London Father’s Day Weekend Scoop (June 13-16, 2024) 

The London Father’s Day Weekend Scoop is packed with dad-friendly activities from food festivals to immersive theatre, outdoor fun, colourful exhibitions, free events and where to watch the Euros 2024. Happy Father’s Day to all our babe papas!

London Father’s Day Weekend: What to Do and Where to Go

Thu-Sun: Prince Charming at Little Angel Theatre, 14 Dagmar Passage, N1 2DN (Highbury & Islington tube/overground, Angel tube)
It’s not easy being Prince Charming. He has to fight dragons, save kingdoms, battle all the worries in his head and stay as charming as ever. Can somebody come to his rescue? This lively puppet musical contains a hopeful message for anyone who’s ever felt anxious. Ages 6+. 11am, 2pm & 4pm (Sat & Sun), 10.30am, 1pm & 4.45pm (Thu & Fri) – NB: times may vary, check at booking; adult £14/child 1-17 £12/all tickets Fridays 4.45pm £8 (until Jul 27)

Thu-Sun: Alvaro Barrington: Grace at Tate Britain, Millbank SW1P 4RG (Pimlico/Vauxhall tube)
Travel through time, place and memory via the imagination of artist Alvaro Barrington at his striking new Tate Britain show. Described as a journey in three parts, Grace is a tribute to the artist’s grandmothers, mother and sister. From his grandma’s Caribbean home to the pumping vibes of Carnival, Barrington’s work celebrates the people and spaces that help us feel like we belong. 10am-6pm daily (last entry 5.30pm); FREE (until Jan 26)

Thu-Sun: Taste Festival, Regent’s Park, Outer Circle, London, NW1 5HA (Regent’s Park/Baker St tube)
Calling all foodies for a London Father’s Day weekend feast. Head to Regent’s Park to sample flavours from 36 restaurants, 50 chefs and 150 artisan producers. You can munch your way around food stalls, hear from cooking experts, watch demos, take part in cookery workshops, pick up recipe books and more. There’s live entertainment, champagne tents and you can even try out dishes from TV hit The Bear! Taste Festival is celebrating its 20th year this summer and this event sounds yummier than ever. All ages welcome. Hurry, tickets are flying! From 12pm; standard entry ticket £24/tasting ticket (includes 2 dishes) £38 (Jun 12-16)

Thu-Sun: Chaka Khan’s Meltdown Festival at Southbank Centre, Belvedere Rd, SE1 8XX (Waterloo/Embankment tube/rail)
The iconic Ms Khan puts her magic touch on the 29th edition of this artist-curated festival and the lineup looks out of this world. From talks with DJ Trevor Nelson to Mica Paris, Reuben James, WAR, Incognito, Morcheeba and House Gospel Choir. Our London Father’s Day weekend picks include acts like Norman Jay & Friends, Emeli Sandé, Rahsaan Patterson, Todrick Hall, anaiis and Les Amazones D’Afrique. Perfect for a Date with Dad. Various times and prices (Jun 14-23)

Thu-Sun: Yinka Shonibare CBE: Suspended States at Serpentine Gallery, Kensington Gardens, W2 3XA (Lancaster Gate/Marble Arch tube)
Father’s Day could be a great time to check out Yinka Shonibare’s first solo London exhibition in 20+ years. Suspended States explores colonialism and empire, war and refuge, culture and national identity through Shonibare’s iconic Dutch wax print across paintings, book-binding, statues and quilts. Accompanying kids will enjoy a trip to nearby Diana’s Memorial Playground in Kensington Gardens before or after. 10am-5pm (daily & Bank Holiday Monday); FREE with suggested donations £5-£15 (until Sep 1)

