Summer holidays are around the corner and we’re in a celebratory mood this weekend. Apparently all of London is ready to party, with fetes and festivals popping up across the capital (and lots of free stuff).
Hot on the London Kids Weekend Scoop: Wimbledon finals, Scummy Mummies comedy at Underbelly Festival, another poolside rave with BFLF, a Top Secret exhibition at Science Museum, and a magical show in central London. Enjoy!
If you only see ONE THING this weekend…
Thu-Sun: The Illusionists at Shaftesbury Theatre, 210 Shaftesbury Avenue, WC2H 8DP (Leicester Square/Covent Garden tube)
We were lucky to attend the grand opening Gala Night for this simply spectacular show, now back in London after conquering the globe. The Illusionists presents some of the world’s greatest mind-benders, visual tricksters and escape artists in one brilliant evening of family entertainment. We’ll have a full review on the blog next week but don’t wait until then, grab your tickets to this show asap. Loved it! Recommended for ages 5+/parental discretion. Various shows Wed-Mon (no Tue shows): 7pm (Wed & Fri), 2.30pm & 7pm (Thu & Sat), 2pm & 6pm (Sun), 7pm (Mon) — please check website as timings vary; tickets from £27-£125 (Jul 6-Sep 1)
London Kids Weekend Scoop: 12 Fantastic Family Activities
Thu: British Summer Time: Open House (Free Family Fun) at Hyde Park, W2 2UH (Hyde Park Corner tube)
Slotted between the massive musical shows at Hyde Park, it’s the last day of the Open House. Watch Wimbledon and popular movies on the big screens; play table tennis and outdoor games; romp about in the kids playground; see West End Kids, circus and other live acts; try out the Coca Cola Premier League experience; nosh on delicious street food and more. 12pm-10pm; FREE (Jul 8-11)
Thu-Sun: Everyman Summer Love: Wimbledon Screenings at Granary Square, King’s Cross, N1C 4BH (King’s Cross St Pancras tube/rail)
Watch Wimbledon on a big screen in Granary Square as the Everyman Summer Love film festival returns. Catch good vibes and fast serves from centre court. On weekday lunches, grab some delicious street food from KERB’s popular mix of traders. And of course there are fabulous fountains to cool you down if things get heated. The Everyman Summer of Love movie screenings are sold out already, but you can stick around in the evening for returns. All ages. Daily, FREE (daily until Jul 14)
Thu-Sun: Summer Fun and Wimbledon Screenings at the Postal Museum, 15-20 Phoenix Place, WC1X 0DA (Farringdon, Russell Square, Chancery Lane tube; King’s Cross St Pancras tube/rail)
Celebrate the Great British Summer at the Postal Museum with Wimbledon screenings, outdoor games, and beach-themed family fun. Sit on deckchairs in the garden to watch tennis (Jul 1-14), with Pimms, strawberries and cream, scones and cupcakes on offer. On July 20 you can enjoy the first weekend of the summer holidays with live music, planting, games and a delicious BBQ. Of course, there’s lots indoors + Sorted! play space (ages 0-8), and you can take a ride via Mail Rail’s secret subterranean tunnels. Open daily 10am-5pm; adult online from £16/child under 16 from £9/child with Sorted! from £11/under 3s FREE (Jul 1-Aug 31)
More Wimbledon Finals screenings at: Stratford Summer Screen at the International Quarter, Stratford (Jul 1-14); Big Screen Tennis at the Piazza in Wimbledon (Jul 1-14); Wimbledon: Serving Up Summer for Summer Screens at Cabot Square, Canary Wharf (Jul 1-14); Sun, Drinks & Tennis at One New Change rooftop in EC4 (St. Paul’s tube, daily until Jul 14); Sun, Drinks & Tennis on the Rooftop at Cardinal Place in Victoria (daily until Jul 14); Summer By the River: Wimbledon at London Bridge City, SE1 (daily until Jul 14); Sun, Drinks & Tennis in New Street Square, Chancery Lane (weekdays Jul 1-12); British Summer Time Festival in Hyde Park: Open House (free activities and screenings) (Jul 8-11); semi-finals and finals at Strawberries & Screen at Duke of York Square in Chelsea (Jul 12-14)
