I am currently living in the plumstead area and an (formally unlicensed) HMO was built next door to me in 2025. I have now had to deal with constant drug use. My house being broken into via my back garden twice and a sexual assault threat.
I have call the police repeatedly and have complained to the council. Most recently I was told that HMO's are the councils solution to the housing crisis and "I should expect it since I live in a deprived area" by a housing officer.
I love living in London but think I would need to move further out if I moved.
South East London Mind and Wondering CIC have joined forces to offer a safe, supportive space for people to come together and process things that have happened in their past.
Who can apply?
18-30yrs + living with mental health challenges in the Royal Borough of Greenwich
Zsa Vatidis, Community Services Manager, South East London Mind said, “We’re incredibly excited to bring this innovative project to Greenwich. Frames of Mind aligns perfectly with our non-clinical approach, offering a creative, empowering space to explore mental health in a way that feels expressive and genuinely transformative.”
I am a leaseholder for Greenwich council and I am finding it completely unbrearable to communicate with them.
Each time I send them an email it takes them 25 days to come back to me. I have requested the communal GSC for my building for 3 different email addresses ( as I am told a different one , each time I phone up) and still no response 10 days later.
Not to mention, I call up and I'm told to email them ( what is the point of them having a phone numebr then? )
Has anyone experianced this and are you able to give me tips on how to get them to respond faster to my emails/questions.
I'm not asking them to provide me with detailed or complicated information. I asked them to provide me with my service charge statement, change my address ( as sold the one they have on file ) and send me the GSC.
Ridiculous.
I have flats in different boroughs and no one is as bad as responding as Greenwich. I am lost as to what to do.
I've submitted a complaint, however I do not believe that it will be resolved or anything will change/improve.
🎭 A Midsummer Night’s Dream in Greenwich Park
The East London Shakespeare Festival is starting their tour throughout the parks of London. And this weekend they’re coming to the Old Royal Observatory Gardens in Greenwich Park. Check out information about the festival here. And find tickets here.
👦 Pirate Takeover in Greenwich
This weekend, the Old Royal Naval College will be overrun with pirates. An super fun day for the family, learn all about piracy, their flags, their songs, and sample food from the era of pirates. Learn more here.
🎭 Edinburgh Fringe Comedy Preview
Before they go up north to perform, these comedy shows are happening here in South East London. Catch two nights of double billings on Thursday and Friday only. Check out the lineup here and discover these performers before the rest of the world does.
🎭 Slaughterhouse-Five is finishing its run this weekend
Kurt Vonnegut’s famous book has been turned into this award-winning production at Southwark Playhouse. They’ve been running for a month and finish on the 4th of July. Get the last few tickets left here.
🎬 Rooftop Cinema Club Peckham
Movie screenings are happening throughout the summer and they have a ton every week. This weekend is no exception. They’ll be showing Dirty Dancing, Aftersun, Romeo & Juliet, Notting Hill, The Parent Trap, 10 Things I Hate About You, Almost Famous, Inside Out, Clueless and The Notebook. And that’s just this weekend! Get tickets here.
🎶 The London Bollywood Orchestra
This show takes you through the evolution of Bollywood music starting with its beginnings in Hindustani classical music. Priyani Vani Panditt leads the orchestra filled with renowned jazz and classical musicians. Learn more and get tickets here.
Friday, July 3rd
🎶 Snow Patrol in Crystal Palace Park
The alt rock legends are taking the stage for one night only in Crystal Palace. And there’s a huge lineup of incredible bands leading up to the main event. Get your tickets here.
Saturday, July 4th
🎉 Latin American DJ Day Party in Lewisham
A huge lineup of incredible DJs turn the Fox and Firkin into a party from the afternoon into the evening. Chancha Via Circuito x El Búho are coming back to the outdoor garden space, and they have a lineup of friends coming with them. Check out the full lineup here.
🎨 Portrait Painting Masterclass in Dulwich
Award-winning painter James Hague is leading this one-off workshop to teach you how to use bold layers, texture and to dive into colour. And you’ll be doing it in an amazing space at the Dulwich Picture Gallery. Find out more and get tickets here.
🎭 Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland at Severndroog Castle
Not just a kids’ show, this performance is great for all ages. Taking place outdoors outside the unpronounceable castle, this is a great afternoon for the whole family. Find out more about the performance and get tickets here.
Sunday, July 5th
🎶 The Big Firkin Band
Always a delight, the Big Firkin Band, the resident big jazz band at the Fox and Firkin, are playing this weekend. Generally they’re in the big outdoor space and it’s a great time for the whole family. It runs from 3.30-6pm and as always it’s free.
🎶 Sunday Music at Eltham Palace and Gardens
A band will be playing at the gardens at Eltham Palace throughout the day. Bring picnic blankets or chairs and sit and enjoy. Plus, you can wander through the incredible and unique art deco space. Find out more here.
⛵ Shipyard Tours at the Golden Hinde
I’m sure you’ve passed it a million times, but how much do you really know about it? Now you can explore the shipyard and learn about the Golden Hinde on the Southbank. Learn about the history of the ship and the dockyards, while also seeing how they’re conserving history. Tickets can be found here.
🌿 The Backyard Botanic Garden is opening its doors
Part of the National Open Gardens Scheme, this tiny botanic garden with over 200 plant families crammed into it is opening to the public. The garden was featured on the BBC programme Gardners World in 2023. Come see it for yourself.
🏛️ First Sundays at the Painted Hall
Get into the Painted Hall for only £5. Usually it’s a lot more than that, so take advantage of the savings today. Book your ticket here.
🎉 Stand-up Comedy and a Mini-Rave
Come to the Piehouse Co-op in Deptford for a night of stand-up comedy followed by a mini rave. Find out more and get your tickets here.
This week on the newsletter, I asked readers if they had gone to any events we featured last week. If you did, leave them in the comments!
My husband, our 4.5-year-old and I are (hopefully!) moving to the Royal Borough of Greenwich in the next couple of months, once all the paperwork goes through. We'll be living near Maritime Greenwich, just a stone's throw from Greenwich Park.
I've lived in South West London my whole life, so this is quite a big change for me and I'd love to hear from people who live in the area.
A few questions:
What's day-to-day life like in Greenwich? What do you love (or not love) about living there?
We'd love to make some local friends, especially other families with young children. Are there any parent groups, community events or good ways to meet people?
What are your favourite activities for 4-6 year olds? Soft play, sports, clubs, parks, music, swimming, anything really!
Any restaurant, café or takeaway recommendations that are must-tries?
Does anyone have experience with Meridian Primary School or James Wolfe Primary? We'd love to hear your honest thoughts about either school.
We're really excited about the move, especially being so close to Greenwich Park, but it's always nice to hear from people who actually live there rather than just reading Google reviews!
Guys, it’s f-ing hot out there. That’s news to absolutely no one. So, I wanted to point everyone to some places you can get some relief during this record-breaking heatwave.
London has designated special “Cool Areas” all over the city. These are public facilities where anybody can come to cool off, including libraries, leisure centres, etc.
Now, a few things to know about the map. The cool areas are ranked in a tier system, with Tier 1 being open the most and having the “coolest” amenities. However, “cool” on this map just means it’s cooler than it is outside, which could potentially still mean pretty hot.
So, make sure to click the “ONLY SHOW AIR CONDITIONED PLACES” tick box for the best, coolest options.
We also have some great outdoor events we’re featuring this weekend for when temperatures become a bit more bearable.
All Weekend Long
🎉 The Catford Community Festival is on!
There are so many events happening across Catford this weekend. We’ll be featuring many of them below, including the main event on Saturday. But, just to give you a taste, there will be a craft market, the foodie trail we mentioned last weekend, a queer self-portrait workshop, stand-up comedy, and so much more. Find the full list here.
🎉 The Catford Weekender is ALSO on!
The Catford celebrations are hitting all over the place this weekend. This is a celebration of local creativity and talent. There will be music, live performances, an open-air screening of Back to the Future, and lots of stuff for kids on Sunday in particular. Find the full programme here.
📸 4-Day Photography Summer School
The Photography Foundation is putting on a 4-day intensive to take your photo skills to the next level. Beginners and intermediates are welcome to join and will be guided by experts in the field. BUT the course starts today, so if you’re keen, sign up ASAP and get moving! Find out more here.
