Rhian Daly

  It might not feel like it right now, but it’s already time to start planning your summer (and spring and autumn…). Festival season, which now begins in March or April and extends to the end of September and into October, is fast approaching, and you’ll want to snap up tickets soon so you don’t have to miss out. From big returns (like Green Day topping the Download bill), to stars cementing their place as bona fide headliners (see: RAYE at All Points East) and everything else in between, there’s plenty to get excited about in the months ahead. Here at Time Out, we're big fans of music festivals. We’ve been up and down the country in the name of watching our favourite artists and discovering new band crushes in fields and at multi-venue city centre events. Give us a euphoric moment in the rainy countryside or getting sweaty in tiny, sticky-floored venues. Give us London day festivals and family-friendly glamping events. Give us five-day camping behemoths and teeny tiny micro festivals. It’s safe to say, then, that our team can tell you which UK festivals are worth spending your hard-earned cash (and precious holiday days) on. Check out Time Out’s guide to the best UK music festivals for 2025 below, in chronological order – we’ll be updating this page with more events as they’re announced. See you in the pit. RECOMMENDED:😎 The best London music festivals for 2025.🪩 What you need to know about Glastonbury 2025

I don't know about you, but I think we're pretty damn lucky to have world-class festivals just a tube ride away. Before you know it, you're catching your most listened-to artists in a field, tinny to hand and while contemplating afterparties or a hot shower and bowl of cereal before bed (just me?). We're a city that loves live music, we all know that. And so we're absolutely spoilt for choice when summer rolls around. You've got festivals devoted to hip-hop, jazz, leftfield pop and heavy rock ‘n’ roll. Whatever your taste may be, my god does London have a day festival for you. Have a scroll through some of our recommendations and start planning a fantastic summer in 2025.  But be warned, these events are selling out fast. So get your tickets right now if you know what’s good for ya! RECOMMENDED: ⛺ The best UK music festivals🌍 The best festivals in Europe

Scotland’s national poet Rabbie Burns turns 266 this year and Burns Night is an opportunity to have a kilt-raising, haggis-scoffing, whisky-fuelled good time in celebration. But you don’t have to be in the big guy’s motherland to join in the festivities. An estimated 200,000 Scottish expats live in the capital, which technically makes it the third most populous Scottish city, so you can guarantee there’s plenty of feasting, boozing and partying to be done down here too.  When is Burns Night in London? Burns Night always falls on January 25, the day Robert Burns was born in South Ayrshire way back in 1759. With this year’s celebration falling on a Saturday, you can probably expect this year’s festivities to be even more raucous than usual. Whether you want to get sweaty at a ceilidh, pipe in a haggis, or have a classy time at a whisky tasting or indulgent Burns supper, this is how you can enjoy Burns Night 2025 in London.  RECOMMENDED: Here are London's best spots for a delicious Burns Night supper.

Whether you’re partnered up, dating around or looking to shower yourself with love this Valentine’s Day, London’s events calendar is jam-packed with romantic events on and around the big day – aka Friday February 14 2025. Go for a classic, tried-and-trusted night out with a romantic dinner in one of the city’s many architectural visions, or opt for something a little unorthodox and alternative, like a witchy absinthe tasting or a sex-themed comedy night. Prefer to hunker down in the dark of the cinema and immerse yourself in a good film? Pop-up cinemas and special Valentine’s screenings rule London’s film scene this February. For wine and flowers to chocolates and dinners, our comprehensive guide to the best Valentine’s ideas in London for 2025 has something to tickle everyone’s fancy.  RECOMMENDED: explore the full guide to Valentine’s Day in London.

The Six Nations rugby tournament is back for 2025. From January 31, it will be taking over pubs, beer gardens and outdoor screens across London most weekends up until Saturday March 15.  Last year, Ireland claimed back-to-back titles for the third time since 1949, and will be looking to be triumphant for a third consecutive year. Games take place at venues including Paris’ Stade de France, Rome’s Stadio Olimpico, Dublin’s Aviva Stadium, and London’s very own Twickenham Stadium as England, France, Italy, Scotland, and Wales try to burst the Irish team’s bubble. You’ll find the matches on screens at London’s many rugby pubs and bars, but if you want to watch with the most atmos possible, get yourself to one of our favourite places to grab a seat and a pint and get stuck into all the action.

