Things To Do This Weekend In London: 9-10 March 2024

Things to do this weekend is sponsored by GLOW: Illuminating Innovation.

All weekend

BOOK WEEK: Literary festival Book Week comes to a close at Kings Place this weekend. There's plenty going on in the final two days, including Charles Dickens biographer Helena Kelly discussing the author's relationship with the Jewish community, and author Samuel Graydon talkign about his Einstein biography. Browse the full programme. Until 10 March

A PINCH OF VAULT: This is the final weekend of the comedy strand of A Pinch Of VAULT, the spin-off event from the people behind VAULT Festival. There are plenty of work-in-progress shows to catch as comedians use it as a chance to hone their material, including Lulu Popplewell, Andrew White and Dee Allum. Until 10 March

AFFORDABLE ART FAIR: Prices for artworks start at £50 at the Affordable Art Fair, which is held at Evolution Battersea. Thousands of contemporary artworks are for sale, with special events including an International Women's Day exhibition, and family sessions both days this weekend. 6-10 March

POLISH FILM FESTIVAL: Now in its 22nd year, the Kinoteka Polish Film Festival returns to venues across London, showcasing the best new and classic Polish films. The programme spans documentaries, dramas, animations and kids' films — options this weekend include family film The Dog Who Travelled By Train, and award-winning documentary Home, followed by a Q&A with director Mela Hilleard. 6-28 March

DISNEY DOUBLE BILL: Double delight for Disney fans this weekend: The Disney100 exhibition reopens its doors at ExCeL, celebrating the company's centenary with over 250 artefacts on display (from 6 March). Additionally, Disney On Ice slides back into town. Minnie, Mickey, Moana, Coco and the cast of Frozen are among the characters appearing in Dream Big at Wembley Arena. 7-10 March

WOMEN BY WOMEN: As part of London's International Women's Day celebrations, charity ActionAid hosts a free photography exhibition at gallery@oxo. Women by Women consists of photographs from Poland, Uganda, Bangladesh, Turkey and Colombia of women living through displacement who are shattering stereotypes about refugees and those seeking asylum. FREE, 7-10 March

NEW YORK CITY BALLET: The New York City Ballet makes its Sadler's Wells debut, its performers taking part in UK premieres of works by Kyle Abraham, Justin Peck and Pam Tanowitz — as well as a classic work by George Balanchine. The company celebrates its 75th anniversary this year, and this is the first time it's performed in London since 2008. 7-10 March

THE OTHER ART FAIR: The Other Art Fair takes over the Old Truman Brewery for four days of artwork that's accessible to all. Affordable and original pieces are up for grabs, alongside immersive installations, live performances and a bar. 7-10 March

SOUTH ASIAN SOUNDS: Southbank Centre has a new event series, South Asian Sounds, celebrating the musical traditions of the Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Afghan diaspora. More than a dozen events take place across four days. 7-10 March

COUNTRY TO COUNTRY: Three days of country music comes to The O2 as Country To Country festival returns. Rising Nashville stars take to the stage between sets from headline acts including Kane Brown, Carly Pearce, Jake Owen and Brothers Osborne. 8-10 March

IMPROVATHON: Wilton's Musical Hall hosts a 50-hour improvised live comedy soap opera on the theme of weddings. It's split into 25 two-hour episodes, so you can dip in and out and watch as many as you'd like. 8-10 March

OSCAR WEEK: As is now tradition, Barbican Cinema screens this year's Oscar-nominated films in the week surrounding the awards ceremony (which takes place in LA on Sunday evening). Society of the Snow, Oppenheimer, and Poor Things are shown on Saturday, and it's Perfect Days, Anatomy of a Fall and Killers of the Flower Moon on Sunday. 8-14 March

SHERLOCK HOLMES: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's final Sherlock Holmes novel, The Valley of Fear, is brought to life on stage at Artsdepot in Finchley. Holmes and Watson investigate an untimely death at Birlstone Manor... but all is not as it seems. Age 11+. 9-10 March

BARNES MUSIC FESTIVAL: Pianists, saxophonists, organists, singers and a concert band are some of the performers lined up for this year's Barnes Music Festival, which takes place at venues across the area. Saturday's opening concert, Magnificat!, is at St Mary's, performed by the Barnes Festival Orchestra and the Pegasus Choir, with the Barnes Concert Band and pianist Imogen Cooper among the performers on Sunday. Under-12s get free entry to all performances as part of the festival's Youth Programme, in a bid to reach a younger audience. 9-24 March

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Celebrate the work of women in digital creativity

Glow: Illuminating Innovation is a free multi-sited exhibition taking place 8 March-20 April (open Monday-Saturday) around Strand and Aldwych, celebrating the advancements and achievements in digital creativity made by women in technology. The works on display span 50 years, including new digital art commissions and interactive AR and VR experiences.

Wander among AI-generated portraits, 3D printed animal robots, virtual sculptures, lights and sound installations — just some of the brand new commissions on display, by international artists including Violeta Ayala, Yarli Allison and Lisa Jamhoury. Drop by The Curiosity Cabinet to see artefacts behind these digital creations, including prototype headsets and video documentation of the first VR movie

Next week, don't miss Second Nature, an immersive sound and light installation from Rebecca Smith. A stream of invisible data, collected by environmental sensor stations located around a church is used to create abstract visualisations, inspired by nature. You can see it in St Mary le Strand church, Monday 11-Wednesday 13 March.

