Things To Do This Weekend In London: 5-6 October 2024

Pokemon, ice hockey, and a huge Japanese festival.

All weekend

REMBRANDT AND CHILDREN: Last chance to see the British Museum's current, free exhibition, New life: Rembrandt and children. It's centred around a drawing of a sleeping child, an artwork which was in a private collection for over two centuries, before the British Museum acquired it, and is showcased alongside other drawings of children in Dutch and Flemish art. FREE, until 6 October

UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY: No swimwear required for the Underwater Photography of the Year exhibition. Simply wander down Glasshouse Street (near Piccadilly Circus) to get an eyeful of the snaps, which feature seals, orcas and jellyfish. Some of the photos come to life through AR filters too. FREE, until 6 October

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LONDON COCKTAIL WEEK: Shakers at the ready! London Cocktail Week is back in full swing. The annual boozefest has 200 bars from across London taking part, all serving up signature cocktails which you can enjoy for £8 a pop once you've bought yourself a festival wristband (£20). There are also special events including tastings, masterclasses, bar takeovers... in short, this is not the week to decide to go teetotal. 3-13 October

FASHION RENEGADES: The Fashion & Textile Museum's anticipated new exhibition opens in time for the weekend. Outlaws: Fashion Renegades of 80s London centres around legendary nightclub Taboo, opened by designer and performance artist Leigh Bowery in 1985, and looks at how its dress code and hedonistic philosophy influenced fashion. 4 October-9 March

MONTH OF THE DEAD: As October gets underway, so does London Month of the Dead, a festival of events on the theme of death, spanning talks, tours, film screenings and more. Highlights this weekend include a tour of Smithfield with a focus on death and debauchery, and a bat skeleton-mounting workshop at Kensal Green Cemetery. Be quick though, as events tend to sell out in advance. Until 2 November

DECORATIVE FAIR: Furniture, lighting, art, textiles, jewellery and other items are available at The Decorative Fair, which takes place in Battersea Park. 130 stands sell items dating from 1700 to the 1970s. 1-6 October

FESTIVAL OF THE GIRL: Islington's Business Design Centre hosts the Festival of the Girl, timed to coincide with the International Day of the Girl. Aimed at girls aged 7-11 and their families, the event seeks to inspire, engage and to break down harmful gender stereotypes. Coding, art, sports, periods, experiments, activism, engineering, body confidence, friendships and sustainability are just some of the topics covered. 5-6 October

ARTISTS' OPEN HOUSE: If you missed Artists' Open House at Crystal Palace last weekend, fret not — it's happening again this weekend! Pop your head into the studios of over 50 local artists in the Crystal Palace Triangle, admire their work, and have a chat. If you fall in love with an artwork, maybe you'll even end up buying it. FREE, 5-6 October, 11am-6pm

Saturday 5 October

FAMILY KNEES-UP: Cor blimey! Queen's Theatre Hornchurch invites you and the little 'uns to gather around the Joanna, and join in with cockney songs like The Lambeth Walk, and Let's All Go Down the Strand! Inflatable bananas, puppets and bubbles make this one extra fun. 11am-11.45am

CHELSEA DOG DAY: A dog-themed market is the centrepiece of Chelsea's Dog Day, where you can buy all manner of canine food, drink and accessories. Talks on dog behaviour, handling and training are also part of the fun in Duke of York Square, and there's a giant sausage dog bench for photos. FREE entry, from 10am

SPANISH BOOK FAIR: Found by Words is the theme of this year's Spanish Book & Zine Fair at Conway Hall. The programme of events includes talks on topics including indie publishing, and poetry as an act of resistance. The works of more than 50 publishers are available to view, along with zine workshops and storytelling for children. 10am-4pm

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WILDLIFE ART: Wildlife charity the Born Free Foundation takes up residence at Mall Galleries for the final day of an exhibition by wildlife artist Gary Hodges. Drawn From The Heart features dozens of Hodges' photorealistic pencil drawings of species including lions, elephants and leopards. They're all available to buy via auction, starting at £400, but don't worry if your pockets aren't that deep, as the exhibition is free to view. FREE, 10am-6pm

BLACK HISTORY MONTH WALK: Book ahead for Hammersmith's Black History Month guided walk, led by guide Guy, and focusing on topics including the founder of Afrobeat, a poet who inspired Gandhi, a famous concert venue and a Caribbean music record label. Begins outside Shepherd's Bush Market, and lasts around an hour. FREE, 11am-12pm

