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It’s mid-September and, despite some signs of autumnal weather, London is really clinging on to the warmer temperatures. And that works in this weekend’s favour. Over the next few days, there are a number of outdoor fests being held across the city. And none of them ask you for a single penny. So, for those of us trying to stay frugal post-summer, you can still plan a packed weekend.
Get involved in the revelries at Brick Lane Curry Fest, pay homage to our mighty river at Totally Thames, check out the sculptures that have popped up in Regent’s Park or venture to Chelsea for a series of parades and performances. Would rather be inside? Fine. Instead, fill your weekend with workshops at the V&A and jazz performances at Westfield White City. Here’s our full guide to all the very best free events going on in London across the next three days.
The best free things to do in London this weekend, September 18-20 2026
1. Soak up the delicious smells of the Brick Lane Curry Festival
E1’s curry houses are all coming together for this free festival on Brick Lane and nearby streets. It’s more than just curry, though. The main event of Brick Lane Curry Fest is on Sunday Sep 20 and will commence with a colourful procession from Buxton Street to the iconic Brick Lane Arch, with themed floats, dancers and community groups representing a number of communities from across South Asia. Throughout the rest of the day, visitors can indulge in street food stalls, chef demonstrations, live bands and DJs alongside a host of family-friendly fun stilt walkers, magicians and live graffiti presentations. Plus, there’ll be some opportunities to get stuck in at henna and bangla dancing workshops. The food itself won’t be free, but if you register for the festival via Eventbrite you can get a sweet 20 percent off at all participating restaurants across the weekend.
Brick Lane, Spitalfields, E1 6SA. Sat Sep 19-Sun Sep 20. Free.
2. Gaze upon the magnificent sculptures in Regent’s Park
Once again, Regent’s Park will be taken over by sculptures this autumn to coincide with the Frieze art fair coming to London. While tickets to the fair can cost up to £250 and are usually reserved for the collectors, dealers and creators of the art world, Frieze Sculpture is totally free to visit and gives a chance to the proles to get a peek at some contemporary artworks in the open air. Fatoş Üstek will curate the exhibition for the fourth year in a row. This year, instead of viewing the sculptures in isolation, the display is curated as a web of interconnected objects, linked together with materials, stories and communities. Highlights will include Angel Otero’s threshold-like doorway descending beneath the grass, and Tarini Sethi’s intricate stainless-steel screens depicting utopian scenes.
Regent's Park, Chester Rd, NW1 4NR. Until Nov 1. Free.
3. Ponder on the future at V&A Late: Awakenings
This Friday, the V&A is keeping its doors open after hours for another of its beloved lates. It’s being put on in conjunction with the London Design Festival and is themed around ‘Awakenings’, highlighting the ‘unseen forces shaping our lives’. From 6pm there’ll be a programme of free live music, performances, workshops, and talks all aiming to confront us with the forces shaping our futures. There’ll also be installations to explore showing how technology is reshaping our world and showcasing inspiring new thinking around identity, modern spiritualities, and the non-human world. Enjoy everything from embroidery workshops, interactive installations on soil, an eclectic DJ set from Holy Harm and conversations on ‘art labour’.
V&A South Kensington, Cromwell Rd, SW7 2RL. Fri Sep 18. Free.
4. Celebrate our river at Totally Thames
Throughout September, London’s famous river (and the smaller rivers that feed into it) gets a whole festival of art installations, performances, and talks devoted to her watery charms, many of which are free to check out. This weekend, there’s the lively Lighting Up the Lea on Cody Dock, which will feature a mini regatta, a duck race and rowing demonstrations alongside live entertainment and water-themed workshops. If you’re in central London, head to St Paul’s at midday to catch the open-air concert from Kids’ Choir, made up of over 300 children from across London. And from 8pm to 10.30pm you can see Catherine Yass’s ‘Turning the Tide’ installation being projected onto Blackfriars Bridge, which spotlights the creativity of D/deaf and disabled people.
Various locations. Fri Sep 18-Sun Sep 20. Free
5. Get cultured at Chelsea Arts Festival
After last year’s inaugural edition, Chelsea Arts Festival is back with four days of events from the worlds of art, performance, music and literature. Most of the programme requires you to pay for tickets, but there will be several free outdoor events to get involved in. A stage in Sloane Square will welcome a host of live performances every day of the fest, including a concert from the National Youth Jazz Orchestra. At the Duke of York Square bandstand, watch performances from English National Ballet School, Fergus Quill’s Imaginary Big Band and more. Oh, and on Saturday afternoon you might catch the Punk Parade roaming the streets of Chelsea, supporting the Saatchi exhibition celebrating 50 years of punk.
Various locations. Until Sep 20. Free.
6. Check out free London Fashion Week pop-ups
A London Fashion Week invitation is an exclusive thing, but head to London’s largest shopping centres and you can get a small taste of the action for free. British-Nigerian designer Tolu Coker is one of London’s hottest designers at the moment and at her pop-up in Westfield White City, you’ll be able to admire her gorgeous designs displayed on the mannequins, luxury accessories in cabinets and ready-to-wear pieces on the rails. On Friday evening, the pop-up will host an intimate performance full of storytelling and improvisation from jazz collective The Compozers and at lunchtime on Sunday, stop by to hear from Ezra Collective member Ife Ogunjobi and Grammy award-winning producer Gaetan Judd about their creative process followed by a musical performance. Over in Westfield Stratford City, there’s an archive display of designs by Priya Ahluwalia, who focuses on sustainability and multiculturalism. DJ Mercedes Benson will be playing a free set there on Friday night.
Westfield White City and Westfield Stratford City. Fri Sep 18-Sun Sep 20. Free.
Fill up your autumn diary with our guide to the best things to do in London this month.
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