January just seems to go on and on, doesn’t it? Break up the monotony of frosty mornings and dark evenings with some cultural treats and add some sparkle to the bleakest month of the year. It might be peak hibernation season, but London’s event organisers are still beavering away and putting on a smorgasbord of shows, workshops and installations to keep you occupied.  This is the perfect time of year to discover new art. ‘Condo’, a city-wide mega-exhibition sees galleries from all over the world share spaces at some of London’s best art institutions and is a chance to get to know creatives from across the globe. Or, unearth work from UK artists at the London Art Fair and at Bloomberg New Contemporaries, which displays work from the most exciting art graduates coming out of the UK’s art schools right now.  Inject some life into January by visiting Canary Wharf Winter Lights which is bringing another slew of glistening art installations to the business district, head to Chelsea Physic Garden for its annual Heralding Spring festival where you can see its newest crop of snowdrops which bloom in its unique microclimate, or have a dance and a wee dram on Burns Night as the city paints the town tartan for the occasion with a weekend full of brilliant events and dances.  While you’re planning your week, check out our January events roundup and start gearing up for a cracking start to 2025. Start planning: here’s our roundup of the 25 best things to do in London in 2025 Stay in the lo

We might only be days into 2025, but however long the cold, dark weeks at the beginning of the year might feel, February will be here soon enough. The second month of the isn’t one you might expect to be jam-packed full of non-stop socialising, but it squeezes a surprising amount of stuff into its four short weeks, including Valentine’s Day, Fashion Week and LGBTQ+ History Month.  From Cate Blanchett’s return to the West End in The Seagull and Tate Modern’s exhibition on 80s maverick Leigh Bowery, to Young V&A’s second major exhibition Making Egypt and Jonathan Bailey’s star turn in Richard II, there are a healthy number of art openings and big-name stage productions as London begins to wake up from its post-Christmas hibernation. And, if you’ve got kids, there’s loads of stuff on to entertain them during the February half-term fun, from the Southbank’s Imagine Children’s Festival to two weeks’ worth of activities for young cinephiles at the BFI.  And there’s plenty more on besides all that. Seize your chance to have some fun this February, with our guide to the best things happening in London over the month. RECOMMENDED: Things to do in London this week.

Oh, January. The first month of the year gets a pretty bad rep, what with the depleted bank accounts, freezing temperatures and general post-Christmas malaise that it usually entails. But it isn’t all bad. For one thing, it’s the ideal time to discover London on a budget and without the crowds, while many of city’s very best theatre and musicals, restaurants and bars – ranked definitively by Time Out's crew of expert local editors – offer discounted tickets and cheap meal deals to entice you out of the house during the coldest and darkest days of the year. Believe it or not, but January can also a time for celebration, too. London will once again be playing host to plenty of Burns Night ceilidhs, haggis suppers and poetry readings commemorating Scotland’s most famous poet, plus dinners and parades in celebration of the Lunar New Year, which falls nice and early in 2025, on January 29. If you’re someone who likes to commit to a month of sobriety or a punishing new exercise regime at the start of the New Year, London definitely has your back too. The city is home to countless excellent sports clubs and fitness classes, plus dozens of glorious parks and spectacular walking routes, and there’s arguably nowhere that better caters for the sober and sober-curious. Of course, if you’d rather just settle in by an open fire at one of the city’s cosiest pubs instead, then there’s absolutely no judgement from us! However you’re planning to spend January, we hope it’s the start of a very

Sometimes it feels like you can’t so much as set foot outside the front door of your exorbitantly expensive flatshare in London without instantly having spent twenty quid. But if you’re under the impression that the only way to have fun in this city is to spend a wodge of cash, we’d encourage you to take a look at this handy list. From riding pedalos in the park to whiling away the afternoon at an arcade, necking oysters to sampling some of the city’s finest culture (think Shakespeare’s Globe or baroque murals at London’s very own ‘Sistine Chapel’ aka the Painted Hall) there are loads of fabulous things to do in this city for less than the price of your average Zone 1 pint (which we’d put at around £7.50 these days, although you can find a very handy list of places where a pint will cost you £6 or under right here).  So don’t just fade away watching Freeview with the heating off, counting down the hours until payday. Get out there and enjoy the best thrifty things to do that the capital has to offer. RECOMMENDED: tuck into London’s best cheap eats.

