Things To Do In London This Week: 16-22 March 2026

Looking for something fun to do today? Something eye-opening to watch tonight? Something delicious to eat tomorrow? Our guide to things to do this week in London is personally curated, ensuring there’s always a diverse range of events for you to choose from. Get stuck in!

What’s on all week

THE FUTURE WAS THEN: What did comic creators in the past think the future would look like? That’s the premise of The Future Was Then, the Cartoon Museum’s current exhibition, which delves into the space-age heroes of the mid-20th century, and asks how successfully they predicted the future. This is the final week. Until 21 March 2026

JANE AUSTEN FANS: Also closing this week, a treat for fans of Jane Austen (pun intended). The Fan Museum in Greenwich presents Fans in the Age of Jane Austen, showcasing themes of 18th and 19th century society, with which Austen herself would have been familiar. FREE, until 21 March 2026

NORDIC NOIR: The macabre, melancholy and sometimes provocative themes of Nordic art are explored in the British Museum’s exhibition, Nordic noir: works on paper from Edvard Munch to Mamma Andersson. Two works by Munch take centre stage among over 150 works by 100 artists from the Nordic countries, spanning themes including Norse myth, struggles with mental health, political issues, the rights of the Indigenous Sámi people, and the fight to protect nature. FREE, until 22 March 2026

STADIUM TOUR OFFER: Get behind-the-scenes access to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, including players’ areas, dressing rooms and pitchside, with a Stadium Tour. Right now, off-peak weekday Stadium Tours are available from just £23, ideal if you’re looking for something unique to do midweek. Plus, kids go free! Weekday visits tend to be quieter and more relaxed than weekend tours too — win-win! Offer runs until 27 March (sponsor)

FREE MUSEUMS: Feeling the pinch, or just in search of somewhere to visit that you’ve never been to before? We’ve compiled an extensive (if we may say so ourselves) guide to London’s free museums. It covers the big-hitters such as the British Museum and British Library, to lesser-known local and niche museums… have you been to London’s biscuit museum, toy museum, or the one dedicated to eyes?

SKETCHFEST: Sketch comedy is set to become very much on fleek again, what with the news of a new British version of SNL. In the meantime, gorge on giggles at SketchFest, taking place at Canal Café Theatre in Little Venice and Hen and Chickens in Islington across the second half of this month. Featuring on the line-up are Biscuit Barrel, Finlay and Joe, Chaos Theory, The Supermalts, Forced Rhubarb, Next Level Sketch, Canker Blossoms and oodles more. 16-29 March

DICKENS’ DEATH COLLAR: A reminder that Bloomsbury’s Charles Dickens Museum — located in the former home of the famous author — has a brand new object on display: the shirt collar that Dickens was wearing when he suffered a fatal stroke. It’s now on permanent display in the Doughty Street museum, alongside a framed image of Dickens and grooming items belonging to him, including six silver razors, a perfume bottle, silver candle snuffers and a gold locket containing photos and locks of hair from Dickens and his son, Henry.

GARDEN DAYS OUT: As spring in London (hopefully) warms up, your thoughts are probably turning to getting outside. Peruse our guide to days out in the capital for garden lovers, and find plenty of colourful gardens which are well worth a visit over the coming months. It covers well-known outdoor spaces like Kew Gardens, as well as small walled gardens, palace gardens, and even an “architectural dumping ground” on the fringes of London.

CLUB OF THE WEEK: Ever been to the Flamingo Club? Borrowing the name of a jazz nightclub in Soho from the 1950s and 60s, this new-yet-old-school joint is buried beneath the tasty foodies spots of Kingly Court, serving up cocktails by sultry table lamp, plus jazz, blues and burlesque sets in a highly intimate setting. We were invited in for a martini recently, and highly approve. Apparently it gets raucous in the small hours, but of course we wouldn’t know.

