Things To Do This Week In London: 11-17 March 2024

Things to do this week is sponsored by the RHS Orchid Show.

All week

OSCAR WEEK: Barbican Cinema continues screening this year's Oscar-nominated films, even after the awards ceremony has taken place. Maestro, The Zone of Interest and American Fiction are among the films you can see this week. Until 14 March

ELYSIAN ARCS: Time's running out to see Elysian Arcs beneath the Leadenhall Building (AKA the Cheesegrater) in the City. The 20ft-tall rainbow arcs have their own soundtrack, and they light up from dusk each evening. FREE, until 15 March (10am-8pm daily)

FOURTH PLINTH SHORTLIST: This is the final week to see the National Gallery's Fourth Plinth Shortlist Exhibition, which contains miniature models of the seven artworks shortlisted to be displayed on Trafalgar Square's Fourth Plinth in 2026 and 2028 (full details of the artworks here). You can vote for your favourite on the National Gallery website. FREE, until 17 March

BARNES MUSIC FESTIVAL: Barnes Music Festival is still ongoing in south-west London, with events all this week. Celebrate the 150th anniversary of All Saints Church in Putney with a concert by the Sacconi Quartet, attend a jazz evening by the Ally Collins Ensemble, or join in a sing-a-long performance of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, among other events. Under-12s get free entry as part of the festival's Youth Programme, in a bid to reach a younger audience. Until 24 March

ST PATRICK'S DAY: This Sunday is St Patrick's Day, when a huge parade and festival takes place in central London (details below). But there are plenty of other green-washed and shamrock-shaped events celebrating Ireland taking place in the preceding days — take a look at London's St Patrick's Day events this year.

NOWRUZ: Celebrate Nowruz — also known as Persian New Year — with a month of festivities at Lauderdale House in Waterlow Park, Highgate Hill. Nowruz is a tradition celebrated by over 300 million people worldwide for more than 3,000 years. Check the website for details on talks, exhibitions, poetry, music, a 'Haft-sin' trail, a family art day and the Nowruz Bazaar. FREE, until 1 April.

LITERARY FOOTPRINTS: A reminder that tour guide company Footprints of London has a Literary Footprints festival going on throughout March, with dozens of walks themed on literature, books, authors and the like. Highlights this week include a virtual tour of Shakespeare's Bankside, a wander through the world of Charles Ignatius Sancho, and a deep dive into second world war novels set in Bloomsbury. Until 31 March

HIDE AND SEEK: Shining a light on bullying, homophobia and the power of social media, Hide and Seek tells the story of Gio, a teen who runs away and hides in a cave near his small town Italian home, only to be discovered by his popular classmate Mirko. It's on at Park Theatre in Finsbury Park. 12-30 March

EAT OF THE WEEK: We always read the emails you lovely people send us, and we've had a hearty recommendation for The Upper Place food market in Holloway, where you can get your chops around Italian, Egyptian, Congolese and Thai dishes — to name a few. One to have on your list for next time you're feeling hungry up north.

PUB OF THE WEEK: After a long old hiatus, the Constitution in Camden is back in business; a 10-minute walk from Camden Town station gets you to this canalside Young's Pub, which has been refreshed with a new rooftop terrace, and a seasonal menu feat. the likes of pies and sharing seafood stews, as well as veggie and vegan. There's also beer from local brewery Two Tribes.

Monday 11 March

CHELSEA PHYSIC GARDEN: Get two thirds off admission to London’s oldest botanic garden today, tomorrow or any other Monday/Tuesday in March! For just a fiver, you can explore Chelsea Physic Garden’s Victorian glasshouses, medicinal plant collection, pond, rockery, woodland and more. Plus, there’s a cafe onsite if you fancy spending your savings on coffee and cake. Until 26 March (sponsor)

SECRET VILLAGE: Get to know Clerkenwell a bit better on this London's Secret Village walk by London Walks. Wander past a Norman church, a Tudor gateway, London’s only surviving medieval monastic complex and Hercule Poirot’s London flat, among other landmarks, learning about them as you go. 2.30pm-4.30pm

ADHD: As part of the Neurodiversity series at Gresham College, Professor Peter Hill gives a free talk about Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Specifically, he discusses how children and adults with the condition react differently to medical management, and why this means we should be looking differently at both causes and treatments. FREE, 6pm

MACRAME WORKSHOP: Take yourself along to Big Penny Social in Walthamstow to have a go at the craft of macrame. Learn the techniques of knotting and weaving to create yourself a plant hanger. 7pm-9pm

COMEDY RESERVE: See the shortlisted acts for this year's Pleasance Comedy Reserve going head to head at the Pleasance Theatre in Islington. The up-and-coming comedians battle it out to be one of the four given a slot to perform at this year's Edinburgh Fringe Festival. 7.40pm (also tomorrow)

MONDAYS IN LONDON: Looking for something else to do, today or any other week? Take a look at our guide to things to do in London on a Monday — we've gathered together live music venues, comedy and cabaret clubs which keep going on what is usually the quietest day of the week, along with guided walks and tours scheduled on a Monday, and a few special offers too.

