Free things to do in London this week.
Looking for more free things to do in London? Here are 102 of em! We’ve also compiled this epic map of free stuff in London, and have a helpful guide on where to see art in London for free, and where you can catch cheap and free comedy or live music for free in the capital.
Celebrate Chinese New Year/Lunar New Year
Chinese New Year, or Lunar New Year, falls on Tuesday this week, with events going on around London to celebrate — many of them free.
Head to Chinatown on Saturday to watch lion dancers weaving through the streets, followed by a parade on Sunday. Greenwich Peninsula holds a day of free, family-friendly celebrations on Saturday, including dance performances, DJs and traditional craft workshops. The National Maritime Museum in Greenwich and London Museum Docklands hold similar free festivals. Find details of all these events, and more, here.
Do half term on a budget
Most London schools are on half term this week, which means parents and carers will be looking for ways to keep kids and teenagers entertained. Our February half term guide has a whole section dedicated to free things to do, and we also have a guide to playgrounds in central London, ideal for burning off extra energy, without burning a hole in your pocket.
Admire Objects of Enchantment in Wimbledon
A teacup, a toy and a chair are among the workaday objects elevated to ‘museum-worthy’ status in Wimbledon Museum’s current exhibition Objects of Enchantment. Artist in Residence Alastair Gordon places the everyday on a plinth, in a bid to reinterpret familiar objects and invite visitors to reflect on what makes something worthy of attention. The museum’s open Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoons, and it’s totally free.
Until 29 March.
View photos of Wembley Park through the years
A new, free open-air photography exhibition, The Living Neighbourhood, has opened in Wembley Park, showcasing several years of change in the area.
16 large-format works by photographer Chris Winter, taken between 2017 and 2025, are on display across Olympic Way, Market Square and Wembley Park Boulevard. Rising buildings, new public and cultural spaces, and the completion of Union Park feature.
Until 30 April.
Entertain your teens with a free theatre performance
A free performance of The Marvellous Adventures of Mary Seacole is offered for young people at the Rosemary Branch Theatre on Tuesday. 12-18 year olds (and guardians) are welcome at the show, which recounts the life of the Jamaican nurse and businesswoman who paved her own way and defied the dominant narrative.
17 February.
Have stacks of fun on Pancake Day
Tuesday 17 February is Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Day, and London has some flippin’ eggs-ellent ways to celebrate. Pancake races take place at locations including Leadenhall Market, Greenwich Market, Guildhall Yard and Bankside. They’re free to watch: just turn up to get in on the fun.
17 February.
See the secret side of Barbican
Get to know the lesser-known corners of the Barbican Estate through a free talk at Guildhall Library on Tuesday afternoon. City Guide Colin Davey takes you beyond the public areas of the arts centre, offering vision, controversy — and an account of being a 1973 Tower resident.
17 February.
Enjoy a free milk tea (and a crispy wonton) at Seven Dials
If you’re among the first 100 to rock up from 1pm at Hong Kong-style café HOKO in Seven Dials Market, you can claim a free signature milk tea, alongside one of their crispy wontons — and have yourself a very happy Lunar New Year indeed!
17 February.
Delve into cartoons at the Royal College of Nursing
Head to the Royal College of Nursing on Wednesday evening for a free talk on the history of nursing cartoons, from documenting nursing training in 1900 to political campaigns of the 1980s. Historian Dr Sue Hawkins, cartoonist Cath Jackson, literary agent Corinne Pearlman, and Holly Burrows of the Cartoon Museum discuss what we can learn about healthcare, politics and history from the design and style of nursing cartoons.
18 February.
See the new snake at Somerset House
Swing by the courtyard at Somerset House to get a glimpse of new installation Serpentine Currents by Dana-Fiona Armour. The illuminated sculpture is in three parts, taking the form of an endangered sea snake species with an LED surface animated using ocean data from the British coastline.
19 February-26 April.
See a Royal Opera House show for free
The fortnightly Live at Lunch at the Royal Opera House offers the public a chance to see Royal Ballet and Opera and guest artists performing for free. Head to the Paul Hamlyn Hall at lunchtime on Friday for this week’s show, and find out who’s on when you arrive.
20 February.
Celebrate comics and cosplay at a free festival
Take the family to The Sidings in Waterloo on Saturday for Fandom Fest, a free celebration of comics, cosplay, gaming and pop culture.
Characters including Spider-Man, Iron Man, a Transformer and Rumi from KPop Demon Hunters are around to meet fans throughout the day, alongside a Pokémon Gaming Zone, live anime artists, crafts, live music and other entertainment.
21 February.
Stay late at Dulwich Picture Gallery
Dulwich Picture Gallery stays open late on Saturday evening for an Out Of Frame Late, a special after-hours event celebrating LGBTQI+ stories and histories in art at the Gallery.
The programme includes tours, performances and art workshops, including a look at androgyny, cross-dressing, kings that were queens, and saucy saints in the artworks around you.
21 February.
And finally… the £5 London cocktail still exists
A decent cocktail for a fiver sounds like something straight out of 2010, but for the time being, Bar Brasso in Nine Elms is doing just that — Monday-Saturday, 5pm-7pm. The catch? You’ll need to like Campari (or Aperol) because the cocktail list is: Campari negroni, Campari spritz, Aperol spritz, Boulevardier, French negroni, Negroni sbagliato. Assuming you’re OK with that, then summer starts here, bambinos!
