Rosie Hewitson

No matter what your view on the scenester’s paradise of east London, it’s likely you’ll still have been lured there at least once or twice. Stumbling about on a Shoreditch side street in the early hours of the morning in search of a night buses home after a few too many £7 craft beers is a London right of passage, after all. But, amid the themed cafes, ping pong bars and hybrid art-gallery-slash-barber shop businesses, east London packs in some of the city’s very best museums, markets, restaurants and green spaces. Plus, there are more than a few London institutions here: from teeth-stickingly chewy, late-night bagels on Brick Lane, full English breakfasts with a side of Italian/cockney banter at E Pellici and Columbia Road’s flower market (aka the best way to spend a Sunday morning in London).  There’s something for everyone out east, whether you’re looking for brilliant restaurants like Mambow and Sune, lovely green spaces like Dalston East Curve Garden and Walthamstow Wetlands, or dazzling London history like Dennis Severs’ House and the Museum of the Home. Whatever your tastes, here’s our edit of the most enticing attractions, as picked by east London-loving Time Out editors. RECOMMENDED: The 50 best things to do in London This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, click here. So east London it hurts? Follow our Time Out East London WhatsApp channel for the latest news, openings and goss from the

Want a drink? You've come to the right place. This is Time Out’s list of best bars in London, our curated guide to London’s drinking scene, featuring the buzziest booze dens in the capital right now. If it’s on this list, it’s excellent. These are the 50 places we'd recommend to a friend, because we love drinking in them and have done many times over. From classy cocktail joints to delightful dives, hotel bars, speakeasys, bottle shops, rooftops and wine bars, London's got them all. But what makes a truly good bar? Well, our critieria for inclusion on this list is simple; a menu of genius drinks is important, but so is overall vibe – there’s no point having the perfect paloma if you have to drink it in a bar that smells of bins. To make the Top 50, a bar has to be fun, inclusive, and full of nice, friendly people as well as looking the part.  April 2025: A rash of great new bars have opened in London over the past year or so and many of them have made the immediate jump to our hallowed Top 50. The latest additions to our list include rowdy sports bar meets 80s horror movie set Bloodsports in Covent Garden, whisky wonderland Dram Bar on Denmark Street, the hypnotic Bar Lotus in Dalston, Below Stone Nest in Chinatown, Rasputin’s by London Fields, and Bar Lina, an Italian aperitivo spot underneath a famous Soho deli. Now go forth and drink. RECOMMENDED: Like bars? Then you'll love London's best pubs.  Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor, and she'll have a gi

The future of some of London’s day festivals may have been thrown up in the air earlier this summer, but Londoners are still exceptionally lucky to have an abundance of day-long musical extravanganzas to choose from, with something taking place almost every weekend throughout the warmer months. Forget trekking across the country to live in a field for five days. When you live in London, you can hop on the tube, and an hour later you’re listening to your favourite artists, tinny to hand, knowing that there’s a hot shower and a cosy bed waiting for you once the day is over. We Londoners love live music, so it’s no surprise that we’re absolutely spoilt for choice when summer rolls around. You’ve got festivals devoted to hip-hop, jazz, leftfield pop, disco, afrobeats, heavy rock ‘n’ roll. Whatever your taste may be, my god does London have a day festival for you. We are right in the thick of festival season right now. You’ve probably already secured the tickets and started planning your outfit, but if you’re doing things a little last minute this summer, there is still time to plan your day festis. Have a scroll through our comprehensive guide – which we keep meticulously updated with all the latest line-up announcements – and see what takes your fancy. RECOMMENDED: ⛺ The best UK music festivals🌍 The best festivals in Europe

When it comes to picking something to do in London, there’s simply so much choice: world-class clubs, inspiring galleries, and mind-blowing restaurants – we’ve got the lot. The downside? Frankly, it's a lot to take in. The intrepid urban explorer can check out our ultimate list of 101 things to do in London, but here you’ll find a focused guide to south London – a vibrant area with everything from brilliant brunch spots to bustling street food markets.   From Peckham to Greenwich, Crystal Palace to Brixton, south of the river has never looked more appealing. We’re sure you’ll agree – south London has got it going on.  RECOMMENDED: The best things to do in west, north and east London  This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, click here.

It’s the neighbourhood where all the cool kids go out to play, so it’s hardly surprising that you’re spoilt for choice when it comes to drinking options in Hackney. Cocktail bars are cutting edge, but in a way that’s not too try-hard. Wine bars bring high-end vino down to earth. And some of the country’s best breweries are found in the area, with hip, hop-heavy taprooms for the beer-loving public to explore, as well as two of London's most hedonistic heavy metal dive bars. Browse through our list of the area’s best bars for boozing inspiration come day or night thoughout Hackney – including Stoke Newington, London Fields, Bethnal Green, and Hackney Wick. If you're hungry, here are Hackney's best restaurants.  RECOMMENDED: Try out the very best bars in London.  Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor, and has done far more than her fair share of drinking in Hackney over the years. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