Saturday 9 March

EGYPT TOUR: Did you know that the British Museum runs regular out-of-hours tours of some of its displays and exhibitions? Today, you can enter the museum before it opens to the public for a tour of some of its Egyptian artefacts, spread across four rooms. Focus is on death and the afterlife in Ancient Egypt, including how the dead were prepared for burial, and the process of mummification. 8.50am

LOST IN SHANGHAI: Cantonese restaurant Hakkasan Hanway Place launches a new Lost in Shanghai brunch in partnership with wine brand Rock Angel Rosé. There's a set menu with a side of theatricality — think dim sum served among dry ice, a crispy duck salad, and stir fry black pepper rib eye with merlot. Cocktails and wine are available throughout, and there are live DJs and performances going on around you, evoking the spirit of Shanghai. 12.30pm-4pm

BLACK WAR EFFORT: Black History Walks holds the first of two events looking at the contributions that African and Caribbean people made during the second world war. The Africa Centre in Southwark is the venue for an afternoon featuring interviews of veterans, rare videos, first hand testimony and documentation covering topics including Black Spitfire and bomber pilots, and Black and Asian women secret agents. 1pm-4pm

MILITARY MUSIC: The Massed Bands of His Majesty’s Royal Marines give two concerts at the Royal Albert Hall today for the Mountbatten Festival of Music, which showcases the skills of some of the world’s finest military musicians. Traditional marches, and music from films all feature in the varied programme. 2pm/7.30pm

BALLOON GIRL: Jenny Leonard's Banksy-inspired Balloon Girl painting is the focus of this afternoon's PopUp Painting session at London Art Bar in Holborn. Have a go at creating your own version of the artwork, helped along with a drink or two. All art materials are provided, and a professional artist is on hand to provide guidance and advice if needed. 3.30pm-6pm

NASHVILLE NIGHT: Journey through the history of the music genre at A Country Night In Nashville, a lively recreation of a honky tonk in the Tennessee city. Hear hits by the likes of Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, the Chicks, Willie Nelson and Shania Twain, performed by Dominic Halpin & The Hurricanes. Takes place at Fairfield Halls in Croydon. 7.30pm

FULHAM SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: Head to St John's Smith Square to hear the Fulham Symphony Orchestra perform Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition, written as a musical depiction of a tour of an exhibition of works by architect and painter Viktor Hartmann. Compositions by Mélanie Bonis, Edward Elgar and Anton Rubinstein are also on the programme for the concert. 7.30pm

PEATBOG FAERIES: Scottish fusion group The Peatbog Faeries bring their world tour to Nell's in West Kensington. performing their blend of traditional jigs and reels, contemporary dance music, inspired by jazz, pop and techno music. 7.30pm

OSCARS BALL: Ahead of the Oscars on Sunday night, Club de Fromage throws at Oscars Ball at the O2 Academy Islington. Dress as your favourite film character or in your red carpet attire and dance the night away to tunes from film soundtracks past and present including Barbie, A Star Is Born, The Greatest Showman, The Lion King, Dirty Dancing, Sing, Encanto and more. 10.30pm-3.30am

THE LAST LIBERTINE: Comedian John Tothill is at Soho Theatre for a performance of his show The Last Living Libertine, an hour-long show about pleasure. 10.30pm

Sunday 10 March

MOTHER'S DAY: A reminder to pick up a card and some flowers and chocolates. Perhaps treat her to afternoon tea too, eh?

ARTISAN MARKET: Local artists, crafters, food producers and ethical businesses gather at Lauderdale House in Highgate for the Duck Pond Artisan Market. Browse and buy products direct from the makers, and help to support local businesses. 11am-5pm

LITERATURE BOAT RIDE: As part of the Literary Footprints festival running all month, join guide Rob Smith for a trip along the Thames on an Uber Boat, focusing on books set on or around the river. Board at Vauxhall and ride the boat east to Barking Reach, hearing about authors including C P Snow, Sussanah Gregory, Fiona Buckley, Alan Moore, Virginia Woolf and H M Tomlinson as you go. 2pm-5pm

THE COLOR PURPLE: For its weekly Film Club, the Soho Hotel screens the new film The Color Purple, based on the book of the same name, about Celie, an African American woman living in the American South in the early 20th century. Choose between a ticket just for the film, or add on a meal or afternoon tea to the experience. 3.30pm

SUNDAY CONCERT: This week's Sunday Concert at Conway Hall has a special programme to celebrate International Women's Day. Fenella Humphreys (violin), Cara Berridge (cello) and Libby Burgess (piano) showcase music by women composers of the last two centuries, including Mel Bonis, Rebecca Clarke and Emilie Mayer. 6.30pm-8.30pm

BEAT OF BRAZIL: Brazilian music culture is celebrated in a lively show at the Jazz Cafe in Camden. Beat of Brazil is headlined by samba and tropicália pioneer Jards Macalé, whose career has spanned more than six decades. 7pm-10.30pm

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