Things To Do This Weekend In London: 9-10 November 2024

The Lord Mayor's Show, firework displays and brand new exhibitions.

All weekend

FIREWORKS: The capital's Bonfire Night celebrations continue into this weekend, with displays in Harrow, Bromley and Walthamstow among those taking place this Saturday and Sunday. Read our full guide to London's firework displays to find your nearest whizzbangs.

ART & ANTIQUES FAIR: Traditional fine art and 20th-century and contemporary pieces are among the curated objects on show and for sale at the Winter Art & Antiques Fair. It's a chance to speak with knowledgeable dealers specialising in jewellery, paintings, sculptures, bronzes, furniture, mirrors and textiles. Takes place at Olympia London, alongside the Spirit of Christmas Fair. 4-10 November

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PITCHFORK MUSIC FESTIVAL: Organised by the team behind the Pitchfork website, Pitchfork Music Festival returns to London, with shows at more than 20 locations across six nights. This weekend's big event is a huge Dalston takeover on Saturday night, with venues around the area holding events simultaneously. The festival ends with performances at EartH and the Roundhouse on Sunday. 5-10 November

FesTeLõn: St John's in Hoxton is the chosen venue for this year's FesTeLõn, a festival of Spanish theatre now in its 12th incarnation. Plays, comedy, concerts, Q&As, talks and workshops are all on the programme, including concerts, talks and a play on Saturday, and a final flamenco concert on Sunday. As you'd expect, the events are held in Spanish, though some have English subtitles or brief synopses available. 6-10 November

THEATRE FESTIVAL: Voila! Theatre Festival describes itself as an "annual theatre rendezvous in London" spanning multidisciplinary, multilingual and multicultural performance. This year, that translates as an impressive 72 different productions, including theatre cabaret extravaganza You Can Take Me Home Toni among the shows this weekend. 4-24 November

TEDDINGTON BEER FESTIVAL: If you've just about recovered from London's Oktoberfest celebrations, head to the Landmark Arts Centre for Teddington Beer Festival. Sample from more than 75 cask ales and 18 ciders, with proceeds going to supporting the venue. 7-10 November

LUXURY TRAVEL FAIR: If you're lucky enough to be planning a getaway in the next few months, you might find the inspiration you're looking for at the Luxury Travel Fair at London Olympia. Hear from celebrity travellers and expert speakers including filmmaker and presenter Libby Penman and CN Traveller digital editor Sarah Allard. You can also chat to reps from travel and expedition companies. 7-10 November

UK JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL: Various cinemas around London and beyond host screenings as part of the UK Jewish Film Festival. Genres span drama, comedy and documentary — and this weekend includes the UK premieres of All About The Levkoviches, and The Milky Way. 7-17 November

AUT-OOO ARCADIA: Artist Louis Morlæ takes over part of Somerset House with robotic sculptures, video, and interactive multimedia, to imagine what a fully-automated future might look like. Aut-OOO-Arcadia looks at a time when machines might have taken over our jobs, allowing us to enter a new world of leisure. 7 November-23 February

PICASSO: PRINTMAKER: The British Museum has a new exhibition focusing on a lesser-known aspect of artist Pablo Picasso's career: his prints. He created over 2,400 during his working life, with several on display here dating from the early-1900s through to the 1930s. 7 November-30 March

POPPY FIELDS: The Tower of London is illuminated with images from both world wars. Poppy Fields is a Remembrance event by light art company Luxmuralis, where visitors can enter the Tower after normal hours and watch the images projected onto the ancient buildings, accompanied by a special soundtrack. There's also a chance to visit the Crown Jewels without the usual daytime crowds. 8-16 November

AD WOMEN: 100 years of women in advertising is celebrated in AdWomen, a new exhibition at the Museum of Brands in Notting Hill. Find out how advertising has both influenced and reflected women's societal and domestic roles over the last century, including the pioneering women who created groundbreaking TV ads that transformed the industry. Adverts dating back as far as the 1920s are on show. 8 November-28 April

THE GREAT MUGHALS: The V&A opens a major exhibition focusing on the Mughal Court, an empire which ruled over modern-day India, Pakistan and Afghanistan for over 200 years. As the name suggests, The Great Mughals: Art, Architecture and Opulence focuses on the extraordinary creative output of the golden age of the Mughal Court. From 9 November

HIGHGATE ART FAIR: The inaugural Highgate Art Fair showcases a range of art from over 30 established and emerging local artists, including Storm Thorgerson and Liron Kroll. View and purchase original and affordable contemporary pieces in the Victorian Hall at Highgate Primary School. 9-10 November

Saturday 9 November

YARN DAY: Knitters, crocheters and makers are invited to Woolwich Works for a day of crafting fun. Browse a marketplace of local makers selling hand-dyed and rare breed yarns, enjoy talks from designers and makers within the craft industry, or crack on with your latest project in the maker's lounge. 10am

LORD MAYOR'S SHOW: If you're a sucker for pomp and pageantry, don't miss the Lord Mayor's Show. The event marks the outgoing Lord Mayor being replaced by the new one (this year that's Alistair King), and takes the form of a procession through the City of London. There's also free entry to St Paul's Cathedral, and a special (also free) Saturday opening at the Bank of England Museum. FREE, from 11am. There's also a secret ghost parade rehearsal a few days before, though the date of this is kept under wraps.

