Who among us can resist some brilliant free things to do in London?
Time for a few fun freebies that’ll cost you not a sausage. [Header photo: @boittega]
1) Run around the City with adidas
The good folks at adidas are closing a mile of roads around St. Paul’s this Sunday, June 17, giving you the chance to hit maximum speed in the heart of the City of London, while doing as many laps as you can. It’s all part of their eco-conscious Run for the Oceans initiative: log your mileage with their Runtastic app, and they’ll donate a dollar to Parley Ocean School for every km you tear up. It all goes off at 2.30pm: register and find out more here. (Sponsored.)
2) See comedians attempt to perform The Lion King, by the river
This Wednesday, 13 June, head to the Scoop by Tower Bridge for a free live comedy performance. As part of the Summer by the River festival, the funny folks of Comedians Cinema Club will be bluffing their way through an improvised take on the Lion King in a farce that’s sure to be sidesplitting. Will You Feel The Love Tonight? Turn up at 7pm to find out.
3) Explore the new Serpentine Pavillion
Take a sunny stroll through Hyde Park to find this year’s Serpentine Pavillion, which opens today. (If you’re not familiar with the project, each summer the Serpentine Gallery invites a contemporary artist to design and create an edifice of some kind.) Somewhat less colourful than previous years’ installations, Frida Escobedo has created a sort of ‘brutalist hand-basket’ of wicker-like concrete pieces, with shallow reflecting pools of water.
4) Soak up the art at Somerset House
There are not one, not two, but three free art-thingies currently on at Somerset House. In the courtyard, an ethereal combination of mist and mirrored sunshine creates fleeting, shimmering rings of light – the piece is Halo by Kimchi & Chips. In an exhibition tent, you can peruse some dynamic drawings from the past year at the World Illustration Awards’ exhibition of 200 finalists. And head inside the House proper to ‘Print! Tearing It Up’ – a celebration of arty, political and independently published magazines.
5) Party your way along the Caledonian Road
Head to the Cally Road this Sunday, June 17, for The Cally Festival, an all-day, family-friendly fair full of music, dancing, poetry and performance. There’s even a parade, plus a choir that’ll be banging out guilty pleasures from the 1990s – we’ll see you there for that one. 12pm – 6pm, information here and on their Twitter.