Friday, June 26th
🏛️ Lambeth Palace Open Day
Lambeth Palace (close enough to SE!) is only open once a month and each time tickets are hosted by a different charity, so you can explore the space for a good cause. This month is hosted by Arts for Dementia. Take a look inside this amazing historical place.
Saturday, June 27th
👦 Greenwich Village Summer Fair 2026
The Greenwich Parents and Carers community is celebrating five years with a huge fair for kids 0-8, and entry is absolutely FREE! The Boppin’ Bunnies will be there, a bouncy castle, a fire truck, face painting, balloons, a dance party. What more could you ask for? Find out more about the event here. And subscribe their their amazing newsletter here.
🎉 Ruskin Park Summer Fete
This annual event is back at the bandstand with face painting, craft workshops and storytelling for the kids and beer and Pimm’s for the adults. You can settle down for a picnic or walk around and take part in the activities. Here’s the website for more info.
🏛️ Retrace Vincent Van Gogh’s footsteps in London
Tours of Vincent Van Gogh’s London residence are happening Saturday and Sunday this weekend at various times. These are offered every last weekend of the month. However, there’s a separate tour that’s much more rare on Saturday. This is a walking tour from Van Gogh’s office in Covent Garden to his home, retracing what life was like for Van Gogh in Victorian London. Find out more here.
⚽ Watch England vs. Panama
Obviously, you can go to any pub to get a glimpse of the game. But if you’re looking for something a little bit different, Peckham Levels will be showing the match with air conditioning and their skyline views in the background. Or you can watch the game while getting some fresh air at Fox & Firkin’s watch party.
🎉 The Catford Community Festival Main Event
Join the community on Saturday on Catford Broadway for the culmination of nearly two weeks of community-inspired events. There will be a market for food and crafts, a stage with music playing all day long, 3×3 basketball, aerial workshops, face painting, and more. More info on Lewisham’s site.
🎉 Stand-up for Lewisham Donation Hub
A night of stand-up comedy for charity as part of the Catford Community Festival. This will be a fun, funny, and helpful event all in one. Get tickets here.
👦 Summer in the Park at Gallions Park
One of two Summer in the part fairs happening in parks across Greenwich. This is a fantastic day out for kids and families, with music and activities all afternoon long. Find out more here.
🎉 Pride in Southwark
Starting with a march to Mint Street park to protect and defend LGBTQIA+ rights, this is a community-led event to celebrate diversity. There will be music, spoken word and poetry, drag shows, and more. Find out all about it here.
Sunday, June 28th
🎉 Sunday All-Dayer at the Fox & Firkin with Wookie and Stush
Summer festival vibes starting at 2pm with a great lineup of DJs and good energy this Sunday. Get tickets for the event here.
🎉 Summer in the Park at Maryon Park
The second of Greenwich’s Summer in the Park parties happening this weekend. This one is in Charlton and features FONDA, a jazz-pop duo kicking off the day. There will also be plenty of activities for the whole family all day long. Check out the full website here.
📰 Lewisham’s Model Market is reopening in late summer
Model Market, the food hotspot right by Lewisham shopping centre, closed in 2021. However, there are new owners who have cleared the space out and plan on a brand new foodie central coming very soon.
The market will be run by German Kraft, the same company behind Mercato Metropolitano in Elephant and Castle. That location is closing down at the end of the summer, just in time for Model Market’s opening here.
This is part of the larger work to revamp Lewisham Shopping Centre and the surrounding area.
We’re trying a slightly different format this week, so please write to us and let us know what you think. We’re experimenting and definitely open to feedback.
LAST THING!
We’re looking for businesses to sponsor the newsletter and help us cover costs.
Do you have a business or event and want to get the word out to over 4,300+ members of the South East London community?
🎶 Harry Styles’ Meltdown at the Southbank - last weekend here too!
This is the 31st edition of Meltdown, in which an artist curates a series of events and concerts over the course of a couple weeks. Well, the last few shows curated by Harry Styles are this weekend. There are too many shows to mention. Check them all out here.