HISTORICAL PUBS: Shameless plug alert! Londonist’s Will Noble has just published a Historical Pubs of London Map, inviting you to pull up a stool at 50 of London’s great historical pubs: think glimmering gin palaces, sawdust-sprinkled hideaways and bibelot-strewn boozers. You might even meet one or two ghosts along the way…

Today’s events: Monday 16 March

WARRIOR WOMEN: Marie Helly (Footprints of London) leads a walking tour from Westminster Pier through Whitehall and Parliament Square, telling the stories of politicians, queens, campaigners and spies — from a warrior queen to suffragettes and Churchill’s favourite spy. 11am-1pm

CABLE STREET: To mark 90 years since the fascist-bashing Battle of Cable Street, author Michael Rosen (whose parents met through the events of 4 October 1936) joins community activists Dr. Abdullah Faliq and Glyn Robbins of United East End, for a free online discussion on that day’s myths and legends — plus questions about how we face up to fascism and the far right now. Book ahead. FREE, 12.30pm-1.45pm

UNDERTAKERS AND DEATH: Attend an illustrated talk by death historian Dr Dan O’Brien on how 18th-century culture pictured the undertaker’s relationship with death. Takes place at The Last Tuesday Society / Viktor Wynd’s Museum of Curiosities and includes a complimentary glass of Devil’s Botany Chocolate Absinthe. 6.30pm

STRING OF PEARLS ENSEMBLE: As part of Nowruz (Persian New Year) Festival at Lauderdale House, String of Pearls Ensemble present an evening of Iranian song, poetry, storytelling and Sufi whirling with Leela Emadi (vocals), Zahra Afsah (storyteller), Laura Merri (poetry), Anna Rüya (whirling) and Niloufar Shahbazi (kamānche). 7.30pm

HAPPY MONDAYS COMEDY: Rory O’Hanlon headlines a Happy Mondays Comedy night at the Amersham Arms, New Cross. The bill includes Kelly Ford, Jordan Gill, Fiona Allen and Eli James, with MC Sion James and a special guest TBC. 8pm

LIVE MUSIC: Father and son folk music duo Charlie and Rowan Piggott play the Green Note in Camden. Charlie, a founding member of De Danann, is known for his influential Irish banjo playing; Rowan is a fiddler, author of tunebooks and a member of The Wilderness Yet and Old Spot. 8.30pm

Today’s events: Tuesday 17 March

ST PATRICK’S DAY 2026: Around the middle of March each year, many Londoners embrace their distant Irish heritage, by getting stuck into St Patrick’s Day celebrations. Look out for plenty of Irish-themed parties, supper clubs, menus, bar crawls and events taking place on and around today. Maybe acquaint yourself with one of London’s best Irish pubs too. Around 17 March 2026

OH, SISTER MARY!: Tim McArthur brings his cabaret-comedy character Sister Mary (AKA “the original Soho nun”) to Arches Lane Theatre in Battersea for an evening of singing, tap-dancing, sketches, games and a little audience participation. 17-21 March 2016

KINKY BOOTS: Strictly Come Dancing’s Johannes Radebe struts into the West End to star as Lola in Kinky Boots The Musical at the London Coliseum. For the uninitiated, it’s the story of the owner of a failing shoe factory and a drag queen working together to reboot the business. 17 March-11 July 2026

AI AND HUMANITY: Prof Matt Jones looks at how AI might change human society and nature in years to come. “What do innovations such as cars that don’t need us to drive and creative AIs that remove the effort of, say, writing or music making mean in this context?” Find out at Gresham College in Holborn. FREE, 6pm

GEORGIAN WOMEN: Juliet Rix, author of London’s Statues of Women, examines the capital’s Georgian statues of women and Georgian figures, including Queen Charlotte, actress Sarah Siddons and Mary Wollstonecraft. The lecture takes place at 6 Fitzroy Square, hosted by the Georgian Group. 6.30pm-7.30pm

21ST CENTURY CONSERVATION: Professor Nathalie Seddon (University of Oxford), Dr Liana Chua (University of Cambridge) and Dr Joshua Elves‑Powell (UCL) join a panel chaired by BBC presenter Martine Croxall to discuss habitat loss, species protection, policy responses and nature‑based solutions at the Royal Geographical Society in Kensington. 7pm-8.30pm

Today’s events: Wednesday 18 March

RUTH ELLIS: A British noir musical about Ruth Ellis, the last woman executed in Britain, opens at Wilton’s Music Hall today. Writer Caroline Slocock explained to Londonist why she wrote the musical, how she set about it, and if society might view Ruth Ellis differently were she convicted of the murder today. 18-28 March 2026