Tuesday 12 March

COMPANY WAYNE MCGREGOR: Choreographer and director Wayne McGregor presents two works at Sadler's Wells this week, performed by Company Wayne McGregor. Autobiography (v95 and v96) (12-13 March) merges genetic code, AI and choreography, using a new AI tool developed with Google Arts and Culture utilising machine-learning trained on McGregor’s choreographic archive. UniVerse: A Dark Crystal Odyssey (15-16 March) reimagines cult 1982 film The Dark Crystal. All sounds rather trippy. 12-16 March

BARBER OF SEVILLE: It's the Barber of Seville, but not as you know it. The Charles Court Opera present a new production of Rossini’s comic opera, set in the Wild West, with Count Almaviva disguised as a cowboy in Bartolo’s Old Western saloon bar. See it at Wilton's Music Hall. 12-23 March

CANCER HOPE: Today's Gresham College lecture is a panel discussion between various experts, focusing on new research into and treatment of cancer, and the hope this brings. Hear about immunotherapy, genomics and AI imaging, and how they're being developed to help cancer patients. You can watch in person at Barnard's Inn Hall, or online. FREE, 6pm

WELSH BORDER: Author Mike Parker is at Stanfords in Covent Garden to discuss his book All The Wide Border, about the places and people along the border between England and Wales. Himself born in England but settled in Wales, he picks apart the notions and clichés of Englishness, Welshness and Britishness. 7pm-8.30pm

IRELAND THE SHOW: Warm yourself up for St Patrick's Day with Ireland The Show, a programme of Irish entertainment taking place at the Millfield Theatre in Edmonton. Hear covers of songs by the likes of the Dubliners, Makem and Clancy and the Pogues, and see high-energy moves by the Gael Force Irish dancers. 7.30pm

Sponsor message

Celebrate the beauty of orchids in central London this week

For three days this week, RHS Lindley Hall in Westminster is taken over by beautiful blooms for the RHS Orchid Show.

Wander among stunning displays of the exotic houseplant, and buy your own from expert UK growers, who are also on hand to share tips on caring for your orchids. The Orchid Society of Great Britain is among the exhibitors at the show, and if the flowers leave you feeling inspired, head along to the shop where you can select plants for staff to add to your own terrarium.

Refreshments are available at the Houseplant café, and the pop-up RHS Plant Shop will be well stocked with all manner of houseplants available to take home with you.

The show is only in the capital for this year, before moving to a new location in 2025, so this is a unique chance to surround yourself with orchids in central London — don't miss the opportunity.

The RHS Orchid Show takes place Friday 15-Sunday 17 March 2024 at RHS Lindley Hall, Westminster. Find out more and book your tickets. RHS Members go free, pre-booking required.

Wednesday 13 March

BFI FLARE: London's LGBTQIA+ film festival BFI Flare is an 11-day celebration of queer cinema featuring gala screenings, panel discussions, short films, and more. Tonight, there's an opening night party, and two screenings of Layla, about a Palestinian-British drag performer with a new love interest. 13-24 March

LUNCHTIME CONCERT: Head over to Dulwich this lunchtime for a free concert. It's a performance by music students from local schools, and takes place in Christ's Chapel at Dulwich Picture Gallery. FREE, 1.30pm-2pm

SUPPER CLUB: George Blogg, Executive Chef at Michelin-star restaurant The Dining Room at Gravetye Manor in Sussex, whips up a feast at Fortnum & Mason. He's the latest guest chef to host a supper club in the Food & Drink Studio, where guests can watch their food being prepared. It's a plant-based menu, with wine pairings. 6.30pm-9.30pm

POETRY READINGS: Magazine Poetry London celebrates the launch of its spring issue with a special event at Southbank Centre. Writer Mona Kareem headlines the event by performing some readings, along with Katie Peterson, Khaled Mattawa, Will Burns and Sara Elkamel. 7.15pm

