Didn’t the summer holidays whizz by? The kids are back at school and we’re slowly settling into a routine. But this weekend will be busier than ever with so many things to do in London for families, it’s hard to pack it all into the guide!
Thames Festival, The Great River Race, Meatopia at Tobacco Dock, National Paralympic Day, The Cally Festival, Stratford Rising Festival, Zippo’s Circus, Herve Tullet at Discover, Summer of Cycling at Museum of London…
Get out there and celebrate the last days of summer in London.
Fri: Skate Kings Cross, West Handyside Canopy, Goods Way, off Granary Square, NC1 (King’s Cross tube)
Last chance to skate on the pop-up rink featuring disco-themed food from Disco Bistro and guest chefs, DJ nights and skating for all ages. Skates provided but feel free to bring your own! Skating sessions every 2 hours 11am-11pm (Thu), 10am-8pm & nighttime sessions 8pm-late (Fri). Adult £14.30/concs £9.90/child £5.50 (until Sep 6)
Fri-Sun: Mayor’s Thames Festival, around the Thames between Lambeth and St. Katherine’s Docks, SE1 (various tubes, see TFL.gov)
Our favourite end of summer celebration has become a 10-day uber-event this year, with everything from kids workshops to riverside choirs on the roster. Sadly no funding for Night Carnival and Fireworks this year, but there’s plenty of fun kicking off this weekend including samba bands at The Great British Carnival in Bernie Spain Gardens, food and craft market, St Katherine’s Docks Classic Boat Festival and of course the Great River Race. Full programme now available on the web site. (Sep 6-15)
Fri-Sun: Zippo’s Circus at Barham Park, Harrow Rd, Sudbury HA0 2HB
London’s favourite circus returns to Wembley for a 5-day run before moving on to other locations around the capital. Expect dazzling aerial stunts, clowning around, high-wire spectacles and acrobatics. 5pm & 7.30pm (Fri & Mon), 3pm & 7.30pm (Sat), 12pm & 3pm (Sun), 6pm (Tue); adult £7-£24/child £5-£18 (discounts available for online booking) (Sep 6-10)
Fri-Sun: Dinosaur Zoo at Open Air Theatre, Queen Mary’s Garden, Regent’s Park, NW1 (Baker St tube)
Regent’s Park transforms into a Jurassic park as Erth’s Dinosaur Zoo roars onto the scene, thrilling the crowds with cute baby dinos and tooth-gnashing giants. 2.15pm (Mon-Wed), 11.30am & 2.15pm (Fri), 9.45am & 11.30am (Sat-Sun); £15-£20/family ticket £15 (until Sep 8)
Sat: National Paralympic Day at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Stratford E15 (Stratford tube/overground)
It’s one year since the Paralympic Games and there’s a big celebration with stars of Paralympics GB team, elite athletes in competition, sporting displays, live music, theatre, kids activities, have-a-go sessions and arts installations. Prepare to be inspired and amazed. 12-8pm, FREE (Sep 7)
Sat: The Great River Race, from London Docklands to Ham House in Richmond, TW8 (various locations)
Watch London’s river marathon with more than 300 crews, many in fancy dress, rowing and sailing 21 miles up the Thames. Brilliant family day out. Starting cannon 12.10pm at Millwall Dock Slipway. Viewing points on Tower Bridge, Westminster Bridge, Lambeth Bridge, Battersea Bridge, Wandsworth Bridge, Putney Bridge, Hammersmith Bridge, Chiswick Bridge, Kew Bridge, Richmond Bridge and winding up just after 3pm at Riverside below Ham House. FREE (Sep 7)
Sat: Meatopia at Tobacco Dock, Wapping Lane and Pennington St, E1 (Shadwell DLR/Wapping rail)
Fresh from NYC, Meatopia lands in Tobacco Dock, with top butchers rubbing shoulders with legendary chefs for an all-out meat fest. Some of the hottest names on the London food scene including Hawksmoore, Pitt Cue, Gizzi Erskine, Chop Shop, Shake Shack and more will be flogging their wares for a hungry crowd. Live music from Lee Thompson Ska Orchestra, Groove Armada DJ Tom Findlay and more! 12-9pm; adult £45 tier 1 or £85 tier 2 (tickets include food and/or goodies)/child under 12 FREE (Sep 7)
Sat-Sun: Stratford Rising Festival, Theatre Square, E15 (Stratford tube/overground)
A fun-filled and free weekend of screenings, adventures, games and activities turns Theatre Square into a massive pop-up playground. Laugh, dance, slide, eat, drink and chill. 12-7pm, FREE (Sep 7-8)
Sat-Sun: Summer of Cycling Festival at Museum of London, 150 London Wall, EC2 (St Paul’s/Barbican tube)
Come along for a wheelie (ahem) great day out, in celebration of the museum’s brand new Cycling exhibition. Live BMX demos, Rollapuluza racing, giant cycling comments wall, hi-vis gear workshops, DIY bicycle bell rack music-making and safety sessions from City of London. 12-4pm, FREE although some events ticketed and first come, first served (Sep 7-8)
Sat-Sun: Creative Painting with Herve Tullet at Discover Story Centre, 383-387 High St, Stratford E15 (Stratford tube/overground)
Visit the popular story and creativity centre for an afternoon of painting with top kids’ book illustrator Herve Tullet. Special event to promote his brand new book Help! We Need a Title. Ages 4+. 2.30-4.30pm, drop-in; adult £5/child £5/family £18/under 2s FREE (Sep 7-8)
Sun: Deloitte Family Day: Skeleton Structures at Serpentine Gallery, Kensington Gardens, W2 (Lancaster Gate tube)
Join designer Bahbak Hashemi-Nezhad and musician Paul Abbott to explore Sou Fujimoto’s Serpentine Gallery Pavilion through sound and structure. Kids and families are invited to build constructions that experiment with how sound interacts with a space. 12-5pm, drop-in, FREE (Sep 8)
LOCAL PICK
Sun: The Cally Festival, Caledonian Rd, N1 (Caledonian Rd/Kings Cross tube)
Right here in our hood, this annual celebration of the diversity of Cally Rd is now into its 3rd year. Pop down to the Cally for live music including Marcus Bonfanti, Morris Folk Choir and National Youth Jazz Collective; kids entertainment with Comedy Club for Kids plus a kids area, garden zone, creative workshops, artisan stalls and of course delicious street food! 12-6pm, FREE (Sep 8)
We also like
Monsters Inc is playing at Rio Cinema Kids Club in Dalston (Sat. 11am); The Hare & the Tortoise is at Puppet Theatre Barge, now in Richmond for September (Sat-Sun); enter a World of Stories at Horniman Museum and Gardens (Sun)
Our September Events Calendar is out tomorrow, don’t miss it!
Liz Hurley, Tom Cruise, Meerkats and a Top Secret Mission!
Fab round up as ever girl. Dinosaur Zoo sounds up my boys’ street and O loved Monster’s Inc at the cinema (so did I)…best kids sequel ever…although Finding Dory not that far away (2015) so might eat my words x
Monster’s Inc 2 was brilliant wasn’t it? Also loved Despicable Me 2. Cannot wait for Finding Dory… hard to pick a fave out of Disney films but Finding Nemo’s up there with the best :-)