KEITH HARING: Moco Museum London stages a display of roughly 30 of Keith Haring’s subway drawings — hastily chalked vignettes he made across the NYC Subway between 1980-85 — presented within a mocked-up 1980s subway environment. See how he made those early, public-facing works and how they fed into his later career. From 18 March 2026

MUSEUM OF EDIBLE EARTH: Geophagy — the practice of eating earth for health, and customary, or culinary benefit — is the subject of exhibition The Museum of Edible Earth at Somerset House. The touring display brings together over 600 edible samples including clay, chalk, volcanic rock and limestone from over 44 countries, and includes a communal tasting table where guided tasting sessions will take place. 18 March-26 April 2026

ROMEO & JULIET: One of London’s most anticipated theatre shows of 2026 is Romeo & Juliet at the Harold Pinter Theatre, starring Sadie Sink (Stranger Things) and Noah Jupe (Hamnet) as the star cross’d lovers of Shakespeare’s romantic tragedy. 18 March-6 June 2026

DOVE’S DROP SHOP: Reduce waste and elevate your bathroom cabinet aesthetic with the help of Dove’s Drop Shop. This lively one-day pop-up in partnership with Boots celebrates the launch of Dove’s first-ever refillable antiperspirant range, with 1/3 off starter kits and refills, and free case engraving. Visitors get a complimentary drink on arrival, plus there are DJ sets and a photo booth. Find it at The Stables (40 Earlham Street) in Covent Garden. 12pm-8pm (sponsor)

BOAR’S HEAD CEREMONY: One of London’s wacky annual events, the centuries‑old Boar’s Head Ceremony sees a papier‑mâché boar’s head carried from Butchers’ Hall to Mansion House, led by a beadle and piped/drummed by the Epping Forest Pipe Band. Freemen and women of the Worshipful Company of Butchers (in blue gowns) perform the procession. Gather outside Butchers’ Hall from around 2.30pm to watch the head arrive at Mansion House at about 3pm. FREE, 2.30pm

UNIVERSE 100: Professor Chris Lintott gives a Gresham College lecture marking 100 years since Edwin Hubble showed that there are galaxies beyond the Milky Way. Using new results from space telescopes and ground-based instruments he surveys systems from giant spirals to faint ‘Little Red Dots’. Watch in person at Conway Hall, or online. FREE, 7pm

LIVE-ART CONCERT: Livia Kojo Alour presents a live‑art concert combining orchestral music, vocals, spoken word and visuals to examine climate anxiety and collective healing from an Afro‑futurist perspective. The performance features live percussion from Manny ‘Talvez’ Marciano and is part of the Black Athena Festival at Rich Mix. 7.30pm

Today’s events: Thursday 19 March

THE STITCH FESTIVAL: Embroidery, batik, pattern design, punch needle, crochet and dressmaking are just some of the skills and hobbies encompassed in The Stitch Festival in Islington. Shows, talks and workshops are programmed throughout the weekend, with 150+ traders selling supplies and equipment. 19-22 March 2026

KAMERON N. SAUNDERS: Known by Swifties as ‘Kam’, one of Taylor Swift’s back-up dancers on the Eras Tour, Kameron N. Saunders is a choreographer in his own right, and is one of two choreographers debuting new work at Sadler’s Wells this week. Body & Soul, performed by the English National Ballet, features the UK premiere of Body and Soul (Part 1) from acclaimed choreographer Crystal Pite, as well as the world premiere of Saunders’ Proper Conduct, which explores the battle to find our authentic self under crushing societal scrutiny. 19-28 March 2026

INTER ALIA: Transferring to the West End after a run at the National Theatre, Inter Alia opens at Wyndham’s Theatre, with Rosamund Pike returning as judge Jessica Parks, who is trying to balance her career with the demands of motherhood. 19 March-20 June 2026

KENSINGTON WRITERS: Join guide Richard Watkins for a literary tour of the streets north of Kensington High Street, in search of the authors who created ground-breaking and much-loved classics. These include Kenneth Grahame, James Joyce and GK Chesterton. Richard also outlines the development of this lovely, affluent. 2pm (repeated on 26 March)

MORRIS BY MOONLIGHT: Enjoy an after-hours, candle-lit opening of Kelmscott House in Hammersmith, former home of William Morris, with a short highlights talk followed by time to explore the rooms. A drink is included with your ticket. 5.30pm-7.30pm

