Things to do in London this weekend

Love it or hate it, each year Hyde Park gets transformed into a Winter Wonderland for Christmas bringing a sleigh-load of festive fun with it. Head down for fairground rides, a child-friendly Santa Land, traditional Christmas markets, circuses and the biggest outdoor ice rink in the UK. Hear Christmas tunes being played from the Victorian bandstand, look out for ice sculpting workshops and warm yourself up with frothing steins at the German-style Bavarian Village.

Yes, it is possible to stay out late in the city centre. Now we’re in Christmas party season, keep the revelry going into the wee hours by hitting up the central London watering holes open past 1am (not midnight, because before 1am is too early for a proper nightcap). We’ve rounded them up into a handy list, so your weekend just got a little bit spicier. 

Already the undisputed south London boss of breezy Italian dining thanks to their original Peckham location and Deptford off-shoot Marcella, Artusi’s West End transfer is sincerely appreciated. Inside, we’re a long way from Bellenden Road. Set above a theatre down an alleyway full of sex shops, the interiors are giving suburban boudoir; all dark blue velvet seats and white marble-ish tables edged with golden trim. The food is very much what we know and love from the joint: hearty Italian dishes with plenty of pasta. Look out for its pre-theatre menus. 

Patrick Heron and Victor Pasmore showed up to represent the UK at the 1965 São Paulo Biennial with a load of experimental paintings. The show is semi-recreated here, with a few works from the Biennial mixed with others from the same period. Heron and Pasmore had their differences. Heron worked flat, Pasmore in 3D; Heron was all bold and bright, Pasmore all muted and sombre. But they work well together. It’s that clash – quick and easy versus slow and overthought – that makes the show work. It’s a lovely little window into the past of British art, into a time when abstraction felt fresh and exciting. 

Available at several London locations – Brixton, Peckham, South Norwood, Ladywell, and Sydenham – this menu features the best of chef Antonio’s handcrafted Neapolitan-style sourdough pizzas. Made with organic flour from Shipton Mill and local produce from Borough Market, each pizza has a unique, fresh flavour. Start your meal by sharing a delicious “Bambinos” appetiser, choose two of their popular pizzas like the Margherita, Hot Honey Dog, or Dirty Boy, and end with a sweet treat: a tiramisu sharer or scoops of artisan ice cream. A must-try experience for pizza lovers!

Enjoy a three course Italian dining experience, at Mamma Dough, only through Time Out Offers.

This group of six small enamel paintings – and a handful of watercolours of flowers – see Shaw returning to his childhood estate in Coventry to continue documenting its long, slow decline into dereliction. It’s a decline you can take as a metaphor for the rest of England, not just the industrial midlands. This small show is full of allusions to William Blake and the histories and legends of England, but this is a portrait of a nation constantly treading water, kicking against the sinking, the decline. These are such beautiful, stunningly done paintings. Intricate, precise and obsessively dedicated to capturing every detail of this nation’s crumbling decrepitude.

Eight different Christmas markets will be popping up over the course of five weeks in the lead-up to Christmas at King Cross. This week hit up Lower Stable Street Christmas Market to pick up everything from food and drinks to homeware, art, books and clothing, all with eco-friendliness in mind. 

Who said ballet had to be boring? MADDADDAM, inspired by Margaret Attwood’s post-apocalyptic sci-fi trilogy of the same name, has a plot to rival a blockbuster movie. Sure, capturing three complicated dystopian novels, and all the world building within them, is a lot to take on for a 2.5 hour ballet. Somehow, Wayne McGregor pulls it off. The complex story plays out through nostalgic dream sequences, a video game and cinematic staging. It’s all accentuated by Max Richter’s powerhouse score, which has everything from sentimental strings to booming techno and handy narration, partly voiced by Tilda Swinton. 

Each year the London Migration Film Festival shines a light on the diversity and humanity of migration in a programme that shows the many forms in which it takes place. In 2024, you can expect films that cover everything from the climate emergency to trans rights, depicted via documentaries, shorts and fictional films. The festival takes place across a number of venues in London, including the ICA, Genesis Cinema and upstairs at The Ritzy. 

Dennis Severs’ House – aka the ornate Huguenot house that sits on a Spitalfields backstreet – is a real-life time capsule. Part museum and part art piece, its rooms are still decorated in the manner of a family home between 1724 and 1914. Each Christmas, it becomes a seasonal hotspot and visitors are greeted with gingerbread figures and figgy pudding mix laid out in the 18th-century kitchen, Christmas trees wrapped up in decorations and a lavish holiday feast set out on the dining room table. Book an after-dark ‘Silent Night’ tour to see it glowing with candlelight. 

The third major projection-based show to play at King’s Cross’ Lightroom venue is this immersive exhibition that will dip into the storied archives of Vogue magazine to explore the history of the fashion runway show. As ever at Lightroom, expect it to look ravishing, the footage blown up to gargantuan scale and definition by the venue’s high tech projection systems. Initially it will run in rep with long-running Tom Hanks hit Moonwalkers.