Forget starchy and old-fashioned. London’s best wine bars are bringing the humble grape to cool crowds of discerning drinkers. Find cosy, bistro-style settings with great food, sophisticated bars that are perfect for date night, or hip Hackney hangouts where wine is the drink du jour. Discover everything from natural wines to grapes from far-flung vineyards, plus service from knowledgeable, approachable staff. One thing is for certain, you’ll find more than a bargain bin Sauv Blanc at these great grape-peddlers. RECOMMENDED: These are London’s best bars.  Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

By August you might be feeling burnt out by the preceeding months of beer-garden-drinking, day-festivalling and sun-lounging. But we’re here to tell you to rally, because there are plenty of reasons to get excited about the final month of summer in London. The biggest thing happening? It’s Notting Hill Carnival – the biggest festival of its kind in Europe that takes over the streets of west London for the bank holiday weekend.  When you’re not having a riotous time dancing to tinnitus-inducing dance hall with a pocket full of Red Stripe, there are plenty of other ways to get your fill of live music this month. All Points East, Body Movements and Boiler Room Festival are just a few of the festivals pitching their tents and blasting music across various parks in London. UK Black Pride is also back for its 20th anniversary this year, with what promises to be its biggest and boldest event yet. It’s also your last chance to catch huge theatre shows and art exhibitions, including Evita starring Rachel Zegler, Inter Alia with Rosamund Pike and Leigh Bowery! at Tate Modern Before September hits, let’s hope there’s enough sun for a London lido swim, lazy days in the city’s parks, outdoor-cinema sessions and all the other alfresco pleasures that summer in London has to offer.  Plan your whole year with our BIG London events calendar.

The weekend might not shape up to be quite as much of a scorcher as last week, but it’s still set to be pretty balmy out there as July continues – and there’s plenty to fill our diaries up with, no matter what the weather.  When you’re not filling up your sweet days off with all those things we love about the season: beer garden hangs, alfresco dining, picnics in the park, open-air theatre and cinema and lido visits, look out for London’s biggest craft beer festival, where you can sip suds from a whole range of brilliant breweries. Or, party in the beautiful Master Shipwrights House in Deptford at new arts festival Desire Lines from the folks behind Brainchild and bag tickets to a whole range of great gigs at Somerset House’s Summer series. Indoors, you’ll find a new run of Beth Steel’s wonderfully Chekhovian drama Till the Stars Come Down, which has transferred to the West End. Head to your favourite local cinema to watch a stirring performance from Sally Hawkins in the brilliantly dark and depraved Aussie chiller Bring Her Back. Or, if you’ve failed to get tickets before, there’s another chance to see the smash hit Bob Dylan jukebox musical Girl From the North Country, as it returns to its original home, the Old Vic. Enjoy!  Start planning: here’s our roundup of the 25 best things to do in London in 2025 Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Time Out London newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox.

Monday July 14: Welcome to a new week, London. After another summer heatwave packed festivals and some fabulous sporting fixtures, temperatures are looking (mercifully) a little cooler as we head into the latter half of July. But there’s still plenty of summery fun on the horizon. Think outdoor cinema, alfresco art, open-air gigs, day-drinking, the knock-out stages of the Women’s Euros and loads more. Read on for more details! Got a few hours to kill today? You’re in luck. London is one of the very best places on the planet to be when you find yourself with a bit of spare time. In this city, you’re never too far away from a picturesque park, a lovely pub or a cracking cinema, and on any given day, you’ve got a wealth of world-class art shows, blockbuster theatre and top museum exhibitions to choose from if you’re twiddling your thumbs. Use your spare time wisely with our roundup of the best things happening in London today, which gets updated every single day and includes a specially selected top pick from our Things to Do Editor seven days a week. Bookmark this page, and you’ll have absolutely no excuse to be bored in London ever again! Find even more inspiration with our curated round-ups of the best things to do in London this week and weekend

Why not enjoy your dinner with a side of strange? London is home to hundreds of amazing restaurants, but sometimes everyone hankers for a talking point with their tapas. We’ve rounded up a serious bunch of entertaining eateries: oddball decor, kooky culinary concepts and – yes – cats. Our list of unusual restaurants will delight animal lovers, garlic fans, and yodellers and more. You’ll find these joints in venues as varied as a boat, a prison and a church crypt. This is dining with a difference.  RECOMMENDED: The best weird bars in London. Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

  Have you detected a soporific, herbaceous whiff in the air? Lavender season is here and as spring deepens into summer, the richly-scented purple blooms – tough enough to survive the hotter days – are in full form.  The deliciously fragrant purple flowers are at their peak between June and September, reaching their zenith in August, when the bees and bumblebees get to enjoy a pollen bonanza. Not only do they smell great, but at London’s glorious lavender fields, the mauve flowers on mass create epic backdrops, perfect for a scenic picnic or your Instagram feed.  There are endless varieties, each with its own colour palette and distinct aroma, from pale lilac to deepest indigo. In London, Kennington Park, Kew Gardens and Vauxhall Park are top destinations for lavender-fanciers. Or make a day of it and head to whole farms dedicated to the mauve blooms just outside the capital, in Kent, Surrey and Hertfordshire. Immerse yourself in a purple haze this summer by visiting one of London’s fragrant lavender gardens, or head out of town on a day trip to find sweeping fields of the stuff. Got the bug for a wholesome, sweet-smelling day out? Pay a visit to some of the blooming, beautiful lavender farms further afield across the UK.  RECOMMENDED: The best things to do outdoors in London.

