This Week's London Picks

London's month-long river festival returns with a programme of exhibitions, installations, walks, performances and river activities at venues along the Thames. Events range from free drop-ins to ticketed sessions, so it is worth browsing the What's On listings to find what suits your dates and area.

Buildings, homes and workplaces across all 33 London boroughs open to the public, mixing free drop-ins with bookable tours of places usually closed.

The 24th edition spreads landmark installations, design districts and talks across the city, with the V&A and neighbourhood studios as the main hubs.

A free weekend of South East Asian street food, performances, artisan stalls and family activities at Battersea Power Station, with ticketed films and workshops alongside.

A three-day spread of Icelandic food, music, literature and pop-ups at Darby's in Vauxhall, White Rabbit Studios in Shoreditch and Colours Hoxton.

Shortlisted wildlife works in many media fill Mall Galleries, with sales supporting David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation conservation projects.

Follow Susan Collier and Sarah Campbell from painted designs to printed textiles, fashion and homeware, including work made with Liberty, Heal's and Jaeger.

More than 30 designers fill Horace Walpole's Gothic villa and gardens with British-grown installations, with free marquee talks included in admission.

Volunteer-run free screenings in Peckham and Nunhead venues, from outdoor classics to cult double bills, still running through this weekend.

About 50 vintage vessels gather in St Katharine Docks, with free waterside viewing, talks, food and family activities around the marina.

Street food, artisan drinks and a free kids' zone among the aircraft at RAF Museum London; a festival ticket also covers museum entry.

A week of author talks, walks and children's events around Chiswick, including Nick Clegg, Kate Mosse and a Beatles-in-Chiswick anniversary strand.

See the 70-metre embroidery in London for the first time in nearly 1,000 years, telling the story of 1066 and life around the Norman Conquest.

Polish jazz across Cadogan Hall, Union Chapel and Kings Place, from an Anna Maria Jopek opening gala to Leszek Możdżer and a Kosmonauci closing night.

Volunteer-powered free cinema in Streatham pubs, halls and outdoor spots, spanning family films, cult titles and live-music screenings through 20 September.

Eleven days of live podcast recordings at Kings Place near King's Cross—from news and science to comedy, conversation and audio drama. Shows are booked individually, so you can dip in for a favourite title or use the programme to discover something new.

Experience world-class orchestras, soloists and contemporary performances across a packed summer season of live music.

A fortnight of new-writing theatre across southeast London, with eight premiere plays staged at Jack Studio Theatre in Crofton Park and Bridge House Theatre in Penge. SE Fest celebrates distinct voices and studio-scale work—follow the lineup link to browse shows and book individual performances.

A major exhibition dedicated to the Victorian artist Richard Dadd, showcasing his painstakingly detailed, fairytale-inspired paintings and drawings—many of which were created while he was confined as a patient at London's Bethlem ("Bedlam") and Broadmoor psychiatric hospitals.

Hear classical favourites and modern hits reimagined by live musicians in atmospheric venues illuminated by hundreds of candles.

360-degree light projection mapping and live music experience telling the story of London, narrated by Hugh Bonneville and accompanied by a live choir and orchestra inside Westminster Cathedral.