Happy October! The first day of the month kicks off our London weekend family fun guide crammed with festivals, new exhibitions, art play, acrobatics, author talks, a festival just for girls, theatre, Black street food market and more. October 1 is also Nigerian Independence Day so here’s to all who mark it and who continue to learn from the past to build brighter tomorrows. Have a festive weekend.
London Weekend Family Fun Guide: 12 Cool Events
Thu-Sun: Bloomsbury Festival, in and around WC2
It’s the 20 year anniversary of this vast festival described as “an explosion of arts, culture and science”. The range of family activities includes Treasure Hunts at the British Museum (Oct 3, 9, 23 & 31), Family Day at October Gallery (Oct 10), Gruffalo Granny Story Time at Holborn Library (Oct 29). Various ages, times and prices; most events are FREE (Oct 1-31)
Thu-Sun: Korea at British Museum, Great Russell Street, WC1B 3DG (Russell Square tube; Euston tube/rail)
There are 2,000 years of Korean creativity to discover as this sweeping exhibition, the most comprehensive in Europe for over 40 years. See Buddhist icons, ancient gold body ornaments, ink landscapes, stoneware and other treasures. All ages. 10am-5pm (8.30pm Fris); adult from £18/under 16s and members FREE (Oct 1-Jan 31)
Fri: Mini Masterpieces at Dulwich Picture Gallery, Gallery Road, SE21 7AD (West Dulwich tube/rail)
Every first Friday of the month, little artists gather at the Art Play Pavilion for a cultural escapade. You’ll wander through the Gallery to find people, animals and places in the paintings, then take part in an art-making activity with different monthly themes. Ages 0-5. 10am-11.10am & 12pm-1.20pm; £16 per 1 child + 2 adults (Oct 2)
Fri-Sun: Painting the French Riviera at Royal Academy, Burlington House, Royal Academy of Arts, Piccadilly, W1J 0BD (Piccadilly Circus tube)
Can’t make it to the Côte d’Azur? Why not spend a weekend immersed in the French Riviera by way of Matisse, Money, Cezanne, Picasso, Klein, Renoir and others whose paintings captured the coastlines. Delight in the landscape and see how this region influenced modern art, travel and film, from the 1870s to the 1960s. All ages. 10am-6pm (9pm Fri & Sat); adult from £24-£26/child under 16 and Friends of RA FREE (Oct 2-Jan 31)
Sat: Saturday Sessions – Acrobalance with Nimbre at The Clore Ballroom, Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, SE1 8XX (Waterloo/Embankment tube/rail)
See the pros from women-led company Mimbre using their bodies to tell stories, then practice your own acrobatic skills in this interactive session blending performance and workshop. Follow up with a family-friendly dance party with Ballroom Boogie x Toasty Tots XL from DJ collective BORN N BREAD. Best for ages 5-11. Acrobalance at 11am (Relaxed) & 1.15pm; Ballroom Boogie at 2.30pm; all sessions are FREE, just drop in (Oct 3)
Sat: Sofar Sounds: Autumn Equinox – Big Trad Folk Gig, St. Mary Hornsey Rise (Church Hall), Ashley Rd, N19 3AD (Crouch Hill tube)
Have you heard of Sofar Sounds? They host proper live music gigs in comfortable (often at-home) settings for intimate crowds. And they have a family friendly series in association with Mini Gigs. This Saturday, come to Islington for a folk gig drawing on Irish influences and nature themes. Expect according, fiddle, guitar, jigs and reels, for all ages including pre-crawlers. BYOB. 3pm-4:30pm; 1 adult £21/additional adult £12/child FREE (Oct 3)
Sat-Sun: Black Eats Festival at Hackney Bridge, Units 1-28, Echo Building, E Bay Ln, E15 2SJ (Hackney Wick overground)
Come for a mouth-watering celebration of Black food, DJs, culture and creativity from Africa, the Caribbean and beyond. The Daytime session is more family friendly including street food, stalls and bookshop. 12-4pm (all ages) and 5-9pm (ages 18+); adult £15-£20/child £6/under 3s FREE (Oct 3-4)
Sat-Sun: Festival of the Girl at Business Design Centre, Upper St, London N1 0QH (Highbury and Islington tube/rail, Angel tube)
The amazing festival that aims to inspire girls and challenge stereotypes is back with a broad mix of speakers, workshops, stalls, and games. The event covers everything from engineering to sports, aerospace to visual effects, vaccinations to gaming, mental health to sustainability, medicine to dancing, activism to mechanics. Best for ages 7-11, all ages welcome. 10.30am-1.30pm (Sat, SEND session) & 2pm-5pm (Sat); 9.45am-12.45pm & 1.15pm-4.15pm (Sun); £5.20-£104 (Pay what you can option available) (Oct 3-4)
