Things To Do This Weekend In London: 12-13 August 2023

All weekend

SUMMER SESSIONS: Live music festival Summer Sessions returns to Greenwich Peninsula for three days of open-air gigs. Saturday is the Rhythm Section, featuring artists including Charlie Dark, Andrew Ashong, Kaidi Tatham and Louise Chen, while Sunday is Just Vibez, flying the flag for Caribbean music with Aysha Loren, Scrappy and Pahjo on the line up. 11-13 August

ANIME & GAMING CON: The UK's largest anime convention comes to Hammersmith, with four floors of gaming, comics, cosplay and merch. Expect live performers from J-Pop, Anime inspired singers, bands and performers throughout the day, as well as a chance to meet voice actors from anime productions. 12-13 August

PERSIA TO GREECE: Blockbuster British Museum exhibition Luxury and Power: Persia to Greece uses blinging objects to tell the story of how Greeks saw Persians as decadent, but after defeating them in battle happily co-opted their luxurious items. This weekend is the last chance to see it before it closes. Until 13 August

BEATRIX POTTER: Also closing this weekend is a small display at the V&A Museum dedicated to children's author Beatrix Potter. Though the museum previously ran a larger exhibition about Potter's work, this one focuses on her interest in Aesop’s animal fables, and how they influenced her own stories and illustrations. FREE, until 13 August

AFTERNOON TEA WEEK: 7-13 August is Afternoon Tea Week, which basically translates as an excuse to tuck into more tiny sandwiches, freshly-baked scones and fancy cakes than normal. Why not browse the best themed afternoon teas in London, or internationally-influenced afternoon teas — or just try one of the newest afternoon teas in the capital.

SUMMER SOUNDS: Free music festival Summer Sounds is back at King's Cross, with live concerts every evening throughout its run. This weekend, catch West End stars performing tunes from Les Misérables, Mamma Mia!, Phantom of the Opera, Beauty & The Beast, Wicked, Hamilton, Grease and more on Saturday night. Sunday is family day, with folk music, ceilidh workshops, beatboxing performances, and other activities for both children and adults. FREE, 9-20 August

DINOSAUR WORLD LIVE: Interactive family theatre show Dinosaur World Live returns to Regent's Park Open Air Theatre, with appearances by tyrannosaurus rex, triceratops, giraffatitan, microraptor and segnosaurus — and a chance to meet them all on the lawn after the show... if you dare. 11 August-3 September

HEINZ X MORLEY'S: Heinz (of sauce fame) has teamed up with legendary chicken shop Morley's for a foodie pop-up to celebrate the launch of the limited edition Morley’s X Heinz Fried Chicken Sauce, at Double Standard at The Standard near St Pancras. The menu showcases both brands with items such as caviar-topped fried chicken, glazed-to-order wings and ice cream sundaes dusted with Heinz Ketchup sherbet. There's a weekend brunch menu, take-away is available, and there's live music on selected nights. Until 4 September

Saturday 12 August

BSL TOUR: The National Archives at Kew offers free British Sign Language tours of its current Spirit of Invention exhibition. BSL guide John Wilson delivers the family-friendly BSL tours which are open to all British Sign Language users, and a BSL interpreter will be present to provide a voice-over where necessary. FREE, 11am/1pm

CLERKENWELL PUBS: London Metropolitan Archives offers a guided walk through the brewing and distilling history of Clerkenwell and Smithfield, passing many of the area's pubs and looking at why there were so many, what's changed, and what's stayed the same. Arrive an hour early to view archive material about Clerkenwell's pubs before you set off. 11am-2pm

WALLACE AND GROMIT: As part of the free Inside Out Festival of art in Trafalgar Square, the Cartoon Museum offers free workshops where kids can make their own Wallace & Gromit figures to take home. It's led by Will Harding, one of Aardman's own modelmakers. Age 6+. FREE, 11am-5pm

LONDON CRAFT BEER FESTIVAL: Over 100 breweries are expected at this year's London Craft Beer Festival, which is at Wapping's Tobacco Dock for its second (and final) day today. Sample from a choice of 800+ beers, from established and newer breweries. Tickets include a festival tasting glass, and live entertainment as you sup. 11.30am-11pm

CARIBBEAN CULTURE: Horniman Museum holds a family-friendly day of Caribbean food, music and culture in its gardens. Music, Jerk 'n Tings is a celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Windrush arrival, and is open to everyone, with ska, bluebeat and reggae music and dancing in the bandstand — plus jerk, vegan and veggie food by African and Caribbean chefs, carnival headdress workshops, a bouncy castle, face painting and plenty of other entertainment. 12pm-7pm

THAMESMEAD FESTIVAL: The 51st anniversary edition of Thamesmead Festival celebrates the area's creativity and diversity with an afternoon of live music, dance, spoken word and fitness classes, spread across an impressive four stages. There are also stalls selling locally made food and drink, free kids' workshops, and 12 new murals dotted around the area to seek out. FREE, 12pm-7.30pm

PRIDE OF THE ROH: Learn about the LGBTQ+ icons who have helped shape The Royal Ballet and The Royal Opera, on the Pride of the ROH tour. Led by a guide, wander through the working theatre, hearing stories of pioneering composers and choreographers, and gender-fluid performances throughout the venue's history. 12.45pm (and other dates)

SPOGOMI WORLD CUP: OK, bear with us here. Spogomi is the Japanese sport of picking up litter. That sport has a world cup. And you can take part in the UK qualifying round in Hackney. Points are awarded for the type and weight of rubbish collected in a certain area within a certain time period. It's a great way to get involved in cleaning up the park, and if you win, the prize is a trip to Japan to compete in the finals. FREE, 1pm-4pm