  The heatwave might be over, but it’s still pretty balmy out in London this week – and there are plenty of treats in store for those wanting to fill their diary up this July. The Wimbledon Tennis Championships have ended, but there’s still plenty of sport to watch. The Lionesses have made it through to the quarter-finals of the Women’s Euros and you can catch all the action from the next stage of the tournament at a whole host of brilliant screenings, parties and fan events in London – we’ve rounded up a selection of our favourites.  If you’ve had your fill of Vitamin D, indoors you’ll find a new run of Beth Steel’s wonderfully Chekhovian drama Till the Stars Come Down, which has transferred to the West End. Head to your favourite local cinema to watch a stirring performance from Sally Hawkins in the brilliantly dark and depraved Aussie chiller Bring Her Back. Or, if you’ve failed to get tickets before, there’s another chance to see the smash hit Bob Dylan jukebox musical Girl From the North Country, as it returns to its original home, the Old Vic.  For more alfresco fun, sip suds at London’s biggest craft beer festival, which is taking over Magazine London in Greenwich, party in the beautiful Master Shipwrights House in Deptford at new arts festival Desire Lines from the folks behind Brainchild and bag tickets to a whole range of great gigs at Somerset House’s Summer series. Enjoy! Start planning: here’s our roundup of the 25 best things to do in London in 2025 Stay in the

A longstanting Soho tradition – it celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2025 – this annual neighbourhood knees-up is organised by volunteers from the Soho Society, and sees the garden of Soho’s St Anne’s Church bursting with live music and entertainment.  The main draw of the day is the Soho Waiters’ Race. A tradition dating back to 1955, it starts at 3.15pm outside the French House, and sees a gaggle of waiters pelt through the streets of Soho, each holding a tray stacked with a bottle of champers, a glass and a napkin, all of which must be intact when they cross the finish line Another crowd favourite is the Soho Dog Show, which awards eight different prizes including ‘Dog who looks most like their owner’.  Alongside this, visitors can expect six hours of entertainment including live music, drag performances, snail racing, a spaghetti-eating contest, a tug-of-war, foodie stalls, tarot readings and a Pimms bars.  Best of all? It’s absolutely free to attend, although the gardens have a maximum capacity of 500, so turn up nice and early or be prepared to queue.

Dreaming of a Mediterranean getaway this summer but not got the annual leave or the spare cash to make it happen? This Sunday, you can spend the afternoon in Italy for the price of a tube fare. Just head to Clerkenwell Road, where the annual Procession of Our Lady of Mount Carmel revives the spirit of what was once London’s Little Italy. A tradition dating all the way back to 1883, the procession starts at St Peter’s Italian Church (built in the 1860s for the area’s then booming Italian population) at 3.30pm, and forms the centrepiece Italian-style festival, or sagra, on the streets of Clerkenwell from 11am.  Join the crowds lining the roads to watch life-size scenes of saints, martyrs and other Biblical types cruise by on floats, then scoff arancini, prosciutto, gelato and cannoli at the stalls set up on Warner Street. Here’s hoping for a little bit of Neapolitan sunshine to make it even more like being on holiday. 

One of London’s ‘magnificent seven’ garden cemeteries, this 12.5 hectare parkland dates nack to the early eighteenth century, when it was first planted by Lady Mary Abney. Managed by the Abney Park Trust, it hosts a variety of events within its grounds and Grade II-listed chapel – the oldest surviving non-denominational chapel in Europe – including open-air theatre and cinema in the summer months, and nature walks and literary salons throughout the year. From Abolitionists and trailblazing feminists to political campaigners, performances and pioneering educationalists, some fascinating residents have been laid to rest in the cemetery, and visitors can learn more about them on one of the park tours, which run more or less monthly on a donation basis.  Hackney Council recently completed a major National Lottery-funded restoration project to create a new accessible entrance on Stoke Newington Church Street, restore the chapel, add a cafe and events space, and promote biodiversity by adding new green roofs and habitats suitable for bees and other insects. 