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WALLACE AND GROMIT:Barbican Cinema's Family Film Club is a Wallace and Gromit special this week, with a double bill. Introduce younger members of the family to 1989 caper A Grand Day Out, and 1993 creation The Wrong Trousers. Each film is under 30 minutes long, and is a good way to catch up on the duo before the new film, Vengeance Most Fowl, is shown on TV at Christmas. 11am

RICK STEIN: There's a chance to meet TV chef Rick Stein as he makes an appearance at Waterstones on Oxford Street to mark the launch of his new book, Rick Stein's Food Stories, which he'll be signing at the event. Entry is first come first served, so get down there early to make sure you get in. 1pm

WHITNEY: Whitney Houston tribute show Whitney: Queen of the Night comes to Alexandra Palace, celebrating the life and music of the singer through live music and choreography. The evening show has sold out, but tickets are still available for the matinee at time of writing. Age 16+. 3pm

LAND OF THE FREE: With the US election this week, this is your last chance to see a historical yet topical play about John Wilkes Booth, the actor who assassinated Abe Lincoln. Land of the Free is at Southwark Playhouse in Borough, and with recent goings on in America, the timing is even more apt than originally intended. 3pm/7.30pm

HANDEL HOUSE ORGAN: The Handel Hendrix Museum in Mayfair is home to a replica of the original organ created by Handel's friend Charles Jennen in the 18th century. Tonight, there's a rare chance to hear it played, with Scotland's leading harpsichordist and organist John Kitchen tickling the ivories. 6.30pm

GHANA'S GROOVE: Experience a vibrant celebration of Ghanaian music genre Highlife at The Jazz Cafe in Camden. Afla Sackey and his band Afrik Bawantu perform uplifting rhythms by the likes of K Frimpong, Eko Roosevelt and Ebo Taylor. 7pm

ITALIAN OPERA: Italian musical group The Three Tenors pitch up at Sinfonia Smith Square for a live performance of Italian opera and Neapolitan songs, accompanied by a string quartet and piano. Hear Italian opera arias from the likes of Tosca, l'Elisir d'amore, Rigoletto and Turandot. 7.30pm

DRAG CABARET: Drag queens and kings get all glammed up for KIKI Drag Cabaret at Queen of Hoxton. Ms Ginger Phlappage hosts an evening of lip-syncs, live vocals, dance breaks, death drops, incredible outfits and comedy. Arrive early to enjoy the venue's rooftop bar before the show. 8pm

Sunday 10 November

REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY: Today is Remembrance Sunday, when events take place around the country to commemorate those who served in the two world wars, and other conflicts since. A two-minute silence is held nationally at 11am, so that's something to be aware of if you're out and about at this time. London's main event is the Cenotaph March Past: there will be road closures around that area, though other parts of London may also have their own commemorative parades and events. Around 11am

MAKER'S MARKET: Vintage bric-a-brac, plants, jewellery, sustainable products, food, ceramics and candles are just some of the items available at the Maker's Market, which pitches up at Big Penny Social in Walthamstow, showcasing products from small, local businesses. 11am-5pm

WOMEN OF THE CITY: As part of Footprints of London's Diverse London series, take a walking tour focusing on the women of the City of London. Meet outside St Paul's Cathedral and spend two hours learning about the queens, princesses, and female nurses, doctors, writers, poets, campaigners, politicians, businesswomen and philanthropists who have shaped the Square Mile. 12pm-2pm

SOUTH BANK CHRISTMAS MARKET: It feels waaaay too early, but some of London's Christmas markets and fairs are already in full swing, including the South Bank Christmas Market, which is at Between the Bridges today. It's organised by south London-based creative hub SoLo Craft Fair, with products by up to 60 different makers for sale. The venue has plenty of bars and street food traders too, with mulled wine and the like readily available. 12pm-5pm

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PADDINGTON STORYTIME: Waterstones Piccadilly hosts storytime with Paddington Bear, a chance for families to hear Michael Bond's tales about the bear from darkest Peru, and have photos with the beloved ursine character. 1pm/3pm

MUPPET CAPER: The Prince Charles Cinema in Leicester Square screens 1981 film The Great Muppet Caper, the second live-action Muppets film, set in England with intrepid journalists Kermit, Fozzie and Gonzo reporting on a jewel heist. 2.45pm

SUNDAY CONCERT: It's the turn of the Amatis Piano Trio to step into the spotlight at Conway Hall's legendary Sunday Concerts series. Hear them performing works by the likes of Beethoven, Haydn, Liszt and Mendelssohn, preceded by a pre-concert recital with pianist Louis-Viktor Bak. 5.30pm-8pm

BROCKLEY BREWERY COMEDY: Get yourself to Brockley Brewery for a live comedy show featuring James Dowdeswell, Carl Richard, Jenny Tian, Isabelle Farrah, Steve Holmes, Faye Soteri, and a special guest TBC. There's an option to make an additional donation of £5 to Lewisham Foodbank when buying your ticket. 7pm

ALI SMITH: Author Ali Smith makes an appearance at Southbank Centre to launch her new novel, Gliff. She talks to novelist Eley Williams about the book, which delves into how we make meaning via nods to dystopian fiction and the Kafkaesque. 7.45pm

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