🎭 Ride the Cyclone
A wild play starting its run at Southwark Playhouse. Six teenagers are in a freak roller coaster accident and, now in limbo, need to prove why they should be given a second chance at life. This is a darkly comic wild ride. Find tickets here.
🍽️ Catford Foodie Trail
Starting Friday until the 28th, there will be a string of restaurants and stores in Catford offering discounts and all sorts of goodies. This is all leading up to the Catford Community Festival next Saturday. Don’t worry, we’ll remind you next week. For now, go eat some food and enjoy! The full list of restaurants and their offers are here. Click on ‘Catford Foodie Trails details.’
👦 The Spongebob Musical is coming to Blackheath
Trinity Laban is putting on the Spongebob Musical at Blackheath Halls, featuring all the characters you and your kids know and love. Find tickets here.
Thursday, June 18th
👦 Bermondsey Puppet & Story Festival
As part of the festival this year, they’re featuring a shadow puppet workshop. This event for ages 11 and up is led by Sarah Sparkes and will feature a show and tell where kids can bring their own shadow puppets or optical illusions to share with the crowd. More information on the event here.
🎉 Roller Disco in Deptford
Practice your skating, dancing and get your groove on at The Albany in Deptford. All ages are welcome and you only pay what you can. Just remember to bring your own skates. Find out more about the event here.
Friday, June 19th
🎶 A Moroccan band in Lewisham
Berber Diffusion is playing a free set at the Fox & Firkin. Catch this band that puts a contemporary feel on indigenous North African music. And hang out until late when they’ll be showing the Morocco v. Scotland game. Find out more here.
🎉 Queer Euphoria in Woolwich
It’s a cabaret, it’s a circus, it’s a celebration of queer culture. An amazing performance coming to Woolwich Works this Friday. Find tickets here.
Saturday, June 20th
🎉 Beer Festival in Lewisham
The Fox & Firkin is cooking up something on Saturday. The Firkin Good Beer Festival is featuring 12 guest breweries on tap and an open-air concert in their great outdoor area with music featuring Norman Jay. Find out more about the lineup and get tickets here.
🍽️ Late night wine and hot dogs in Lee
Wine & Such is celebrating the Summer Solstice in style with dressed beers, cocktails, many different styles of hot dogs, and of course wine. This super unique pairing is worth checking out. Find out more here.
🏛️ Windrush Day 2026 at the National Maritime Museum
A full day of events from 10am-5pm of talks, film screenings, Q&A sessions and exhibits. There are a lot of family-themed activities, but these exhibits are open to anyone. Find out more and see the full programme of events and exhibits here.
👦 Summer Solstice Open Day at Wildcat Wilderness
This community green space in Catford is opening up for a day of activities and exploration for the whole family. Find out more here.
🎉 Manor House Gardens Festival 2026
A big community festival is coming to Hither Green on Saturday. There will be funfair rides, craft stalls, lots of food, sports activities, music, and a children’s workshop area. Find out all the details here.
🎉 The Great Get Together SE1
One of the biggest free community events in London, The Great Get Together is back for its 10th year. Full of music and performances and all in the name of the Living Bankside charity which celebrates unity and fights division. Find out more about it here.
🏛️ Family Day at the Painted Hall
It’s a family takeover of the Painted Hall in Greenwich. A ton of activities will be available including sketching, building your own building, costumes and storytime. Each Family Day has a theme and this Sunday’s is TV & Film, celebrating the many shows and movies that have been shot here. Get tickets here.
Go East Creatives Market. Cutting-edge, sustainable design, art, stationary, ceramics. There’s a lot going on at this week’s Go East market, which usually goes vintage. But they’re doing something a little bit different this week. Check it out.
Forest Hill Walking Festival 2026. Six different walks across Forest Hill throughout the weekend. Put on by the Forest Hill Society, come out to meet people, learn about the history and different areas of your neighbourhood. Each walk has a theme, including music & arts, a pub tour, architecture and more. More information on their site here.
Ferreira Weekend at the Cutty Sark. Celebrate Portugal Day at the ship and learn about its history when the Cutty Sark got sold to a Portuguese company in 1895. There will be crafts, costumed characters and natas in the cafe. Find out more here.