Thu-Sun: Top Secret at Science Museum, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, SW7 2DD (South Kensington tube)
Get cracking some codes at the Science Museum’s big summer exhibition, set in the secret world of ciphers and crime-fighting. Explore 100 years of gadgets and tactics used to hide messages and decode top secret communications. Find out who broke the Enigma code in 1941, uncover 1960s Cold War spy craft, and test your wits in the interactive puzzle zone. Top Secret coincides with the centenary of GCHQ, the UK’s Intelligence, Security and Cyber Agency. Varying time slots 10am-5pm; FREE but booking required (Jul 10-Feb 23, 2020)
Fri-Sun: Turning Tides Festival at Greenwich Peninsula, SE10 0SQ (North Greenwich tube)
Be one of the first to see London’s first ever riverside linear park at this free festival in Greenwich. Watch Dave Okumu, Laura Mvula, KWABs and others at the Riverfront Stage (Sun 6pm-8pm); rave with daytime party animals Morning Gloryville (Sat 11am-3pm); also see Oumou Sangare, drag act Sink the Pink, art by Damien Hirst, Geronimo and Yoko Ono, meditation, yoga and street food. 6-9pm (Fri) & 11am-8pm (Sat-Sun); FREE (Jul 12-14)
Sat Belvoir Sip & Dip Pool Parties (with Big Fish Little Fish), Brockwell Lido, Dulwich Rd, SE24 0PA (Herne Hill rail)
It’s the final weekend for this family pool party hosted by Belvoir Fruit Farms, this time in south London. See Camp Bestival’s DJ Chris Tofu on the decks along with Big Fish Little Fish bringing the rave classics (2pm-5pm). In the evening, DJs Lauren Laverne & Melanie Blatt take over and the mocktails are accompanied by cocktails (post 7pm). All day long, kids can try fruity kitchen workshops, face painting and arts and crafts. All ages welcome. 10am-1pm, 2pm-5pm (NB: BFLF only appearing at the 2pm sessions) & 6pm-10pm, adult (16+) £6/child aged 2-15 £4.10/under 2s FREE (Jul 13)
Sat: Screaming with Laughter: Scummy Mummies (pictured at top) at Underbelly, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Rd, SE1 8XX (Waterloo/Embankment tube/rail)
If you missed them over Easter break, here’s another chance to enjoy London’s original daytime comedy club for parents with babies under 1. The line-up features popular gagsters Scummy Mummies and Darren Young. Prepare to have your ribs tickled with no holding back (so don’t bring kids older than 13 months, as there will be some language!). Baby mats, bubbles, baby changing and buggy parking on offer. 1pm-2pm; adult (ages 16+) £10, baby FREE (Jul 13)
Sat-Sun: Walthamstow Garden Party, Forest Road, Walthamstow, E17 4PP (Walthamstow Central tube/Blackhorse Rd rail)
Every year, Walthamstow throws a big, free shebang and this time round is extra special, since they’re also celebrating their status as London’s first Borough of Culture. Watch husband and wife team Amadou & Mariam with the Blind Boys of Alabama, jazzy songbird Zara McFarlane, Colombian salsa, Barbican Young Poets and others. There’s drumming, dance and puppetry workshops, circus, food stalls and loads more for all ages. 12pm-9.30pm; FREE (Jul 13-14)
Sat-Sun: On Blackheath Festival, Blackheath Common, London SE3 0UA (Lewisham, Blackheath, Greenwich rail/North Greenwich tube)
It’s on earlier outing this year for the brilliant festival taking over Blackheath Common. Along with a family zone (theatre, circus, workshops and more), there’s delicious food demos and feasting, and a stellar line-up including headliners Jamiroquai (Sat) and Grace Jones (Sun), with The Roots, James Morrison, Incognito, Aswad, Morcheeba, UB40, Newton Faulkner, Rag n Bone Man and more. All ages welcome. 12pm-10.30pm (Sat) & 12pm-10pm (Sun); Adult day ticket from £59.50, weekend ticket from £75 (disabled adult tickets same price but includes 1 adult carer)/teen day ticket (age 13-15) ticket from £20, weekend from £35/child (age 5-12) day ticket from £10, weekend from £15 (limited tickets/under 5s FREE but ticket required (Jul 13-14)