Fri: The Adventures of Dr Doolittle at WWT London Wetland Centre, Queen Elizabeth’s Walk, Barnes, SW13 9WT (Barnes rail/Hammersmith tube and overground)
After the success of Robin Hood, WWT London Wetland Centre welcomes the return of Illyria with their outdoor production of the classic tale Dr Doolittle. Meet the good doctor John Doolittle who has learned to communicate with animals. Soon they’re flocking to his doors from around the world asking for help. Spend a night under the skies watching this fun family show against the backdrop of WWT’s creatures and scenery. Best for ages 5+, younger ones welcome. Gates open 6pm, show starts 7pm; adult from £18/child 4-17 £10/member £16/carers and under 4s FREE (Jun 14)

Fri-Sun: Punchdrunk Enrichment: Enitan’s Game, Unit 22 Watkin Road, HA9 0NL (Wembley Park tube)
Off a busy road in Wembley Park, you’ll find a secret space where people gather when they’re farm from home. Meet Enitan and her friend Ged who invite you to play a game created by Enitan’s granddad when she arrived in the UK. Her granddad is gone now and she needs your help to play this game, that will take you into a space of magic, memory and healing. From the masters of immersive theatre Punchdrunk Enrichment, this theatre show takes place in their brand new venue. For ages 6-11. Various entry times Fri Jun 14 between 4pm-6.10pm, then 10.30am-5.50pm (Sat-Sun); £12-£55. For info on £5 discount for Brent residents, Pay What You Can shows, BSL, relaxed and ‘grown-ups only’ shows, visit: punchdrunkenrichment.org.uk/events/enitans-game (Jun 14-Sep 1)

Sat: The Dream Sequence: Aerial Theatre at Brixton Windmill, Windmill Gardens, Blenheim Gardens SW2 5DA (Brixton tube)
The Dot Collective (Alice’s Adventure’s in Aerialand) are back with their exciting spin on Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.Set on a tropical island, The Dream Sequence explores the nature of dreaming, flights of fancy, and how memories become reality. Blending clowning, aerial circus, music and a hint of magic, this open-air family theatre show should enchant old and young alike. Best for ages 4+. Fully accessible, dementia friendly theatre, suitable for well behaved dogs on leads. Dress for all weather as the show will go on (unless extreme weather)! 2pm & 6pm; adult £14/concs £12/under 16s £10 (Jun 15)

Sat: The Secret Garden at Open Air Theatre, Queen Mary’s Garden within Regent’s Park, NW1 4NU (Baker St tube)
There’s more outdoor theatre for book lovers in Regent’s Park this Father’s Day weekend and beyond. Head to the popular venue to see a brand new adaptation of the classic children’s novel The Secret Garden. When 10-year-old Mary Lennox arrives at her uncle’s house in Yorkshire, she discovers a secret garden, a boy who can talk to animals, and the promise of more magic to come. Best for ages 10+, under 4s not admitted. 7.45pm (Mon-Sat) & 2.15pm (Thu & Sat); from £15-£60/child £12.50-£22.50 (Jun 15-Jul 20)

Sat-Sun: The Great Exhibition Rd Festival, along Exhibition Rd SW7 2AZ (South Kensington tube)
This popular annual free festival closes off traffic on Exhibition Road for a weekend of mind-blowing experiments, cutting-edge science, family friendly demonstrations and more. Find out all about penguins and prehistoric creatures, drive along Mars rover style robots, dig into skeletons, discover exciting new inventions, boogie in the Swarm Dance AI silent disco, watch a family space show, hear stories, live music and more. All ages welcome. 12pm-6pm; FREE but register to find out about timed and ticketed events (Jun 15-16)

Sun: Celebrate Dads at The Golden Hinde, St Mary Overie Dock, Cathedral Street, SE1 9DE (London Bridge tube/rail, Monument/Borough tube)
Make the most of a London Father’s Day weekend offer of half-price tickets for all guests on The Golden Hinde. Climb aboard this full-scale reconstruction of the historic Elizabethan galleon that was once captained by Sir Francis Drake. It’s a fun way to spend the day with kids, before or after a browse around Borough Market nearby. Book ahead or just turn up.All ages welcome. 10am-3pm; £3 (Jun 16)