It’s surely a recession indicator how much London has fallen in love with the concept of the ‘dive bar’ of late. Last year saw the opening of Rasputin’s, a dimly lit Mare Street spot just a few doors down from OG east London dive Helgi’s. Opened by the gang behind Dom’s Subs, it quickly made a name for itself with its £12 ‘Reaganomics Special’ – a martini and two hot dogs – which patrons order from a bar decorated with all manner of bric-a-brac and retro TVs playing schlocky B movies. Then MeatLiquor got in on the act with Bloodsports, a Covent Garden sports bar that’s open ‘til 2am , has both a pool table and karaoke machine, screens every sporting fixture you could ask for alongside classic horror films, and offers an ‘Austerity Measure’ boilermaker – i.e. a tinnie of Carlsberg and an American-sized shot of bourbon – on its sizeable drinks menu.  The latest place to capture the hearts of London’s thrift-conscious, Americana-loving booze hounds is this poky joint opened by the same people as vegan Sichuanese restaurant Facing Heaven. Also found on Hackney’s Mare Street – Hackney Central is London’s answer to the Lower East Side at this point – Easy 8 is replete with classic ‘dive bar’ signifiers; think fairy lights, wood-panelled walls, a confusing array of wall decor encompassing both a Scully and Mulder poster and a framed Sacred Heart of Jesus picture, liberally tagged loos and eerie red lighting reminiscent of a David Lynch movie. Order this The menu is short and sweet,

What is it? Consisting of ten reservoirs and over 200 hectares, Walthamstow Wetlands is a fully operational Thames Water site used as the main source of water supply to 3.5 million people. The largest urban wetland in Europe, it’s also a Site of Special Scientific Interest and an internationally significant conservation site, as well as a great place for Londoners looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life for a few hours.  Why go? To get a good old dose of nature. With a vast range of habitats, from sheltered scrubland and dense reed beds to large bodies of clean water, the Wetlands are teeming with wildlife. If you’re into bird-watching, this is a prime spot for spotting swans, kestrels and geese. The twelve reservoirs comprise the largest fishery in London, and are regularly restocked with rainbow trout, making this a great place for both beginners and experienced anglers to go fishing.  E17’s industrial history also gives the area a striking and unusual aesthetic, with old metalworks and gunpowder mills dotting the fecund green spaces. Go exploring and you may also come across toads, frogs, hedgehogs and a huge variety of waterfowl among them. Don’t miss Built in 1894, the former Marine Engine House now serves as a visitor centre and café. Serving up locally-roasted coffee, toasties and homemade bakes, it’s the ideal place to stop by and refuel after a long hike.  When to visit The Wetlands are open from 9.30am daily, but closing time varies depending on

Are you a fan of plummy Spanish reds? Great news, if so. In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Rioja region’s ‘Denominación de Origen’, east London is hosting a huge new wine festival dedicated to Spain’s most iconic red. Visitors will be able to sample over 50 varieties of the wine by the glassa, take part in masterclasses with TV presenter and wine expert Olly Smith and some of the region’s top winemakers, try dishes from celebrity chefs José Pizarro and Omar Allibhoy and snack on pintxos and other Spanish fare from a variety of street food vendors. There’ll also be DJs spinning tunes (Rosalía and Bad Bunny, we’d imagine) and a competition where you can win a bottle of Rioja from your birth year. Best of all? You don’t eve have to pay for entry, or if you pay for entry you’ll get wine sample tokens worth more than the price of your ticket (including 2 for 1 entry on Sunday which gets you £24 of wine tokens for just a tenner). Salud to that!  

What is it? This Grade II-listed east London gem is the oldest surviving Grand Music Hall in the world. Opened in the mid-19th century by businessman John Wilton in buildings erected in the 1690s, Wilton’s has survived the intervening century and a half more or less intact, thanks in part to the efforts of one-time Poet Laureate John Betjeman and the Methodist Church. These days it stages more 300 performances a year, encompassing an eclectic range of more than 80 different productions, from opera, musicals and concerts to touring dates for big-name theatre shows. Why go? Walking down Graces Alley towards Wilton's is like stepping back in time. The exterior – cobbled together from five Victorian house fronts – is chicly shabby, with peeling paint in mismatched colours, and long-extinguished gas lamps hanging along the walls beside flower baskets. A sensitive refurb back in 2015 made the wise decision to keep the same artistically crumbling vibes going in its church-like auditorium, adding modern lighting, heating and ventilation but retaining most of its faded period features. Inside you’ll find ‘barley sugar’ cast iron pillars, the sloping wooden floor, the carved balcony and the classical arches around the upper walls. And the attractively crumbling plasterwork, gilt, and exposed brickwork throughout the building make it one of London's most beautiful theatres. Don’t miss Wilton’s bohemian downstairs bar, where you can enjoy a quiet cocktail in one of its conspiratorial no

Missing The Glory, the infamous London pub that was a key part of the capital’s queer scene? The Divine is the venue run by that much-missed space’s team and owned by iconic drag queens Jonny Woo and John Sizzle. Located just a short sashay down the road on the site of long-lost Dalston bar Birthdays (gosh, remember that place?) the venue is similarly split across two floors; a main bar upstairs where you can enjoy a quiet(ish) drink, and a performance venue in the basement. Head down to check out the ecclectic programme of outré cabaret shows, drag competitions and fringe theatre, before dancing until the small hours as the place transforms into a sequin-studded, drag-fuelled, pop-tastic disco. RECOMMENDED: ‘Dark, sexy, shambolic’: an oral history of The Glory

