All weekend
QUEER EAST: Queer East Festival continues until the end of this weekend, celebrating all manner of LGBTQ+ visual arts and performances from East and Southeast Asia and its diaspora communities. Screenings, workshops and performances take place at various venues around London, including Welcome to Neverland, a series of short films about the boundary between fantasy and reality. Until 28 April
TIME IS RUNNING OUT: ...to see current exhibition Time Is Running Out by the Institution of Civil Engineers, on display at London Transport Museum. It looks at the role civil engineers can play in fighting climate change and hitting net zero targets by 2050. Topics such as flooding, energy production and waste products are covered in the family-friendly display. Until 28 April
ENTANGLED PASTS: Also closing at the end of this week is the Royal Academy's exhibition, Entangled Pasts, 1768-now, which brings past and present together for a look at art's role in shaping narratives of empire, enslavement, resistance, abolition and colonialism. Until 28 April
BEYOND THE BASSLINE: The British Library launches its new exhibition, Beyond the Bassline, looking back at 500 years of Black British music. Find out about venues including clubs, carnivals and stages which influenced the evolution of Black music, as well as trailblazers who introduced new types of music to the UK. From 26 April
BRICK LANE JAZZ FESTIVAL: The Brick Lane Jazz Festival returns for a weekend of live music. Headline acts include RnB artists Ojerime, Grammy Award-nominated artist Theo Croker, and French-Senegalese singer, songwriter and producer anaiis. You can buy day or weekend passes to all shows at the Old Truman Brewery, with tickets to Village Underground shows sold separately. 26-28 April
CLASSIC CAR BOOT SALE: Pre-1990 vehicles including cars, camper vans, hot rods, scooters, caravans, motorbikes and custom bicycles park up in King's Cross for the Classic Car Boot Sale — a weekend of shopping, eating and dancing. Browse and buy vintage clothing and homewares from the Charity Super.Mkt, and visit the Repair Shop for advice on caring for your vintage garments. 27-28 April
MAKERS MARKET: The period rooms and historic courtyard of Forty Hall in Enfield host the Forty Hall Makers Market, with local craftspeople selling their wares. 27-28 April
PALACE GARDENS: This is one of the few weekends a year when you can visit the Hampton Court Palace Gardens for free. The Great Fountain Garden, the Privy Garden, the Kitchen Garden and the Pond Garden can be explored without paying a penny. Normal charges still apply if you want to visit the Palace building, the maze or the Magic Garden Playground. FREE, 27-28 April
Saturday 27 April
TUDOR PALACES: At time of writing, there are a few tickets left for a day of talks about Tudor palaces in London, taking place at Southwark Cathedral. Richmond, Eltham, Hampton Court, Nonsuch and Oatlands palaces are all discussed by experts, who offer an insight into how the palaces were built, and what life in court was like. 10am-4pm
PLANT FESTIVAL: Get yourself over to Chelsea Physic Garden for its annual Plant Festival, consisting of a plant and gift market, and gardening demonstrations. Indoor and outdoor plants are available, and sessions include flower crown-making, candle making, how to grow mushrooms, and more. The cafe is open all day for food and drink. 10am-5pm
THE BUBBLY SHOW: Raise a glass to The Bubbly Show, taking place at 10-11 Carlton House Terrace and celebrating champagne and sparkling wine. Tastings, talks, masterclasses and a special afternoon tea take place across two days (Friday and Saturday), with champagne houses, small growers, and English sparkling wine producers all taking part. 12pm-5pm
BREW LDN: Raise a glass to Brew LDN — the beer festival is back at a new venue this year, and today's the final day. Taking over Between The Bridges for three days, with Toast Brewing, Renegade Brewery, Jiddler's Tipple, Moot Brew Co, Flowerhorn Brewery, and SXOLLIE among the companies confirmed to be attending. 12pm-5pm/6pm-11pm
LOST IN SHANGHAI: Head to Cantonese restaurant Hakkasan Hanway Place for a Lost in Shanghai brunch, themed on the Asian city. Tuck into a set menu with a side of theatricality — think dim sum served among dry ice, a crispy duck salad, and stir fry black pepper rib eye with merlot. Cocktails and wine are available throughout, and there are live DJs and performances going on around you, evoking the spirit of Shanghai. 1pm-4.45pm
