Every year I post a weekend by weekend guide of free September events - a last flurry of London happenings before the nights draw in. This is not a normal year, but the fact I keep a regularannuallist should enable me to spot what's still going, what's trying a different approach and what's given up.
All month ✓Totally Thames (Sep 1-30): Yup, still a full month of events, although the majority seem to be virtual (sorry, "digital exclusive"), plus some workshops and paid-for walks. Not everything is up yet. Full marks for trying. ✓Lambeth Heritage Festival (Sep 1-30): A strong programme of walks, talks and Zooms, running at approximately half a dozen events a week, and all of them free. Well done Lambeth.
Weekend 1: September 5/6 ✓Greenwich + Docklands International Festival (Sat, Sun): Normally in June/July but has been delayed this year. Includes Dancing City at Canary Wharf (Sat) and sky-basedart in Oxleas Meadow (Sat, Sun). ✗Clapham Old Town Fair (Sat): Nothing. ✗Camberwell Fair (Sat): Cancelled. Hoping for 4th September 2021. ✗Arena Takeover (Sat): Brent drew the short straw of being Borough of Culture in 2020, so most of their showstopper events have been postponed by a year. ✓Thames Tidefest (Sun): No stalls, food or live music this year, and all river-based activities need to be pre-booked, but Chiswick's tidal celebration bravely bats on. ✗Angel Canal Festival (Sun): Cancelled. The website includes some heritage goodies and promises some as yet non-existent 'events'. ✗Brentford Festival (Sun): Cancelled. Hoping for 5th September 2021. ✗Palmers Green Festival (Sun): Cancelled "to simply de-risk the position".
Weekend 2: September 12/13 ✓Heritage Open Days (Thu-Sun): Two weekends when hundreds of buildings that aren't usually open are open. Most are outside London but 38 are in the capital (last year 68), including E3's House Mill, access to Willesden Jewish Cemetery and an HS2 webinar. ✓Greenwich + Docklands International Festival (Sat, Sun): The final weekend includes Fire Garden in Thames Barrier Park (Fri, Sat) and Ring Out in Silvertown (Fri, Sat). ✓Scadbury Open Weekend (Sat, Sun, 2-4.30): Archaeological excavations at the moated medieval manor house near the Sidcup bypass. No refreshments this year but the island will be open. ✗St Katharine Docks Classic Boat Festival (Sat, Sun): Just vanished. ✓Mitcham Heritage Day (Sat, 10-4.30): No peek inside the pavilion or dovecote this year, but Mitcham are giving it a damned good go with walks, tours and even the odd open building around the conservation area. Thumbs up. ✗Hackney Carnival (Sun): Replaced by a (time-non-specific) digital alternative on the Love Hackney website. ✓London Design Festival (continues until next weekend): Hundreds of design-er events across four chosen districts (down from eleven last year). Brompton looks like the place to head for the professionals, and King's Cross for the interested amateur.
Weekend 3: September 19/20 ✓Open House London (Sat, Sun): The grand-daddy of architectural festivals, but reduced this year to online peeks, films, self-led tours... and yes, some genuinely open buildings (with reduced capacities). The usual fabulousness is sprinkled across the programme, if you can find it. I recommend using Alasdair's excellent summary list to help filter out the must-visits from the stay-at-homes. ✓Heritage Open Days (Thu-Sun): Weekend two. ✓Bermondsey Street Festival (Sat, 11-6): Downgraded this year to a street market with some live entertainment. ✗The Great River Race (Sat): The spectacular paddle up the Thames has been cancelled. Now valiantly crowdfunding in the hope that 2021 can go ahead. ✗Hidden River Festival (Sat): More hidden than usual, indeed non-existent. ✓London Car Free Day (Sun): A lot of play streets doing their thing, but no sign of the City going full-on pedestrian this year.
