Things To Do This Week In London: 7-13 July 2025

Music festivals, Fringe comedy previews, and Buckingham Palace opens to the public.

All week

WIMBLEDON: We're into the second and last week of Wimbledon 2025, with the all-important final playing out this weekend. Read everything you need to know about joining 'The Queue' for tickets — just know that Wimbledon station isn't the closest stop to the tennis club. Happy to watch on TV? We've put together a guide to all of the London venues showing the action live on large screens, many of them free. Even better, treat yourself to a Wimbledon-themed afternoon tea to enjoy as you watch. Until 13 July

WOMEN'S EUROS: Also underway in the sporting world is the Women's Euros tournament, with matches taking place in Switzerland. Plenty of bars, pubs and other venues around London are screening the action, particularly when England's Lionesses are playing (which is on Wednesday at 5pm this week, and 8pm on Sunday).

BALHAM COMEDY FESTIVAL: The Bedford in Balham hosts the 13th annual Balham Comedy Festival, organised by Banana Cabaret. On this week's programme: Stephen K. Amos, Jessica Fostekew, Ria Lina and Rhys James, among others. 4-12 July

JIMMY: The life of American tennis player Jimmy Connors is retold by comedian Adam Riches in Jimmy, at Park Theatre, a five-star feat of mental and physical theatre delving into Connors' career at his peak, his subsequent downfall — and one of the greatest comebacks in sporting history. Until 26 July

MY MASTER BUILDER: Last chance to see Ewan McGregor, Kate Fleetwood and Elizabeth Debicki star in My Master Builder, set in the Hamptons on the eve of American Independence Day. It's the story of a wealthy couple whose marriage is shattered by the unexpected arrival of Mathilde, a former student of the architect husband. See it at Wyndham's Theatre. Until 12 July

THE CRUCIBLE: Arthur Miller's The Crucible ends another run on the London stage, this time at the Globe Theatre. It's based on the Salem witch trials, telling the story of the mass hysteria which swept the town as local women were accused of witchcraft. Until 12 July

MINISTRY OF LESBIAN AFFAIRS: Feel-good musical comedy The Ministry of Lesbian Affairs is the story of the only lesbian choir in the country, who are trying to win their place on the Pride main stage. See it at the Kiln Theatre in Kilburn. Until 12 July

BST HYDE PARK: Most of the headline gigs for BST Hyde Park have sold out, but did you know about Open House? This free-entry festival takes place on the weekdays between the big weekends, and is open to everyone, whether you have a gig ticket or not. Free entertainment is spread out across the festival site including film and sports screenings, live music, sports workshops and loads more, for all ages. FREE, 7-10 July

BITESIZE FESTIVAL: Kicking off on Monday, Hammersmith's Riverside Studios launches Bitesize Festival, showcasing punchy works of thought-provoking, inspiring and innovative theatre — plus short films and art. You can fill your boots with an all-in £50 festival pass, which includes two tickets to every show. 7 July-3 August

SUMMER IN THE SQUARE: Portman Square Garden hosts nigh-on a week of free activities starting Tuesday (8 July) — with its annual Summer in the Square festival. There are fitness classes, mending workshops, kid-friendly activities and sports screenings — plus refreshment stalls. FREE, 8-13 July

PUB OF THE WEEK: The Tamesis Dock is, for our money, the best floating pub on the Thames. Situated a little south of Lambeth Bridge, it's just beyond the tourist hubbub, but still close enough to the centre that you get a view of the Houses of Parliament from the various open-air deck areas. If the weather's not cooperating, two cosy decks of indoors space await. Avast!

EAT OF THE WEEK: Lower Clapton's foodie scene says hiya to Elephant, which opens on Wednesday (9 July), slinging ox cheek croquettes, Neopolitan pizza and — this sounds important — fried lavender doughnuts with Amalfi lemon custard. There are spicy margs, gin fizzes and negronis to go with.

