All weekend
WIMBLEDON ART FAIR: More than 180 artists exhibit at Wimbledon Art Fair, giving you a chance to go inside artists’ studios and purchase artworks directly from their creators. FREE ENTRY, 14-17 May 2026
PRINT FAIR: The London Original Print Fair is back at Somerset House with 40+ galleries exhibiting, plus talks and live demonstrations of printmaking techniques. The programme covers prints from old masters to contemporary artists, with featured works by Rembrandt, Dürer, Picasso and Matisse among others. 14-17 May 2026
RARE BOOKS: Books, original manuscripts, letters and rare items are all for sale at the annual Firsts: London’s Rare Book Fair. Taking place at Chelsea’s Saatchi Gallery, this year it has a theme of ‘Revolution’, tying in with the 250th anniversary of the signing of the American Declaration of Independence. 14-17 May 2026
COFFEE FESTIVAL: Get your fill of caffeine and then some, at the London Coffee Festival, a four-day programme of tastings, demos, competitions, shopping and more at The Truman Brewery on Brick Lane. 14-17 May 2026
COUNTRY FESTIVAL: Country and Americana artists get your feet stomping at Highways Festival, on at the Royal Albert Hall. Carly Pearce headlines on Saturday, and Emmylou Harris on Sunday. 15-17 May 2026
VAUXHALL MAY FAIR: Spread across Vauxhall City Farm and the neighbouring Pleasure Gardens, the Vauxhall May Fair brings a slice of countryside life to SE11. Expect sheep shearing and wool spinning demos, small animal petting areas, seed-sowing and plant stalls — plus a family trail and face painting for children. FREE, 16-17 May 2026
HERITAGE CRAFTS WEEKEND: The historic tea clipper Cutty Sark in Greenwich hosts a Heritage Crafts Weekend celebrating the traditional skills used to build and maintain the world-famous ship. Watch demonstrations and try your hand at rope making, caulking, and sanding wooden oars. 16-17 May 2026
RISING VOICES: The V&A South Kensington opens new exhibition Rising Voices: Contemporary Art From Asia, Australia and the Pacific, showcasing rare works by over 40 artists that foreground First Nations perspectives and contemporary practices from across the Asia Pacific. From 16 May 2026
DULWICH FESTIVAL: Myriad events are part of the final weekend of the Dulwich Festival programme, including the Love West Dulwich Spring Fair on Saturday, and a West Norwood Cemetery tour and the Goose Green Fair on Sunday. Until 17 May 2026
SEURAT AND THE SEA: Last chance to see the Courtauld Gallery’s current exhibition, Seurat and the Sea, a display of 26 paintings, oil sketches and drawings by Georges Seurat exploring his seascapes from Honfleur, Port‑en‑Bessin and Gravelines. Until 17 May 2026
Saturday 16 May
CHEAM CHARTER FAIR: Head down to the London-Surrey border for the Cheam Charter Fair, an event thought to date back to 1259. These days, it kicks off with a procession at 9am, followed by a market of stalls from local businesses and community groups, as well as characters in costume and other entertainment. FREE ENTRY, 9am-2pm
SOUTH BANK ARCHITECTURE: Join Open City for a South Bank architecture walking tour that traces the area’s evolution from the mid-19th century to the present day. Explore iconic landmarks including the Royal Festival Hall, the National Theatre and the community-led development of the Coin Street Estate. 10am-12pm
DOLLSHOUSE FESTIVAL: Experience life in miniature at the final day of Kensington Dollshouse Festival. 130 top miniaturists from multiple countries exhibit and sell their works, plus there are displays, kids’ activities and more. An ideal day out if you enjoy feeling like Gulliver in Lilliput. 10am-5pm
MORNING GLORYVILLE: Join daytime sober rave Morning Gloryville at Chelsea’s Embargo Republica with Vincent Bugozi, hosts Katie Goldfinch, DJ sets from Kemi Ọshi and Joshua Roberts, and wellness activities including a yoga session and chair massages. 11am-3pm
CAMBERWELL FOOD FESTIVAL: Eat around the world at the annual Camberwell Food Festival on Camberwell Green with street food from across the globe, live music, local breweries and wine tasting, arts and craft stalls, a community lunch and family-friendly workshops. FREE ENTRY, 11am-7pm
FOOD FAIR: The Future of Food Festival comes to an end with a one-day open-air market and food fair in St James’s Market. Choose from seasonal dishes from restaurants including FOWL, Scully St James’s, Sael and Toba, and sustainable producers such as Paxton & Whitfield and Bentley’s Oyster Bar & Grill. 12pm-7pm
TEA AND FANS: Amitabha Garden partners with the Fan Museum in Greenwich for a culturally immersive Tea Ceremony and Fan Talk held in the museum’s picturesque Orangery. Explore traditional Chinese tea culture alongside Asian fan heritage, focusing on mindfulness and storytelling. 1pm-3.30pm
ANTI-SLAVERY CAMPAIGNS: Footprints of London guide Laura Agustín leads a walking tour exploring a century of abolitionist history, from Chancery Lane to Embankment Gardens. Visit sites linked to activists like Olaudah Equiano and Mary Prince, revealing the legal cases and community stories that challenged the 18th century “Aristocracy of Skin”. 1pm-3.30pm
