The snow is (finally) gone, the flowers are starting to emerge and the weather really, really should be warming up soon! With Easter, chocolate and plenty of events to choose from, April is a pretty good month!
Horniman Easter Fair | March 31st – April 1st | Free
The Horniman Museum Easter fair features a whole host of events including a performance of the Ugly Duckling, Easter trails, craft workshops and face painting. Although entry is free, some of the events are priced, like the show and the chance to meet a giant boa constrictor and his friendly bearded water dragons—so you can see how you feel about that on the day!
Easter Egg Hunt at Sutton House | March 30th – April 2nd | £2.00+ entry
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Sutton House is offering lots and lots of space to let the little ones run wild and burn off that Easter egg sugar high! There will be lots of opportunities to scour the grounds for lost chicks who can be traded in for an egg as well as family-friendly activities like seed planting and a special trail within Sutton House. The egg hunt costs £2.00 and entry tickets are required, costing £6.30 for adults, £3.50 for children or £10.50 for a family ticket for one adult and two children, which saves a few pounds.
Fun DMC Free Easter Party | April 1st | Free
The annual Easter family-friendly party is back and has a hip-hop theme with lots of actvities and chances to try some dancing. There will be dance classes, a gold-chain competition and graffiti train as well as baby play area and book stalls. There will be food stalls and drinks available that will suit people of all ages!
The Boat Races | Mortlake/Putney
Cheer on competing rowers along with millions of TV viewers and thousands of spectators for one of the most famous spring traditions in London. The teams from Cambridge and Oxford will row from Putney to Mortlake in the ever-competitive race for the title. The women’s race begins at 4.35pm and the men’s at 5.35pm.
London Games Festival | April 5th – 15th | Varied
A huge umbrella event covering a whole list of shows and try-outs, this is a game lover’s heaven, with all the latest innovations and developments. Only in its third year, it is already incredibly popular, with 50,000 attendees last year and more expected for 2018.
Some of the highlights include a three-day festival of experimental game design called Now Play This, the BAFTA Game Awards and the UK’s largest showcase of PC and indie games – EGQ Rezzed.
Vape Jam UK 4 | April 7th – 8th | £10.00
This is the UK’s biggest vape event and focuses on TPD-compliant products, advocacy and legislation in the vaping world. With consumers able to attend on the Saturday and Sunday, you can meet suppliers, hobbyists, manufacturers to learn more about the market and products. Note that no one under the age of 18 will be able to attend and proof of age will be required to enter.
London Coffee Festival | April 12th – 15th | £14.50 online
In Old Truman Brewery, your coffee loving dreams will come true—for four wonderful days, at least. You can book three-hour brunch, lunch or tea-time sessions with tickets including coffee and food tastings.
There will be over 250 artisan coffee and food vendors there, serving up coffee cocktails and running workshops and demos. Tickets are cheaper online, saving you £5.50 off the door-price ticket, so plan ahead if you can!
Brixton Vintage Kilo Sale | April 14th – 15th | Free
A great chance to get your spring wardrobe sorted for less than the price of a T-shirt at Topshop! This kilo sale will have all the vintage clothing, accessories and gems you’ve been searching for, from knitwear to summer styles. There is no entry fee, so there’s none of that pressure to buy just because you’ve paid to be there!
The Creative Craft Show London | April 19th – 21st | £10.00
Whether you love knitting, cross-stitching, paper-crafting or dress-making, there’s something for everyone at this three-day event filled with everything you could dream of.
There will be stalls offering all the latest tools and materials with great displays of new innovations and inventions. There will be an elements quilt challenge, a wedding aisle and a Sew your Style competition to take part in too!
Feast of St George in Trafalgar Square | April 21st | Free
Celebrating the patron saint of England, this annual festival includes plenty of traditional highlights like Morris dancing, family games and medieval jousting. There will be food stalls offering their very British wares and cookery demonstrations from top chefs so you can learn a few skills to take home too.
Sonica Installations | April 20th – 21st | £4.50 (advance)
For a touch of the unusual head to King’s Place for a sound-art festival with a live-art installation featuring 176 snails by renowned French artists. Many of the pieces during the exhibition are immersive, with a shape-shifting white light and musical display, a VR sculpture posing questions about technology.
London Marathon | April 22nd | Free
While you may not be running in the marathon that doesn’t mean you can’t cheer people on and marvel at the costumes and challenges people had added to their 26-mile challenge. There are always huge crowds lining the route and a great atmosphere, with the main spots for gatherings being Tower Bridge, Embankment and the finish line.
Acton Depot Open Weekend: Capital Design | April 21st – 22nd | £12.00 + kids go free
A rare chance to step into London Transport Museum’s Acton depot, this open weekend is one of only three per year, so it would be a shame to miss out. The focus of this one is Capital Design so you can attend tours of the poster collection, see vintage vehicles and visit the sign mezzanine as well as join in with any of the activities set up for kids and adults alike.
Vaisakhi Festival | April 28th | Free
Learn about and celebrate Sikh culture at this free event in Trafalgar Square. There will be indoor and outdoor event areas so you’ll be able to enjoy it whatever the weather. Highlights include spiritual music , traditional food, turban tying , folk dance, martial arts and special children’s activities.
Last chance exhibitions
Winnie The Pooh: Exploring a Classic | Until April 8th | South Kensington | £5.00–£7.00
London Visions | Until April 15th | Barbican | Free
Ongoing exhibitions
Listen: 140 Years of Recorded Sound | Until May 13th | Euston | Free
Insight Astronomy Photographer of the Year Exhibition | Until July 22nd | Greenwich | Free
Votes for Women Centenary Exhibition | Until Jan 9th 2019 | Barbican | Free
Poster Women: A Century of Art and Design | Until Jan 2019 | Covent Garden | Free upon entry
| Name: | Places mentioned in this article |
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| Location(s): | Acton, Aldgate, Barbican, Brixton, Custom House, Euston, Greenwich, Hackney, King's Cross, New Cross, Shoreditch, South Kensington, Westminster, |