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Monday 7 July

INDIAN SUPPER CLUB: Chefs Sameer Taneja of Mayfair Indian restaurant Benares and Shantanu Mehrotra of Delhi and Mumbai restaurant Indian Accent team up for a four-night collaboration of Indian gastronomy. Expect a tasting menu featuring British ingredients and Indian flavours, with dishes including goat’s cheese dabeli, scallop malabar, and meetha achaar pork spare ribs. 5.30pm-9.30om (until 10 July)

WAPPING: Tour guide Rea Rhine leads a walk around 18th and 19th century Wapping today, tomorrow and recurring dates over summer. While dressed in Victorian costume, Rea explores the area's industrial past, the evolution of law & order, social injustice, and influential historical figures like Isambard Kingdom Brunel. 6pm

AI AND SCIENCE: The AIrevolution has huge potential for our understanding of biology. Join Mikhail Burtsev at the Royal Institution for a look at how AI is helping to solve previously intractable problems in biochemistry. 7pm-8.30pm

GARDEN DESIGN: Join award-winning landscape designers Joe Swift, Polly Wilkinson and James Alexander-Sinclair, alongside TV presenter Rachel de Thame, for a panel discussion aimed at helping you to design your ideal garden. Get practical advice and creative inspiration for gardeners at all levels, from novices to the experienced, in the Map Room at the Royal Geographical Society. There's the option to add a VIP drinks session to your ticket, with money raised going to Horatio's Garden, a charity for people with spinal injuries. 7.30pm-9pm

CHARITY COMEDY: Athena Kugblenu, David Whitney and Jack Shep perform at Stand Up For Shelter, a charity comedy night raising money for Hackney Night Shelter. Takes place at Backyard Comedy Club, with more performers TBC. 7.30pm-10.15pm

PAUL GASCOIGNE: Former footballer Gazza is at Bromley's Churchill Theatre to talk about his career, including his time at Newcastle, Tottenham, Everton, Rangers and Lazio, and in the England squad. Hear about games, dressing room and training ground stories, managers, fall outs and more, with a chance to ask your questions at the end. 7.30pm

FRINGE PREVIEW: Comedian Sharon Wanjohi offers a preview of her upcoming Edinburgh Fringe show, at Pleasance Theatre in Islington. Expect a humorous take on tackling the world's problems in In The House, incorporating strong language and satirical commentary. 7.40pm

Tuesday 8 July

KEW THE MUSIC: A stage and large screen is set up in Kew Gardens for a week of live music, beginning with Craig David tonight. Over the coming day, the Human League, UB40, DJ Spoony, Alison Moyet and Gipsy Kings all perform too. Take your own picnic chair or blanket, pack a hamper or buy food and drink on site — and enjoy live music in a relaxed and (hopefully) sunny setting. 8-13 July

REALITY BITES: Opening at Arches Lane Theatre in Battersea, Reality Bites is a sharp, provocative, and darkly comic play that examines our desperate need to be loved, liked, and followed, set against the backdrop of modern social media. It delves into the lives of four characters whose experiences unfold after an extreme dating show airs on Christmas Eve. 8-20 July

SING STREET: Sing Street at the Lyric Hammersmith is a musical adaptation of the 2016 film set in Dublin during the 1980s, focusing on the story of Conor, a teenager struggling with family issues and fitting in at a new school. It's the show's first run on the UK stage, after successful appearances in Boston and New York. 8 July-23 August

THE O.C. MINI MARATHON: Californiaaaa, here we come! Rooftop Film Club holds an O.C Mini Marathon at its Stratford cinema, offering a heady dose of sunny nostalgia to anyone who grew up watching the mid-noughties teen drama. Kick back on level eight of the multi-story car park and watch 2.5 hours of the show. 6pm

STITCH AND SIP: Head to Chillie London Vintage on Portobello Road for an evening focused on sustainability. Take part in a sewing workshop where you'll upcycle preloved fashion while enjoying a drink provided by Discarded Spirits Co, which makes its products from ingredients wasted from the coffee, wine and whisky industries. 6.30pm-9.30pm