PIZZA PARTY: Pizza Pilgrims celebrates its 10th birthday with a pizza party at Camden Beer Hall, hosted by the brand's founders, brothers James and Thom Elliot. Tuck into newly created pizzas, Neapolitan friggitoria (fried foods), limoncello & cherry negroni shots and a special collaboration beer from Camden Town Brewery — and enjoy pizza masterclasses, brewery tours, live DJs and games. 1pm-10pm

ANHAD: A festival of South Asian outdoor arts, ANHAD brings dance, music, performances and DJs to Bell Square in Hounslow, featuring established and emerging artists from across the UK, including some who are locally-based. FREE, 3pm-10pm

BAATO: Baato is a sociopolitical documentary made in 2020, but only just released here in the UK. It tells the story of Mikma and her family, whose lives are being changed by the construction of a new highway in their previously roadless valley in the Nepalese Himalayas. They used to travel by foot from their village to sell local medicinal plants in urban markets every winter, a way of life that's now facing challenges as well as new opportunities. Watch it at Bertha DocHouse in Bloomsbury today. 4pm

BEARPIT KARAOKE: Head to the mini amphitheatre in Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens and strut your stuff with karaoke anthems at Bearpit Karaoke. All sorts of people take part, including professional singers and West End stars, as well as non-professionals, each trying to coax the audience into joining in. FREE, 4pm-8pm

ROMEO AND JULIET: Pack a picnic and make your way to St John's Lodge Gardens, a little-known area of Regent's Park, to watch a production of Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet. It's performed by the Lord Chamberlain's Men, a modern take on the all-male company of actors with whom Shakespeare worked for much of his career. 4.30pm

THE POWER BALL: Ballroom collective Vogue Rites take over the courtyard at Somerset House for an open-air Vogue Ball. Performers strut the catwalk competing for trophies at an evening of dance, fashion and music. The event is a celebration of global Vogue culture, so organisers ask that if you are not part of the Ballroom community, you learn about the scene's history and cultural significance before arriving. 5pm-10.30pm

SCARED TO DANCE: Soul from indie-pop group Superorganism is the guest DJ at regular club night Scared to Dance. The Victoria in Dalston is the venue for an evening of post-punk, indiepop, new wave and art rock music. 10pm

Sunday 13 August

FESTIVAL OF FAIRYTALES: Take the kids along to Lambeth's Garden Museum for the Festival of Fairytales, a day of storytelling, pop-up performances, craft and cooking workshops, live music and gardening —all based on children's literature. It takes place inside, and in the garden of, a medieval church. 10am-4pm

SALAD DAYS MARKET: Ceramics, artworks, jewellery and beauty products are among the items available to buy at the Salad Days Market (formerly the South London Makers Market) at Dulwich Picture Gallery. Workshops (which need to be booked separately) take place throughout the day, where you can learn 3D embroidery, printmaking — or create flower crowns. 11am-4pm

CRICKET AND THE FREEBUGS: One of our picks of shows to see at Camden Fringe this year, Cricket & The Freebugs is a whimsical soul and funk-infused kids' musical, about the adventures of Cricket as he forms a band. Catch it at Dwell House Studio Theatre in Archway today, or one of several other dates. 11am

COLUMBIA ROAD STROLL: East End writer and alternative tour guide Alan Gilbey leads a 90-minute walk towards the famous Columbia Road Flower Market, focusing on the lesser-known history which can be seen down nearby side streets. Brick Lane Bookshop is the walk's starting point. 12pm

ALL YOU CAN EAT: Every Sunday throughout August, Enfield's Dugdale Arts Centre offers an all-you-can-eat buffet lunch, accompanied by free children's play activities, and live music by pianist Phil Crocker. 12pm-2pm

REGENT'S CANAL WALK: Uncredited Black inventors who changed the world, railways, rivers and Black British civil rights are just some of the topics covered in this stroll along the Regent's Canal, led by Black History Walks. Explore quiet backwaters, hidden streets and busy highways as you hear about little-known chapters of the waterway's history. 1pm-2.45pm

BARKING TOUR: Meanwhile over in Barking, Footprints of London guide Sue McCarthy leads another riverside walk, focusing on the area's history from its medieval abbey to riverside regeneration today, via the location where Captain Cook was married, a huge fishing fleet, and a stunning Sikh temple. 2pm-4pm

AUDIENCE CHOICE PROM: You may have heard: the BBC Proms have been going for some time now, and continue into September. There's a rather special show today though, Prom 38: Audience Choice, where the Budapest Festival Orchestra and conductor Iván Fischer allow the audience to choose what they hear, from more than 200 classical pieces. 2pm

SAMBA BAND: Not long until Notting Hill Carnival, but the party's starting early today with a free performance by UDM Samba, a 30-strong samba band and carnival dance group, all aged 12-25. They perform in full carnival costume at Summer by the River festival near Tower Bridge. FREE, 3pm-5pm

SHENANIGANS: Who says Sunday nights have to be dull? Between the Bridges hosts On Shenanigans, an adults-only games night where you can go head-to-head in beer pong, lip-sync battles, musical chairs, limbo contests and other such japes. 5pm-10pm

MAGICAL MUSICAL EVENING: The Orchestra for the Earth take over the secluded St John's Lodge Gardens in Regent's Park for an al fresco evening of music by the likes of Mozart, Schubert, Puccini and Bizet. 5.30pm

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