This weekend’s Things To Do In London, sponsored by thinking bob.
All weekend
VE DAY:
Friday 8 May marks the 70th anniversary of VE (Victory in Europe) Day, and the celebrations continue into the weekend, with events including concerts, a film screening and more. Find an event near you in our roundup. 8-10 May
CINEMA:
Want to see one of these London-y films being released in May? Get two Vue cinema tickets for £14 — to be redeemed anytime before 7 July. Treat a mate (or a date) to an afternoon at the flicks. £14, until 7 July
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TURKISH FILMS:
There are some cracking films in the London Turkish Film Festival from crowd-pleasing features to documentaries and powerful shorts, across several venues. Well worth a look. Various prices, prebook, until 17 May
ILLUSTRATED 2015:
Illustrated 2015 is a two-day exhibition at the Old Truman Brewery showcasing London illustrators and street artists. As well as seminars and music, there's a live illustration battle to watch, and more. £12.50/£5, prebook, 9-10 May
THAI BRUNCH:
Head to Busaba Eathai in Shoreditch for a two course Thai food brunch with unlimited prosecco. Menu items include pancakes infused with pandan and coconut milk, coated in palm sugar caramel and yam polamai fruit salad. £25, Saturday and Sunday, various times
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Saturday 9 May
COMEDY COURSE:
Hone your comedy improvisation skills in this workshop based in Old Street. Develop your comedy talents, act better, become funnier and have a ball while you're at it. Age 18+. £25, 10.30am
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ART CLASS:
Refresh your painting skills at this art class at Studio 6 in New Cross. Get practising and try out some new techniques under the guidance of the tutor. £25-£50, 11am
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SHOPPING EVENT:
The Seven Dials area in Covent Garden goes traffic-free for a day of shopping with discounts at certain shops and restaurants, plus games, live music, talks and more. Free, register in advance, 12pm-5pm
MAY IN A DAY:
Cecil Sharp House in Camden celebrates May in a day with a mix of English and Brazilian folklore traditions. The family-friendly day is themed around The Oss & The Ox, a colourful participatory dance and music piece. £7/£5, prebook, 2pm-5pm
STREET ART TOUR:
Meet at Shoreditch High Street Station for a street art walking tour around Shoreditch. Identify the techniques and spot the tags of the world's most influential street artists. £10, 3pm
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FAMILY MAGIC SHOW:
Morgan & West’s Utterly Spiffing Spectacular Magic Show is on at Udderbelly Festival on South Bank. The show, mixing brain busting illusion and good old fashioned tom-foolery, will thrill kids and the young at heart. Age 5+. £8-£10, 4.15pm
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NEW GOVERNMENT:
The London Sinfonietta with Matthew Herbert and the Royal Philharmonic Society hosts a concert, Notes To The New Government, with 16 composers creating music based on society's present and future. Takes place at Southbank Centre. £10, 6pm
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MALAYSIAN SUPPERCLUB:
Head to Studio 7 at The Studios Islington for an eight course Malaysian feast, incorporating seasonal British produce and using Malaysian flavours and techniques, £38, 6.30pm
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LED ZEPPELIN:
Boot Led Zeppelin, a Led Zeppelin tribute band, recreate the band's series of five concerts at London’s Earls Court Arena 40 years ago in May 1975. At Shepherd's Bush Empire. £22.50, prebook, 7pm
FOLK MUSIC:
Folk heroes Sam Lee and Kathryn Tickell lead an evening of English and Irish folk music at Roundhouse in Camden. Part of the Voices Now Festival. £8.50, 7.30pm
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PROHIBITION PARTY:
You're invited to party like it's 1922 at this speakeasy taking place in Shoreditch. Expect Charleston dance-offs, big band performances, gambling tables, and more. £25, prebook, 8pm
GREAT AMERICAN SONGBOOK:
Head to the St James Theatre for a night of swing classics by Smitty's House Band, who'll perform tracks by the likes of Jelly Roll Morton and Scott Joplin. £15, 8pm
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WONDERGROUND OPENING:
London Wonderground is back on South Bank for its fourth year, and you can attend the opening gala tonight. It's a classic variety show style night with comedy, cabaret, music and circus, all set in the Spiegeltent. £10, 8pm
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DOLLY PARTON:
Club De Fromage presents The Dolly Show — a Dolly Parton Tribute act — at the O2 Academy Islington. £11.25, prebook, From 8pm
BILLIE HOLIDAY:
To mark Billie Holiday’s 100th birthday, Marta Capponi has devised a touching tribute to the jazz great. Backed by a full band, Capponi will perform faithful renditions of Holiday’s greatest hits as she evokes the spirit of the roaring 40s. £7, 9.30pm
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Sunday 10 May
COME AND SING:
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity and composer Will Todd invite you to Come and Sing Will’s renowned jazz ensemble Mass in Blue alongside hundreds of other singers in this mass participation event. Taking place at St John Smith Square, the event begins at 9am, with a concert from 5.45pm. Participation: £20/£10, audience tickets £12/£6. Book here.