Sun: Euros 2024 at Pop Brixton, 49 Brixton Station Rd, SW9 8PQ (Brixton tube)
By some stroke of fortune, the Euros 2024 kicks off in time for our special London Father’s Day Weekend Scoop. Bag a spot at the Pop Brixton Euros Fanzone where they’ll be showing every match including England v Serbia on Sunday. Enjoy street food, drinks and 4 screens. Limited first come, first service tables available. England v Serbia match at 5pm (Sun). Tickets from £0-£15 (£5 guaranteed entry, £10 with food token) (from Jun 14)

More Family Friendly Zones to Watch the Euros 2024

• You can catch the action at all three Boxpark venues, book ahead – from £8 (Shoreditch, Wembley and Croydon)
• Or try out one of the Bounce ping pong, pizza and football bars – from £10 (Farringdon, Shoreditch and Battersea)
• Head to TOCA Social at the O2 for 360 football immersion with screenings and shootout games – from £5 (North Greenwich)
• There’s foosball, food and drinks and Euros matches at Bar Kick on Shoreditch High St and Cafe Kick in Exmouth Market (Shoreditch/Islington)
• Explore the food hall and watch England games at Market Halls locations (Victoria, Canary Wharf, Oxford St)
• Metropolis is a snazzy new food destination that promises live entertainment and sports screenings (Vauxhall)
• Big Penny Social holds family friendly events and will host Euros 2024 showings too (Walthamstow)
• Kids are welcome all day (Sun-Wed) or until 6pm (Thu-Sat) at Between the Bridges – England games on 3 large screens (South Bank)

We also like
Discover London Zoo after hours for drinks, street food and more at Zoo Nights (Fri); Horniman Museum Gardens welcomes Daytimers, a family festival of South Asian culture (Sat); celebrate the legacy of James Joyce at Bloomsday Festival, an all-day Irish extravaganza in Embassy Gardens (Sat); Sunday Papers Live offers a day of chilled out culture and entertainment at One Marylebone (Sun); and there are still a few tix left for main acts at Hampton Court Palace Festival (until Jun 22)

Booking Ahead

• Royal Academy Summer Exhibition 2024, Piccadilly (Jun 18-Aug 18)
• Astro Nights Sleepovers at Science Museum, SW7 (Jun 21 & Jul 12)
• Radiate Festival: Culture Weekend, Burgess Park (Jun 22 & 23)
• Barnes Children’s Literature Festival (Jun 22-23)
• Sam Wu Is Not Afraid of Ghosts at Polka Theatre, South Wimbledon (Jun 22-Aug 18)
• Family Studio Summer Celebration at Royal Academy (Jun 23)
• Pub in the Park festival, Chiswick (Jun 28-30)
• Pride in London parade, central London (Jun 29)
• Aurora Orchestra: Far, Far Away: Mendelssohn and the Moving Machines at Kings Place, N1 (Jun 29-30)
• Southbank Centre Summer Festival: You Belong Here, SE1 (Jun 29-Sep 8)
• Just Vibez Windrush Celebration, Brixton (Jun 30)
• River Stage at National Theatre, SE1 (Jul 5-28)
• Lord Mayor’s Hot Air Balloon Regatta, City of London (Jul 7, 21 or 28)
• Kaleidoscope Festival at Alexandra Palace, N22 (Jul 13)
• Monster Jam, London Stadium (Jul 13)
• Theatre on Kew at Kew Gardens (Jul 19-Sep 1)
• Fiddler on the Roof at Open Air Theatre, Regent’s Park (Jul 27-Sep 21)
• Little Angel Theatre’s Puppet Festival, Angel N1 (Aug 2-Sep 1)

Looking for a last minute gift? Why not grab a copy of my book Raising Boys Who Do Better or better yet a bundle of my books for that cool, conscious papa in your life. The gifts that give back :-)

*NB: Please note that all event timings and prices are subject to change/cancellation at short notice, so always check ahead with the venue (or the latest government guidelines) before making a trip!**