Sat-Sun: Big Screen on the Green summer party, at Fulham Palace Gardens, Bishop’s Avenue, SW6 6EA (Putney Bridge tube)
Enjoy a glamorous garden party in one of London’s most stunning locations. Watch Wimbledon on a big screen followed by a pop-up film (Sunday only), tuck into strawberries and cream or gourmet food, hear live music and soak in the summer vibes. 12pm-10pm; Picnic Pass ticket from £17.50, Family Pass £60 (includes Sharky & George interactive entertainment plus treats), VIP packages available (Jul 13-14)
Sun: RA Family Studio: Beside the Seaside at Royal Academy, John Madejski Fine Rooms, Burlington House, Royal Academy of Arts, Piccadilly, W1J 0BD (Piccadilly Circus tube)
Celebrate the start of the summer holidays at this special workshop, transporting your imaginations to the british seaside. You’ll make a work of art inspired by a classic seaside fete, as well as some of the colourful works on display at the RA Summer Exhibition. All ages welcome. 11am-3pm; FREE (Jul 14)
Sun: Lab Life: Making Movement (The Firebird Experience), at The Workshop, 26 Lambeth High Street, London SE1 7AG (Vauxhall tube)
It’s another exciting Lab Life session from Institute of Imagination, with an interactive storytelling performance for families. It’s in celebration of the Firebird Lab – the finale of BitterSuite’s 4 months Cultural Residency, exploring ‘empathy’. Create imaginary worlds inspired by Stravinsky’s ‘The Firebird’ then be part of a final performance called ‘Lo, the Flowing Bird’. This experience has been developed through ideas and stories from over 800 young people across London and will be led by classical composer Stephanie Singer, dancer and movement facilitator Linzy Na Nakorn, with soundscape edited by sound artist Jazlyn Pinckney. For ages 5-12 and adults. 10am-12.30pm & 1.30pm-4pm; £5 (Jul 14)
We also like
It’s creative, colourful and a little bit crackers – Hyper Japan festival is back at Olympia (Thy-Sun); Shubbak, London’s largest festival of Arab culture takes over the FREE outdoor River Stage at National Theatre (Fri-Sun); pick up a print or two at House of Illustration Summer Fair at The Crossing in King’s Cross, Granary Square (Sat); guerrilla street art, good food and family fun are all the rage at Whitecross Street Party (Sat-Sun); go on a tour of the London Transport Museum’s Acton Depot Open Weekend with miniature steam train and story time (Sat-Sun); the annual Northcote Fete presents more than 100 artisan stalls, plus Wimbledon on a big screen (Sun); and Regent Street Traffic-Free Sundays, Summer Streets are back this weekend (Sun)
London Kids Cinema
Head to BFI Southbank this weekend for a Funday Preview of Horrible Histories the Movie: Rotten Romans, with special guest, producer-writer Caroline Norris doing an intro and Q&A.
Find full details + more Kids Club screenings (films for under £5) on our LONDON FAMILY CINEMA page.
Booking Ahead
The Moon at National Maritime Museum, Greenwich (Jul 19 ongoing)
Lyric Fest at Lyric, Hammersmith (Jul 19-20)
Family Dance Day at The Place, WC1 (Jul 20)
Kew Science Festival at Kew Gardens (Jul 20-21)
Alice in Wonderland at Kew Gardens (Jul 20-Aug 26)
Wetland Explorers at WWT London Wetlands, Barnes (Jul 20-Sep 1)
Buckingham Palace State Rooms Summer Opening (Jul 20-Sep 29)
Big Fish Little Fish Family Rave at Horniman Gardens (Jul 28)
The Golden Hinde Night Voyage (Family Sleepover), at The Golden Hinde, SE1 (Aug 3 & Sep 14)
How Does It Feel to Be Loved Kids Disco (Sep 29)
My big guide to Summer in London will be out next week, don’t miss it!
**NB: Please note that all event timings and prices are subject to change/cancellation at short notice, so always check ahead with the venue before making a trip!**
London Kids Weekend Scoop (July 4-7, 2019)
