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We’re hitting mid-April and spring is officially in full swing – word has it that it’s going to hit 22C this weekend, so you know, sunnies out. If you’re not planning on sunning yourself in the park, or sinking a few cold ones and one of London’s fantastic beer gardens, there are also a load of fun, free activities happening across the capital this weekend.
This April 11-13 is going to be a big one. For the music heads, it’s Record Store Day on Saturday here in the Big Smoke. Then Sunday will bring the always thrilling Oxford v Cambridge Boat Race, plus there’s a massive Easter egg hunt taking place at various locations around the city.
So, without further ado, here are five of the best free things to do in London this weekend.
Go crate-digging for Record Store Day
From Phonica to Rough Trade, most of London’s best vinyl shops will be putting something on this Saturday for Record Store Day. Whether you’re digging for rare dubplates, searching for long out of circulation ‘90s house, or simply looking to pick up your favourite album on wax, rifling through boxes of records is a fantastic day out for any music lover – and lots of artists including Charli xcx, Billie Eilish and Taylor Swift are putting out special releases for the day. Many stores will also be laying on live music, DJ sets, free drinks and more to mark the occasion. Find our full run-down of the London-wide event, including all the shops taking part, here.
Various. Sat Apr 12. Free.
Be blown away by Amoako Boafo at the Gagosian
Ghanian artist Amoako Boafo is staging his first solo show in the UK, taking place a the Gagosian Gallery in Mayfair this spring. This is an exciting chance to catch the artist who’s meteoric rise to fame can be thanked, in part, to his eyebrow-raising commission of three portraits which were sent into space on Jeff Bezos’s rocket ship in 2021. Tech bros aside, Boafo is interested in subverting Western views of Africa and the diaspora through his brightly coloured oil and paper transfer paintings, and is becoming recognised for his portraits and figurative works.
Gagosian Gallery, W1K 3QD. Until Sat May 24. Free.
Boogie to Latin jazz at the Old Blue Last
Old Blue Last favourites Trio Cadência will be playing the best Brazilian, Cuban and Afro jazz tunes at the Shoreditch boozer best know for its top musical offering, the Old Blue Last, this Friday. Expect a healthy dose of energising tunes, enough to unlock your inner salsa dancer and get you up on your feet. This weekly free event is pretty popular and the seats fill up quickly, not that you’ll need one.
Old Blue Last, EC2A 3ES. Fri Apr 11. Free.
Recommended: An oral history of the Old Blue Last.
Cheer on the Oxford v Cambridge Boat Race
Academic titans Oxford and Cambridge will put their physical strength to the test at the annual Boat Race this Sunday, April 13. Typically, over 300,000 people line the banks of the Thames to get a glimpse of the action each year. If you’re like the majority of them, then as well as the sporting spectacle, you’re also there for the excuse to knock back a few pints. The race stretches from Putney to Mortlake, with some of the best vantage around Hammersmith Bridge, Barnes Bridge and Chiswick Bridge. Find all the information about the annual oars-off here.
Various. Sun Apr 13. Free.
Search for Easter goodies at the Big Egg Hunt
More than 100 decorated large-scale eggs have been hidden across different London locations by the Big Egg Hunt this Easter. You’ll be able to spy eggs everywhere from Chelsea to Canary Wharf, and in famous landmarks including the Barbican, Royal Albert Hall and British Museum. Big name participants in the hunt include Anya Hindmarch, Fortnum and Mason and artist LUAP. You can ‘collect’ the eggs by ticking them off on a free app which is set to reveal prizes along the way. If there’s one egg in particular that really takes your fancy, you can bid to take it home for good in a silent auction, with all money raised going to support Elephant Family’s conservation work in South Asia.
Various. Until Sun Apr 27. Free.
For more things to do, here’s our comprehensive roundup of the best things happening in London this weekend
And check out the best things to do on a budget of nothing with our guide to free London
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