Looking for a proper atmosphere in which to catch the Lionesses’ games this summer? Women’s football platform Indivisa has partnered with Adidas (ever hear of ’em?) for the return of its screening pop-up Indivisa HQ during the group stages of Euro 2025. Alongside multiple 5-meter screens showing all the action live from Switzerland, fans can expect footie-themed talks, film screenings, a grassroots tournament, live music and loads more. It all kicks off on Wednesday 9 July with Wales vs France and England vs Netherlands in Group D – when Clwb Creative Cymru have curated a line-up of Welsh entertainment ranging from a traditional brass band to DJs from Diff Radio – and wraps up on Sunday 14 July with a home nations derby and France vs Netherlands, when Mundial will be premiering a short documentary about the grassroots scene and Stonewall FC will be curating the musical line-up. And throughout the week, fans will also be able to pimp their old footie kits at an Adidas Customisation Station, get their nails done at the Fanicure Bar and check out panel discussions and creative talks featuring a whole bunch of grassroots footie talents from Romance FC, Ex-Girlfriend FC, Whippets FC, Baes FC and the Goalposts League. Best of all? Tickets are free, but first come first served, so grab yours asap!

The RA’s annual showcase of all the artists you need to know about right now is back to brighten up the summer holidays. Now in its 257th year, the world’s oldest open submission exhibition (which means anyone can enter their work to be considered for inclusion) is curated by a different member of the Royal Academy each year. The artist who was tasked with the big job in 2025 is British-Iranian architect Farshid Moussavi. The great thing about the Summer Exhibition is that it’s open to all, and the selectors pick from thousands of entries. That means that your mate’s mum’s weird little whittled sculptures of George Michael might be shown alongside something by Antony Gormley. It’s a good opportunity to spot an art star of the future, but it also still knows how to get the big art names in. And there’s a huge amount to see. From miniature paintings to enormous canvases, architectural models to photography, the exhibition features literally hundreds of works, meaning there’s something for everyone. And hey, most of it is for sale, so you may just be able to nab a bargain. Inside the Royal Academy’s 2025 Summer Exhibition

All Points East returns to Vicky Park for its seventh edition in 2025. Since debuting in 2018, the festival has garnered a reputation for building some of the most exciting line-ups in the UK. Its headliners are often indie or dance-focused big-hitters, while its undercards are packed with cult heroes and rising stars you can say you saw first. As well as the ticketed weekend events, look out for All Points East In the Neighbourhood, the festival’s free midweek programme of community activities including film screenings, live sports, theatre, family fun and more.  When is All Points East 2025? All Points East returns in its usual slot in 2025, taking place in Victoria Park over the weekends of August 15-17 and August 22-24. How much are tickets? Each show is priced differently, as are the different levels of access on offer. Ticket prices for all 2025 shows are yet to be announced, but so far, general admission tickets range from £68.85 to £79.75, with VIP offerings available for between £112.65 and £154.75. If you want to beat the crowds to a prime spot, you can nab a primary entry ticket. There are also payment plans available if you’d prefer not to drop the full ticket price all at once. Really want to go but can’t afford to drop the full ticket price all at once? Payment plans are available. Every year APE also organises a free mid-week programme in collaborating with Tower Hamlets Council for locals called In The Neighbourhood. Details of 2025’s edition haven’t been rele

Now in its fourth year, South Facing might still be a fledgling festival compared to some of the other events on the calendar, but it continues a long and impressive legacy of live music events at the Crystal Palace Bowl, which has previously hosted the likes of Elton John, Bob Marley, Vera Lynn and Pink Floyd. South Facing brings the same level of thrilling eclecticism with its line-ups for summer 2025. When is South Facing 2025? South Facing will return to Crystal Palace Bowl for several summer dates. Festival organisers have announced programming on August 8, 16, 22, 23, and 24. How much are tickets? Ticket prices vary depending on the show and the tier you’re interested in. General admission for events announced thus far starts at £39.50. Discounted tickets are available for kids for select nights of the festival, while early bird tickets are cheaper and tickets for some events can be reserved with a £10 deposit. Who’s on the lineup? The Crystal Palace bash has confirmed a diverse mix of events for its 2025 run. Hip-hop legend Busta Rhymes will take over on August 15, joined by Redman, Big Daddy Kane, Chali 2na and more. Multi-platinum Dutch dance duo Tinlicker play their biggest London show yet on August 16 while Basement Jaxx will also play two headline shows on August 22 and 23. The series also features takeovers from Flackstock, Mogwai & Lankum, Morcheeba, an intimate day festival celebrating the life of TV presenter Caroline Flack while raising money for mental healt

