25 Things to Do in London This Week

A free East End street festival celebrating Bangladeshi and South Asian food, music and culture, with a colourful opening procession featuring giant puppets, dhol drummers, live bands (including Bollywood Brass Band) and street food stalls along Brick Lane. Great content for a community/culture-loving audience as it draws thousands and includes free family activities like henna painting and saree draping.

The 24th edition of this major design festival sees installations, talks and pop-ups across London, including a light show on St Paul's Cathedral and an immersive sound experience at Wapping Hydraulic Power Station. Great for followers interested in creative meetups and exploring the city's design scene.

London's beloved architecture festival throws open the doors of usually off-limits buildings, from livery halls to City churches, with free guided tours, walks and talks across the capital, ideal for curious explorers and culture-seekers.

A newly opened exhibition bringing seven exceptional pieces of centuries-old Ukrainian sacred art from the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra to the UK for the first time, offering a unique cultural talking point for museum-goers.

A week of lunar-themed observation sessions, talks and workshops at the Royal Observatory, letting visitors learn about the Moon, an easy, family-friendly community event with a science twist.

A vintage flea market inside the industrial Wapping Hydraulic Power Station near Tower Bridge, featuring over 40 sellers of vintage furniture, fashion and homeware plus a DJ spinning vinyl and a bar all day, perfect for social browsing and market-hopping content.

A free-entry street flea market on Phillimore Walk near Kensington High Street with 30+ traders selling vintage homewares, fashion and furniture alongside street food, a laid-back, social weekend market outing.

A month-long celebration along the River Thames featuring river races, arts events, community happenings, foreshore archaeology and environmental activities, an ongoing citywide festival great for varied social content.

A city-wide festival of rides and wheeled events with festival hubs at locations including Victoria Park and St Paul's Cathedral - a great low-cost way to meet fellow cyclists and explore London by bike.

Some of London's most famous and normally-closed buildings open their doors to the public, with guided walks, talks and night walks - including access to Stationers' Hall, Founders' Hall and Guildhall Great Hall.

The National Maritime Museum and Royal Observatory Greenwich team up for a week of lunar-themed events including daily tours, curator talks, a Lego moon workshop and an evening of astrophotography.

Global and emerging designers debut new womenswear, menswear and accessories collections across the city, alongside talks from leading fashion figures and graduate showcases - a buzzy week for anyone into style and culture events.

Returning for a second year after a nine-year hiatus, the festival's main day features a colourful procession from Buxton Street to the Brick Lane Arch with themed floats and dancers, plus street food stalls, chef demos, live bands, DJs, stilt walkers and live graffiti.

Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical CATS plays its final week at the atmospheric Open Air Theatre, featuring classic numbers like Memory and Macavity - a fun evening-out option for groups.

A powerful exhibition bringing together the most striking images from the 2026 World Press Photo Contest, offering an unflinching look at global events and stories - a thought-provoking outing for culture-loving groups.

London's biggest architecture festival gives free public access to hundreds of normally closed buildings across the city, from private offices to places of worship, alongside talks and tours.

A city-wide celebration of design featuring installations like The Pangolin Shield on the Strand and a lounge installation at the Barbican, plus talks on topics like the Elizabeth line's lighting and architecture as social change.

A special one-off vintage market at the historic Kensington Market bringing together over 60 vintage specialists selling rare finds, upcycled pieces and sustainable fashion, tied to London Fashion Week.

Pearly Kings and Queens in hand-sewn button-covered outfits gather at Guildhall Yard for maypole and morris dancing, followed by a procession to St Mary-le-Bow where a large harvest bread plait is presented - a quirky slice of London tradition.

A free open-air market at King's Cross recreating the energy of a Japanese neighbourhood shopping street, with a rotating lineup of traders serving takoyaki, artisanal baked goods and more.

Japanese mayo brand Kewpie takes over Covent Garden Piazza with a 'Kewpie Konbini' pop-up, letting foodies sample tamago sandos, take photos, and spin for merch giveaways.

A celebration of Mexican street food taking over Stratford's Riverside East, part of a wave of foodie pop-up events across the city this weekend.

A two-day reggae music festival at Covent Garden Market featuring live performances, part of the market's autumn events programme.

A youth-powered weekend at Southbank Centre spotlighting emerging cultural leaders, with panel discussions curated by figures like Amelia Dimoldenberg and Olly Alexander on topics from digital media to queer storytelling, plus an inaugural lecture by journalist Ash Sarkar.

One of the 'Big Four' global fashion weeks bringing designers, models and fashion fans to the city; while not all shows are public, the wider programme includes public showcases and pop-ups worth seeking out.

**Welcome! 😄** This is a friendly, informal social event to meet new people, have great conversations, and enjoy a relaxed atmosphere. It’s all about good vibes and building genuine connections. 🥂 \-\

**Welcome! 😄** This is a friendly, informal social event to meet new people, have great conversations, and enjoy a relaxed atmosphere. It’s all about good vibes and building genuine connections. 🥂 \-\

**Welcome! 😄** This is a friendly, informal social event to meet new people, have great conversations, and enjoy a relaxed atmosphere. It’s all about good vibes and building genuine connections. 🥂 \-\

**Welcome! 😄** This is a friendly, informal social event to meet new people, have great conversations, and enjoy a relaxed atmosphere. It’s all about good vibes and building genuine connections. 🥂 \-\

**Welcome! 😄** This is a friendly, informal social event to meet new people, have great conversations, and enjoy a relaxed atmosphere. It’s all about good vibes and building genuine connections. 🥂 \-\