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24 tremendous things to do in London this weekend

Written by
Alexandra Sims
scats21/ Flickr
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It’s the first weekend of 2018. Welcome in the new year by ditching your trousers and taking a ride on the tube, dancing to Bowie tracks on the eve of what would have been his 71st birthday (and the 2nd anniversary of his passing) or getting into shape at Re:Solutions health and wellness festival.

CENTRAL

No Trousers Tube Ride. Various locations. Sun. Free. Join a hardy bunch of intrepid Londoners who’ll be ditching their trews and riding the Underground semi-starkers for this annual event. Meet opposite Canton restaurant on Newport Place and be ready to join the after party from 5pm at O’Neill’s on Wardour St.

When Time Began. Kings Place. Sat. £8.50. Sitar player Sheema Mukherjee will soundtrack three Crick Crack Club storytellers as they tell weird and wild stories of creation. Hear about ravens with insatiable appetites and eggs laid in inexplicable places.

Dazzle. Gallery@oxo. Sat-Sun. Free entry. Pick up eye-popping jewellery from established European makers and recent British graduates at this fair, returning for its 36th year. Prices start at £20.

Paper Marbling: One Day Intro. Reel + Fold. Sat. £95. Make a stack of beautiful papers, patterned by marbles and your own fair hands. Tutor Freya Scott will guide you through the process of marbling and mixing paints.

KinoVino x Nuclear Winter. Styx Bar. Sat. £55. KinoVino has teamed up with Nuclear Winter for a culinary journey taking diners to all four corners of the Soviet Union. On Saturday, try cuisine from central Asia and Siberia.

The Smiths Special at Burn Down The Disco. O2 Academy Islington. Sat. £5.50. This fun, unpretentious club night is throwing its annual Smiths extravaganza. Expect all your favourite Moz and Marr tunes alongside plenty of other indie bangers.

‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit’ 30th Anniversary Screening. Prince Charles Cinema. Sun. £10. Get ready to feel old. ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit’ is officially 30 years old this year, and to celebrate our favourite wild card cinema is hosting a celebratory screening.



NORTH

JW3 On Ice. JW3. Sat-Sun. £13. It’s your last chance to slip and slide on this Jewish arts, culture and community centre’s ice rink on Finchley Road. This is the last weekend it will be open in the piazza, with hot chocolate, mulled wine and seasonal food on offer too.

Sunday Soul. Jazz Cafe. Sun. From £5. Round off your weekend with some smooth soul tunes at this iconic Camden venue’s regular night. Expect top-notch Stax bangers to be played and a live performance from the Atlantic Soul Orchestra.

Harry Potter – Philosopher’s Stone and Chamber of Secrets Quiz. World’s End, Finsbury Park. Sun. Free entry. If you know your Basilisks from your Bowtruckles, why not test out your muggle mind in this Potter-themed quiz.



EAST

Farewell to Christmas. Geffrye Museum. Sat. Free. Sorry folks, Christmas is over. Wave it goodbye at this traditional celebration on Twelfth Night. There’ll be carol singing, mulled wine, Twelfth Night cake and the ceremonial burning of the holly and the ivy. 

Hackney Downs Vegan Market. Hackney Downs Studios. Sat. Free entry. Those who prefer food of the meat and dairy-free variety should get on down to this vegan market hosted by the Fat Gay Vegan.

David Bowie’s Birthday Extravaganza. The Macbeth of Hoxton. Sat. Free. It’s almost two years since we lost our beloved Brixton superstar. Celebrate his life and get on down to his music at this Bowie birthday bash. 

Re:Solutions Festival. Juju’s Bar and Stage. Sat-Sun. Prices vary. Join Re-Solutions’ 30-day-long health and wellness festival at Juju’s Bar & Stage for a post-Christmas pick-me-up. Take part in yoga and martial arts classes, motivational talks, workshops and mini retreats.

The Big London Flea. EPIC Dalston. Sun. Free entry. Get your mitts on pre-loved clothes, kitchenware, oddities and accessories at this vintage market held at Dalston’s former ABC cinema.

Bike Jumble. Look Mum No Hands! Sun. Free entry. Pick up bike parts and sell bits you no longer need at this monthly sale. There’ll also be food, craft beer and Square Mile coffee on offer while you browse wheels and make deals.

Geffrye Museum Closing Day Party. Geffrye Museum. Sun. Free. The wonderful museum of the home is closing its doors for two years and undergoing an £18m development project. Before it does, you’re invited to bid it a fond farewell with a day of curator talks, games, workshops and a performance from a punk-pop poet.

Radiohead: ‘Meeting People is Easy’ Screening. Moth Club. Sun. £5. Get an insight into what life on tour is like for Thom Yorke & co at a screening of this documentary following the band’s ‘OK Computer’ tour.



SOUTH 

Bowie Fans Meet Up. David Bowie Memorial. Sat. Free. Calling all Bowie fans. Meet more of your kind at this public event. After signing the Bowie memorial (if you can find any space!), take a trip to Beckenham’s bandstand (where Bowie played in 1969) and end the day with a ‘Spoons lunch. 

Let’s Dance – A Bowie Tribute. Windmill Brixton. Free (donations for Macmillan Cancer). Put on your red shoes and get on down to this DB-themed party.

Jacky’s Jukebox. Rivoli Ballroom. Sat. £10. Bop, rock and lindy hop at this beautiful ballroom’s monthly dance night. Grab your dancing shoes and a partner and throw some moves in the city’s last intact ‘50s ballroom.

WEST

GamePad: Gaming For Grenfell. The Rugby Portobello Trust. Sat. Free-£20. Gamepad is heading west for a day of social gaming. Local residents go free and profits go toward providing young local people with video and board games over the winter. 

Beazley Designs of the Year. Design Museum. Sat-Sun. £10. The original pussyhat and the Refugee Nation Flag are just a few of the objects on show at this exhibition celebrating 2017’s best design projects.

AND FINALLY

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Main image: scats21/Flickr 

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