Unmissable Things to Do In London in June 2019

June is the gateway to a summer full of gender fluid festivals, a free Cyprus celebration, London’s most extreme night out and much more…

Festivals & Seasons

The Last Word | Roundhouse | 2-22 June | Times Vary

London’s home of spoken word and poetry comes to life in this lively inclusive festival.

Barking Folk Festival | Abbey Green & Abbey Ruins | 8 & 9 June | From 11am | From £12

A proper festival for Barking and Dagenham.

Mighty Hoopla | Brockwell Park | 8 June | From 12pm | £55

Sink the Pink’s creative team is back with this fiesta of campery including the legendary Samantha Mumba, Chaka Khan, Kate Nash and Jamelia. The most fun you can have this summer!

Splash! East London Festival of Rivers and Oceans | London Enterprise Academy | 15 June | From 11am | FREE

A chance to network and find practical ways to help the environment in London.

Cyprus Night | The Brunswick | 20 June | From 6pm | FREE

Greek food, drink and dance as well as some oddball acts like George Karageorgis’ ‘glasses on your head dance’ and a live donkey.

Greenwich+Docklands International Festival | Various Venues | From 21 June

London’s top free outdoor festival returns with a gigantic crystal chandelier in Woolwich, a cinematic experience on a bus and circus takeovers of Greenwich Town Centre.

Art Night 2019 | Various Venues | 22 June | FREE

Art Night is a free chance to discover Walthamstow and Kings Cross by night.

First Light Festival | Lowestoft | 22 June | From Midday | FREE

A new 24 hour non-stop festival at the UK’s most easterly point.

Catfest | Beckenham Place | 29 June | From 10am | £20

Cats take over the lovely Beckenham with a cat show, films, a market and yummy street food.

Decolonise Fest 2019 | DIY Space for London | 29-30 June | From 2pm | From £12

Feminist punk rising stars Big Joanie are on the line up at this call to decolonise.

Cabaret & Variety

Hot Mess | CLF Art Cafe | 5-7 June | 7:45pm | £10

Expect the unexpected at this cabaret takeover of Peckham’s Bussey Building.

Small Pleasures | RVT | 5 June | 8pm | £7

‘A post-monarchy anti-capitalist variety show.’ featuring the best of the bunch including bizarro queens Figs in Wigs and drag superstar Ginger Johnson.

The Secret Policeman’s Tour | Hackney Empire | 5 June | 7:30pm | £25

Female fronted comedy night at east London’s cave of wonders Hackney Empire.

Timberlina & Dr Aspalls’ Agitated Piano Cabaret | The Golden Hinde | 7 June | 7:30pm | £10

Step on board and head to the belly of this famous boat for a night of eco-cabaret class.

Pride’s Got Talent – Cabaret Final | Apollo Theatre | 16 June | 6:30pm | From £11.50

100s of acts have been whittled down and this is the cream of London’s cabaret scene.

BLUNDERLAND | Underbelly Southbank | 20-21 June | 9:30pm | From £16

London’s most extreme and XXX night out. Be prepared to push the boundaries and laugh the taboos away.

YUMMY | Underbelly Southbank | From 27th June | Times Vary | From £16.50

Drag, music, circus, and burlesque fuse in this saucy pick and mix.

Talks & Lectures

Mermaids: A Twist in the Tale | Walthamstow Trades Hall | 5 June | 7:30pm | £5

Sacha Coward will be talking about the secret history behind mermaids and other gender bending mythical creatures to anyone that will listen.

Woman with a Movie Camera Summit 2019 | BFI Southbank | 22 June | From Midday | £20

A day of talks and events reframing the conversation around gender equality in the screen industries.

Film & TV

Fragments | Genesis Cinema | 7-15 June | Times Vary

Legendary independent cinema presents its first film festival aiming to champion underrepresented groups including women behind the camera, people of colour, LGBTQIA+ individuals and differently abled filmmakers.

Kennington Talkies: Calamity Jane | The Cinema Museum | 27 June | 7:30pm | £6

Celebrate the life of Doris Day with her classic pic.

Village of the Damned | Prince Charles Cinema | 25 June | 6pm | £10

Part of a John Carpenter season, Village of the Damned is the classic tale of a small town alien invasion.

Short Sighted Cinema: The Shortest Nights | The Yard Theatre | 30 June

Support fresh new British short films at The Yard Theatre in Hackney Wick.

Theatre

The Upsetters | Bunker Theatre | 9 June | 4pm & 7:30pm | £15

A night of short plays written by writers of colour, directed by directors of colour and performed by actors of colour.

The Future | BAC | 12-29 June | 7:30pm | £12:50 – £20

Offbeat kooks Little Bulb Theatre blur cosmic rock and a TED-talk to delve into the world of AI.

Hot Flushes | Camden People’s Theatre | 13-15 June | 7:15pm | £12

A country and western musical about the pension crisis.

Exhibitions

Kiss My Genders | Hayward Gallery | From 12 June | 11am-7pm (Closed Tuesdays) | £15.50

30 international artists explore the zeitgeist issues around gender identity.

Keith Haring | Tate Liverpool | From 14 June | £12.50

Head North for the UK’s most exciting summer exhibition of New York street art star Keith Haring.

Comedy

The FOC IT UP! (Femmes of Colour) Comedy Club | Underbelly Southbank | 14 June | 9:15pm | From £14

Founded by Texan tornado Kemah Bob, this comedy night challenges the status quo with a 100% No-White-Males-Onstage Guarantee!

Ken Jeong | Adelphi Theatre | 23 June | 7:30pm | From £34.50

Star of cult comedy Community and Crazy Rich Asians, Ken Jeong brings his stand up to the UK.

Music

Jemma Freeman and The Cosmic Something | 26 Leake Street | 20 June | 7:30pm | FREE

A free gig of mind-bending music from Jemma Freeman and The Cosmic Something.

Bonus Balls

Science Museum: Sexuality Lates | Science Museum | 26 June | From 6:45pm | FREE

Hot drag from Rhysspieces, an LGBTQ+ choir and lots more at this free museum late.

Forest Gayte Pride | 28-20 June

A community pride event full of spirit.

Did we miss any offbeat things to do in London? Leave a comment…