UCL CHEMISTRY: UCL presents talks, short films and live re-enactments of Victorian and later experiments at the Bloomsbury Theatre, as part of the university’s 200th anniversary celebrations. The programme traces moments from the discovery of the noble gases to the work of Dame Kathleen Lonsdale (UCL’s first female professor) and the story of Japanese students the Chōshū Five; original apparatus will be used alongside modern demonstrations. 5.45pm

THE NORTH SEA: Historian Alistair Moffat discusses his book The North Sea, drawing on a year spent travelling the sea’s coasts to examine its role in British history, from Pictish and Roman times through Viking raids, fishing and oil industries, to today’s offshore wind and rising seas. Takes place at Stanfords in Covent Garden. 7pm-8.30pm

LATE NIGHT JAZZ: Jazz talent development charity, Tomorrow’s Warriors presents two all-female ensembles plus a special DJ set at this week’s Late Night Jazz at the Royal Albert Hall. The evening begins with elements of jazz-fusion, funk, and R&B from Frontline, followed by a headline show by eight-piece ensemble Ankora. 8pm

Today’s events: Friday 20 March

RIVER ART WALK: River Art Walk is a weekend art trail linking galleries, independent spaces and working studios along the Thames in South Bank, Waterloo, Lambeth and Southwark. The programme includes open studios at Make Space, exhibitions at Newport Street Gallery and Bankside Gallery, performances at Jerwood Space, and workshops such as Ukrainian Pysanky egg-painting and Ramon Ravé’s clay-mask sessions. 20-21 March 2026

MOVE IT: Claiming to be the world’s biggest dance event, Move It comes to Excel Centre. Watch performances on three different stages, and take part in classes and workshops. There are also competitions, while companies including Disney and Royal Caribbean hold auditions for dancers to join their crews. 20-22 March 2026

WARTIME LONDON: View the effects of the Second World War in London through the works of artists who were active at the time. The Imperial War Museum’s new, free exhibition Beauty and Destruction: Wartime London in Art contains over 45 paintings and drawings alongside photographs, film, objects and oral histories, showcasing scenes from the Docklands to St Paul’s. FREE, 20 March-1 November 2026

AVENUE Q: Musical Avenue Q is back on the block, returning to the West End tonight after two decades. A cast of human and puppet characters sings and dances through the (rather naughty) tale of a fresh college graduate who finds himself living in a rundown New York apartment among some eclectic neighbours. From 20 March 2026

BIRD WALK: Take a two-hour guided stroll from Cody Dock along the River Lea to spot local birds, led by experienced Cody Dock guides. The walk is suitable for beginners and seasoned birdwatchers alike — bring binoculars and a camera if you have them. FREE, 10.30am

MURDER MYSTERY: Step into a roaring twenties-themed night at The Lucky Pig in Soho, where live music, cocktails and an interactive murder mystery — billed as ‘The Soho Strangler’ — unfold across the evening. Piece together the clues and question the suspects to solve the mystery. 7pm

MARRIED AT FIRST SLEIGHT: Married magician couple Hudson & Hudson (Alan and Kat Hudson) bring magic show Married at First Sleight to Jacksons Lane, combining sleight of hand, mind‑reading and comic observations about married life. 7.30pm

FANCY MY FRIEND?: Host Alexandra Haddow leads a PowerPoint dating night at Big Penny Social where friends pitch single pals to a room of potential dates with slides, stories and embarrassing photos. Expect big laughs, bold claims, and chaotic slide decks. 7.30pm-1am

Today’s events: Saturday 21 March

ARAB HALL: Leighton House in Kensington opens The Arab Hall: Past and Present, the first major exploration of the spectacular 19th-century room through contemporary art, film, research and historic exhibition. The room was created by Victorian artist Frederic Leighton following extensive travels across North Africa and the Middle East, showcasing a blend of Islamic, Mediterranean and Victorian craft traditions. From 21 March 2026

RAILWAY MODELLING: Model railway enthusiasts from all over the country gather at Alexandra Palace this weekend for the London Festival of Railway Modelling. 35+ exhibitors show off their layouts, and there’s a chance to pick up rarer scales and gauges. 21-22 March 2026

GOLD BUNNY HUNT: The Easter bunny comes to south-west London early — well, several bunnies actually — as the Lindt Gold Bunny Hunt returns to the grounds of Hampton Court Palace from today. Seek out the statues (no, you can’t eat them) and look on their red ribbons for their names, then pick up a small chocolate treat. 21 March-12 April 2026

