For listeners looking to make the most of London this week and weekend, you’re in for a treat with an array of standout events and unique happenings across the city. As the week kicks off, music lovers and culture seekers can catch The 529 BHM Special at Qube Studio Bar in Canary Wharf today from 5pm. This Black History Month celebration offers the best Afrobeats, R&B, hip-hop, and bashment vibes alongside happy hour deals and sets from resident DJs.

Literary fans should head down to the Southbank Centre, where the London Literature Festival runs through the week. On Saturday, the National Poetry Library will stage Poetry Day, featuring live readings, writing workshops, and a rare chance to browse modern poetry collections. Complementing this, families can join Alphabet Soup’s workshops, designed to inspire young poets through playful activities. For art lovers, check out A Complicated Woman – Installation, animating the lyrics and notes of Self Esteem on the Royal Festival Hall Wall each evening.

For free and creative crafts with a Halloween twist, the Pearly Makers Market Halloween Special takes place Saturday at the Vagina Museum in Bethnal Green. Expect risograph prints, chainmail jewelry, and ceramics from rising queer and trans artists, plus plenty of quirky spooky stalls. Meanwhile, those keen to enjoy the autumn harvest can join the Leyton Community Feast on Tilbury Road, a vibrant, day-long celebration with food from local cooks, music, and dancing all afternoon.

If you’re after memorable family outings, steam lovers will enjoy the October Steam Up at the London Museum of Water & Steam, running Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 4pm. Experience rotating historic engines and discover the heritage of waterworks that powered the city. In Greenwich, the National Maritime Museum hosts Diwali festivities. Families can create rangoli patterns, make lanterns for a parade, and watch energetic Bhangra and classical Indian dance performances.

Music fans have lots to cheer about this weekend. Wembley hosts Oasis Live ’25, a long-awaited reunion concert promising legendary Britpop anthems. Those without tickets can opt for Oasis-themed events around town, including an afternoon tea bus tour soundtracked by their biggest hits.

The West End offers plenty of acclaimed musicals, from Wicked at Apollo Victoria and Hamilton at Victoria Palace Theatre to Les Misérables at the Sondheim Theatre. For something new, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button debuts this week, and Six: The Musical delivers Tudor queens with a pop-star twist.

Exhibition lovers can’t miss the Gianni Versace Retrospective, with 450 original outfits worn by stars like Elton John and George Michael, or Emily Kam Kngwarray’s revolutionary Aboriginal art at Tate Modern. There’s also guided tours at Van Gogh House, immersive experiences at Cutty Sark, and Halloween thrills with the London Month of the Dead’s lantern-lit crypt tours, ghost walks, and forensic workshops across the city.

For even more flavor, there’s Ben & Jerry’s Sundaes in the Park Festival with unlimited ice cream and live music in Chiswick House & Gardens, while Kensington Palace’s Dress Codes exhibition explores royal fashion through the ages.

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