Eye on London - 50 Things to do in London this May Half term

Monday May 29^th 2017
Announcement

London from the inside Monday 29th May - Sunday 4th June 2017

Here’s 50 ideas for things to do in London during the May bank holiday half term this week (and they’re not all for kids)…

1. Pop Up Africa will take over the market at Spitalfields for it’s 5th year on Bank Holiday Monday, with food and products from all over Africa.

2. Alchemy Festival at the Southbank Centre is now the largest South Asian festival outside of Asia. Until 29th May there’s contemporary dance, performance, music and literature from international and British artists.

3. KERB does Alchemy is serving up the best South Asian street food on the South Bank until 29th May.

4. It’s your last chance to see David Hockney at Tate Britain (on until 29th May).

5. London has a long and dark history with the tipple of gin. The London Dungeon has a special show ‘Gin Lane’, complete with murder and robbery, for one week only until 4th June (included in ticket price).

6. Celebrating a century of iconic design with 100 pieces - the Heal’s 100 exhibition takes place in their Tottenham Court Road building until 11th June.

7. The Last Word Festival is back at the Roundhouse with spoken word, theatre and gigs until 10th June.

8. Reckon you’re good enough to eat? Get your head turned into a chocolate lollypop at the Candy Mechanics pop up in Covent Garden on 29th May.

9. Download the Jewish Museum’s map and take the Amy Winehouse Street Art Trail through Camden.

10. Love gin and running… together? Sign up for a Secret London Gin Run and start training so that the ice doesn’t fall out of your glass.

11. Stick a pin in the tube map and off you go for a mini adventure.

12. See more of London, and even out as far as Windsor on a clear day, in a 30 minute trip on the Coca-Cola London Eye - book your tickets in advance to save money and guarantee your place.

13. See the world’s largest collection of portraits at the National Portrait Gallery.

14. There’s vinyasa yoga followed by tea and cake in God’s Own Junkyard (a Walthamstow salvage yard) at Yoga Glow every Saturday.

15. It’s your last chance to see The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time in the West End. It’s running in the Gielgud Theatre until 3rd June.

16. Find tucked away Vanilla Black for vegan and vegetarian fine dining at it’s best (and don’t leave without trying the peanut butter cheesecake).

17. It’s London Tree Week! There’s loads of events like campfires, walks, tree listening and tree stalking, in woodlands across the city.

18. There’s even more gin at Gin Journey Bermondsey with classes, tours and tasting.

19. Rub shoulders with the stars and step onto Skull island and come face to face with King Kong at Madame Tussauds.

20. The brilliant outdoor music festival Field Day returns to Victoria Park on 3rd June.

21. Gatwick Airport has partnered with the funny Twitter account Postcard from the Past to showcase 200 postcards from more than 50 countries.

22. Challenge a friend at London’s first pop up bake off - The Big London Bake in Tooting.

23. Santander cycle along the river or canal.

24. Canadian group Badbadnotgood play the O2 Forum Kentish Town on 31st May.

25. The Waterloo Festival is in St John’s throughout June, with many events free including classical concerts and a flower festival.

26. It’s a ‘hive’ of interest and buzzing fun this May Half Term at DreamWorks Tours: Shrek’s Adventure! London as Barry B. Benson, the famous Bee from DreamWork’s Bee Movie, makes his first appearance at the fun family attraction!

27. There’s rock ‘n’ roll comedy at the Soho Theatre in Roller Diner (lots of dates in May and June.)

28. As part of Nordic Matters there’s a floating textile art installation inside the Southbank Centre called Falling Shawls.

29. Join a David Bowie Musical Walking Tour on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays in Brixton.

30. The Brockley Street Art Festival runs from 2nd - 10th June.

31. Watch the Thames Pulse on the Sea Containers building.

32. Tequila and mezcal lovers must try the Sin Gusano pop-up in Brunswick East or El Bandito in Stoke Newington.

33. Take a stroll around Highgate cemetery.

34. Wonder Woman is showing at the 26-metre wide BFI Odeon IMAX cinema at Waterloo.

35. ‘Ocean Invaders’ at SEA LIFE London Aquarium allows you to design and make your own jellyfish before entering the world of jellyfish and three new interactive zones.

36. Eat on Carnaby Street because it’s Carnaby Street Eat on Saturday 3rd June.

37. Keep a straight face at the London Mime Workshop, every Sunday at the Brixton Pound Cafe.

38. See how far your can get on the Circle Line pub crawl.

39. Syon Park hosts the Foodies Festival until 29th May - the UK’s biggest food festival featuring lots of cookery theatres with top chefs including GBBO winner Candice Brown and Masterchef 2017 winner Saliha Mahmood-Ahmed.

40. If you and gluten or dairy aren’t friends, head to the Free From Festival on Bank Holiday Monday in Old Spitalfields.

41. Until 3rd June Bloomin' Jewels - The Blossoming Of The Floral In Contemporary Jewellery is on at Contemporary Applied Arts and it’s free!

42. On 31st May the Houses of Parliament with hold its first London History Day, running a series of events themed around ‘1,000 years of history…where history is still being written’.

43. Go to a food market on the opposite side of town… Whitechapel to Wimbledon, Herne Hill to Highgate Hill.

44. Sing your heart out at Karaoke Box at Smithfield Market.

45. Neverland London - a BYOB street food beach - has landed in Fulham.

46. Have afternoon tea and the Dean Street Townhouse.

47. Move to the Sounds of the City at the London Transport Museum in Covent Garden.

48. Celebrating the simplicity of the everyday garden - Jardiniere is on at the House Mill in Bromley-by-Bow as part of the Chelsea Fringe.

49. It’s Camden Rocks Festival on Saturday 3rd June with loads of bands playing including Turbowolf, The King Blues and The Virginmarys.

50. As the RHS Chelsea Flower show departs, the Bloomsbury Flower Lover’s Event arrives for one week until 4th June.