URBAN ELEPHANT: Urban Elephant Festival returns to Elephant & Castle for a day of local art, music, dance and community-focused stalls across Castle Square, Walworth Square, Sayer Street and the new Elephant Shopping Centre Square. Entry is free, and it’s for all ages. 12pm-6pm

LONDON NOBODY KNOWS: Ever read Geoffrey Fletcher’s 1962 classic The London That Nobody Knows, or seen the idiosyncratic documentary version with James Mason? Then you’ll want to go on this London On The Ground guided walk to some of the City locations from the book (and other Fletcher work). 2.30pm

WINE TASTING: António Picotes, a cutting-edge winemaker from Trás-os-Montes in Portugal, leads a wine tasting session at Bar Douro, which will familiarise you with the micro-terroirs of Termo de Sendim, and Arribas. Tickets include five 50ml tasters and a selection of Bar Douro petiscos. 4pm-5pm

CANDLELIGHT CLUB: 1920s-themed speakeasy party The Candlelight Club returns to a secret ballroom location somewhere in south London for a Spring Ball. Entertainment includes live jazz from the Shirt Tail Stompers, burlesque from Bonnie Fox, a tarot reader, and plenty of glitz and glamour. 7pm-1am

EMMANUEL SONUBI: Comedian Emmanuel Sonubi hosts a special video recording of his Edinburgh‑nominated show Life After Near Death at Soho Theatre Walthamstow. He turns surviving heart failure and the aftermath of trauma into sharp, often darkly funny storytelling. 7.30pm

TROPICAL YARD: Residents Lady Kamikaze (Lady Luck), Duncan Brooker (Strut Records) and Liam Large (Jazzman Records) are at Servant Jazz Quarters in Dalston, spinning tropical tunes from Latin America, Africa and the Caribbean — no cover charge all night. FREE, 9pm-2am

Today’s events: Sunday 22 March

ANTIQUES FAIR: Adams Antiques Fairs takes place at Royal Horticultural Halls in Victoria with more than 100 dealers selling jewellery, decorative antiques, furniture and other collectables. Arrive early if you want to be one of the first in, as a queue usually builds before doors open. 10am-4.30pm

RETRO GAMES FAIR: Traders from all over the UK come together for the Retro Games Fair at the Royal National Hotel in Bloomsbury, where retro video games, board games and merchandise are available to buy. Staggered entry times at 10.30am, 12pm and 1.30pm. 10.30am-4.30pm

MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR: Explore the London of the Beatles with Fab Four guru Richard Porter, who’ll whisk you to the site of the famous rooftop session, the art gallery where John Lennon and Yoko Ono first met, and the most famous road crossing in history. 11am-1pm

FAMILY RAVE: Under and over the sea is the theme of a Big Fish Little Fish family rave at Night Tales in Hackney. DJ Terry Francis is on the decks playing acid house, techno, house and drum ‘n’ bass for children aged up to eight and their families. Other entertainment includes foam, bubbles, giant balloons and crafting tables. 2pm-4pm

USEFUL ART: Professor John Byrne explores how art can be useful rather than merely aesthetic, looking at projects from Turner Prize-winning urban regeneration to bakeries, vegetable gardens and multi-use arts spaces. He discusses his research and his book Useful Art: How Activist Artists Can Change the World, at Conway Hall. 3pm-4.30pm

LIVE JAZZ: Innovative duo Nockles/Jones Jazz entertain punters at the Ivy House in Nunhead this afternoon, with their deconstructed take on the genre, featuring double bass and trumpet. FREE, 4pm

BREWERY COMEDY: Collywobblers present Rory O’Hanlon with Catie Wilkins, Salma Lyons, Dan Boerman and musical comic Alex Prescot, hosted by MC Sion James for a Sunday evening comedy show at Brockley Brewery Taproom. Ticket includes a £5 donation to Lewisham Foodbank. 7pm

BARNET SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: Barnet Symphony Orchestra presents Johannes Brahms’s Symphony No.4 alongside Clara Schumann’s Piano Concerto at St John’s Church. The programme pairs Brahms’s intense, four-movement symphony with Clara Schumann’s virtuosic concerto. 7pm-9.15pm