Board games used to have something of a bad rep, associated with sweaty nerds who spent their whole weekend at Games Workshop, or perhaps with those idle days over Christmas where you had nothing better to do than engage in yet another round of Scrabble (and somehow always end up in a family fight). But no longer! Board games are kinda cool these days, especially among Gen Z, and a growing number of venues are popping up around the capital to cater for a renewed interest in them.  Whether you’re looking for somewhere to host a marathon RPG session, or simply fancy a casual game of Bananagrams while you catch up with a friend over a few pints, you can make new friends, treat yourself to a tipple or tasty morsel, and game til your heart’s content at a host of board game cafés and bars around the city. Here are ten of the capital’s best offerings – but keep the attitude that gets you into brawls with your siblings at home. RECOMMENDED: Pubs in London for playing games, from darts to shuffleboard.

Planning the perfect date can make or break how well your time together goes – choose the wrong activity and you could be ditched in less time than you spent working up the courage to ask your companion out in the first place. Luckily, London’s bars, restaurants and places where you can do stuff make for great date spots, whether you want to sit and gaze lovingly into each other’s eyes over a glass of vino or prefer to get active with your chosen paramour. Soothe your sweaty-palmed anxieties about meeting a stranger from the apps with our great big list of ideas: from cosy fire-lit pubs and intimate Italian bistros to quirky rock-climbing venues, open-air film screenings and peachy picnic spots. If things don’t go to plan, at least you’ll have a tried-and-tested place to take your next prospective partner. RECOMMENDED:😍 The most romantic restaurants in London.💘 The best alternative romantic things to do in London.

Even on the coldest, darkest days of winter, London is always bustling with fun things to do, with a jam-packed calendar of unmissable events to keep you entertained during most people’s least favourite time of the year. And yet, even we culture-mad London superfans have to admit that every once in a while it’s nice to have a little break from it all. When the capital’s hustle and bustle leaves you feeling a little drained, you can find some escape from the crowds and hordes of tourists by getting up and getting out just for a day. In dire need of crisp country air, a relaxing spa day or a gorgeous, long walk? These day trips from London are all under two hours from Zone 1 and will give you the relief you need this winter. RECOMMENDED: The best day trips from London

It’s been almost a decade since Red Bull Culture Clash last took place in London, but finally, it’s making its return in 2025, The epic music battle, inspired by Jamaican sound clash culture, will see four crews armed with their finest dubplates go head-to-head, delivering the best of the electronic, UK rap, Afro, and Caribbean music scenes. Only one can be crowned the winner, though, and take home the Red Bull Culture Clash trophy, with the victor. The likes of Boy Better Know, A$AP Mob and Rebel Sound have previously competed at the legendary competition, as well as special guests like J Hus, Stormzy, and Ice Kid, so crowds can expect some pretty special things from its return, which takes place at Drumsheds in March. 

You don’t need to be a local to take part in Urban Food Fest’s Christmas Market at Get Living’s East Village development. The event promises to be an evening filled with festive fun – with a twist. It will marry traditional fare with multicultural delights, whether that’s on the food front (with Greek, Caribbean and Turkish tastiness on offer) or in the entertainment, which will see a mariachi band performing. All the standard Christmas fare will also be part of the extravaganza, so you can tuck into a plate of mince pies while listening to the angelic sounds of carol singers still. Elsewhere, there’ll be LED stilt walkers and, of course, a market selling stocking stuffers, jewellery, kids crafts and much more, while the little ones will be kept busy with free face painting, balloon modelling, festive arts and crafts and a visit from Saint Nick himself.

This time, the event – which celebrates the best in South Asian music, film, art and more – will take over The Cause, bringing with it over 30 DJs and live acts set across six stages. There’ll also be terrace parties and installations of both the AV and art kind. The line up includes esteemed DJ and producer Mighty Zaf, and DJ and creator of South Asian creative collective The Beatriarchy Gracie T, plus many, many more. If previous years are anything to go by, Dialled In is a good time. 