DEAF RAVE FESTIVAL: Rich Mix in Shoreditch hosts the Deaf Rave Festival, an event showcasing Deaf culture through learning and entertainment. The daytime session is family-friendly with a children's workshop and a gaming zone, but after 8pm it's 18+ only. All activities and performances are designed to be accessible to both deaf and hearing attendees. 11am/8pm

OKTOBERFEST: London's not short of Oktoberfest events and parties over the coming weeks. Today's it's Flat Iron Square's turn. Head there to get your fill of German beers, pretzels, bratwurst, currywurst, live music, DJs, games and the like. From 12pm

DRINK JAPAN: For the second and final day, St Mary's Church in Marylebone is awash with Asian beverages. Drink Japan spans sake, shochu, whisky and biru, and is open to seasoned connoisseurs and newbies. Sample new drinks, stock up on your favourites, and learn how they're made. 12pm-9pm

POKEMON MATHS: Mathematician Tom Crawford is at the Royal Institution for a talk about maths in Pokémon, aimed at both children and adults. Find out how many Pikachus it takes to change a lightbulb, and why the world of Pokémon seems to ignore the basic laws of physics. 2pm-3.15pm

SEWING MACHINE MUSEUM: The monthly opening of London's Sewing Machine Museum — located in Balham — takes place today, offering you a chance to see inside one man's collection of the machines. Many of them are historic, including one which belonged to Queen Victoria's daughter. Here's some more background on the little-known museum. 2pm-5pm

PLANET EARTH III LIVE IN CONCERT: Celebrate the natural world in all its glory, as Planet Earth III Live in Concert comes to the OVO Arena Wembley for two shows. Watch incredible footage from the TV series on a huge screen. The Prague Philharmonic Orchestra performs Emmy-nominated music from the series, written by Hans Zimmer, Sara Barone and Jacob Shea, live as you're transported through deserts, grasslands and forests, along coastlines and into the depths of the ocean. Executive Producer Mike Gunton hosts the event, offering behind-the-scenes insight. 2.30pm/7.30pm (sponsor)

ICE HOCKEY: Ice hockey is back in full swing in the capital. Tonight, the Haringey Huskies play at their home rink, Alexandra Palace, taking on the Oxford Rising Stars. New to the sport, or need a refresher? Read our guide to ice hockey in London. Doors 5pm

SCARED TO DANCE: Alternative club night Scared to Dance is back at the Victoria in Dalston, with Dana Margolin from Porridge Radio taking to the decks as guest DJ. Dance the night away to post-punk, indie, pop, new wave and art rock music from the likes of Kraftwerk, Manic Street Preachers, David Bowie, New Order and The Cure. 10pm

Sunday 6 October

THEATRELAND WALK: Take a walking tour of the West End's theatre district, focusing on the hidden Black and African history in the area and the industry. Hear about Black magicians and performers, enslaved people on the West End stage, US Civil Rights connections, and how far back in history the African/Caribbean presence on stage goes. 10am-12pm

JAPAN MATSURI: The sights, sounds and scents of Japan fill Trafalgar Square for the all-day Japan Matsuri extravaganza. Immerse yourself in cuisine, cosplay, taiko drumming and so much more. FREE, 10am-7pm

APPLE DAY: Fulham Palace holds an Apple Day to celebrate the orchard harvest. Expect a market with autumnal goods, a tombola, and a baking competition, among other entertainment. The palace's cafe will be open, so if the weather's looking good you can purchase a picnic and enjoy it on the lawn. 11am-4pm

WALTHAMSTOW FLEA MARKET: Over 60 traders pitch up at Big Penny Social for Walthamstow Flea Market, selling all manner of items. The good news is that the venue's a beer hall, so there's plenty available in the way of refreshment while you shop. 11am-5pm

CONKER CHAMPIONSHIPS: It's autumn, which means conker season has landed. Hampstead Heath is one of few places in the capital which still hosts a conker championship each year, with participants competing as per the rules set by the Grand Conker Meister. There are prizes to be won, as well as nature activities, stalls and live music for those who turn up to watch. 12.30pm-4pm

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SUNDAY CONCERT: Finish up your weekend at Conway Hall with a performance by the Brompton Quartet, accompanied by pianist Simon Callaghan. Hear works by Haydn, Bacewicz and Dvořák and, as an added bonus, enjoy a pre-concert recital with the Tondo Duo. 5.30pm-8.30pm

COLLYWOBBLERS COMEDY: Gispy Hill Brewery hosts Collywobblers Comedy tonight. Among the performers is, fittingly, James Dowdeswell, "possibly one of the most passionate beer loving comedians out there". Others on the line-up include Lateef Lovejoy, Sarah Mills, Cheekykita and Currer Ball. 7pm-10pm

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