COFFEE AND CHOCOLATE:
Take a guide-led wander around Notting Hill, sampling the best coffee and chocolate that the area has to offer. £45, 10am
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ANTIQUES FAIR:
Adams Antiques Fair returns to the Royal Horticultural Hall in Westminster, bringing together thousands of fine antiques from 140 stallholders. £4, prebook, 10am-4.30pm
CASTLE CELEBRATION:
Severndroog Castle, which was featured on Londonist recently, holds its own VE Day family celebrations, funded by the Royal Borough of Greenwich. Events going on include crafts and stories for children, face painting, swing dancing, a barbecue at the Castle Wood Tea Rooms and more. More information here. 10.30am-5pm
FARM FUN DAY:
Vauxhall City Farm has a family fun day celebrating spring and all that comes with it. See the spring babies, the flowers in bloom and get involved with lots of fun family activities. Free (donation for some activities), just turn up, 10.30am-4pm
URBAN VILLAGE FETE:
The Urban Village Fete on Greenwich Peninsula is a modern twist on the traditional fete. It features a marketplace, street food, diverse events, art and design workshops, entertainment, music, dance classes and unique pop-ups. Free, 12pm-7pm
BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS:
London Lions go head to head with the Newcastle Eagles in the British Basketball League play-off finals at the O2 in North Greenwich. The big match is preceded by the 2015 HoopsAid event, which sees celebrities come together in aid of creating sporting opportunities for disabled and disadvantaged children. £24.25 - £45.75, 2pm
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CENTRAL LINE WALK:
Join Londonist contributor Mark Mason for a walk along the route of the Central Line from Bank to Chancery Lane. Hear about Mark Twain taking the London Underground, see where Christopher Wren hid two golden pineapples in plain view, discover what was unusual about Oliver Cromwell’s trial at the Old Bailey and more. £8, just turn up, 2.30pm
BIG FISH LITTLE FISH:
There's a Big Fish Little Fish family rave at Shapes in Hackney Wick with a theme of "Go Wild", aimed at children aged 0-8 and their carers. There will be craft activities, a colouring mural, a Play-doh table, bar, food, free glowsticks, transfer tattoos and goodie bag for the children, glitter cannons, bubble machines and a giant parachute dance finale. £8/£4.50, prebook, 2.30pm-5pm
RONNIE SCOTT'S STORY:
This show, at Artsdepot in North Finchley, features performances by Ronnie Scott’s house musicians, the Ronnie Scott’s All Stars Quintet, along with anecdotes, film clips and images giving an insight into the history of the world-famous club. £12-£17, prebook, 5pm
EDINBURGH PREVIEWS:
James Acaster and John Robins try out new comedy material at The Comedy Pub in Piccadilly tonight, ahead of their shows at the Edinburgh Fringe festival in the Summer. £8.50/£19, 6.30pm/8pm
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JAZZ ORCHESTRA:
South London Jazz Orchestra performs at the Four Thieves ballroom in Battersea, as part of Wandsworth Fringe Festival. £9, prebook, 7pm
SAVE SOHO:
Pop legend Marc Almond joins singer-songwriter and founder of the Save Soho campaign Tim Arnold at Soho Theatre for the launch of Arnold's new album The Soho Hobo. £12/£8, prebook, 7pm
JOHNNY CASH:
Not the man himself unfortunately (we're good, but we're not that good), but an "ode to the legend" in the form of the Johnny Cash Roadshow, taking place at Leicester Square Theatre. The show is a musical attributed to the life and work of the iconic performer, featuring his music, and is endorsed by his family. £22.50, 7.30pm
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WORLD MUSIC:
Kick back and enjoy choral music from Africa, Bulgaria, Georgia, the UK and all points in between at Roundhouse in Camden. The concert is the final event of the Voices Now Festival, featuring performances from Milton Keynes Community Choir, Roundhouse Choir and Veda Slovena Bulgarian Choir. £8.50, 7.30pm
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IMPROVISED MUSICAL:
Head to Udderbelly on South Bank for a comedy troupe who sing and dance with such conviction that you'll be genuinely amazed it's all improvised. Age 14+. £12-£16.50, 7.45pm
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FREE FILMS:
Today, The Paperworks in Elephant & Castle launches Paper Cuts, an open-air cinema space. The opening season (running every Sunday until 28 June) focusing on documentaries and feature films about music. Tonight is a screening of This Is Spinal Tap. Free, prebook by emailing [email protected], 8pm
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This weekend’s Things To Do In London This Weekend is sponsored by Thinking Bob.
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