To celebrate 15 years since it opened its doors to what has become an integral part of London’s LGBTQ+ scene, Dalston Superstore is taking over nearby Gillett Square for one day for a big birthday bash. Dalston Supersquare will feature a very special line-up, including renowned party-starters Hannah Holland, Angel D’lite, Marie Malarie and more, plus MC Miss Sharon Le Grand and gogos Cherry, Nadia, Wet Mess and Bobby Harding. Tickets are free, but make sure you grab yours in advance to secure your spot.

This globetrotting queer party has popped up at some of the world’s most famous clubs since it first launched at the Ministry of Sound in 2018. It returns to Koko this Pride for a big post-parade party headlined by Hercules And Love Affair, and featuring some debut appearances from Kitten and Bestley. They’ll also be bringing over Tama Sumo & Lakuti, who’re residents at Berlin’s Panorama Bar.

Music streaming platform Boiler Room are returning with their biggest party yet. The 2024 festival will feature full-stage takeovers from the likes of Club Heartbroken and Teletech, while the line-up is stacked with names that’ll make you go ooh. There’s still a secret stage announcement to come, too. Line-up includes: Giggs, Skream & Benga, Mr Scruff, Optimo, Marlon Hoffstadt

Beaujolais Nouveau Day is one of the biggest days in a wine drinker’s calendar, but it’s also a great excuse for a party. This year, Bojo Novo Day takes place this Thursday November 21 – and, as always, London will be marking the occasion.  Now, a fair few of you may be thinking: what on Earth is ‘beaujolais nouveau’? And why does it have its own day? Beaujolais nouveau is a red wine produced in France’s Beaujolais region. It’s a vin de primeur, which means it’s a wine sold in the same year it’s harvested – and it’s famously released at 12.01am on the third Thursday of November. In France the day is famous for its festivals, celebrations and parties. But France doesn’t hog all the fun when it comes to Bojo Novo. The day is marked all around the world, including London. Whether you’re a Frenchie abroad or simply fancy a bit of wine-based fun, here are the best places to mark Beaujolais Nouveau Day 2024 in the capital.  Le Beaujolais  Where else? The clue’s in the name at Le Beaujolais, which currently sits at third in Time Out’s list of the best wine bars in London. On Thursday Bojo Novo Day will be marked by Le Beaujolais in a very classic, French sort of fashion – which is no less than we’d expect from a very classic, very French sort of place. 25 Litchfield St, WC2H 9NJ. Find out more. Marceline  Looking for a bit more than a few glasses of fresh gamay? Canary Wharf joint Marceline has both vino and a solid deal to celebrate Bojo Novo Day, offering a steak French dip sandw

If you’ve walked along the Grand Union Canal in recent weeks, you might have witnessed some worrying sights. A number of swans and other birds have been found dead in the waters, the London stretch of which runs through the north west of the capital, causing concern among environmentalists. Now, government specialists have confirmed the cause behind this spate of avian deaths, which have hit geese and other wild birds like ducks and coots, in addition to swans. The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has investigated the wave, conducting post-mortems on dead birds pulled from the canal. The results showed that the birds were in good condition before they died – but had not eaten well in the lead-up to their deaths, suggesting they had suffered poisoning. The agency says botulism is to blame for the deaths, with specialist tests returning a positive result for it. Ingesting bacteria causes avian botulism and can paralyse birds’ wings, legs and muscles, leading them to drown or suffer respiratory failure. ‘The bacteria grow in environments without oxygen and thrive on the protein from putrefying plant and animal material, and is often found in urban lakes, canals, and reservoirs,’ APHA said in a statement to The Standard. Sadly, there could still be more deaths in London’s population of feathery friends to come. ‘Outbreaks of avian botulism usually involve waterbirds, can last several weeks, and can result in hundreds of deaths,’ APHA continued. ‘Outbreaks can recur as once i

