Explore arts festivals, fairy-lit rooftop bars and food markets this weekend.

Aerial performer in front of London buildings
Astral by Cirque Nova. Taken at the Greenwich & Docklands International Festival, 2011. | Photo by Garry Knight used under CC

Greenwich and Docklands International Festival

A free outdoor performing arts festival across the Greenwich and Docklands area with a programme of theatre, dance and street arts. The annual event is committed to diversity and has commissioned work by artists with disabilities and from diverse backgrounds. This year’s programme includes Fly By Night—a formation of trained pigeons, sound installation A Journey Of Our Own, Windrush 492—an installation with a soundscape written by acclaimed Greenwich playwright Roy Williams and a pedal-powered musical called Bicycle Boy.

Photo by Merge Festival used under CC

Merge Festival

An annual festival curated by Illuminate Productions to celebrate the history and culture of Bankside. Bankside is the area close to the Southbank with winding medieval side streets and home to Shakespeare’s Globe and Tate Modern. The area will come alive for a two-week long arts festival. Many of the events are free; so if you’re too skint to make it up to the cobbled streets of Edinburgh in August, you can get your fill of the artistic, the wonderful and weird in London this Summer instead.

cheap cocktains in london

Midnight Apothecary

An atmospheric, candlelit drinking den is open on Friday and Saturday nights at Brunel Museum. Cocktail lovers can get cosy around the campfire with drinks, Greek street food and riverside views this summer. An advance ticket costs a fiver which includes entry to the museum—with an optional guided descent into the underground chamber (maybe do that bit before cocktail hour!).

Photo by Rusty Clark ~ 100K Photos used under CC

Zip Now

High flyers who enjoyed Zip World London, can get their skyward kicks again. Back with a new name, at Archbishop’s Park in Lambeth. This year there will be three 225 m–long zip wires, starting at 35ft (the height of nine double-decker buses!) so you can hurtle through the air at 50 mph next to your friends and loved ones. As well as speeding through the air, you’ll get dizzying views of sites including Battersea and Westminister. It’s suitable for kids over the age of 8 when accompanied by an adult.

Photo by Sam used under CC

Deptford Market Yard

Rivalling nearby Peckham and Brixton, the latest addition to the Deptford food scene Deptford Bites is a new weekly food and craft market from the events collective Eat Me Drink Me which will be on every Saturday. There will be a focus on South East London traders and makers with food stalls including Zoe’s Ghana Kitchen, KraPow LDN, Muffin Man, Hank’s and Piadina Project and live music each week.

Get all the info on what's on in London direct to your inbox every month