The Best Things to Do in London This September

September is when London’s season of art and design festivals really kicks into gear. There’s London Design Festival and Open House Festival (then in October, Frieze) plus a host of excellent exhibitions and art fairs to explore. You’ll also spot London’s style set as they check out the runways at London Fashion Week, running from September 17 to 21. This month, you’ll also find plenty of food events (including a whole three days dedicated to Southeast Asian cuisine), and the last of the big outdoor music festivals. These are Broadsheet’s top picks.

Given that V&A South Kensington was a pioneer of the now-ubiquitous trend of museum lates events, it’s not a surprise that its newly opened Stratford sister, V&A East Museum, has launched its own series. Every Thursday until the end of September, the museum will stay open until 10pm and host DJ residencies, pop-up bars and after-hours exhibition access. There’ll also be talks from acclaimed artists, access to the top-floor terrace with sweeping city views, and food and drink at the onsite Cafe Jikoni.
Until September 24;vam.ac.uk

London’s largest annual free outdoor theatre festival is in full swing – and there are some thrilling performances to look out for. Saturday, September 5 will see the return of Dancing City, where spaces across Stratford, Queen Elizabeth Park and East Bank will host an eclectic variety of dance performances (a highlight is sure to be Benched by Uppercut Dance Theater, known for combining breakdance, capoeira and contemporary dance).
Until September 6; festival.org

Bafta-winning actor Letitia Wright (Black Panther) stars alongside Ashley Thomas (Hostage), Lorraine Toussaint (Orange is the New Black) and Wilf Scolding (Cabaret) in the National Theatre’s gripping new production of Tracey Scott Wilson’s 2003 newsroom thriller. The Story follows four journalists racing to cover the story of the murder of a white teacher in a black neighbourhood.
August 27–October 24; nationaltheatre.org.uk

Don’t leave it to the last minute to catch this stunning exploration of the life, work and impact of Frida Kahlo. Rather than simply following her life chronologically, the exhibition delves into the Mexican artist’s many “selves”: boundary-pushing artist, intellectual, political activist and wife. Visitors can get up close to more than 30 of her works, plus over 200 pieces by her contemporaries and those she inspires. The final section of the show explores “Fridamania”, encompassing her immense fanbase and the continued use of her art and image in commercial objects.
Until January 3, 2027. tate.org.uk

Live-fire cooking has never been hotter in London. And for a taste of some of the city (and the UK’s) best all in one place, Meatopia is the place to be this September. Expect all things slow-cooked and wood-smoked, as world-class pitmasters and chefs will gather to host workshops and talks, and serve up festival-exclusive dishes. Big names include Ana Ortiz of Fire Made; Budgie Montoya (Cafe Kowloon, who’s known for his Filipino cooking; Sam Evans and Shauna Guinn of Hang Fire BBQ; Nathan Chapman of The Quality Chop House; and Masterchef: The Professionals finalist Mark O’Brien.
September 3–6; meatopia.co.uk

The Oscar- and Olivier Award-winning actor Mark Rylance will take to the Marylebone Theatre stage to star as Pastor Blake in a seven-week season of Tartuffe (Remixed), an adaptation of French playwright Molière’s 17th-century comedy. Written and directed by Darren Raymond, the production transposes the story to a contemporary Nigerian Jamaican family and blends comedy with spoken word and rhyming verse.
September 4–October 24. marylebonetheatre.com

More than 100 artists are set to sell their wares from their cars at Coal Drops Yard. The impressive line-up includes Vic Reeves, who will sell paintings that had The Guardian calling him “the Andy Warhol of bird painting”. Celebrity photographer Rankin will give visitors the chance to have their own portrait taken by him, and GG the Illustrator will bring her signature depictions of London’s council estates to the fair.
September 5. artcarbootfair.com

Artists, designers, chefs, makers and performers will unite at Ladbroke Hall to celebrate food as a language for creativity and cultural exchange. The market – divided into “Edible” and “Non-Edible”, will showcase paintings, independent publications and more available to buy, and there’ll also be an exhibition to explore. For an extra cost, there are hands-on workshops covering everything from marzipan modelling to Thai garland-making; the evening will see performances and readings take over the studio.
September 5 & 6. ladbrokehall.com

Following on from the successes of it recent themed events (which included a night dedicated to cheese), Borough Market will host a one-night-only celebration of fire cooking. A central fire pit will form the centrepiece of the festival, with a demonstration stage compered by Shauna Guinn of Hang Fire BBQ, known as a key proponent in bringing American barbecue to the UK. Borough Market traders will serve up dishes specially created for Flame & Smoke, drawing on barbecue traditions from South Asia, the Mediterranean and beyond.
September 10. boroughmarket.org.uk

It’s always a good time to check out Strawberry Hill House, Twickenham’s singular Gothic Revival villa, built by Horace Walpole from 1749. But for one weekend, the architectural marvel will bloom with large-scale floral installations as part of a public floristry festival. Curated by Cissy Bullock (Wildstems) and Olivia Wilson (Wetherly), the exhibition will invite 15 florist duos to take over rooms of the villa.
September 10–13. flowersontheedge.co.uk

