Unmissable Things To Do in London – Summer 2020
We’re back! We took a lockdown breather to recharge our batteries, and now we’re here to guide you to a (belated) summer of awesome!
Forget the New Normal – normal’s never been our bag – To Do List promises only the best offbeat, weird and wonderful Things To Do in London this summer.
Please check with organisers to make sure the event is going ahead and follow any COVID-19 related advice and guidance given.
Genesis Cinema | 93-95 Mile End Road | Times & Prices Vary
Our favourite East London cinema is back open after lockdown, and we really recommend taking a chilled-out trip to catch some ace films while the crowds stay away. We finally saw the amazing Queen & Slim, which continues to show alongside Parasite, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, JoJo Rabbit and Clemency.
Hunky Dory Vintage | 226 Brick Lane | Ongoing
OK, so we have to declare an interest – Hunky Dory is run by our two great friends Ian and Ian – but we’d be sending you to this peerless vintage store even if we didn’t love the proprietors! Spurn the mainstreamed stock-em-high likes of Beyond Retro and peruse the small but perfectly formed collections of handpicked vintage – while listening to some equally excellent music!
The Old Joinery | Deptford Creek | Ongoing
This creek-side hidden gem just opened during lockdown and we’re excited to see their programme of outdoor drinking, street food and events develops this summer.
Plymouth Point | Online | Until 30 August | From £35
Still not ready to go out but need some excitement? Well, Plymouth Point is the immersive, online detective game you need to bring some thrills into your living room. Part escape room, part immersive theatre and all online, this is unlike anything you’ve done on your browser before.
UNMUTE | Online | 20-25 July | From 10am
Unmute is a series of conversations online about how the arts can use lockdown to rethink and make sure we include all voices in our ‘New Normal’.
Costa Del Tottenham: Launch Party | The Cause, Tottenham Hale | 24 July | From a 6pm | £10 per person (for tables of 4, 7 or 12)
Tottenham’s socially distanced adult fun zone launches on 24 July with a big party. As the season goes on expect drag queens, bottomless brunches and street food all stars.
grounded: A Season of Screendance | Online | 21 July – 2 August
Explore the visual beauty of dance on film with this online season of eye-popping, body-rocking screenings.
Comedy in the Courtyard | Battersea Arts Centre | 26 July – 9 August | Times Vary | £20
Battersea Arts Centre dips its toe back in the water of live performance with a season of stand-up comedy in its small but well-appointed courtyard. Catch new material from the likes of Flo & Joan (pictured), Jayde Adams, Ahir Shah, Phil Wang, Lou Sanders and – if you must – Russell Howard.
Little Gay Brother | The Brixton Courtyard | 26 July | 7pm | From £15 per head
Brixton Courtyard is here for ‘socially distanced socials’ including this fabulous night out with Little Gay Brother.
The New Normal, A Festival of the Arts | The Royal Victoria Patriotic Building | 3-31 August | Times Vary | From £10
If you’re missing Edinburgh Festival previews and summer laughs, The New Normal is here to bring you a much-needed celebration of theatre, music, improvisation, magic and comedy. All of the fest is presented as one-off events so no big festival ticket prices and include Britain’s Got Talent magician Ben Hart, Good Ship Comedy featuring Sindhu Vee and Suzi Ruffell and Comedy Club 4 Kids featuring the hilarious Jay Foreman.
Hiroshima Day excerpt – Scored in Silence by Chisato Minamimura | Online | 6 August | From 12:15am
‘For the 75th anniversary of the atomic bombings on Japan, London-based deaf Japanese artist Chisato Minamimura presents a special 24-hour film screening of an extract of her solo digital sign language theatre performance “Scored in Silence”, which premiered in the British Council Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2019 showcase.’
The Labyrinth Project | Online | 6-12 August | £10
A mysterious 7-day digital experience awaits to discover yourself. Enter the Labyrinth if you dare.
Greenwich+Docklands International Festival | Various Venues | 28 August – 12 September | Times Vary | Prices Vary
The best news of all this summer is the return of the spectacular and free, Greenwich + Docklands International Festival. We will be publishing our pick of the highlights very soon so be sure to watch this space.
What should be on our next list of Things To Do in London? Get in touch if you have any hot tips!
Occasionally the To Do List team are forced to work together.
Rupert likes: free, cheap & offbeat London, especially: cabaret, art, theatre, pop-ups, eating out, quirky films, museums, day trips, social enterprise & much more.
Stuart likes: nice pubs, film marathons, not doing real marathons, bad comedy, plays/musicals with shorter second halves, and the Oxford comma.
