Weekend Scoop for London Families (Sep 14-16)

The weather should hold this weekend and there’s plenty of outdoor fun for kids and families from the Lambeth Country Show in Brockwell Park to a street festival on Cally Road. Enjoy!

And Happy Roald Dahl Day!

HOT TICKET!
Thu: Matilda the Musical – 400,000 Tickets on Sale
To mark Roald Dahl Day (celebrating the author’s birthday), at 11am TODAY 400,000 tickets go on sale for the record-breaking Royal Shakespeare Company production of Matilda The Musical. Now booking through until Dec 22, 2013, Matilda the Musical continues to play to packed houses at Cambridge Theatre, Earlham St, WC2. Box Office: Cambridge Theatre 0844 412 4652/RSC Ticket Hotline 0844 800 1110

Fri-Sun: London Design Festival, at V&A Museum, Cromwell Rd, SW7 (South Kensington tube) and other venues
Explore the best in modern design at this 10-day festival held at venues across town from the festival hub at V&A museum to Townhouse at Belgrave Square and the Be Open sound portal in Trafalgar Square. Talks, events and exhibitions celebrate London as the creative capital of the world. 10am daily, FREE (Sep 14-23)

Fri-Sun: Kings Place Festival at Kings Place, 90 York Way, N1 (King’s Cross tube)
The popular annual festival crams a year’s worth of entertainment into 3 days including family events such as Mini Brahms with Puppets by Little Angel Theatre, Jeffrey Siegel’s Music for the Young and Young at Heart and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment’s interactive Tots workshops. Plus free arts activities, boating trips along the canal, cupcake decorating and more! 10am-late, £4.50 per event/some events FREE (Sep 14-16)

Fri-Sun: Hide and Seek Weekender at Southbank Centre, Belvedere Rd, SE1 (Waterloo/Embankment tube)
Come along for a weekend of fun and theatrics kicking off on Friday with drop in and play classics like tag and hopscotch; followed by interactive street games including Killer Queens and The Rolling Stones on Saturday; and rounding off on Sunday with games of confetti, puppets and custard! 6.30pm (Fri), 1-6pm (Sat) and 1pm (Sun); FREE (Sep 14-16)

Sat: The Great River Race 2012, from Millwall Riverside, Westferry, London Docklands, E14 (Crossharbour tube) to Ham, TW8 (Richmond tube)
300 crews from around the world, some in fancy dress or racing for charity, join in this river marathon sailing 21 miles from London Docklands to Ham House in Surrey. Cheer them on along the banks of the Thames. From 7.20am, race starts 10.40am. Festivities in Richmond include children’s beach, donkey rides and stalls. Check out the viewing route. (Sep 15)

Sat: Framed Film Club at the Barbican Centre, Silk St, EC2 (Barbican tube)
The popular Family Film Club is reborn as Framed, a year-long programme of film and learning activities kicking off with the French film Little Nicholas. 11am, £2 (Sep 15)

Sat: Gail’s Hampstead Garden Party (pic), Oriel Place, by 64 Hampstead High St, NW3 (Hampstead tube)
The 7th annual street party showcasing the finest in artisanal produce at more than 30 stalls around the bakery. Plus kids activities and crafting by the Creation Station, a Hampstead’s Got Talent show for under 14s and more live music. 9am-6pm, FREE (Sep 15)

Sat-Sun: Lambeth Country Show in Brockwell Park, SE24 (Brixton tube/Herne Hill rail)
Celebrate all that’s great about the countryside at this family friendly event featuring everything from live music, flower and veg competitions, sheep dog displays and farm animals to funfair, tasty nosh from around the world and dogs jumping through fire! 11am-6pm, FREE (Sep 15-16)

Sun: Open Day Celebration at Jacksons Lane Theatre, 269a Archway Rd, N6 (Highgate tube)
The North London institution throws open its doors for a day of live performances, workshops, free showing of So So Circus, street dance, theatre tours and free food from Cafe Theadro. 12-4pm, FREE (Sep 16)

Local Pick
Sun: The Cally Festival, Caledonian Rd, N1 (Caledonian Rd tube)
It’s the 2nd year out for this pop-up festival celebrating the best of Cally Road with live music and performance, kids activities, food and crafts stalls and street art. Wanna get involved? Join in with free bunting making for kids in Thornhill Square (Sat from 10am) and a free workshop for all ages, making masks, bunting and more at West Library (Sat 11am-4pm). Festival from 10am, FREE (Sep 16)

We also like
Big Dig Edible Open Gardens Weekend at gardens across town (Fri-Sun); For Crying Out Loud concert for babies at Wigmore Hall, W1 (Sat); Highbury Fields Funfair, N1 from 1-10pm (Sat-Sun); Philip Haas at Dulwich Picture Gallery (until Sun); Dora the Explorer Live at Apollo Theatre, WC2 (until Sun); Mwalimu Express monthly African family club at Rich Mix, E1 (Sun); Zippo’s Circus on Peckham Rye Common, SE15 (until Tue)

Photo via Gail’s Bakery web site