[title]
It’s the first weekend of October, and London is looking properly autumnal, but while the leaves are turning brown and the Regent’s Park hedgehogs prepare for hibernation, the capital’s cultural scene is bursting into life.
There’s arguably no better month of the year for culture in London, with the London Film Festival, London Literature Festival and Frieze London all arriving in the next couple of weeks, not to mention the plethora of major theatre and gallery openings happening in the coming days. But if all those hot tickets are burning a hole in your wallet, there’s plenty of free fun to be had too.
From a harvest festival at the UK’s biggest beer hall to a makers market in honour of Black History Month, here are the best free activities around London this weekend.
RECOMMENDED: The best things to do in London this weekend.
The best free things to do in London this weekend, October 3-5
1. Join a barn dance during the Blackhorse Beer Mile Harvest Festival
If your memories of Harvest Festival involve bringing a tin of baked beans into primary school for a special assembly, it's time to update them. Walthamstow’s Blackhorse Beer Mile is celebrating the bounties of the season with all manner of country-style entertainment. The main venue is the cavernous Big Penny Social, which is hosting morris dancing and a barn dance with live music, but you can also enjoy tours and tastings, live country and bluegrass music, seasonal drinks specials and a hog roast the area’s taprooms and distilleries, including Renegade Urban Winery, Burnt Faith Brandy House, Borough Wines, Pretty Decent Beer Co, Signature Brew, Exale and 40FT Brewery.
Big Penny Social, E17 6AL. Sat Oct 4. Free.
2. Celebrate the opening of Compressor House at Royal Docks Originals
After two packed weekends of free events across London’s industrial riverside district, the inaugural edition of Royal Docks Originals closes this weekend with an epic celebration of Newham’s new culture centre, Compressor House. After a £1.7 million investment from the GLA, the historic warehouse has been transformed into a major new community space, which opens weekend with a programme of public activities including film screenings, community craft projects, history talks and art installations, including ‘Arrivals + Departures’, an interactive artwork that has toured the world over the last five years and will now be permanently installed inside the exciting new venue. Check out the full programme and book your free tickets here.
Compressor House, E16 2QU. Until Sat Oct 4. Free.
3. Embark on an exhibition crawl for Photomonth
Photography fans will want to train their lenses east this October for Photomonth, an annual celebration of the printed image taking place across a whole bunch of east London venues.The festival’s hub is at Art Pavilion in Mile End, which will display a group exhibition called ‘Longing’. There’ll also be a new exhibition from Zed Nelson called ‘The Anthropocene Illusion’, which interrogates the troubled relationship between humans and the environment. There'll also be around 50 pop-up exhibitions at locations across east London: download the fest’s interactive map to find them all.
Various east London venues. Until Nov 3. Free.
4. Fight a conker battle on Hampstead Heath
Londoners of all ages will be gathering on Parliament Hill this weekend for the return of this smashing annual event. Arrive by 12.30pm for registration if you’re serious about competing: there are separate categories for under-eights, 8-12s, 13-17s, and adults. Conkers are provided and rules and adjudication provided by the Grand Conker Meister (so you can stop all that vinegar-soaking for starters).There’ll also be live music in the bandstand, and hands on nature activities led by local conservation groups.
Parliament Hill Bandstand, NW5 1QR. Sun Oct 5. Free.
5. Combine some evening art with late night jazz at the Tate Modern
As part of the Tate Modern’s 25th birthday celebrations back in May, the South Bank gallery announced that it would be extending its opening times on Fridays and Saturdays, welcoming visitors until 9pm twice a week for some evening art viewing. The new hours begin this week, and to celebrate, the Tate’s Corner Bar is collaborating with King’s Cross-based community station Voices Radio and natural wine fair Pour Choices for an evening of boardgames, natural wine, vinyl DJ sets and improv jazz from a roster of London jazz scene heavyweights. The bar stays open until 11pm, so there’ll be plenty of time to catch an exhibition and stop by for a nightcap.
Tate Modern, SE1 9TG. Every Friday and Saturday. Free.
6. Browse your way around a makers’ market in honour of Black History Month
Brixton’s Black Culture Market returns over two days with a Black History Month edition of its regular pop-up. It’s free to enter, but book a ticket online in advance so you’re guaranteed to get in. Once you’re through the doors, you’ll find more than 40 Black-owned small businesses traders selling everything from jewellery and homeware to books, to African art, natural cosmetics, toys and educational tools.
The Department Store, SW9 8FR. Sat Oct 4-Sun Oct 5. Free.
The British Museum will host a glitzy ball to rival the Met Gala this October.
Get the latest and greatest from the Big Smoke – from news and reviews to events and trends. Just follow our Time Out London WhatsApp channel.
Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out London newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox.