What’s on in London this weekend: 19 - 21 September 2025
Discover our pick of events in London this weekend: 19 - 21 September 2025.
Marie Antoinette Style
The V&A South Kensington has opened a landmark exhibition, ‘Marie Antoinette Style’, the UK’s first major show dedicated to the most fashionable queen in history. The exhibition traces the cultural and aesthetic impact of Marie Antoinette across more than 250 years of fashion, design, film, and decorative arts. On display are over 250 objects, including rare loans from Versailles never before seen outside France, such as the Queen’s own silk slippers, jewels, fragments of court dress, and her final written note. Alongside these are couture pieces by Dior, Chanel, Moschino, Vivienne Westwood, and Valentino, as well as iconic screen costumes from Sofia Coppola’s Oscar-winning Marie Antoinette.
Date: 20 September 2025 – 22 March 2026. Location: V&A South Kensington, Cromwell Road, London SW7 2RL.Price: from £23 - £25. Concessions available.Book now
Orchids at Kew Gardens, celebrating the remarkable biodiversity of Madagascar. © RBG Kew.
©Victoria and Albert Museum, London
London Symphony Orchestra & Sir Antonio Pappano – Britten & Shostakovich, with Janine Jansen
Experience world-class classical music at the Barbican as violinist Janine Jansen brings intensity and lyricism to Britten’s Violin Concerto, a landmark work that secured the composer’s international acclaim. The London Symphony Orchestra, under Sir Antonio Pappano, then performs Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 10, a gripping, defiant portrait of life under Stalin.
Date: 21 September 2025, 7pm. Location: Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London EC2Y 8DS. Price: £18 - £72. Concessions available. Book now
Royal Docks Originals
The Royal Docks Originals festival continues this weekend, offering a vibrant mix of art, music, and community-driven events across London’s Royal Docks. Running until 4 October 2025, the festival features over 50 free events, including world-class installations, live performances, and collaborative projects by local and international artists. This weekend’s highlights include Pump House Pulse, an evening of live jazz and blues; Open House London, with free tours of iconic Royal Docks buildings including Millennium Mills and the Tate Institute; Blue Sky Making, where participants co-create art aboard the IFS Cloud Cable Car; and Royal Reflections & Sweet Hope, Chila Burman’s striking neon tiger installation.
Click here to discover more and plan your visit this weekend.
My Tiger Janu by Chila Burman (photographer Jeff Moore).
Vicki Igbokwe-Ozoagu’s Our Mighty Groove. Image credit Camilla Greenwell.
Frieze Sculpture 2025
Frieze Sculpture 2025 is now on view in Regent’s Park, offering a free public exhibition of contemporary sculpture curated by Fatoş Üstek. This year’s theme, In the Shadows, delves into the interplay between light and darkness, exploring how shadows can embody myth, memory, and materiality. The exhibition features works by 14 international artists, including David Altmejd, Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, and Elmgreen & Dragset. Elmgreen & Dragset’s piece, Life Rings, transforms a familiar emergency tool into a towering, interconnected structure, challenging perceptions of scale and utility. Additionally, the exhibition is part of London Sculpture Week (20–28 September), a citywide celebration of public art.
Date: 17 September - 2 November 2025. Location: English Gardens of Regent’s Park, London NW1 4NR. Price: Free. frieze.com
Future of Food – St James’s Market On-Street Feast
Enjoy a four-course al fresco lunch at St James’s Market On-Street Feast, held in celebration of the area’s thriving restaurant scene. Set on Sael’s terrace, the event features dishes from Toba, Fowl, Sael, and Scully, with each course presented by the Head Chef. Guests can savour carefully composed starters, bold mains, and a memorable dessert, accompanied by a welcome drink and live music. Hosted by TV personality Andy Clarke, the occasion brings together outstanding food and a lively outdoor atmosphere in the heart of London.
Date: Saturday 20 September 2025, 12.30pm. Location: Sael Terrace, 1 St James’s Market, London SW1Y 4QQ. Price: £70 (includes four courses and welcome drink). Book now
Henrique Oliveira, Desnatureza 8, 2025. Frieze Sculpture 2025. Photo by Linda Nylind. Courtesy of Frieze
Kerry James Marshall
An exhibition celebrating the extraordinary career of American artist Kerry James Marshall opens at the Royal Academy of Arts. The Histories presents over 70 works, including paintings, prints, drawings, and sculpture. The exhibition displays Marshall’s large-scale paintings of everyday life in Black America, including families picnicking, children playing, lovers dancing, and friends socialising, alongside works addressing the Middle Passage, the Civil Rights and Black Power movements, and the transatlantic slave trade. It features imagined portraits of historically significant Black figures such as Harriet Tubman and Scipio Moorhead, as well as the accumulative sculpture Wake and a new series of paintings made for this show. Across these works, Marshall centres Black figures using principles from Western art traditions, exploring questions of history, representation, and the stories art can tell.
Date: 20 September 2025- 18 January 2026. Location: The Royal Academy of Arts, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1J 0BD. Price: from £23.50-£25.50. (including donation). Book now
Kerry James Marshall, Untitled, 2009, Acrylic on PVC panel. 155.3 x 185.1 cm. Yale University Art Gallery, Purchased with the Janet and Simeon Braguin Fund and a gift from Jacqueline L. Bradley, B.A. 1979. © Kerry James Marshall
Brick Lane Curry Festival
The Brick Lane Curry Festival returns to East London this weekend, celebrating the area’s rich culinary and cultural heritage. Enjoy street food stalls, live performances, cooking demos, and festival-themed activities including a Sunday procession with floats and entertainment.
Date: 19–21 September 2025. Time: Noon – 9pm. Location: Brick Lane, Spitalfields, London E1 6SA. Price: Free; registration recommended for discounts. More info
Theatre Picasso – Tate Modern
Marking 100 years since Picasso painted The Three Dancers (1925), Theatre Picasso is now open at Tate Modern. The exhibition brings together over 50 works exploring the artist’s fascination with performance, from circus acts and flamenco dancers to mythological figures and bullfighters. On display are some of the artist’s iconic pieces including Weeping Woman (1937), Nude Woman in a Red Armchair (1932), and the wool and silk tapestry Minotaur (1935), shown in the UK for the first time. Staged by artist Wu Tsang and writer Enrique Fuenteblanca, the show presents painting, sculpture, film, and live performance in new dialogue, reimagining Picasso for today.
Date: 18 September 2025 – 12 April 2026. Location: Tate Modern, Bankside, London SE1 9TG. Price: from £15. Concessions available. Book now
Theatre Picasso at Tate Modern Photo © Tate / Larina Fernandes
Amir Naderi, known for his influential films made in Iran during the 70s and 80s, is having a selection of his works showcased at the ICA this week.
Material World
Material World at Kew Gardens’ Temperate House celebrates art, fashion, and plants, exploring sustainability and the natural origins of textiles. Highlights include installations by Nnenna Okore, Lottie Delamain, and Michael McMillan, plus weekend workshops and After Hours events with music, performances, food, and drinks.
Date: 20 September – 2 November 2025; 20 September – 25 October, 10am–5pm; 26 October – 2 November, 10am–3pm. Location: Temperate House, Kew Gardens. Price: Adult tickets cost £22, after 4 pm £11, and child tickets £0 (must be accompanied by an adult). Book now
An Evening with Carlo Rovelli
An Evening with Carlo Rovelli marks ten years since the debut of the physicist and author’s first book, Seven Brief Lessons on Physics. The event features an interview with Samira Ahmed, contributions from Sarah Perry and Simon McBurney, with music and readings.
Date: 21 September 2025, 7.30pm.Run time: approximately 1 hour 15 minutes. Location: Queen Elizabeth Hall, The Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX. Price: from £20 + £3.50 booking fee. Book now
Lottie Delamain Chelsea garden. Image credit Dave Watts.
Open House Festival 2025
The Open House Festival 2025 concludes this weekend, offering a final chance to explore London’s architectural gems. Over 800 buildings across the city have opened to the public, including iconic sites like the Bank of England Museum and Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery. Don’t miss this free opportunity to go behind the scenes and discover London’s rich architectural heritage.
Date: until 21 September 2025. Location: throughout London. Click here to plan your visit.
US LOT: 25 Years of Fashion East – ICA
A retrospective exhibition celebrating 25 years of Fashion East, featuring special commissions and sculptures by Simone Rocha, Craig Green, and Richard Malone, artworks by Jawara Alleyne and Claire Barrow, and iconic fashion photography.
Date: 20 – 21 September, 12-9pm. Location: ICA (Institute of Contemporary Arts), The Mall, London SW1Y 5AH. Price: Free entry, donations welcome. ica.art
US LOT: 25 Years of Fashion East
Cinema of the Week
The Sound of Music [4K Restoration]
The Barbican celebrates the 60th anniversary of The Sound of Music with a 4K restoration of one of cinema’s most beloved musicals. Julie Andrews stars as Maria, the spirited governess whose warmth and songs transform the lives of Captain von Trapp (Christopher Plummer) and his seven children. Set against the shadow of war, this timeless tale of love, courage, and family remains a firm fan favourite.
Date: 20 – 23 September 2025. Location: Barbican Cinemas, Silk Street, London EC2Y 8DS.Price: £13 + booking fee. Book now
Hew Locke with The Watchers, the British Museum © Richard Cannon.
Food of the week
Little Duck The Picklery
Little Duck The Picklery, East London. Image credit Sofia Carreira-Wham
Little Duck The Picklery is a restaurant, wine bar, and fermenting kitchen in East London. Celebrated for its inventive use of seasonal ingredients, the menu features dishes such as slow-cooked lamb and pork, and chicken leg with green olive, preserved lemon, bulgur wheat, and yogurt. The restaurant has earned praise for its bold flavours, skillful cooking, and house-made ferments like kimchi, lime pickle, and kombucha, which complement the thoughtfully crafted dishes.
Location: 68 Dalston Lane, London E8 3AH. Website: littleduckpicklery.com. Instagram: @littleduckthepicklery
Cause of the week
One-Off Volunteering Days at Little Village
Little Village
Little Village offers one-off volunteering days for those who want to give back but can’t commit to regular volunteering, want to try it for the first time, or wish to use a CSR day. Volunteers help sort donations, pack essential baby items, and support families across London, with hubs in Camden, Brent, Tooting, and Wandsworth.
No experience is needed, just a smile and comfy shoes. These sessions provide a simple yet impactful way to make a difference, meet new people, and support families in need.
Click here to discover more about how you can help and join a One-Off Volunteering Day.