MODERN MAPS: Join Vincent Westbrook at Stanfords bookshop as he gives a talk about his recent book Modern Maps of London (which we thoroughly enjoyed). 7pm

LADIES POKER: Battersea's Archway restaurant hosts House of Queens, a one-night-only poker evening for women ranging from first-timers to fearless card sharks. Professional casino croupiers will guide you, while Archway lays on canapés and free-flowing Whispering Angel wine. 7pm-10.30pm

Wednesday 9 July

PREHISTORIC PLANET: Lightroom in King's Cross opens its latest immersive exhibition, Prehistoric Planet: Discovering Dinosaurs, taking you inside scenes from seasons one and two of Apple TV+'s Prehistoric Planet series. Surrounded by 360-degree visuals of dinosaurs, find out what the planet was like 66 million years ago. 9 July-2 November

PROPERTY LADDER: The latest in the Leadenhall Live series of free talks brings together author, columnist and housing rights campaigner Vicky Spratt, and mortgage expert Andrew Montlake to offer tips on getting onto the property ladder in London. Takes place at the Leadenhall Building, AKA the Cheesgrater. FREE, 6pm

THE TEACHER OF AUSCHWITZ: Journalist, war correspondent and author Wendy Holden is at the Imperial War Museum, offering a closer look at items in the collections closely related to her life and work. The event marks the publication of her latest book, The Teacher of Auschwitz, about Fredy Hirsch, a German-Jewish athlete and sports teacher who tried to protect children from the horrors of the Holocaust.6.30pm-8pm

ART OF REJECTION: Londonist art critic Tabish Khan joins a panel discussion about the experience of rejection in the creative industries. He teams up with art historian and podcast host Jo McLaughlin and curator and former gallerist Phoebe Minson to discuss using rejection to build confidence, motivation and creative momentum. It's at Stokey Pop-Up in Stoke Newington, which currently hosts the REJECTS exhibition, showcasing work rejected from the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition. 6.30pm-8.30pm

STILL ALIVE (AND KICKING): Australian artist Gill Hicks survived the 2005 London bombings with severe and permanent injuries, losing both legs from just below the knee. Tonight she makes an exclusive London appearance at Wilton's Music Hall with her show Still Alive (And Kicking) to mark 20 years since the terrorist attack. Expect live music and powerful projected artworks in a celebration of being alive. 7.30pm

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Thursday 10 July

COCKTAILS IN THE CITY: Boozy festival Cocktails in the City opens the first of its two weekend events this summer, bringing together some of the most popular bars in London to serve up their concoctions in the private garden of Bedford Square, with live entertainment thrown in. 10-12 July

SUMMER IN THE DITCH: Shoreditch Town Hall announces the return of Summer in The Ditch, a bold takeover series in the venue's basement space, championing early- and mid-career camp and queer artists. It begins tonight with drag king Fabio Lenzoli and comedian Frankie Thompson's work-in-progress shows. 10-19 July

SUMMER SERIES: Rizzle Kicks headlines the opening night of this year's Somerset House Summer Series, a programme of open-air gigs taking place in the building's courtyard. St Vincent and FLO are among the other headliners over the coming days. 10-20 July.

BURLESQUE: Songs by Christina Aguilera, Sia and Diane Warren feature in Burlesque the Musical, which makes its West End debut at the Savoy Theatre. Set in an underground nightclub, it tells the story of Ali, who searches for her mother in New York and discovers an underground world of music and dance. 10 July-6 September

INTER ALIA: A new play from the team behind Prima Facie, Rosamund Pike stars in the National Theatre's production Inter Alia, about a woman at the top of her career as an eminent London Crown Court Judge, but struggling with the juggling act that every working mother faces. 10 July-13 September