SHAKESPEARE'S TRUE CRIMES: Join a guide from Shakespeare's Globe for a guided tour around the Bankside area focusing on its criminal history at a time when duels and violence were prevalent — and find out about Shakespeare's own links to crime. Note that the tour doesn't venture inside the theatre itself. 2.30pm (repeated tomorrow, and other dates)
DAYTIME PARTY: It's Club de Fromage... but not as you know it. The disco club event hosts a daytime party for over-30s only. Expect the usual mix of pop, rock, indie, power ballads and disco, plus balloons, sing alongs and the like, all finished by 7pm so you can get dinner/head onto your next party/trot on home to bed. As always, fancy dress is encouraged, and it takes place at Scala. 3pm-7pm
BIG SUMMER KICK-OFF: Jess Glynne headlines the entertainment stage at the family-friendly Big Summer Kick-Off at Twickenham Stoop Stadium. Entertainment (including fairground rides) is followed by the Gallagher Premiership match between current table toppers Harlequins and Northampton Saints. Kick off 3.05pm
SAMARA JOY: This year's In The Round festival at Camden Roundhouse comes to a close with a performance by American jazz singer Samara Joy. She specialises in vintage jazz and pop standards, evoking the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan and Billie Holiday. 7pm
HYPNOTIC BRASS ENSEMBLE: Chicago-based hip hop brass band Hypnotic Brass Ensemble — formed of seven brothers, plus an unrelated drummer — pitch up at Camden's Jazz Cafe for a lively evening of rap, funk, jazz and hip hop. 7pm
VANYA: Barbican Cinema shows an NT Live screening of Vanya, filmed during its recent West End run. Andrew Scott stars in the one-man show, bringing multiple characters from Chekhov's Uncle Vanya to life. 8pm
DISNEY MOVIE MARATHON: The Prince Charles Cinema holds another of its legendary film all-nighters. This time: a Disney Mystery Movie Marathon. Kicking off just before midnight, four animated Disney films are shown back-to-back, dating from 1937-2023. Age 16+. 11.45pm-9am
Sunday 28 April
GIANT LONDON FLEA MARKET: Apparently London's largest indoor flea market, the Giant London Flea Market rocks up to a multi-storey car park in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, with 100+ traders furniture, vintage home decor and the like. 10am-5pm
CREATIVE WORKSHOP: Artist, illustrator and printmaker Mary Kuper leads a creative workshop inspired by current exhibition A Birthday Garland at Southbank Centre. Make your own 'word picture' using wooden type, stamps, typewriting, drawing and low tech printmaking methods. Age 18+. 10am
SOLDIER STORIES: Take the kids along to the National Army Museum in Chelsea for Soldier Stories, a family-friendly encounter with an actor in the character of Walter Tull. He was one of the British Army's first infantry officers of Black heritage, and the event tells his story, supported by objects from the galleries. FREE, 10am-2.50pm
CLASSICAL COFFEE MORNING: Have a high-brow start to your Sunday, at the Royal Albert Hall's Classical Coffee Morning. Kick back with a hot drink and pastry (included in your ticket) as violinist Dorian Rambaud plays works by Brahms, Tchaikovsky and Paganini, accompanied by pianist Hongxu He. Takes place in the Elgar Room. 11am
SWAN LAKE: Catch a ROH Live screening of Swan Lake, shown at Barbican Cinema. Filmed live on stage this Wednesday, it features the Royal Ballet accompanied by the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House performing Tchaikovsky's famous score. If that's your vibe, check out these other productions of Swan Lake in London over the coming months. 2pm
BEAR GRYLLS: Explorer and survival expert Bear Grylls navigates his way to Wembley Arena for his Never Give Up! live tour. He tells stories of some of his adventures, and shows previously unseen images and behind-the-scenes footage, in this family-friendly show. Doors 6.30pm
SUNDAY SUPPER CLUB: Mayfair restaurant Kanishka continues its Sunday Supper Club series of events featuring female chefs. This time Indian chef and food writer (and former GBBO contestant) Chetna Makan takes over the kitchen, whipping up a five-course menu with optional wine pairing. 6pm
