Whether you’re a flag and bunting kinda monarchist or proud marxist, there’s no getting away from it, from Thursday June 2 to Sunday June 5 we’re getting time off for good behaviour to mark Elizabeth II’s historic 70 years on the throne.  Now, we know that there are still rumbles about a tube strike over the Jubilee bank holiday weekend (plus a possible dampener to our Monday commute), but fear not, not everything is centred around Buckingham Palace or the Queen's Royal residence(s) if you don't live next door (Imagine taking in the parcels). There are plenty of events big and small across the capital to liven up your local ends. You probably won’t get sent to the Tower if you don’t want to take part in the festivities, but if you do, there’s plenty going on that not only celebrates Her Maj's loooong reign, but highlights how gloriously bonkers we are when it comes to National Celebrations, from a  pop-up corgi café to a 1950s-style pub on the London Eye (yes, really). Here are 40 ways to celebrate Lizzie’s longevity, from the super-royal to the, well, really not very royal at all. 1. Get in

After two years of Covid-induced cancellations and live streams, Pride in London is coming back as an epic in-person event this year. And because it’s celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2022, it’s made the entirely fitting decision to retrace the route of the historic inaugural 1972 Pride march.  Pride in London takes place this year on July 2 and the parade will begin at Hyde Park, where the first post-march picnic took place in 1972. From Hyde Park Corner, it will wend its way down Piccadilly to Piccadilly Circus, before turning south onto Haymarket and Trafalgar Square. The 1972 march ended at Trafalgar Square, but this year’s parade will continue just a little further to Whitehall Place. See a handy map of the 2022 route below. Pride in London Pride in London says the 2022 parade will welcome 40,000 marchers and more than 400 community groups. ‘For 50 years, Pride has been a visible cultural protest that brings the LGBT+ community and its allies together in solidarity,’ said Christopher Joell-Deshields, executive director of Pride in London. ‘It is important to recognise the activists who were brave enough to come out in 1972 to march for our liberation and pave the way for the rights we enjoy today. Early organisers took inspiration from the US civil rights group, the Black Panthers, a reminder that despite their differences there was a collective fight for the oppressed.’ ‘As we prepare for one of the most momentous LGBT+ pride events in the UK’s history, we are comm

Hollywood’s biggest night out, the Oscars, takes place on Sunday, bringing awards season to a glitzy climax. The Power of the Dog is the frontrunner with 12 nominations and is also favourite to take home Best Picture, but don’t bet against Coda causing an upset on the night. This touching comedy-drama about a deaf family and their gifted daughter has all the momentum right now. Among the acting nominees are some brilliant Brits – Benedict Cumberbatch, Olivia Colman, Judi Dench and Andrew Garfield – plus the West End’s ‘Cabaret’ darling Jessie Buckley. But whether they win or lose, they won’t be going home empty-handed on the night. For the 20th year, L.A.-based marketing company Distinctive Assets are offering all 25 acting and directing nominees an entirely unofficial goodie bag packed with fancy and frankly quite ridiculous items. According to Forbes, this year’s super-swag-bag is worth an eye-watering $140,000 (£106,000). Here’s just some of what it contains: A plot of land in the Highlands, which entitles each nominee to style themselves Lord or Lady of Glencoe A three-night takeover of an actual castle complete with a bagpiper welcome, a private gin tasting and fully-personalised concierge service A session with New York-based ‘self-love’ coach Nicola Fernandes worth $1,111 (£842) A liposuction treatment worth up to $15,000 from Florida-based Art Lipo A supply of HempHera CBD cosmetics worth more than $1,000 (£758) You can check out a full demo of the gift bag, which