ANTHONY HOROWITZ: Novelist and screenwriter Anthony Horowitz makes an appearance at Kent House in Knightsbridge to discuss his experiences writing his Alex Rider series, Foyle's War, and new Sherlock Holmes and James Bond books, as well as various works for TV and film. Your ticket includes a drink on arrival. 7.30pm

1XTRA COMEDY GALA: BBC 1Xtra's Eddie Kadi hosts a night of belly laughs at Hackney Empire, with the help of comedy chums including Babátúndé Aléshé, Gbemi Oladipo, Kane Brown, Kyrah Gray, Michael Odewale, Ola Labib, Slim and Thanyia Moore. 7.30pm-10pm

Thursday 14 March

DAUNT BOOKS FESTIVAL: Journalist Sathnam Sanghera, author Nina Stibbe and children's writer Lauren Child are among the names on the programme at the two-day Daunt Books Festival, which takes place at the Marylebone store. Each event is individually ticketed, so you can dip into as many or as few as you like. 14-15 March

LORD OF THE RINGS: The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra perform Howard Shore’s Academy Award-winning score live, as The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is shown on screen at the Royal Albert Hall. It's part of the venue's Films in Concert series — look out for Indiana Jones, Top Gun, Ghostbusters and Harry Potter later this year. 14-17 March

HUMAN RIGHTS FILMS: Seven documentaries and three feature films are on the programme at this year's London Human Rights Watch Film Festival, screened at Barbican Cinema and Rich Mix. Focus is on the role of youth in confronting systems of power, and every film is followed by a conversation with filmmakers, activists, and human rights experts. Tonight's opening event is Mediha, about a teenage Yazidi girl, returned from Islamic State (ISIS) captivity as she initiates investigations into the crimes committed against her. 14-22 March

UNTOLD LIVES: Kensington Palace opens a new exhibition, Untold Lives, celebrating people from all walks of life who worked at the Royal Palace over 300 years ago. Find out about roles including rat-killer, 'Groom of the Stool', who was responsible for looking after the monarch on the toilet, and the 'Keeper of Ice and Snow’. 14 March-27 October

HELICOPTERS AND BEEFEATERS: An unusual combination, we'll grant you, but that's the gist of a spectacle to be seen at the Tower of London today for the Ceremony of the Constable's Dues. It's one of those centuries-old traditions beloved of the Square Mile, but this year's will feature a helicopter and three Royal Marine landing craft. FREE (from outside the Tower), from 11.30am

IMPERIAL LATES: Imperial College in South Kensington stays open late for an evening focusing on artificial intelligence (AI), and how it might shape our future. Experts give a range of talks, demos and workshops on topics including who would benefit from a world managed by AI, and try out AI-proof facepaint. FREE, 6pm-9pm

FINGERPRINT MASTERCLASS: Curious about the use of fingerprints in solving crime? Head to the Bow Street Police Museum for an evening with Former Detective Chief Inspector Steve Gaskin, who talks about the history of using fingerprints, cases where it was used, and the science behind it. There's also a chance to take your own fingerprints, and to ask questions. 7pm

Friday 15 March

SISTER ACT: Praise be! Sister Act The Musical is back in the West End, taking over the Dominion Theatre, with Beverley Knight reprising her role as Deloris van Cartier, Ruth Jones as Mother Superior, and Lesley Joseph and Lemar also among the cast. From 15 March

HOLI FESTIVAL: For the seventh time, a House of Holi pop-up comes to Cinnamon Kitchen City, to celebrate the Hindu festival of Holi (which falls on 25 March this year). The Indian restaurant has a technicolour paint throwing pod for diners to enjoy, before tucking into a Holi cocktail and a nine-course feasting menu in the restaurant. 15-25 March

SUFFRAGETTES ARRESTED: The latest Secrets of the National Archives event focuses on suffragettes — specifically, suffragettes who were arrested in pursuit of their cause. The Home Office kept a single document detailing arrested Suffragettes to keep tabs on their activities, and that document is at the centre of today's online event. Find out what can be learned from the 1333 names (1224 women and 109 men) which feature in the list. 2pm

BANANARAMA: Though tickets to attend in person have sold out, you can still sign up to watch an online livestream of Bananarama talking at the V&A Museum. Members Sara Dallin and Keren Woodward launch their new musical anthology Glorious chatting to author, journalist, and brand strategist Katie Baron about their four-decade career. 6.30pm-7.30pm

GREASE SING-A-LONG: Grease is the word at the Prince Charles Cinema in Leicester Square. Start your weekend on a high at a sing-a-long screening of the 1978 musical film starring Olivia Newton-John as Sandy and John Travolta as Danny. Fancy dress is strongly encouraged. 8.30pm