BUCKINGHAM PALACE: Take the opportunity to go inside Buckingham Palace at the annual summer opening of the State Rooms. The Throne Room, Ballroom Grand Staircase and Palace Gardens are among the areas open to the public for just a few weeks — we've been inside a few times, and it is spectacular. 10 July-28 September

DRAGON BOAT RACE: South Dock in Canary Wharf hosts a day of dragon boat racing in support of Water Aid. Tickets to take part have sold out (though you can register your interest for 2026 is you're super-keen) but head down on the day to watch and support. FREE, 11.30am-5pm

MAYFAIR: Join guide Richard Watkins to trace a diagonal course through Mayfair, including three of its grand squares, its great surviving eighteenth century buildings, and assorted statues and homes. The walk will touch on great international wars, urban riots and a mysterious suicide. 2.30pm-4.30pm

Friday 11 July

IDLER FESTIVAL: A genuine Archbishop and a clutch of National Treasures are among the speakers at this year's Idler Festival, at Fenton House in Hampstead. Festival goers are invited to do "as much or as little as they please" in a laid-back environment — but with a chance to hear from the likes of Michael Palin, Emma Thompson, and comedians Stewart Lee and Sally Phillips, it's worth packing in as much in as you can. 11-13 July

HELIOS: Barely a month goes by without one of Luke Jerram's celestial sculptures popping up at a London venue, and this time it's Helios going on display at the top of Osterley House's 18th century portico. Each centimetre of the scale model of the sun represents 2,000 kilometres of the real sun's surface. 11-14 July

FOUR PLAY: "There must be a part of you that’s curious, right? About what it would be like?" It's launch night for Four Play — a provocative comedy interrogating the unspoken rules of modern relationships — at the King's Head Theatre in Angel tonight. 11 July-17 August

MORE THAN HUMAN: The More than Human exhibition at Design Museum explores how design can assist our planet alongside other living beings. It features over 140 works by more than 50 international artists, architects and designers, including a monumental seaweed installation and artworks aimed at octopuses. 11 July-5 October

SHAKE IT OFF: A club night dedicated entirely to the music of Taylor Swift, Swiftogeddon is back at Between The Bridges. Spend four hours dancing (and screaming along) to Swift's songs, from well-known hits to lesser-known deep cuts and vault tracks. An event fully approved by Londonist's resident Swiftie. 7pm-11pm

GABRIELLE STRAVELLI QUARTET: As part of Battersea Jazz Festival, the Gabrielle Stravelli Quartet performs at World Heart Beat Embassy Gardens in Nine Elms, presenting a programme of well-known classics and lesser-known gems from jazz's history. 7.30pm

PARK LAUGHS LIVE: Pierre Novellie, Catherine Bohart, Celya AB, Sophie Garrad and Dominic McGovern are lined up for tonight's Park Laughs Live at the Park Theatre, which shines the spotlight on rising stars in comedy. 8.30pm

Saturday 12 July

WHITECROSS STREET PARTY: Though it hosts a lively street food market most week days, Whitecross Street near Barbican really comes alive for the annual Whitecross Street Party. See live painting and street art, transforming the area until next year's festival, along with music, dance and spoken word stages, family activities, food stalls and more. FREE, 12-13 July

HAPPY PLACE FESTIVAL: Focus is on the feel-good, as the Happy Place Festival comes to a new venue, Gunnersbury Park, for a weekend of talks, live podcasts, yoga, as well as a shopping village packed with independent brands. 12-13 July

BASTILLE DAY: French restaurant Brasserie Zedel in Piccadilly Circus marks Bastille Day with special entertainment including a quartet from the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra performing in the brasserie and foyer across Bastille Weekend, and various other music, magic and cabaret shows. There's also a 'best-dressed' competition on a French theme, with prizes to be won. 12-14 July

ALICE IN WONDERLAND: Just in time for the summer holidays, Marylebone Theatre opens a production of Alice in Wonderland for ages five+, bringing Lewis Carroll's classic children's book to life through puppets, an original score, and eye-catching costumes. Have a browse of other family-friendly theatre shows coming to London for the summer holidays. 12 July-31 August