QUEER PUNK PERFORMANCE: Battersea Arts Centre hosts Dance Me to the End of Love, an immersive performance from Margate-based duo pink suits. Set inside a personal art installation against a live Leonard Cohen album, the show subverts the pair’s signature political rage to explore intimacy, grief and their private world as collaborators and lovers. 2pm/6pm
TRENT PARK SECRETS: Waterstones Enfield Church Street hosts author Sue Elliott for a signing of her new book, Trent Park House. The narrative explores the north London estate’s multifaceted history, from its days as a high-society playground for Sir Philip Sassoon to its role as a secret wartime prison camp that rivalled Bletchley Park. 2pm
COMEDY FOOTBALL TROPHY: Head up to the top of the Metropolitan line for Alex Horne’s Comedy Football Trophy, taking place at Chesham United’s home ground The Meadow. Comedians, social media stars and footballers go head-to-head in a football match to raise money for local charities, with entertainment beforehand. Doors 12.30pm, K/O 3pm
TWILIGHT TOUR: Sir John Soane’s Museum hosts an after-hours Twilight Tour of the architect’s remarkable home. An expert guide leads a small group through the atmospheric interiors, reawakening the vast collection of art and antiquities after the daily crowds have departed. 6pm-7pm
FLOWER GIRL: Dalston’s Rio Cinema hosts a special screening of Flower Girl, a riotously camp comedy from the Philippines. The film follows a self-obsessed celebrity endorser who must find true love to reclaim her vanished anatomy after a surreal encounter with a mysterious fairy. 6pm
STEEL R&B: South Norwood’s Stanley Arts hosts the Endurance Steel Orchestra for an evening of rhythm and nostalgia. All four of the orchestra’s groups perform a live set of R&B anthems spanning the 1970s to the 2000s, covering everything from George Benson to Usher. 6.30pm-9pm
ARSENAL PODCAST LIVE: Union Chapel in Islington hosts a collaborative live show featuring the teams behind Arseblog and ArsenalVision. Join Andrew, James, Elliot, Paul, Clive and Tim for a night of dedicated Arsenal chat and a Q&A. 6.30pm
FERMENTATION SCIENCE: Gastronomist Robin Sherriff visits the Royal Institution to explore the mysterious biological processes behind miso, kimchi and kombucha. The science of fermentation talk includes practical tips for repeatable results and a chance to try small food samples after the lecture. 7pm-8.30pm
84 CHARING CROSS ROAD: Foyles Charing Cross Road is the apt location for a celebration of Helene Hanff’s novel 84, Charing Cross Road. The evening explores Hanff’s long-distance relationship with the London bookshop. 7pm
EUROVISION FINAL: The 2026 Eurovision final takes place in Vienna, but if you aren’t lucky enough to be heading to Austria, swing by one of these London venues screening all the Eurovision action. Expect glitter, confetti, singalongs and as much cheesiness as is physically possible — Eurovision isn’t to be taken lightly!
SILENT DISCO: Kew Gardens hosts a high-energy Silent Disco inside the Victorian Temperate House, where you can dance among rare plants from around the world. Switch between two channels featuring DJ Goldierocks and DJ Sugai, with a bar and food available throughout the evening. 7pm-10.30pm
CANDLELIGHT CLUB: Regular 1920s-themed speakeasy party The Candlelight Club throws a May Ball. Get glammed up and head to a secret south London location for an evening of dancing to live jazz, ragtime and swing music, plus Charleston dance lessons, tarot reading and other themed entertainment. 7pm-1am
ACES HIGH: The Cinema Museum in Kennington hosts a special 50th anniversary of Aces High (1976), the acclaimed First World War drama exploring the aerial battles of the Royal Flying Corps. Based on the play Journey’s End, the film is followed by a live Q&A with stars Peter Firth and David Wood. 7.30pm
ROBIN INCE: Comedian and author Robin Ince returns to Kings Place to celebrate the paperback launch of his neurodivergence-themed book, Normally Weird and Weirdly Normal. The evening features a mix of poetry and stories exploring everything from activism and loneliness to the joy of Doctor Who. 7.30pm
FREE FILM FESTIVAL: Herne Hill Velodrome hosts an open-air screening of Rob Reiner’s classic coming-of-age film Stand By Me as part of the Herne Hill Free Film Festival. Follow Gordie, Chris, Teddy and Vern on their adventure along the tracks. Beer, wine and snacks are available to buy on-site. FREE, 8.30pm-11pm
SOPHIE GARRAD: Comedian Sophie Garrad brings her show Poor Little Rich Girl to Leicester Square Theatre, mining her chaotic private-school childhood and online sketches for a stand-up hour about class, identity, privilege and the prison system. 9.30pm
SCARED TO DANCE: Regular club night Scared To Dance returns to The Shacklewell Arms in Dalston with guest DJs Caroline joining resident Paul Richards. Expect a post-punk and indie-focused playlist featuring the likes of Talking Heads, Fontaines D.C., Blondie and Wet Leg. 11pm
