Things To Do Today In London: Friday 11 January 2019

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Welcome To The Forest in Waltham Forest begins today

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Things to do

WELCOME TO THE FOREST: Waltham Forest's year as London Borough of Culture officially launches this weekend, with three-day festival Welcome To The Forest. We're promised a film projected onto Walthamstow Town Hall, light installations, a neon-lit carnival, and more — full programme available here. Various Waltham Forest locations, free, just turn up, 6pm-9.30pm, 11-13 January

INTRONAUTS: New theatre show Intronauts is set in the future, at a time when people inject tiny personal cleaners called Intronauts into their bodies to do essential maintenance, and asks how much we really want to know about what goes on inside out bodies. Jacksons Lane (Highgate), £18/£16, book ahead, 11-13 January

SHORT FILM FESTIVAL: London Short Film Festival begins today, offering nine days of short films on topics as diverse as inflatable art, modern romance and London life. Browse the full programme and get booking. Various locations and prices, book ahead, 11-20 January

BOWIE'S BIRTHDAY: He may have been called back to his home planet, but that's not stopping London celebrating David Bowie's life. Tonight, see his album Diamond Dogs performed in its entirety, or attend a Labyrinth Masquerade Ball. Full details here.

PASSPORT TO PIMLICO: Join this Footprints of London guided walk and find out how one man, Thomas Cubitt, was largely responsible for making Pimlico what it is today. See some of the streets he built, plus 20th century additions such as Dolphin Square, and hear about famous residents including Winston Churchill and Laura Ashley. Pimlico station, £12/£9, book ahead, 11am-12.30pm

CAVALRY WAR: Historian and author Adam Zamoyski talks about the use of the cavalry in Eastern Europe in the years following the first world war. National Army Museum (Chelsea), free, book ahead, 11.30am

The final Skate Late at Somerset House

MAGICAL FOREST BOXES: Everyone aged 19+ is invited to this free workshop, led by textiles lecturer Talula Noor, where you can make a 'magical forest box', and decorate it using decoupage and collage techniques, and materials you find on the forest floor. The View (Epping Forest), free, just turn up, 1.30pm-3.30pm

DIET AND OBESITY: Which diets actually work, and which are just health fads? Hear from geneticist Dr Giles Yeo about the science of dieting and obesity, and find out how we can break the cycle of pseudo-science when it comes to food. Royal Institution (Mayfair), £16/£10/£7, book ahead, 7pm-8.30pm

SOME LIKE IT SWING: Put on your dancing shoes and swing the night away at this monthly swing dance evening, which starts with a beginners' class followed by social dancing. Genesis Cinema (Mile End), £5, book ahead, 7.30pm

PETERLOO: Watch a screening of 2018 film Peterloo, a portrayal of the 1819 Peterloo Massacre where British forces attacked a peaceful pro-democracy rally in Manchester. Harris Academy South Norwood, £8.50/£7/£5, book ahead, 7.45pm

SKATE LATES: Rinse FM's DJs take to the decks for the final Skate Late of the season at Somerset House. Boogie your way around the ice rink to their tunes — looking at the lineup we suspect there might be a few grime classics to move to — followed by food and drink in the rink-side Skate Lounge or Fortnum's Bar. Somerset House, £17, book ahead, from 8.30pm

Good cause of the day

Head to Library in Islington for an evening of belly dancing, backed by a six-piece, women-only Arabic style band. The event raises money for mental health charity Mind. More information and tickets here.