The Euros and Wimbledon might have wrapped up for another year, but there’s still plenty of thrilling live sport to catch over the next couple of weeks, as the 2024 Olympics begin in Paris. On Friday July 26, the French capital will host what promises to be an epic opening ceremony along the Seine, before two weeks of world-class sporting competitions.  If you’ve failed to snag tickets, don’t worry – London is a dab hand at showing sporting antics on the big screen, and plenty of locations will be popping up across the city where you can (hopefully) bask in the sun and catch everything from diving to curling. Below are ten of our favourite screenings, most of which are free of charge. RecommendedParis 2024 Olympics: everything you need to know, from start date to ticketsParis 2024 Olympics opening ceremony: start time and everything you need to knowHow to watch the Paris 2024 Olympics in the UK for freeHow to watch the Paris 2024 Olympics Opening Ceremony in the UK Spots to watch the Olympics in London Photograph: Mayfair Olympic Screenings Grosvenor Square, Mayfair If you’re after a picturesque spot to watch the great sporting feast this summer, look no further than Grosvenor Square. The grassy Mayfair patch has been made an official Team GB Fanzone, so you can grab a deckchair and watch the world’s most talented athletes do their thing from the heart of this swanky neighbourhood. There’ll be food stalls and an al fresco bar on site, too.  Grosvenor Square, W1K 6AN. Free. 

This is it. After weeks of highs and lows, of last-minute goals and watching through our fingers, England are through to the final of Euro 2024. The game kicks off tonight (July 14), with Gareth’s boys heading to Berlin to battle it out against Spain and become the UEFA Euro 2024 winners (here’s how to watch the game at home). The Three Lions’ attempt to go one better than their last European Championship tournament got off to a solid – if slightly tepid – start, and they’ve since topped Group C, defeated Slovakia in a nail-biting 2-1 win, beaten Switzerland on penalties and now, after that awesome 90-minute goal by Ollie Watkins in their semi-final game against the Netherlands, have gone and made it to the final.  The boys will go up against Spain on Sunday July 14 at 8pm BST, in a bid to claim the Euros 2024 trophy – could it actually be coming home? Whether you’re a diehard footie fan or just along for the ride, you’re going to want to know all the best spots in London to catch the matches. From screenings to sports pubs, these are the best places to watch Euro 2024 final in London. RECOMMENDED:🎉 All the big screens in London for the Euros 2024 final that are still taking bookings.⚽️ The 11 best fan parks in England to watch the Euro 2024 final.📺 Euros 2024 final at The O2: how to get tickets to watch the final at London’s largest screening.☀️ Will there be a bank holiday if England win Euro 2024?🛒 All the UK stores changing their opening hours for the Euro 2024 final.

Next year, London will get a new monument dedicated to the Windrush Generation and the design for it has been unveiled.  Jamaican sculptor Basil Watson’s proposal has been selected from a shortlist of four potential sculptures by an independent Windrush commemoration committee chaired by Baroness Benjamin.  Londoners and visitors to the city will be able to see the 12ft high sculpture at Waterloo Station from June 22 2022 – aka Windrush Day. The tribute piece, which is being paid for with £1m of government funding, will show a man, woman and child dressed in their Sunday best, standing on a pile of suitcases.  While this will be Watson’s first piece of public artwork in the UK, he’s no stranger to creating celebrated monuments. He is the artist behind a sculpture of Usain Bolt, displayed in Jamaica, and Atlanta’s statue to Martin Luther King. In 2016, he was also awarded the Order Of Distinction (Commander Class) by the Jamaican government for his achievements in the art world. In a statement, Watson said that he is ‘truly honoured to be chosen’ and feels ‘privileged that I now have this opportunity to express the aspirations, vision and courage of my parents, who took the long sea voyage to England in 1952’.  ‘I look forward to bringing my design to life because I know how much this means to the Windrush community,’ he added.  Baroness Benjamin said of the sculpture: ‘This Windrush monument represents the past, present and future and I hope it will be the catalys

This Hackney one-day fest is spread across eight venues and has bags of underground bite. Let us solve those scheduling dilemmas for you by mapping out a top day – by the clock... NoonDog show! You came to see a dog show...!...as the great Peaches might have said. Not quite ready to throw yourself into live music after a big Friday night out? Visions’ very own dog show at St John at Hackney will soothe your head and soul with all manner of good boys and girls doing their best tail wags and showing off their most impressive tricks. Even better: there’s a prize for best ‘Twin Peaks’ costume, so you’ll get to see miniature canine versions of Agent Cooper et al. Photo: Rebecca Hughes 2pmDiscover one of the city’s best new bandsIt’s hard to pick just one white-hot and unmissable new London band playing Visions, but Goat Girl’s set at Mangle just edges it (catch Matt Maltese, Sorry, Puma Blue, Cosmo Pyke and Shame too, though, if you can). They’re sardonic and moody – singer/guitarist Lottie’s voice is rich and deadpan, while the grooves from bassist Naima are deep and catchy. Go for the loping, scornful ‘Scum’ and stay for their sinister power to ensnare any audience. 5pmGo get friendly with Frankie CosmosNew Yorker Frankie Cosmos is one of those prolific artists who always seems to be up to something. She might have only made two studio albums, but she’s got a whopping 16 other collections of songs on her Bandcamp, all full of intriguing, odd and unique gems. Live, she’s just as