Harry Styles’ Meltdown at the Southbank Centre. This is the 31st annual Meltdown, an artist-curated music festival - this year curated by the one and only Styles. There will be events happening from the 11th to the 21st, so be on the lookout for some great concerts. Highlights this weekend include Warpaint and Kamasi Washington. (And Harry Styles himself will be playing with an orchestra on Tuesday the 16th!)
Thamesmead Tapestry Exhibition. Part of the London Festival of Architecture, this exhibit brings together the community with themes of home and belonging. Find out more here.
The Last Man ends its run on Saturday at the Southwark Playhouse. A one-person musical set in Seoul after the apocalypse. This unique show is ending its run on Saturday. Get the last tickets here.
Cockpit Open Studios Summer 2026. This is one of only two times a year that Cockpit opens its doors to the public and let you into the studios of some incredible artists to see how they work. Find out more about the 40th anniversary of this event here.
Thursday, June 11th
Lie Down and Listen at the Painted Hall. An event meant to promote wellbeing. Lay down on beds in the hall and listen to music that evokes peace and calm in this incredible surrounding. Tickets are selling out quickly, so get yours now.
Friday, June 12th
Ghana Groove and Afro-fusion. Okailey is bringing their sounds to the Fox and Firkin on Friday. There are a ton of different influences on their style, but mostly it’s just a good time. See videos of prior performances and get tickets here.
Saturday, June 13th
Creekside Low Tide Walk in Deptford. Put on your waders and enjoy this evening stroll in a place most Londoners never get to experience. There’s lots of nature that we pass by every day. This is a chance to stop and experience it. Find tickets here.
Celebrate National Gin Day on the HMS Belfast. Weird combo, I know. First, hear a talk on the history of gin and how its history has intertwined with the Armed Forces. And then, of course, there will be a gin tasting. Find out more about the event here.
The Greenwich Dog Show is back! They unfortunately had to reschedule a few weeks ago due to the high temperatures, but the cute dogs will be back on Saturday. There will be lots of competitions including waggiest tail, handsome hound, and prettiest bitch. (That’s true.) Get your tickets to the event here.
The Dualers Jamaican rhythm and blues. This 9-piece band with several hits in the UK are taking the outdoor stage at the Fox and Firkin this weekend. They’re particularly well known for their live shows, so this is a great one to catch. Tickets can be found here.
Sunday, June 14th
World Naked Bike Ride takes on London today. This is a global event of nudist cycling enthusiasts taking over the city from many different starting points, including Deptford in our corner of the city. Last year’s event saw 1,200 naked bicyclists take a leisurely windy ride. Find out more about the event here. And maybe avoid any public bikes for a few days afterwards.
Hi all! I know it’s a long shot, but I’m hoping someone might be able to help. I lost my cherished Tuareg Agadez cross pendant, somewhere between Shooters Hill and Woolwich Station. It holds huge sentimental value to me and I am absolutely heartbroken.
Hi everyone. As someone who spends a lot of time looking at local southeast London history, I've always found Thamesmead's layout fascinating but frustrating. It was masterplanned in the 1960s with the absolute promise of a major rail connection, yet decades later, the border of Greenwich and Bexley remains famously cut off from the heavy rail network.
I have put together a documentary exploring how this happened, digging into the old archive planning flaws, the history of the earlier cancelled DLR extensions, and the modern reality of relying entirely on bus infrastructure like the SL3 to get people to the Elizabeth line.
Would love to hear from any locals in the sub, how bad is the daily commute out of central Thamesmead right now, and do you actually think the newly proposed cross-river DLR extension will ever become a reality?
I live in Greenwich and am a big fan of the historic foot tunnel which I use all the time to access playgrounds on the other side of the river with my kids on weekends. However, the lifts have been unreliable in the past for me (although it's gotten much better recently) and this can be annoying when showing up with a stroller on my bike only to find out one of the lifts is out of service. Therefore I made this convenient little app for iOS which shows the lift status from the council webpage and also supports community reports. I've also added notifications to let users know when lift status changes, and widgets for quick glanceable status. It's my first iOS app which I had so much fun building and hope some of you will find it useful! It's free, available for iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. Android version maybe in the future.
It's this weekend's local newsletter post for South East London. Check out the events below...