Given this market is held at the Chelsea Physic Garden, it makes sense that it’s the perfect place to pick up lush new plants and botanical gifts. But there’s much more on offer here, too, including jewellery, decorations, textiles and quirky pieces from indie designers. There are over 100 stalls to browse so make sure you stop by the garden café to help keep your energy levels high.

London boasts some impressive backdrops to its ice rinks, but few are as steeped in history as Hampton Court Palace. As you slip and slide around the ice, you can gaze up at Henry VIII’s sixteenth-century pad and wonder what he’d make of all this, or just keep your eye out for any of the palace’s rumoured ghosts. Even better, this rink is next to the Thames, so you can pretend you’re gliding down the river as you skate. As well as imagination-fuelling, the spot is also family-friendly, with skate aids available for kids if you book in advance. Head to the café after to warm up with hot chocolate, mulled wine and mince pies. 

Every year, the EFG London Jazz Festival brings together the best and brightest of the genre in venues across the city, from jazz staples like Ronnie Scott’s to the capital’s arts venues like Southbank Centre and new spots like Soul Mama. This year is no different. The 2024 line-up promises a bounty of bops, whether you’re looking to discover new artists on the scene (LCCM Presents Emerging Sounds Of London, Nov 15), want to celebrate past masterpieces (Hejira Duo Celebrate The Jazz Side Of Joni Mitchell, Nov 16), or want to witness some legends in action (Robert Glaser, Nov 18 and 21). As well as tons of concerts every day, there’s also sessions, workshops, talks and more to take part in and enjoy.

At it’s Best Jethro Compton’s ‘The Curious Case of Benjamin Button’ is an extraordinary thing, a soaring folk opera that overwhelms you with a cascade of song and feeling. Writer/director/designer Compton’s interpretation is very different to both F Scott Fitzgerald’s original short story and the 2008 David Fincher film starring Brad Pitt. For starters it’s a love letter to Compton’s native Cornwall, its story spanning much of the twentieth century. It has a joy, romance and big-hearted elan that stands in stark contrast to Fitzgerald’s cynicism and the dolefulness of Fincher’s sloggy film. It’s very good, but the last ten minutes or so are actively sublime. It’s full of charm, heart and magic.

Nigerian-born artist Rotimi Fani-Kayode lived in Brixton until his early death in his 30s in 1989. In the privacy of his studio, he was able to use the camera to explore ideas of difference, identity and a whole lot of desire. The first images here are full of African masks and twisted, nude anguish: naked bodies contorted and writhing in a cold, bare, unhomely South London flat. They’re images that express the reality of being an outsider in western society, of his Africanness, his queerness, his everythingness rubbing up awkwardly against the strictures of 1980s English life.

Christmas at Kew has become a key date in London’s festive calendar, with a humongous light trail taking over the 300-acre botanic garden. See the space lit up with larger-than-life illuminations, with both the venue’s glass houses and the trees that cover its grounds drenched in different hues. The whole thing is stunning, but don’t miss the lake, where you’ll catch reflections of the vibrant bulbs dancing on the water, taking the magical feeling to another level.  Keep yourself toasty along the way with warming winter snacks and make sure you pop by the grotto to say hi to Father Christmas himself.

How to get Christmas at Kew tickets 

As the UK’s original light trail, this illuminated adventure sells out fast. So you’ll have to look sharp to secure your place. Keep an eye on Kew Garden’s booking page, which tells you what dates and times at each of the different entrances are available. If your desired dates are booked up, keep refreshing the page to track returns. Keep refreshing the page to track returns. 

What are the prices and opening times?

Tickets for non-members start at £25.50 for off-peak slots and £32 at peak times. Members can get discounted tickets with prices starting at £21.50 and going to £26 for peak times. Family and child tickets are also available.

Christmas at Kew is open from 4.20pm to 10pm. Each visitor is given a specific time slot, with the last entry at 8pm. 

How long does it take to walk around Christmas at Kew?

That’s really down to you. The glittering trail is 3km long so, depending on your speed and how long you spend taking in refreshments, visiting the fairground, toasting marshmallows and stopping by to see Father C, it can take up to two hours to walk around.

Kick off your weekend plans with a Frameless Lates sessions. Get your after-dark culture fix every Friday and Saturday night in Marble Arch. With over-18s-only sessions, you’ll be able to enjoy four galleries to a specially curated soundtrack from Soho Radio. Whether you want to impress a date or simply enjoy a fun night out with friends, you will be able to take your time exploring the galleries with a drink in hand from the Café Bar.

Exclusive: enjoy £5 off tickets to Frameless Lates, only through Time Out Offers.

London Palestine Film Festival’s programme features films that both reflect on Palestine and share the political realities and experiences of Palestinian people both in their homeland and around the world. Many of the screenings are accompanied by talks, so you can get deeper context and understanding on the visuals, too. Look out for the likes of ‘The Fifth War’, a document of Israel’s 1978 invasion of Lebanon, ‘Familiar Phantoms’’ personal storytelling from Larissa Sansour, and ‘To A Land Unknown’, which follows a Palestinian refugee on the hunt for revenge in Athens.

