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Whether you’ve been out of education for two years or 20, it’s hard to grow out of the idea that September is the start of a new year, a perfect opportunity for a reset. Post-summer, you’re probably thinking about getting back into a regimented routine, drinking a bit less and saving some cash. We can help with that last part.
Saving money doesn’t have to mean staying in. Even now that the weather has started to turn, it’s really not difficult to find free stuff to do in London. Beyond the incredible free museums and galleries that our city is famous for, most weekends bring an array of cultural events that won’t cost a thing. Case in point: the next three days.
The start of September is a particularly packed one for southeast London. Southwark and Greenwich will both be brimming with free theatre, dance performances, film screenings and live music. There’s also a fair at a magnificent cemetery in southwest and an exciting bike race in the east. Read on for a closer look at all the best free things going in London from Friday to Sunday.
The best free things to do in London this weekend [September 4-6 2026]
1. Don’t miss the final weekend of Greenwich and Docklands International Festival
The final weekend of Greenwich and Docklands International Festival is also the most stacked. At Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park catch five male dancers doing breakdance, capoeira and contemporary moves across benches in Bench or a troupe of dancers performing a fusion of Gujarati folk dance and modern choreography in Garbh. In Thamesmead, enter Nature Speaks, a two-part immersive storytelling experience that guides you through a woodland glade, and in East Ham see puppetry and performance inspired by South Asian street markets with Kismat Wallah. The festival will reach its climax with a magnificent finale event in General Gordon Square on Sunday in which local dance groups will come together for a huge 90-minute flashmob (practise your moves, the audience may be roped in, too).
Various locations. Until Sun Sept 6. Free.
2. Meet birds and bees at one of London’s most historic cemeteries
Though it’s the final resting place of more than 200,000 people (including the revolutionary Emmeline Pankhurst and the pioneering Dr John Snow, who proved cholera spread through water), the 186-year-old Brompton Cemetery is bursting with life. It’s home to over 135 species of plants, making for a gorgeous afternoon walk on any given weekend. But this Sunday, the site will burst with even more life for the Friends of Brompton Cemetery Open Day. Visitors will also be able to browse craft stalls, listen to storytelling and beat poetry performances, greet birds of prey and admire the hive of Brompton bees. If you have £10 to spare, take the rare opportunity to tour around the cemetery’s atmospheric catacombs, which only open to the public three times a year.
Brompton Cemetery, Fulham Road, SW10 9UG. Sun Sept 6. Free.
3. Watch hundreds of Brompton bikes whizz around Lee Valley Velopark
Forget how fast someone can pedal, what’s missing from normal cycling events is a test of how quickly athletes are able to unfold a collapsible bike. But not at the Brompton World Championships. Over 750 people will compete in this one-day competition in east London, starting the race by running to their bike and unfolding it with (they hope) effortless ease, then zipping around Lee Valley's velodrome for five laps. There's also a relay race in which participants are strongly encouraged to don fancy dress. Entering the championships costs £17.50 but you don’t fancy riding, spectating is free and will be a blast too. Beyond the races, guests can check out demos and test rides, merch, bike folding competitions, workshops and entertainment throughout the day.
Lee Valley Velopark, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, E20 3EL. Sat Sept 5. Free.
4. Get down to roaring brass music at Woolwich Works
From marching bands and Balkan beats to jazz, funk, Afrobeat and everything in between, Brassworks is a celebration of brass music at a venue which has the instruments in its DNA: Woolwich was home to the legendary Arsenal artillery bands and now to the National Youth Jazz Orchestra (NYJO). Expect live performances throughout the day and workshops, all of which will change your perception of what brass music can be. This year, look out for the London-based Afro-fusion collective Kongo Dia Ntotila, Balkan brass group Balkanatics, and a performance by the National Youth Jazz Orchestra paying homage to Miles Davis, DJ BobaFatt, as well as a community kazoo parade.
11 No 1 St, Royal Arsenal, SE18 6HD. Sat Sept 5. Free.
5. Catch classic movies at Peckham and Nunhead Free Film Festival
This community festival is back, taking over unusual local indoor and outdoor venues across south east London to screen feature films for kids and adults, artists' film and video and archive footage. This weekend’s highlights include a spooky screening of The Blair Witch Project in Nunhead Cemetery (Sep 5) and a short film night at PeckhamPlex (Sep 5). Look out also for showings of Blue Velvet, Paddington 2, Moonlight, Human Traffic, Burning an Illusion, and Labyrinth at weird and wonderful venues.
Various venues. Until Sun Sept 13. Free.
6. Browse artsy stalls at the SoLo Craft Fair Summer Market
Between the Bridges on Southbank will be taken over by more than 60 independent brands. You can get your Christmas shopping done early or simply enjoy browsing the jewellery, art, homeware on display. Got a phone case, a lighter or a pair of sunglasses that could benefit from a bit of sparkle? Bring them along – there’ll be a free bedazzling workshop between 12pm and 3pm in which you can cover them with multicoloured gems. There’s also a treasure hunt with a small prize up for grabs – just pick up a clue sheet and solve them as you meander through the market.
Between the Bridges, The Queen's Walk, SE1 8XX. Sat Sept 5. Free.
Looking for more? Here’s our roundup of all the best things to do in London in September.
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