10 Fun Things To Do This Weekend
This weekend, London turns a very strong shade of green as it celebrates St. Patrick’s Day. Sadly, there’s no bank holiday, but there are still a host of events you can enjoy, both Irish-themed and not. From your next favourite restaurant and exciting new film festivals, to details on the Paddy’s Day parade and literary talks, here’s how to spend the weekend ahead.
Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day
This writer is Irish, so might be biased, but few countries know how to have a good time quite like the Emerald Isle. There are all sorts of cultural, historical, and Guinness-related events on this weekend as the world turns green for a day.
From details on the Panti Bliss-led London parade to insider guides on the best pub trad sessions in the capital, see our guide here.
when: March 17th
where: across london
Discover your new favourite restaurant
Whether you’re unfamiliar with Georgian cuisine or already plotting your next trip to Tbilisi, Kinkally is about to be your favourite new spot in Fitzrovia. Founder Diana Militski and Chef David Chelidze have brought their take on moreish traditional Georgian dumplings to London, complete with a subterranean cocktail den, Bar Kinky, which serves up some of the best twists on the classics.
Our favourite was the Langoustines khinkali, but there’s also a variety of small plates including aubergine with satsebeli and vanilla sauce and stunning interiors inspired by the Caucasus mountains.
where: 43 Charlotte St., London W1T 1RS
website: kinkally.co.uk
Catch the Flare Festival at the BFI
The Oscars are over, and the world of Cinema marches forth with contenders for 2025.
The BFI’s traditional springtime celebration of queer cinema, the largest in the UK, is back for another year. Over ten days some of the best new LGBTQ films from across the world will be showcased, from archive-footage documentaries to a celebration of 70s Hollywood Disco.
WHEN: 13 – 24 MARCH
where: Belvedere Rd, London SE1 8XT
WEBSITE: BFI.ORG.UK
Clock in to the Science Museum
If you don’t think an exhibition about clocks sounds thrilling, firstly; you’re wrong. Secondly; you’re about to have your opinions altered forever, as the Science Museum has put on the best spectacle of clocks we’ve seen this year – and that’s saying something.
Time travel to 1700s China with the Zimingzhong: Clockwork Treasures from China’s Forbidden City exhibit, showcasing 23 pieces and examining their historic role in early cultural exchanges between Britain and China.
where: Exhibition Rd, South Kensington, London SW7 2DD
website: sciencemuseum.org
Get meditative in a bamboo forest
Breathing in relentless car exhaust down The Strand is enough to make anymore yearn for the green, bamboo, and panda-filled forests of rural China – and now you don’t even have to take a 12-hour flight.
Somerset House has launched a large-scale commission from Hong Kong-based artist Zheng Bo, an immersive installation inviting visitors to temporarily disconnect from the chaos of modern-day life and take solace in a jungle oasis. Ideally, he would like you to take out your pencil and start drawing for the full meditative experience.
when: 22 February – 28 April
where: Strand, London WC2R 1LA
website: somersethouse.org
Take up a new skill
‘I should take up a new hobby’ – an inevitable bi-weekly musing of adulthood, never to be acted upon. But you should, and now you can at the Southbank Centre with their Skylark Sessions.
The new creative programme sees the centre put on six-week-long series diving into a different art form, with sessions open and free to adults aged 50+. For their first series, New Threads, their exploring how to work with textiles and embroidery techniques.
when: 22 Feb – 28 Mar
website: southbankcentre.co.uk
Take advantage of discounts at a sample sale
We love a sample sale – all of the goods with less of the price. Showcase always has good ones, and this Friday you can prepare for summer trips with the Herschel sale.
Known for their bags, luggage and accessories, you can shop items up to 70% off. For priority access, book below.
when: March 15
where: 2 Regent Street Saint James’s, St. James’s, London SW1Y 4PE
website: showcase.co
See Attenborough in VR
David Attenborough, national treasure, naturalist, and the cause of heart-attacks up and down the country whenever he starts trending on twitter.
Now 95, we’ve had to come up with creative ways to satisfy our unquenchable need for more Attenborough content, such as this immersive VR experience. Extending it’s run due to popular demand, visitors will join David in stunning 8K virtual reality, and embark on the voyage of a lifetime through the secret worlds of plants, insects and birds.
where: Hackney, Victoria and Birmingham
website: other.world
2 events worth travelling for
Try cocktails from around the world at this festival
This March and April, cocktail lovers across the UK will be able to enjoy the inaugural World Class Cocktail Festival, hosted in 20 different towns and cities across Great Britain.
From Bristol to Birmingham and London to Liverpool, each participating bar will shake up and serve a limited-edition bespoke menu of at least three cocktails that have never before been available to try, created by the top bartenders in Britain.
when: 9 March – 30 April
website: thebar.com
Shop this cool sale in Manchester
Manchester-based, female-founded accessories brand Roop is joining British clothing brand Peachy Den this Thursday and Friday for a sample sale at Manchester’s Spectrum Studios.
Roop offerings will include statement hair bows, oversized scrunchies, their cult classic Furoshiki bags, and more. All items are created using fabrics sourced via factory deadstock, charity shops, or sites like eBay.
WHEN: 14 maRCH – 15 maRCH
where: Spectrum Studios, 23 Radium Street, Ancoats, Manchester, M4 6AY
WEBSITE: peachyden.co.uk