London’s annual Citadel Festival has everything you need for a super summer Sunday. This ace one-day festival is way more than a regular music fest, and on top of having a sweet line-up including Tame Impala, The Horrors, Leon Bridges and more, there’s a big heap of other fun activities to get stuck into. Here’s our seven point plan to Sunday success... 1 Get topical at Sunday Papers LiveWe all like the idea of reading the broadsheets from cover to cover over breakfast – just like real adults. But when Sunday morning comes around, you’re hungover – again – and even the thought of scanning the Uber Eats menu is just too much. So let someone else do the hard work as writers, musicians, politicians and poets break down different sections of the Sunday papers so you don’t have to. 2 Have some quality (Fat White) Family timeYou remember south London’s scuzziest band – the squalid-looking crew responsible for such sweet little ditties as ‘Breaking into Aldi’ and ‘Who Shot Lee Oswald?’ Despite rumours they were done, Fat White Family have actually been working on a new album. They’re back at the live thing for Citadel, where they’ll play new songs and generally make you feel like you need to take a piping hot shower, ASAP. 3 Stretch and flex with mass yogaDoes your perfect Sunday involve more matsyasana than moshing? Get in position at the Spandex Stage, where you can attain enlightenment (or at least aim for it) before enjoying the rest of the festival. 4 Go to Sunday worship with

After months of training, on Sunday (April 21), 50,000 runners will descend on the streets of central London as they attempt to smash their PBs and make it to the end of the London Marathon. The 26.2-mile endurance test will break some; others will triumph. But all can reap the rewards of the free offers being doled out to those brave enough to even try.  There’s a whole heap of goodies to make the most of, from things to help with your recovery to food to refuel on after you’ve pounded your way along the route. There’s even stuff up for grabs for those heading down to cheer those doing the leg work on. Check out the full list below and read up on all things marathon in our handy guide. Deliveroo and Boots’ Marathon Roo-covery hub What you get: A code worth £10 for things from the Marathon Roo-covery hub, from bath salts to protein barsHow to claim: Enter the code ROOCOVERY10 on Deliveroo, but be quick - there are only 1,981 codes available Greene King pubs What you get: A free drink at one of 115 participating pubs. Choose from a pint of Guinness or Guinness 0.0, single G&T, or a glass of Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Diet Coke, or Schweppes Lemonade.How to claim: show your medal, ID and proof of your results on the marathon website at one of the participating pubs (find those here) between April 21-23.  Brockwell Lido and Park Road Leisure What you get: Free swimming before and after the race.How to claim: Show your ballot entry at either pool until April 28. Brompton Bikes What yo

In news set to rock the London retail world to its already shaky foundations, the huge now-empty Topshop right on Oxford Circus has been bought by flatpack Swedish light-industrial estate icons IKEA. It’s reported that the boys in blue and yellow bid nearly £400m to acquire the premises (which include a former Nike Town and an ex-Vans store) from Philip Green’s kaput Arcadia Group.  Reaction in the Time Out office to the news ranged from Nikki’s ‘That’s really weird’ to Anne’s ‘I don’t know how I feel about that’ to Esther’s ‘I don’t think there should be meatballs near that many people’. I mean, it is pretty bizarre to think of the quintessentially ring-road experience that is the trip to IKEA suddenly being recreated in the middle of London’s most famous shopping street. Fair enough, there was an IKEA on nearby Tottenham Court Road, which closed in July this year, but it was just a showroom (or so-called ‘planning studio’) and it was on a street that already has several big-name homeware brands (Habitat, Heal’s). Oxford Street, home of dodgy perfume auctions, weird US sweetshops and about 400 McDonald’s is a very different kettle of herring. Now we’ve got some more details on what to expect when the Swedish furniture giant moves into W1C. The doors won’t open until autumn 2023, but when they do they’ll usher you into browse through around 5,000 products. It won’t all just be flatpack furniture that will make you the most hated person on the Tube should you try and catch the