Immersive sound installations, eye-popping light sculptures, major artist retrospectives and more will form the 24th edition of the London Design Festival. Bringing both emerging designers and industry-leading studios to the fore, the programme’s highlights include an audiovisual installation and light sculpture at St Paul’s Cathedral; an installation at the Barbican by homewares brand Made; a Somerset House exhibition bringing together Chinese and international artists exploring traditional craftsmanship reimagined for contemporary life; and Awakenings, a series of works at the V&A delving into the creative and destructive potential of AI.
September 12–20. londondesignfestival.com

Taste your way across Southeast Asia at Battersea Power Station’s annual festival. There’ll be more than 50 stalls selling sauces, spices, accessories, artworks and more, and food stalls by some of London’s most exciting Southeast Asian chefs. Abby Lee from Clapton favourite Mambow will serve up some of her signature dishes, including her Hainanese Chicken Sando; plus there will be stalls by Roti King, Rice Bandits, Old Chang Kee and more. Hear from leading chefs at the Feast & Flavour panel, where Lee will be joined by Budgie Montoya (Cafe Kowloon) and John Chantarasak (Anglothai), and stick around for DJ sets and live music.
September 11–13. @batterseapwrstn

As summer fades into the rear view mirror, celebrate the end of festival season at the Barking Riverside precinct’s free outdoor festival. Headlining the event is DJ AG, the Londoner who has amassed a huge following for his livestreams and surprise appearances from the likes of Craig David, Jorja Smith and Skepta. Joining him will be a suite of street food stalls, music and dance performances, an emerging makers’ market and a riverside sauna.
September 12. emergeeast.uk

No matter how long you’ve lived in London, there are countless stories still to discover – and a wonderful way to hear more of them is Open House Festival. This annual architecture-focused event runs walking tours through London’s most fascinating neighbourhoods and buildings. Explore the Golden Lane and Barbican estates while hearing about the bold modernist vision of their creators; take a boat ride along the River Thames as you hear from prominent architect Benedict O’Looney about key buildings on London’s embankments; and delve into centuries-long history of London’s sewers, from Bazalgette’s Victorian masterpiece to today’s Tideway “Super Sewer”.
September 12–26. open-city.org.uk

Craving one final outdoor festival before autumn sets in? Make it Waterworks Extended, a 36-hour marathon of top-tier selectors taking over east London mega-club The Cause. DJs including Daniel Avery, DJrum, Sofia Kourtesis, Leon Vynehall and Babyschön will play across a mixture of indoor and outdoor rooms.
September 12 & 13. royaldocks.london

While this grassroots jazz festival – returning for its 40th year – boasts more than 100 artists on the programme across over 30 shows, its organisers still prioritise making each gig feel as intimate as possible. Beloved jazz venues including Ronnie Scott’s, Piano Bar Soho and Cafe Boheme will host everything from swing, latin and blues to new-wave jazz.
September 16–19; soho.live

Back for its second year, the Chelsea Arts Festival celebrates the west London neighbourhood’s literary and artistic heritage with talks by the likes of Bernardine Evaristo and Celia Imrie; stand-up comedy by Sarah Keyworth and Tom Davis; a Friday Late at Saatchi Gallery celebrating 50 years since punk exploded on the King’s Road; and a Saturday of free outdoor entertainment across Sloane Square and beyond.
September 16–20. chelseaartsfestival.com

Stanley Tucci will sit on the judging panel alongside Quo Vadis’s Jeremy Lee at the fourth annual event hosted at Richard Corrigan’s celebrated seafood restaurant, Bentley’s Oyster Bar & Grill. Leading restaurants including Bouchon Racine, The Sea, The Sea and The Suffolk will compete in categories such as Best Dressed Oyster and the Speed Shucking Oyster Open.
September 18. londonoysterchampionships.

Shoreditch’s Brick Lane is synonymous with curry houses, and for one day, the entire street will become a lively street festival complete with dance performances, live music, street-side stalls serving food from east London’s Bangladeshi community, chef demonstrations and more. At midday, a procession (featuring Chinese lion dance performers, Bollywood dancers and giant puppets) will wind its way through Brick Lane. The festival stage will buzz with performances by the likes of Bengali British music stars Nish, Mumzy and Khiyo.
September 20; eventbrite.co.uk

It’s been nearly a decade since Edward Albee’s masterful 1962 play was on the West End, and this production – starring Gillian Anderson and Billy Crudup and directed by the great Marianne Elliot (War Horse, Angels in America) – is set to be explosive.
September 21–December 19; sohoplace.org

The Saatchi Gallery will host the UK’s only fair dedicated exclusively to modern and contemporary British art. More than 70 galleries will present work at the fair; visitors can browse works by big-name artists like Tracey Emin, Barbara Hepworth, LS Lowry and David Hockney, and discover newer contemporary artists.
September 24–27. britishartfair.co.uk

As the name suggests, the inaugural festival held at new King’s Cross venue Town Hall by Bottaccio is about bold new ideas (as well as unexpected nights out). In addition to a special live edition of Deborah Frances-White’s popular podcast The Guilty Feminist, a highlight is set to be Offscript Summit, a full-day series of talks by creatives and entrepreneurs that seeks to offer an alternative to the doom-and-gloom narrative around the impact of AI. The festival culminates with Backgammon & Wax, a backgammon tournament hosted by Doc Brown that anyone is invited to register for.
September 25–27; visionfestival.co.uk