Sunday 17 May
CAMERA FAIR: Dealers, collectors and photographers selling and trading vintage and modern cameras, lenses, film, books and accessories gather at the Photographica Camera Fair at the Royal National Hotel in Bloomsbury. 10am-4pm
TREE WALK: Take part in a guided walk starting and ending at the Brunel Museum, exploring trees in Rotherhithe and Southwark Park, including the monkey puzzle tree and other notable specimens. 10.30am-11.30am
PLANT SALE: Charlton House & Gardens hosts the return of its popular plant sale, featuring a variety of flora grown in the venue’s own walled gardens. Alongside the surplus greenery, browse stalls offering homemade cakes and fresh local produce, as well as a craft market. 11am–3pm
WOOLWICH WALK: Explore the eclectic riverside history of Woolwich on this guided walk, which visits 18th century gun factories and palatial Victorian municipal buildings, while revealing the origin story of Arsenal FC. You’ll also see 1930s art deco architecture and the area’s recent regeneration projects. 11am-1pm
GRAND FLANEUR WALK: ‘A celebration of the pure, the immutable and the pointless, taken by the bold, the adventurous and the inebriated’ is how organisers describe the Grand Flaneur Walk, a stroll without purpose, with participants wearing their finest dandy, flaneur or fop outfits — think top hats, handlebar moustaches, pocket squares, pocket watches, the works! FREE, from 12pm
TULSA BALLET: Oklahoma’s Tulsa Ballet makes its Linbury Theatre debut with three uniquely American works, by Yuri Possokhov, Nicolo Fonte and Andy Blankenbuehler. 2pm
FAMILY RAVE: The Fox and Firkin in Lewisham hosts a pirate-themed Big Fish Little Fish family rave in its festival-style garden. Resident DJs Baker & Beale spin an eclectic set of club tunes for all ages, accompanied by a dance floor filled with bubbles, giant balloons and a parachute dance. There are also pirate-themed crafting tables, face painting and homemade pizza available at the venue. 2pm-4pm
HENRY VIII: The CryerArts Centre in Carshalton hosts a theatrical encounter with the Tudor monarch in Divorced, Behead, Died: An Audience with King Henry VIII. Set in 1544, the performance finds an ageing, ill-humoured King recounting the events of his long reign and inviting his “loyal subjects” to petition or question him on any subject. 3pm
LONDON ON FILM: Blue Badge guide and author Rachel Kolsky leads a talk on London’s film locations, including those used in Four Weddings and a Funeral, Closer, Notting Hill and other films, and considers how portrayals of the city have changed over time. Takes place at Wilderness Kitchen, in Clerkenwell. 3pm
MINDFUL PHOTOGRAPHY: Reconnect with your surroundings at the Forty Hall Estate in Enfield during a Mindful Photography Walk. Led by a professional tutor, the relaxed session uses creative prompts and technical tips to encourage a slower pace, focusing on textures and light rather than perfect results. It is suitable for all abilities, whether you are using a DSLR or just a smartphone. 3pm-4.30pm
BEYOND BOTANICAL: Chelsea Physic Garden hosts a unique evening to celebrate the launch of Beyond Botanical with Daniel the Gardener. Rather than a standard book launch, the event features a guided drawing session led by the botanical artist, accompanied by live acoustic music from Diana Vela and a short guided immersion soundscape. 5.30pm-8pm
SALSA FOREVER: Enjoy a high-energy tribute to a legendary trombonist and creative visionary at Camden’s Jazz Cafe. Willie Colón: Salsa Forever features a live band of London’s finest Latin musicians performing brassy arrangements from across his career, including the urban storytelling of Pedro Navaja and the sophisticated rhythms of Siembra. 6pm-9.30pm
IMRAN YUSUF: Camden Comedy Club hosts a work-in-progress performance of Essentially Existential, featuring the comedian’s signature blend of subversive satire and philosophical ponderings. Yusuf uses the intimate space to shape new material that explores the “unwinnable game of life” with sharp, thought-provoking storytelling. 6pm
NIGHTS FOR UKRAINE: Highgate’s intimate venue The Red Hedgehog hosts a piano recital by Vasilis Rakitzis as part of its ongoing series of benefit events. The programme features a selection of classical masterworks by Chopin, Schubert, Brahms and Beethoven, with proceeds supporting humanitarian efforts. 7pm
JIM MAGEEAN: Ye Olde Rose & Crown Theatre Pub in Walthamstow hosts a night of powerful folk music with Jim Mageean. Known for his commanding voice and expertise in sea shanties, the North East-born singer draws on an extensive repertoire of maritime songs and broader folk knowledge. 7.30pm
MATT HAIG: Bestselling author Matt Haig celebrates his latest work at the Garrick Theatre. The Midnight Train sees the writer discuss his career and the themes of his new book at the historic Charing Cross Road venue. 8pm