Saturday 16 March

RAILWAY MODELLING: Model railway enthusiasts from all over the country gather at Alexandra Palace 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. It's on again tomorrow. 16-17 March

ENCANTO: Take the kids along to Barbican Cinema for Family Film Club, which this week screens 2021 animation Encanto. Set in Colombia, it's about a family whose magical powers fail them, with songs by Hamilton writer Lin Manuel Miranda — including the ridiculously catchy We Don't Talk About Bruno. 11am

UPPER STREET: If you've only ever been to Islington's Upper Street for the restaurants and bars then you're missing out on a ton of history. Join tour guide Jonathan Wober for a look at the street's remarkable past. You could then stick with him for a later tour (and tower climb) of St Mary's Upper Street. 11am

VINTAGE KILO SALE: Give your wardrobe a refresh at the Croydon Vintage Kilo Sale, taking place at Fairfield Halls. Vintage and preowned clothing, shoes and accessories are sold by weight (£20 per kilo), but there's no minimum or maximum spend, so shop well and you could pick up a few items on the cheap. 11am-5pm

SIX NATIONS: International rugby tournament the Six Nations comes to an end today, with the Round 5 matches taking place in various cities and time zones. Whether you're supporting England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, France or Italy, here's our pick of places screening the Six Nations action. It's Wales vs Italy at 2.15pm, Ireland vs Scotland at 4.45pm, and France vs England at 8pm.

JAZZ JAMAICA: British jazz/reggae music group Jazz Jamaica takes over the Jazz Cafe in Camden for an evening of classic and modern jazz standards, played alongside Jamaican folk songs. Standing tickets and seats in the restaurant are both available at time of writing. 7pm-10.30pm

EVIE HILL: If you fancy some live tunes with your cocktails/meal tonight, Two Spoons in Honor Oak has your back; Evie Hill — a singer influenced by the likes of Ella Fitzgerald and Julie London — is on stage for a couple of hours tonight, helped out by Isaac Merchant on guitar. 7.30pm-9.30pm

IMPROVISED HEAD: The multi-award-winning Al & Cy (aka The Electric Head) are at Bloomsbury's Museum of Comedy to perform their entirely unplanned and unscripted improv show, Improvised Head, which promises absurdity and laughs in spades. You can catch it in the same place for one-off shows in April, May and June. 8.30pm-9.30pm

Sunday 17 March

CHEESE MARKET: Head over to Chiswick for a gouda day out as the monthly Chiswick Cheese Market. Dozens of cheesemongers and producers have stalls at the event, selling cheese alongside breads, chutneys, crackers and everything else you need to have an edam good time. 9.30am-3pm

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. From 11am

ST PATRICK'S DAY PARADE: This year, London's St Patrick's Day Parade and Festival takes place on St Patrick's Day itself. The parade wends down from Hyde Park Corner to Trafalgar Square, where there's an afternoon of free entertainment and activities — full details here. Even if you're not attending the event, be aware that there will be large crowds and road closures in central London today. FREE, 12pm-6pm

MIGRANTS WALK: Irish history also features heavily in this guided walk led by Laura Agustin. The walk begins in the Fleet Ditch and works its way uphill through early Italian and Irish settlements in Saffron Hill, taking note of Black and West Indian communities who also settled in the area, and ending with Jewish migrations that made Hatton Garden’s Diamond Street. 1pm-3pm

DANNY HYNES: It's a special Paddy Day's gig at the Cavern in Raynes Park this afternoon, with Danny Hynes & Friends taking to the stage for a gig that'll surely include a few Irish classics. FREE, 3pm

SUPPER CLUB: Indian restaurant Kanishka continues its Sunday Supper Club series, which sees a different female chef taking over the kitchen each month. Today, cook and author Crystelle Pereira whips up a feast inspired by the heritage of her Kenyan born, Portuguese-Goan parents — think Goan fish/prawn curry, pickle chicken curry, and chai tres leches dessert. 6pm

SUNDAY CONCERT: The five-piece Divertimenti Ensemble take to the stage for this week's Sunday concert at Conway Hall. The group has been around since 1978 (with four founding members still there today) and they perform works by Boccherini, Gade, and Brahms. 6.30pm-8.30pm

SUNDAY SCHTICK: Kentish Town's Rose & Crown hosts another bout of Sunday Schtick — a free night of stand up open mic comedy, starring newbies and established acts alike. 7pm

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