Sat-Sun: Renoir and Love at National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, WC2N 5DN (Charing Cross tube/rail)
Take a walk across Montmartre, watch waltzing couples and families gathered in sun-dappled gardens. Experience the joyful impressionism of the French master through 40 of his paintings. All ages. 10am-6pm (9pm Fri) daily; £20 off peak (Sun-Thu), £25 peak (Fri-Sat)/child under 18 FREE (Oct 3-Jan 31)
Sun: Black British Book Festival at Barbican Centre, Silk Street, EC2Y 8DS (Barbican tube)
There’s still time to turn up at Europe’s biggest festival of books by Black authors. The line-up includes Corinne Bailey Rae and Emma Dabiri, Candice Carty-Williams, Wretch 32, Malika Booker, and Kelechi Okafor and Dr Kehinde Andrews on the late Professor Jason Arday. Also come for workshops on writing and publishing, children’s storytelling, Black books marketplace, and an interactive murder mystery. All ages welcome (PG for some sessions). 10am-9pm; festival pass £24/VIP (all events + goodie bag) £49/many activities are FREE (Oct 4)
Sun: On Your Bike Baffo at Jacksons Lane, 269a Archway Road, N6 5AA (Highgate tube)
You’ll have a wheelie good time at this bumbling, bicycle-themed clown show. Baffo’s gonna show you all kinds of tricks, from pumping a tyre to getting on your bike. A romp for ages 3-9, younger ones welcome. 11am & 1pm; standard £12.50, always affordable £10, supporter £20 (Oct 4)
Sun: Fulham Palace Apple Day at Bishop’s Avenue, Fulham SW6 6EA (Putney Bridge tube/Putney rail)
Pop up at Fulham Palace and celebrate another Apple Day with your kids. Enjoy the fruits of the orchard harvest, wander through the market, take part in a baking contest, tombola, outdoor games and other activities. All ages. 11am-4pm; adult £3/adult + child £4/family £8/babies under 1 FREE (Oct 6)
We also like
Oink oink! Catch the Three Little Pigs at Polka Theatre (Thu-Sun); the hugely popular show for babies Home Song is back at Unicorn Theatre (from Fri); see Pip and Posy live on stage at Little Angel Theatre (from Fri); head to Half Moon theatre for a Free Family Fun Day (Sat); get hands on with clay in the Ceramic Creation Zone at Museum of the Home (Sat-Sun); Toto the Ninja-Cat and the Great Snake Escape purrs into life at Arts Depot (Sat-Sun);
Booking Ahead
- Black Panther in Concert with Chineke! Orchestra at Royal Albert Hall, SW7 (Oct 9)
- Black Culture Market at Assembly Hall, Lambeth (Oct 10-11)
- High School Musical at Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre (Oct 12-Jan 3)
- 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair at Somerset House, WC2 (Oct 15-18)
- Aurora Orchestra: Meet the Instruments at Kings Place, N1 (Oct 17)
- Black British Folk Takeover at Cecil Sharp House, Chalk Farm (Oct 17)
- The World As We See It at Hackney Empire, E8 (Oct 20)
- Bayeaux Tapestry at British Museum (next ticket release from Oct 21)
- Black Book Festival and Education Expo at Goldsmiths, SE14 (Oct 24)
- October Half-Term and Halloween at Eltham Palace, SE9 (Oct 24-31)
- Sunday Papers Live at B&H Buildings in Angel (Oct 25)
- Family Film Club: Kiki’s Delivery Service (Dubbed) at Barbican Centre, EC2 (Oct 27)
- Half-Term Pumpkin Carving at Morden Hall Park, SM4 (Oct 29-30)
- Agatha Christie: A World of Mystery at British Library, NW1 (Oct 30-Jun 20)
- Halloween Piano Party at Kings Place, N1 (Oct 31)
- British Museum Sleepover: Explore Korea at British Museum (Oct 31-Nov 1)
- Hamlet Hail to the Thief (ages 14+) at Barbican Theatre, Barbican Centre, EC2 (Oct 31-Jan 23)
- Lost Worlds by Luxmuralis at Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich, SE10 (Nov 6-8 & 11-15)
- Diwali at Osterley Park and House, TW7 (Nov 7-29)
- Skate at Somerset House, WC2 (Nov 11-Jan 10)
- Univers (ages 0-2) at The Pit, Barbican Centre, EC2 (Dec 2-12)
- Preschool Pics at Barbican Cinema, Barbican Centre, EC2 (Dec 9, Feb 10, Mar 17)
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**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!**
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