July arrived earlier this week, summer is in full swing, and London is looking its cheery best. But as glorious as summer in the city can be, it can also get rather spenny, what with all the summer holidays, music festivals, day trips and mammoth beer garden sessions drinking £11 Aperol spritzes that it usually entails.  Keen to go one weekend without having a heart attack when you check your bank balance? There’s no shortage of wallet-friendly summer fun to be had around town if you know where to go. Here’s our pick of the best free activities on this weekend.  The best free things to do in London this weekend, July 5-6 Take to the streets for London’s Pride Parade Photograph: Michalakis Ppalis / Shutterstock Pride month might now be over, but the biggest event of the ‘Pride season’ arrives this weekend, with over a million revellers expected to take to the streets of London on Saturday for the city’s annual Pride parade. The biggest Pride event in Europe, Pride in London features more than 500 groups, and around 35,000 participants. Attendees can also catch a host of live performances at the Main Stage in Trafalgar Square and five additional stages dotted around Soho and the West End, with the legendary Chaka Khan headlining, with the party continuing late into the night at bars and clubs around Soho. Check out our Parade guide for timings, line-ups and everything else you need to know ahead of the big day.  Start at Hyde Park Corner, W1J. Sat July 5. Free. Catch some hi

London’s arts institutions love a good sleepover. You can already get 40 winks at the Natural History Museum’ Dino Snores nights, the Science Museum’s Astronights and the British Museum’s sleepovers, and now another beloved London arts venue is hosting a truly special, limited-edition overnight experience this September in collaboration with British-German composer Max Richter in celebration of the tenth anniversary of his opus, SLEEP. Comprising 204 individual tracks, SLEEP is an epic, 8 hour and 30 minute-long lullaby created for listeners to fall asleep to, and has previously been performed live at overnight events in a bunch of iconic global settings, including Sydney Opera House, the Philharmonie de Paris and The Great Wall of China. The events – and the mammoth task of preparing for such lengthy performances – were also captured in a documentary of the same name, directed by Richter’s creative partner Yulia Mahr. And now it’s the turn of Alexandra Palace to host more of his truly special all-nighters. The north London music venue will be hosting two performances of SLEEP this September, marking the first time the piece has been performed in London since 2017. The concerts will start at 10pm and finish at around 6am as the sun rises, and audiences will be provided with beds and bedding, as well as being served a light breakfast at the end of the night.  Fancy bunkering down in the Grade II-listed Great Hall for the night? Tickets for the event are on sale now via the Ale

To those of us who have been knocking around east London since the early 2010s, the name Lady Dinah’s Cat Emporium evokes memories of east London at the height of hipsterdom, back when tourists queued up for a table at the Cereal Killer Café, and flamboyantly dressed art school kids partied late into the night at Plastic People and the Joiner’s Arms. But while other hipster hotspots have fallen by the wayside, the UK’s oldest and most famous cat café has survived a decade of enormous upheaval in this particular corner of east London.  Taking inspiration from the pet cafés found across Japan, Lady Dinah’s opened in Bethnal Green in 2014 after a successful crowdfunding campaign, and has been serving a loyal, kitty-loving customer base ever since, while also helping to rehouse dozens of rescue cats thanks to its policy of taking on kitties that have been turned away by shelters, and making them available for adoption by customers. It’s no surprise, then, that current owner Lauren Pears’ recent announcement that she planned to close the business at the end of June after failing to find a buyer received dozens of comments from customers sad to see the end of a much-loved London spot.  But there is hope for Lady Dinah’s yet. Café manager Freyja Westwood has launched a crowdfunding campaign to purchase the café and keep it open, and has already had an excellent response from the spot’s many fans, raising just over half of the £50,000 goal in the first week.  As Freyja says in a camp

We’ve made it to another bank holiday, and the city is gearing up for a whole bunch of festivals, day trips, cultural excursions and nights out over the long weekend. But while we’re hardly ones to grumble at the prospect of an extra day off work, we’re well aware of how spenny these extra days off can get. Making it to the end of May without dipping into the ol’ overdraft can be a challenge, with not one but two bank holidays to get through. But to help, we’ve roundup up a bunch of fun stuff happening around the city that won’t cost you a penny.  The best free things to do in London over the late May Bank Holiday weekend Sink one of 1,000 free pints at Venn Street Records It’s the bank holiday, of course you’re going to be going for a few beers with mates. But all that boozing adds up, so what if we told you that the good people at Venn Street Records are going to be giving away 1,000 free pints this weekend. The vinyl store will be dishing out 250 pints of Camden Hells each day across the bank hol, starting on Friday, May 23 from 5pm until close each day. There will be performances too: on Sunday 25 at 6pm Glasto veterans Brass Funkeys will throw down a special brass set. Tickets are advised, and you can book online here.  78 Venn Street, SW4 0BD. Fri May 23-Sun May 25. Free (advanced booking advised). Photograph: Venn St Records Give your wardrobe a sustainable makeover at Westfield Good Festival Planning a big spring clean of your wardrobe over the bank holiday? You’ll