HETTY FEATHER DAY: The Foundling Museum hosts its annual Hetty Feather Day, with author Dame Jacqueline Wilson in attendance. Her 2009 novel Hetty Feather, later made into a CBBC series, tells the story of a young girl who is left at the Foundling Hospital as a baby. Today's event for 7-13 year olds features a talk by Wilson, a Q&A session, and a creative workshop, and includes museum admission. 11am-3.30pm

HATS!: Today is the annual Hats Off Chesham festival (in Buckinghamshire, but on the Tube via Met line). Head along to celebrate the town's historic links to the hat-making industry, with free entertainment along the High Street – music, stalls and more – just don’t forget your hat! 12pm-6pm

KALEIDOSCOPE FESTIVAL: Musicians Faithless and Goldie and comedians Shaparak Khorsandi and Andrew Maxwell are all on the eclectic line-up at Kaleidoscope Festival. The one-day event takes over Alexandra Palace with live music, DJ sets, comedy and spoken word performances, plus magicians, games and workshops for families — all with incredible views over London. 1pm-10.30pm

MUSEUM OF COMEDY: Make an evening of it at the Museum of Comedy, where two great-looking comedy shows play back-to-back (though are available to buy separately). In Dance Like Everyone's Dancing, Caitriona Dowden wonders if she can finally learn to live in the moment. That's followed by Stefania Licari's promisingly-titled I Can Make You Italian in 55 Minutes (this one's a WIP). 7pm and 8.30pm

Sunday 13 July

NOTTING HILL HISTORY: Join Black History Walks for a guided walk through Notting Hill, focusing on pioneering African/Caribbean people from the area, beyond the well-known Carnival. Hear about the history of West Indian Freedom Fighters in London, The White Defence League, Bob Marley, Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye, the Second World War, Windrush, and issues of segregation and discrimination. 10am-12.30pm

CHESS FEST: Trafalgar Square hosts a free chess festival, open to all, whether you're a seasoned player or want to learn the game. This year's Chess Fest has a living chess set with 32 actors taking on the role of the pieces, recreating famous games of chess with live commentary, as well as free beginner lessons and a chance to challenge a master at speed chess. FREE, 12pm-7pm

DAYTIMERS: A series of events spotlighting and celebrating South Asian visual arts, DAYTIMERS - Mehfil comes to the Royal Albert Hall. Enjoy a programme of poetry, spoken word and music, followed by a special live performance from Baluji Shrivastav OBE alongside Vishnu Vijayan and Theo Archer Lees. Open mic slots are available too, with priority going to artists from marginalised groups. 2pm

SUMMER CONCERT: Join Out of the Shadows Choir for an uplifting afternoon of close-harmony music at Woolwich Works. Enjoy a range of songs from various genres, from Bohemian Rhapsody to The Greatest Showman to Gershwin. 3pm

HOLLYWOOD TO BROADWAY: Acclaimed Anglo-Italian soprano Carly Paoli leads Hollywood to Broadway, an evening of singing and dancing at Theatre Royal Drury Lane featuring special guests Al Bano, David Phelps, and Charlie Stemp. See live renditions of beloved productions like Carousel, The Greatest Showman, and Gigi, showcasing the talents of musicians from The Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra under conductor Jae Alexander. 7pm

CLOUD NOTHINGS: The Dome in Tufnell Park puts on indie rockers Cloud Nothings, playing tracks from their latest album Final Summer, described as "so assured, so instantly satisfying, that it forces you to pause and realise you're listening to one of the great American rock bands in their prime." 7pm-11pm

ENGLAND V WALES: There's a big British clash going down tonight, as England take on Wales in what is the latter team's first Euros tournament. The pubs and bars are likely to be buzzing — make sure you check out our Euros guide, and book ahead. KO 8pm

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