We all spend too much time on the internet, but most people don’t turn that filthy habit into art. Parker Ito does. Walking into the American artist’s show is like stumbling upon a long lost shrine. Two scanners on the floor strobe and flash in the darkness, attempting to scan a plastic statuette of some manga knight. A siren blares and suddenly a spotlight shines on a huge dipthych of paintings in the corner. Half-digital, half-physical, it’s an attempt to root this heavily internet-coded work in art history. Ito is mixes art historical symbols with modern technology and feeds it all through a crippling internet addiction. It’s a way of making sense of the overwhelming tsunami of digital stuff we’re all drowning under.

Get ready for a Rock n' Roll revival at 100 Wardour St’s new Friday night cabaret, launching on 27th September. Powered by Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, this lively event brings together drag performers, vocalists, and rock musicians to recreate the iconic days of the Marquee Club, where legends like Bowie and Hendrix once played. Enjoy a three-course meal featuring tantalising starters like scallop ceviche and burrata, mains like baked cod and BBQ lamb cutlets, and decadent desserts such as vanilla panna cotta and apple tarte tatin, all paired with a glass of fizz. Join every Friday in the heart of Soho for an unforgettable night!

Get three-courses, a glass of prosecco and a show at 100 Wardour Street £39.95 (down from £49), only through Time Out Offers.

Japan House’s latest exhibition is a tasty exploration of one of Japan’s centuries-old traditions, Shokuhin Sampuru – Japanese food replicas. Food replicas locked in glass cabinets outside restaurants, or displayed proudly at the entrance are common in the country, showing classic Japanese cuisine – razor-sharp sushi, perfect little bento boxes, or Western food – spaghetti alfredo and beef burgers. Visitors are treated to some tasty little morsels of Japanese culinary history and facts about the art of food replicas. There’s a hands-on section where you can create your own bento boxes from hyper-realistic ingredients and a video series showing the craftsmanship involved. We suggest you head straight to Marugame Udon down the road afterwards – you’re definitely going to leave hungry.

Dreaming of a kitsch Christmas? New York’s famous Miracle on Ninth Street bar is popping up in London for its seventh year, ‘50s Christmas decorations, nostalgic accessories and creative new spins on beloved cocktail favourites in tow. This year’s menu is still a work in progress, but past years have seen the bar slinging the likes of a Snowball Old Fashioned or a Christmapoliton, which includes cranberry sauce and absinthe mist – a take on Christmas trimmings that’s not for the faint-hearted. If you’re failing to find the Christmas spirit, this is one great place to come find it.

Is it, is it wicked? Well, yes. The award-winning Garage Brunch is taking over top-secret locations across London to bring you UKG daytime raves that come with a side of brunch. Expect nothing but old-school anthems while you knock back an hour's worth of bottomless cocktails followed by a delicious two-course feast to keep you feeling party-ready. That’s not all though, as you’ll get to put your knowledge of Artful Dodger and DJ Luck & MC Neat to the test with rounds of Garage Bingo and Garage Mastermind. And you can show off your very best moves to So Solid's DJ Swiss by taking on the Garage Skank Off on stage. It’s every garage fan’s dream day out.

Get entry only tickets for just £10, or upgrade to brunch & bottomless drinks for £30, down from £49.99, only through Time Out Offers.

With its legend tied up in that of its director Stanley Kubrick, its star Peter Sellers, its magnificent monochrome cinematography and moreover its release against the backdrop of the actual Cold War, Dr Strangelove is a film comedy that gets treated with arthouse reverence. And for that reason, there are nagging doubts about the idea of a stage version. Is director Sean Foley in the same league as Kubrick? Is Coogan in the same league as Sellers? At its heart Armando Iannucci and Foley‘s stage adaptation is just very aware that Dr Strangelove is fun, funny and possessed of a play-like structure. Rather than try and out-auteur Kubrick, it’s an accomplished, funny West End comedy, and even if the Cold War is over it still has some topical bite. 

Just like the ever-expanding TfL map, interest in the history of London’s transport network is bigger than ever these days. Now, The Map House, a historic antique dealer in Knightsbridge has curated a wonderful selection of printed maps, adverts and drawings that detail the complex, evolving design we all know so well. Vistors are greeted with a large gilded rendition of Harry Bec’s 1933 masterpiece of topographic design, which is not only the foundation of our current TfL map but the progenitor to all non-geographic transport maps around the world. Look out for Beck’s pencil sketches from the 1960s; showing how the Victoria line could bisect through Euston and Kings Cross. You don’t have to be an anorak or cartographer to appreciate what’s on sale here. 

Every winter the Southbank Centre turns the banks of the Thames into a frosty wonderland, full of little wooden Alpine-style cabins selling gifts, warming drinks, and snacks. This year, you can cosy up at Fire And Fromage with its heated riverside igloos where you can snaffle down cheese fondue. Further down, you’ll find huts serving up truffle burgers, duck wraps, and many more tasty morsels to keep you full and warm. Or grab a glass of mulled wine while you look through gifts, jewellery and decorations made by independent craft traders and take in those sparking riverside views.