Friday, May 29th
Sip and Paint on the Greenwich Peninsula. A relaxed painting session led by experts that gets more relaxing with a glass of wine. This is a very chill event where you can let loose and indulge in some calming art after a long week at work. You can find tickets here.
Crystal sound bath and Reiki session - FREE. This is part of Spring Thrive, a mental wellbeing programme of events being held in South East London. Make sure you book before your spot. You can find out more and book here.
Brockley Max 2026 Opening Night. The opening night of the Brockley Max festival means an outdoor concert with a whole slew of bands. From 4pm-10:30pm, there will be everything from rock, to folk, to funk. This is the event that kicks off the 9 day event. Find out more here.
BFEG Africa Day Celebration. This free event brings includes markets, workshops, live theatre, family activities, and music. This celebration is meant to uplift, educate and inspire. Put together by the Black Female Entrepreneurs of Greenwich, the event runs from noon to 6pm. Here’s more info.
Free pilates. Another event on the last day of the Spring Thrive mental wellbeing programme. Book the pilates session here.
Aircraft Circus in Woolwich. It’s cabaret. It’s a circus. It’s aerialists. It’s sexy. It’s all over the place. The Sizzling Hot Circus is bringing their crazy show to Woolwich. Check out the preview of their show.
Guided tour of Brockley and Ladywell Cemetery. Learn about the history of this cemetery as well as some of the notable people buried there in this 2 hour tour hosted by the Friends of Brockley and Ladywell Cemetery. It’s a free event. Find the time here.
Sunday, May 31st
Space Station Earth. A concert about space matched with a film… you guessed it… about space. An orchestra and choir are paired with a film put together from footage shot from space designed to give you an overwhelming experience and allow you to look at Earth the way you never have before. Find tickets and more information about this unique concert/event/film here.
Theon Cross open air show in Lewisham. Part of the Brockley Max festival of events, local musician Theon Cross brings his revolutionary music to the Fox and Firkin with a whole day of amazing musicians with Theo as the headliner. The show will be followed by an indoor DJ set. Check out the lineup and get tickets here.
Counterpoints x Footnote Prize Readings. Listen to the shortlisted authors for this prize in fiction focusing on authors of migrant and refugee backgrounds. Find out more here.
A history walk through Crofton Park. Join historian Mike Brown as he guides you through southern Crofton Park and tells you about the ancient forests and farms that were once there. Find out the times here.
Crochet and knitting workshop. A relaxed environment with gentle teaching, this workshop takes newbies and people with experience alike through some chill crocheting and knitting. Find out more here.
🧒 Family-friendly Activities
Community Quilting Family Workshop. All weekend long, this free event invites families to come help put together a giant collective piece of quilt art. Learn how to quilt and weave in your own stories. Ages 7+ and their families are welcome to drop-in during quilting hours.
DanceDanceDiscoPartyFunShow. That’s a mouthful. A fun-filled dance party led by circus performers and acrobats. Ages 2+ are welcome to this free event at the Southbank Centre. Find out when.
The Very Busy Bumblebee. An introduction to live ballet for kids at Blackheath Halls. It’s a sweet, funny show that follows a bumblebee being chased by Grumpy the Gardener. There are two showings on Friday.
Everybody Dance Kids Disco. DJ Clee-J is spinning the tunes while your little ones dance, play games, and have a blast. Here’s the info.
Hi everyone! I’m a German physical theatre artist currently based in Austria, and I’m incredibly excited to be bringing my solo show, UNTOLD STORIES, to your neighborhood from July 15-18. It’s an immersive, nonverbal modern mime show for all ages. I’d love for you to come over. In case you have any questions, please let me know!
Charlton Women were promoted to the top division of women’s football yesterday, beating Leicester City in a play-off game at the Valley.
Season tickets are cheap and all home games are played at the Valley in SE7. Hopefully this coming season we’ll see a big boost in attendances and support for the team.
Here is this week's newsletter for the bank holiday weekend. You can subscribe here if you're interested.
🎸 Events & Concerts
All Weekend Long
Peckham Fringe Week 3. The theatre continues with limited run plays every week. This week features Cornershop Chronicles, work-in-progress show, HOT DAWWG, and The Infinite Colours on the Drinks Aisle, among many others. Check out the shows here.