The wait is over! An agonising 17 years after Tottenham Hotspur last won any silverware – and four decades since they did so in Europe – the Lilywhites have finally got their hands on another trophy.  Wednesday night saw Ange Postecoglou’s injury-stricken team see out a 1-0 victory against fellow English side Manchester United in the Europa League Final in Bilbao. Welsh winger Brennan Johnson was credited with scoring the only goal in the tie (although some would put it down as a Luke Shaw own goal) in a nerve-shredding match, which also featured a magnificent goal-line clearance by defender Micky van de Ven and a late save from goalkeeper Vicario. Over 40,000 Spurs fans watched the victory unfold from inside the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, before flooding the pitch afterwards to celebrate the end of the historic club’s notorious trophy drought. The celebrations then continued long into the night at the area’s pubs and bars, many of which had secured late licenses just for the occasion.  RECOMMENDED: The best Spurs pubs in London. When is the trophy parade? The party isn’t over yet! The club will also be staging an open-top bus parade around Tottenham so that Spurs fans who didn’t make it over to Bilbao will have a chance to celebrate with the team. Kicking of the bank holiday weekend, the parade is due to take place tomorrow evening, on Friday May 23. What time does the trophy parade start? The celebrations will kick off at 3pm from a stage erected outside the north stand o

As one of London’s most famous and well-reputed art galleries, it’s no surprise Tate Modern is also one of the city’s most popular attractions, welcoming around 6 million visitors through its doors each year. And while we’re big fans of the gallery’s efforts to bring modern art to the masses, this does mean that the South Bank institution can get rather crowded, particularly during peak tourist seasons. It’s great news, then, that the gallery will soon be offering early risers the opportunity to take in its world-class collection without having to battle through the crowds, on exclusive  Before Hours tours available through GetYourGuide. Launched in response to GetYourGuide’s own research, which found that a growing number of travellers are concerned about crowding and overtourism, the ‘All Art, No Crowds’ campaign sees the travel experience company partner with Tate Modern, alongside MoMA in New York and the Vatican Museums, to delivery monthly small-group tours before the galleries officially open each morning.  Beginning over the coming bank holiday weekend, the hour-long tours will allow ticket holders to get to know the Tate’s impressive displays with the help of an expert guide or curator, delving into a century of art, from early 1900s modernism to major artists working today, and taking in works that typically draw large crowds and can therefore be difficult to appreciate fully during the gallery’s regular hours.  Tate Modern’s Senior Manager of Tours, Experiences an

The eyes of north London (or at least the Lilywhite half of it) will be on Bilbao this Wednesday evening (May 21), as the second-biggest competition in European club football reaches its conclusion with an all-English final between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.  Naysayers argue that nobody cares about the Europa League, but it’s a crunch game for both of the ‘Big Six’ teams. With the pair looking set to finish in the bottom quarter of the Premier League, victory is their only avenue for securing European football in the 2025/26 campaign, and allows one of them to salvage something from a torrid season.  For Spurs, it would also mean securing a first piece of silverware since 2008, and the club’s first European trophy since 1984, ending a trophy drought that weights more heavily on the storied club with each passing season.  Many local fans will be heading to the boozers and beer gardens of north London to watch Ange Postecoglou’s team face the Red Devils. Looking for a lively atmosphere in which to catch all the nail-biting action? Look no further than our roundup of London’s best Spurs pubs. RECOMMENDED: London’s best football pubs. The Bluecoats Once home to the Bluecoats School for Girls, this quaint Jacobethan building was built in the mid-1830s, but has more recently been the site of solid match day boozing thanks to its proximity to the Spurs stadium. You won’t need a reservation for the big match, but you will need to head down early as the place will be op

It’s mid-May, and London is in for another pretty balmy weekend. But if you’re anything like me, a week of (mostly) gorgeously sunny evenings has seen you spending plenty of time outside the house, tapping your credit card with reckless abandon as you treat yourself to mid-week beer garden sessions, alfresco dinners with friends, and a few new bits for your summer wardrobe.  But don’t resign yourself to a weekend on house arrest just yet. There’s all sorts of wallet-friendly fun to be had around the capital this weekend, including a whole host of freebies on offer, from pints to haircuts. Give your wardrobe a free makeover at Westfield Good Festival Photograph: Westfield Planning a big old wardrobe clearout? You’ll love Westfield’s free festival of pre-loved fashion. The world-renowned shopping centre has teamed up with pre-loved fashion marketplace Depop to stage a series of experiences that will inspire you to embrace embrace sustainable shopping habits. Head down early doors this weekend to shop a curated edit of second-hand threads at an IRL Depop Marketplace, take part in free styling workshops, enjoy free skincare consultations from Kiehl’s, and even nab up to £40 of free clothing alterations courtesy of door-to-door repair business Sojo.  Westfield London, W12 7GF. Fri May 16-Sun May 18. Free (first come, first served). Get a free trim from celebrity barber A Star Fancy getting a trim to rival Jack Grealish’s or Jude Bellingham’s? To mark Mental Health Awareness Week