As a season, spring symbolises rebirth, rejuvenation and renewal. It’s when the days really get longer and the London weather becomes a little friendlier – at least in theory. So, this makes it a perfect time to expand your horizons and start saying yes to the things you passed on in January and February. With this in mind, here’s a guide to some unmissable events taking place in London this spring, from cool cultural happenings to tasty food festivals. Watch a huge star on stage or a high-profile revival After weathering another tricky winter, the London theatre scene is absolutely buzzing this spring with a mix of big-name debuts and feverishly anticipated revivals. Mark Rylance reprises his Olivier and Tony-winning turn in ‘Jerusalem’, Jez Butterworth’s wickedly funny modern classic. Jodie Comer makes her West End debut in ‘Prima Facie’, a hard-hitting monologue with music by recent Time Out cover star Self Esteem. Photograph: Jodie Comer in ‘Prima Facie’ by Helen Murray Amy Adams also makes her West End debut, in a revival of Tennessee Williams’ early masterpiece ‘The Glass Menagerie’.‘Six’ director Lucy Moss steers the first major revival of ‘Legally Blonde the Musical’, taking place at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre.Dubbed ‘Sexy Oklahoma’, US director Daniel Fish’s radically inclusive take on the classic Rodgers & Hammerstein musical ‘Oklahoma!’ finally hits London. Tempt your tastebuds at a food fest or buzzy bar opening Now that the weather is warming up a bit, it’s

Some exceptionally good news for you this morning; after being thwarted by Covid for the last two years, Notting Hill Carnival is laying the groundwork for its return to the streets this August bank holiday weekend. In an Instagram post shared on Friday, Carnival’s official account announced this year’s lineup of Mas Bands and Dutty Mas Bands, whose colourful costumes and joyful dance routines are an absolutely integral component of the annual parade. It even used the hashtag #NottingHillCarnival2022, which we’ve got to say is a pretty heartening sight. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Notting Hill Carnival (@nhcarnivalldn) Notting Hill Carnival has been celebrating Caribbean culture in the capital since 1966, becoming an iconic tentpole of the London summer calendar. The 2020 event was cancelled due to the pandemic, though a series of free live-streamed events took place online, and the 2021 event was retooled into a series of ticketed fundraising events. It’s clearly too soon to know what summer 2022 in London will look like, but the simple fact that Notting Hill Carnival is preparing to return to the streets is definitely something to smile about. Watch this space for further news. Black historical figures are being turned into monuments across London. But there’s a twist The JAGS Foundation is making home-cooked Caribbean meals for deprived households

Having a night out at G-A-Y is a rite of passage for any Londoner, and even though she lives in LA now, Adele is clearly no exception. Last Thursday, after taping her appearance on ‘The Graham Norton Show’, the pop superstar paid a visit to G-A-Y at Heaven nightclub under Charing Cross station. Because it was a Thursday night, the club was hosting its weekly ‘Porn Idol’ contest, where brave punters can strip down and show off their dance moves for a chance at winning a cash prize. Now, if we know anything about Adele – other than the fact she drinks wine – it’s that she’s game for a laugh. So perhaps we shouldn’t be too surprised that she ended up on stage showing off some pole-dancing moves of her own in front of the event’s host, Cheryl Hole of ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ fame.  As footage shared on social media shows, fellow punters at G-A-Y went every bit as wild as you’d expect. Seriously, was anyone expecting this from February 2022? Now what is Adele doing pole dancing in my favourite gay club? pic.twitter.com/pJXJzA7bJE — Karolis 🍄 (@Karolis_G) February 11, 2022 During her big G-A-Y night out, Adele also posed for photos with fellow diva Cheryl Hole, who earlier in the week had been eliminated from ‘RuPaul's Drag Race UK vs the World’. To be fair, getting to party with actual Adele is quite the consolation prize. Confirmed: @Adele was devastated I was eliminated on Drag Race too. Love you divalina 💖 pic.twitter.com/GyY8U5sqtQ — Cheryl Hole (@CherylHo

Royal Mail has launched an investigation after video footage emerged purporting to show Clapham postal workers stoned on the job. The footage was first shared on someone’s Instagram Story, but inevitably made its way on to Twitter due to its high – pun definitely intended – comedy value. According to the original Instagram captions, several posties unwittingly tucked into a box of hash brownies when they first arrived at work. ‘We had a delivery of them with no return address and the house was empty and they were in our office for a month so we opened them and they got given out,’ the caption alleges. Seemingly, what they thought was a humble sweet treat turned out to have an unexpected extra ingredient: cannabis. The subsequent footage shows the Clapham posties carrying out their round very, very slowly. ‘One guy said he was walking to a door and thought he was walking forever,’ a caption says. There’s also a shot of an apparently spaced-out postie saying he had ‘no idea’ what he had eaten. 😂😂😂 Postman Pat was high as a kite pic.twitter.com/P7NqHAXhwa — Marc Smith (@Marc_Smi7h) February 2, 2022 Understandably, Royal Mail has found the footage rather less amusing than banter merchants on Twitter. ‘We have commenced an investigation, which will determine whether any further action, including disciplinary action, might be taken,’ a spokesperson told the BBC. ‘We are also reminding all staff at the delivery office of the correct procedures for dealing with item