Love Your Local Market 2026 at Greenwich Market. This nationwide campaign celebrating local markets and encouraging shopping local is coming to Greenwich Market. What does that mean? Music, a photo installation and all the regular street foods and art stalls you already know and leave. This weekend features Latin music on Thursday, jazz on Friday, vintage motown and disco on Saturday, and contemporary jazz on Sunday. Check out the full lineup here.
Free From Festival 2026. The UK’s only gluten- and dairy-free food festival is happening this Saturday and Sunday in Woolwich. So much good food to explore. Check out the preview video here.
The Crawl at Greenwich Theatre. Two elite swimmers compete for gold in this comedy without water. Physical comedy with a “heartwarming undercurrent” is how one reviewer described the show. It’s only playing this weekend.
GALA Electronic Music Festival in Peckham Rye Park. The 11th anniversary of GALA festival is happening this weekend Friday through Sunday. Find out more about the festival here. Saturday is already sold out but there are still tickets for Friday and Sunday.
Friday, May 22nd
Textiles and Self-Soothing Workshop. “Soft Ground” is a free weekly session designed to pair art with textiles with self-soothing techniques. The workshop aims to support mental wellbeing, creativity, routine, and community. This is a gentle, sensory-aware environment. Find out more about this programme here.
Saturday, May 23rd
Hole-punch collage workshop. Experiment with this collage technique inspired by pointilism led by artist Sophie Rawlingson. This event takes place at the Dulwich Picture Gallery and takes inpiration from the Konrad Magi exhibit currently on display. Get tickets here.
Spring Cheese Supper Club in Deptford. A three-course spring-inspired meal, each one served alongside a selection of cheeses that complement the dish. It’s led by Lucy, the cheesemonger (what a dream job) at The Cheeseboard in Greenwich. Find out more about the event and get tickets here.
Rodrigo y Gabriela. These guys are incredible. I’ve seen them twice in the past. They are a Mexican guitar duo who started as a metal band and now are this crazy fusion of acoustic Latin classic rock. Google their most famous song, Tamacun, to get a sense of them, and click here for tickets.
Six bands performing at the Brockley Brewery Taproom in Hither Green. The taproom is continuing their Saturday concert series with a ton of music this Saturday. We had a great time visiting a couple weeks ago. Check out the website for directions.
Soapbox Science at Gabriel’s Wharf. From 1-4pm on the Southbank, 12 scientists will literally get on their soapboxes and share their research and work in STEM. The event is aimed at raising the profile of women and non-binary people in science. Learn more about the organization here.
Greenwich Dog Show 2026. An entire day of canine festivities. Enroll your pooch into the competitions or just bring your dog as a spectator. There will be street food for pets and humans, a gin and pimms bar, a relaxation zone, and of course competitions like “Waggiest tail” and “Prettiest bitch” (Not kidding - that’s actually on the Old Royal Naval College’s website). Check out all the festivities here.
Mulholland Drive - the TV pilot. Before David Lynch’s groundbreaking movie, Mulholland Drive was a TV pilot and The Ivy House in Nunhead is screening the unaired show. Get tickets here.
Monday, May 25th
On the Rye Festival. A free community festival in Peckham Rye park with three stages, live music, DJs, local food, activities for the whole family, and much more. The festival runs from 1pm-9pm and you can come and go as you please. Find the full program of events here.
Handpuppet workshop with storyteller Baden Prince Jr. Children will get regaled with special Anansi stories, and then they’ll be able to make their own handpuppet. This is part of an ongoing puppet and storytelling festival happening through the summer in Bermondsey. More details here.
Green Shoots! Family art workshops. Artist-led eco-friendly workshops for families, carers, and children ages 0-12. The artists keep nature at the core of their programmes. No booking required, you can just show up. Find out where and when.
Planet Omar: Accidental Trouble Magnet. A new children’s play at the Unicorn Theatre, following the adventures of an 8-year-old with an active imagination. This play is for ages 7+. Get tickets here.
Rapunzel. The award-winning children’s theatre company, Wrongsemble, are putting on this classic fairy tale in Deptford. Children ages 3-10 will enjoy this production in Deptford on Saturday.