The Hackney Half Marathon is arguably the most fun of London’s running events (if you can imagine that running for 13.1 miles straight can actually be fun). This Sunday, bands and DJs will be on duty all over the course, keeping more than 20,000 participants energised with pumping beats and classic motivational tunes, and thousands of spectators will line the streets to whoop and cheer their loved ones on. But the vibes won’t stop once you cross the finish line. If you can muster up enough energy and are still able to put one foot in front of the other, don’t miss out on the atmosphere of celebration throughout the borough post-race. There’ll be a bunch of afterparties ready to welcome runners and their supporters all afternoon and into the evening. And make sure you keep that medal around your neck – you could be awarded with a freebie or two.  These are all the best runner freebies, perks and afterparties you need to know about ahead of the Hackney Half this Sunday.  RECOMMENDED: Hackney Half Marathon 2025 – route, start time and everything you need to know. The best Hackney Half freebies and perks 2025 These are all the discounts and free stuff on offer for Hackney Half finishers that we know about so far. (Spoiler: it’s mostly booze.) UBA What you get: A free Hugo spritz and a taco of your choice from Shoreditch’s pan-Asian restaurant, UBA. Your options include salmon ceviche, beef, artichoke, tuna ceviche or hamachi ceviche.  How to claim: Turn up to dine-in at UBA with

There’s nothing quite like the FA Cup. The oldest competition in football reaches its conclusion this weekend, as Crystal Palace take on Manchester City at Wembley Stadium. Crystal Palace will attempting to win the competition for the first time in their history, having lost in the final in 1990 and 2016, while seven-time winners Manchester City will be hoping to salvage a disappointing season which has seen the club suffer its earliest exit from the Champions League in twelve years, and miss out on the Premier League title for the first time since 2020. RECOMMENDED: How to watch the FA Cup final on TV this weekend: channels, pundits, kick-off time and more. Who are the favourites to win the FA Cup 2025? The sky blues are still the bookies’ favourite to lift the trophy on Saturday afternoon, with bookies giving them around a 73 percent chance of winning, but with Pep Guardiola’s team having struggled for form all year, there’s every chance the south Londoners could cause an upset.  When is the FA Cup Final 2025 and what time is kick-off? The FA Cup Final takes place on Saturday May 17 at the home of English football, north-west London’s Wembley Stadium. The match kicks off at 4.30pm and should be finished by around 7.30pm at the latest, even if it ends up going to extra time and then penalties. Keen to catch the big match but not got a ticket to Wembley? London’s pubs and bars will be stepping up to the occasion with all the giant screens and pub grub you could hope for. Her

Reckon you’d make a good 007? Always thought you’d ace that bit in Mission Impossible where Tom Cruise abseils into the CIA headquarters? Then you’ll welcome the opportunity to test out your espionage skills at a new immersive experience arriving in London later this month.  Opening on Friday May 30, SPYSCAPE London is described as a ‘pioneering interactive museum and social gaming experience’ where visitors are able to take part in a range of challenges designed with the help of experts from the fields of intelligence and espionage. The Covent Garden location will be the first overseas outpost for SPYSCAPE, which originally launched in New York in 2018, where it has welcomed over one million visitors to date. Designed specifically for London audiences, the 25,000 square foot venue promises to offer ‘a new take on immersive activities, seamlessly blending the history, the art, and science of espionage and psychology in the modern world.’ Created with the help of real life spy trainers from British Intelligence, psychology professors from Imperial College London and specialists from the CIA and Special Ops, the venue offers two experiences featuring a range of high-tech challenges designed to test players’ mental and physical capabilities.  SPYSCAPE is a narrative-led challenge where players get to crack codes, run surveillance and conduct lie detection tests all while learning about real hackers and spies throughout history and exploring rare gadgets. At the end of the 90-mi

How did you celebrate your 25th birthday? If I recall correctly, mine involved half a dozen pints, a couple of shots, a drunk Maccies on the night bus home and a monumental hangover the next day.  But the Tate Modern is a hell of a lot more sophisticated that I was at 25, and its quarter-century celebration this weekend knocks my little pub gathering out the park. Featuring four days of free workshops, talks, participatory performances, live music and late night DJ sets, the massive weekender starts tomorrow, and the gallery has just announced yet more cool stuff happening across the weekend.  Alongside already-announced DJ line-ups curated by some amazing London crews and collectives the gallery has revealed two huge headliners. Friday’s late opening spotlights south London’s vibrant creative communities, and will feature a headline set from The xx member turned solo artist Romy, who will be taking to the decks for a 2-hour DJ set from 10pm-midnight, with earlier sets curated by the likes of Peckham listening bar Jumbi and British Caribbean festival Radiate.  Saturday night’s festivities will see the gallery taken over by yet more cutting-edge artists and collectives, including a rare London set by Afrobeats station Cultur FM in the Tanks, featuring a headline set from BBC Radio 1 DJ Jaguar. Other DJs throughout the evening have been curated by South Asian creative collective Daytimers, female-fronted Peckham station foundation.fm, Afro-Caribbean LGBTQ+party Queer Bruk and a