Fancy yourself a bit of a vinyl junkie? Reckon that real DJs don’t need a subscription to Serato? Then you’ll probably already know that this Saturday (April 20) marks the return of Record Store Day.  Founded in 2007 in the early days of the vinyl revival, the annual celebration of indie record stores has since become a key fixture in any crate digger’s calendar, with thousands of stores across the globe participating. This includes many of London’s 50-odd independent record shops, where you can pick up limited-edition releases from the likes of Blur, Olivia Dean, Young Fathers, Sinéad O'Connor, Talking Heads, Laufey, Paramore, Pulp and The 1975.  But that’s not all. From fashion collabs and in-store sets to giveaways and immersive listening experiences, there’s all sorts of fun stuff going on around the city in celebration of the humble. Here, we’ve rounded up a selection of the best things happening around the city.  SXSE – Dash The Henge Turn your Record Store Day into a mini festival adventure, aka SXSE. Pick up your wristband – and an armful of new records – at Dash The Henge’s shop in Camberwell, where you’ll also find acoustic performances and DJs on the decks (including La Roux!). From there, move onto The Old Dispensary and The Bear for more musical goodness. Still not had enough? Head to Peckham’s hottest new venue, The Greyhound, for an after-party hosted by The Cause. Grab your ticket here. 348 Camberwell New Road, SE5 0RW. £11.50. Rough Trade East This record sho

Arcade Food Hall Centre Point – formerly known as Arcade Food Theatre – had something of a false start when it opened back in 2019. Less than eight months after it began welcoming diners to its fancy take on a food court, the pandemic hit and forced it to close.  Now it’s regrouped, changed its name and JKS Restaurants (the group behind heavy hitters like Bao, Berenjak, Hoppers and Gymkhana) have brought in some new restaurants to get the central London space buzzing once again. They’ve finally announced the full restaurant line-up and have an official opening date on Friday April 22. Look out for nine kitchens, with food ranging from Michelin-starred Sabor’s little sister Saborcito to American diner-style food at Manna from Bake Street’s Feroz Gajia and Japanese sushi and omakase from Sushi Kamon and heaps more. Alongside all of that, chef Luke Farrell is to open three spaces at the Arcade Food Hall. His inspiration? Fifteen years living in Thailand and experience of working in kitchens across southeast Asia. Plaza Khao Gaeng will pay tribute to southern Thai cuisine, with the restaurant inspired by an old Thai cinema. Its menu will be based around fresh curry pastes from small producers in Thailand, while the curries themselves will be set out on trays filling the ‘box office’ area.  Among Plaza’s offerings will be gaeng tai pla – smoky mackerel with fermented fish innards, bamboo shoots and Thai aubergine; southern sour orange gaeng som curry with garcinia, among other puc

The Docklands in E16 might not be a must-visit cultural hotspot right now, but a new open-air venue is hoping to change that. Later this year, the team behind some of London’s best venues and festivals – including Printworks, The Drumsheds and Field Day – will bring us Dockyards, a new space to get our fix of music and culture.  Located by the waterside in Silvertown Quays, the 400,000 square-foot open-air venue will provide a new home for a dynamic range of cultural events, all year round. Inspired by the flow of imported goods and the role the Royal Docks have played in London’s history, Dockyards will be a place where ‘all forms of culture converge at the gateway to the capital’.  So far, the new space has two massive events booked to close out the summer, with more to be announced soon. There’s a two-day Defected London spectacular from the renowned label Defected Records on September 3-4, while leading electronic music group Above & Beyond are putting on their Group Therapy weekender will bring a banging line-up of dance music’s finest to the venue on September 10-11. As more events get locked in, the venue aims to work with both the world’s best artists and promote local, homegrown talent.  The Dockyards team is also committed to having a positive impact on the area it is making its new home. They will work with the Royal Docks to ensure it delivers a good social, economic and cultural impact in Newham, whether that’s guaranteeing inclusion and representation of the bor