Temple tube station’s grey concrete roof terrace has been given a kaleidoscopic makeover by London-based artist Lakwena Maciver. Titled ‘Back in the Air: A Meditation on Higher Ground,’ Maciver’s rooftop art installation features a series of interlocking geometric patterns inspired by her Ugandan heritage. One block of brilliant colour contains the unifying message: ‘Nothing can separate us’. As well as following the multicoloured lines of Maciver’s artwork, visitors can check out a brightly painted replica one of London’s famous cabmen shelters situated on the roof. The overall effect, as you can see below, is kind of mesmerising. View this post on Instagram A post shared by 180 The Strand (@180.studios) ‘They say that the Garden of Eden was the first temple — the story goes that we were cast out of the Garden, and ever since then we have been longing to find our way back,’ said Maciver. ‘This idea of a subconscious yearning for paradise sits in stark contrast to the highly colonised, concrete environment that now surrounds Temple Station. Yet it is this which has become the impetus for this public intervention.’ ‘Back in the Air’ is the first installation at The Artist’s Garden – a partnership with Westminster City Council and part of its Inside Out festival and WestminsterReveals campaign – and will be on show until April 30, 2022. It is co-commissioned with 180 Studios and supported by Vigo Gallery, WSP, Northbank BID and Transport for Lo

‘Harry Potter’ fans assemble! In Leicester Square, to be precise, where an installation of nine giant Wizarding World wands will arrive next week. The impressive 15 foot tall wands will light up to form an illuminated walkway through Leicester Square Gardens between 6pm and 8.35pm every day, from October 13 to October 25. The wands are exact replicas of those belonging to nine characters from the Harry Potter and ‘Fantastic Beasts’ films, so they’re authentic as well as awesomely Insta-worthy. The wands will join nine bronze statues – including one of Harry himself – currently on display in Leicester Square as part of the completely free ‘Scenes in the Square’ installation. And it’s no accident that the wands are going on display now: the first film based on JK Rowling’s beloved books, ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’, is being rereleased in cinemas on October 29 to mark its twentieth anniversary. ‘Leicester Square itself has played its part in the Wizarding World legacy by hosting premieres for the Harry Potter and “Fantastic Beasts” films over two decades,’ said Polly Cochrane of Warner Bros., makers of the movies. ‘So we are delighted to bring the wands here for fans to enjoy.’  Frankly, they sound like just the kind of light relief we all need right now. Which Hogwarts House are you? Find out with our Sorting Hat quiz. Need even more HP in your life? Check out our guide to ‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’ in the West End.

 Daniel Craig’s final Bond film, No Time to Die, is finally here and getting glowing reviews – including a five-star write-up from Time Out’s Phil De Semlyen. Also a major talking point? The actor’s choice of attire for last night’s swanky premiere at the Royal Albert Hall.  When you’re a world-famous actor bowing out after 15 years in an iconic role, you can totally pull off a raspberry velvet smoking jacket by Savile Row tailors Anderson & Sheppard. This doesn’t mean, however, that people won’t compare you to another famous fictional spy: Austin Powers. Nice to see Daniel Craig channelling Austin Powers at the premier #jamesbond #notimetodie #austinpowers pic.twitter.com/bvxgaPHPMy — Miriam Hurley (@miribobs) September 28, 2021 Big fan of Daniel Craig dressing up as Austin Powers for the James Bond premiere #GroovyBaby https://t.co/yw0VYF1VyL — Daniel Lewis (@danllew8) September 28, 2021 ‘He can get away with it,’ one commenter wrote on the Time Out London Facebook page. ‘Normal blokes would look like an old pub settee.’ Another quipped playfully: ‘I knew MI6 had something to do with the disappearance of my nan’s curtains.’ However, other Bond fans were less waggish about Craig’s statement jacket. ‘I love it & he stands out amongst all those in black,’ said one Facebook commenter. Another said appreciatively: ‘Only a strong, confident man can pull a pink velvet jacket off and Daniel certainly does that!’ Well said, quite frankly. I don’t c