Open House, Brick Lane Curry Festival and more

Things to do in London this weekend: Open House, Brick Lane Curry Festival and more

Several big London festivals overlap this weekend, with many events free. Here is a guide to Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 September.

Architecture and history

  • Open House Festival ends on Sunday. Many normally closed buildings are open free, though some tours need tickets.
  • Royal Courts of Justice is open on Saturday only, according to Open House notices.
  • Bank of England Museum has a rare weekend opening, from 11:00.
  • Temple Bar in Paternoster Square is free to visit from 10:00 to 16:00 on both days.
  • Guildhall Yard hosts the Pearly Kings and Queens Costermongers Harvest Festival on Sunday, starting at 13:30.

Design and exhibitions

  • London Design Festival closes on Sunday 20 September, so this is the last chance to see its city-wide installations.
  • Sacred Treasures from Kyiv at the V&A South Kensington is free and shows seven examples of Ukrainian sacred art, displayed in the UK for the first time.
  • Moon Celebration Week at the National Maritime Museum and Royal Observatory in Greenwich runs until Sunday.

Food, river and evening events

  • Brick Lane Curry Festival is free. The main event is on Sunday, with a procession from Buxton Street to the Brick Lane Arch, then street food, chef demonstrations, live music, and henna and Bangla dancing workshops. Registering on Eventbrite gets 20% off at participating restaurants across the weekend.
  • Totally Thames Festival brings street performances, live music, art installations, river races and family activities along the river.
  • Water Lantern Festival takes place at Clapham Common at dusk on both days. Lanterns are made from paper, natural wood and an LED candle. Check ticket details before you go.

Getting there: Planned Tube and DLR closures affect west and east London this weekend. See our weekend transport guide.

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