What To Do This Weekend 22.05.25

It’s London’s first serious festival weekend of the year. A host of one-dayers are taking over Brockwell Park – Field Day has relocated there from Victoria Park this year, or you could try Cross the Tracks for something a bit funkier on Sunday – but we’re shining a light on Gala in Peckham Rye Park. For its tenth birthday, it’s landed a live performance from Caribou and a DJ set from Floating Points. A couple of big names from Detroit, Theo Parrish and Moodymann, will also be helping it celebrate. Day tickets start from £39.50 plus booking fee.

Peckham Rye Park, Straker's Road, Peckham Rye, SE15 3UA; 23rd-25th May

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A couple of proper players on the east London cocktail scene have teamed up to open Parasol in Dalston. In the basement that used to be The Nest club, Andy Kerr (Sun Tavern, Umbrella Project) and Tom Gibson (Ruby’s, Corrochio’s) have created a warm space inspired by trips to Mexico and Morocco. Signature serves include the June Bug (Takamaka overproof rum, pineapple, banana) and the smoky El Diablo Guapo (Quiquiriqui mezcal, palo santo, blackberry). There are low-intervention wines from Provisions Wine & Cheese, and the new place is open to 2am Wednesday to Saturday, fuelled by DJs spinning classic NYC-style mutant disco.

36 Stoke Newington Road, Dalston, N16 7XJ

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Heads up. It’s only a couple of weeks until Chestertons Polo in the Park lands in London for its 2025 edition. It’s taking over handsome Hurlingham Park for three days – and each day offers something slightly different. Friday 6th June is built around the big game: an international match between England and Argentina. Saturday is Ladies Day, then Sunday is dedicated to families, before the music’s turned up from 2pm for the now classic Polo Day Party. On all three days, anyone looking to cut loose should be eyeing up CALA – the pitchside VIP area where champagne, Pimm’s and cocktails flow freely at private bars and via direct table service. 

Hurlingham Park, Fulham, SW6 3RH; 6th-8th June

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Opening this week at the Barbican, Feel The Sound is an exhibition that takes music beyond the auditory and into multi-sensory territory. Dotted around the arts hub, it comprises 11 interactive installations that use new tech and original artwork to show how sound can impact our bodies and how we feel. There’s even a chance to feel music without any sound – and don’t miss the Joyride installation out in the car park, which channels the heady days of boy racers and Y2K raves.

Silk Street, Barbican, EC2Y 8DS; opens 22nd May

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Quality Wines – neighbour and sister to the ever-outstanding Quality Chop House – is starting a Sunday Series. The Farringdon spot didn’t used to open on the sabbath, but every month or so it will now be hosting guest chefs in its kitchen. Cooks from Chishiru, Mangal II and Tiella are all booked in, starting with Decatur pan rattler Tom Zahir this Sunday 25th May. Count on him for up to eight dishes with a southern US bent – and, of course, there’ll be a few decent drops to pair with his flexible menu.

88 Farringdon Road, Farringdon, EC1R 3EA

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Brazilian brand Farm Rio has touched down at Selfridges. And this isn’t just a new brand launch; it’s an experience. The third floor has been transformed into a colourful jungle-meets-gallery space in collaboration with design studio Estúdio Campana. Expect exclusive drops from Farm Rio’s summer ’25 collection, vibrant prints, and plenty of photo-worthy corners. Inspired by the theme ‘Living Nature’, the pop-up is a celebration of Brazilian culture and sustainability – and a fresh update for your holiday wardrobe.

400 Oxford Street, West End, W1A 1AB

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Belgravia is in bloom. Open until 7th June, Tavola’s dreamy Spring Shop is putting on a series of creative workshops hosted by Skye McAlpine. Expect floral tablescaping sessions with Minnow and Wolf, paint-your-own menu card classes with Imogen Partridge, and dried flower arranging with Design by Nature. Each workshop blends Skye’s signature romantic style with seasonal blooms and relaxed elegance – and it’s the perfect excuse to gather the girls.

48 Elizabeth Street, Belgravia, SW1W 9PA 

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For one day only, Lisbon’s hottest chef is in London. Tasca’s Josh Dallaway and Sílvia Rocha from BLOCO are joining forces on Sunday 25th May for a special collab at Cav in Bethnal Green. Expect new twists on comforting Portuguese dishes – like octopus salad, cheesy blood rice arancini, and roast lamb bacalhau à Brás. The wine list is fully Portuguese (including litre bottles of chilled Nat Cool reds) and the vibes are intimate and relaxed. Booking is essential.

378 Cambridge Heath Road, Bethnal Green, E2 9RA 

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Claridge’s is celebrating the 100th anniversary of Art Deco with a year-long tribute to the Roaring Twenties. The Bright Young Things series includes Gatsby-style dinners, Lalique-glass cocktails in the Fumoir, and Charleston masterclasses from London’s best flappers. There are also deco-themed sleepovers, behind-the-scenes hotel tours, and talks from vintage experts. Expect plenty of champagne, rare archival pieces and a touch of 1920s magic – Claridge’s style.

Claridge’s, Brook Street, Mayfair, W1K 4HR

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Heading out for lunch with the kids this half term? The Londoner has you covered. Each Sunday until 15th June, diners at Whitcomb’s can enjoy their meal while little ones (aged 3+) get stuck into crafts, games and table-top activities at the complimentary Kids’ Corner. It runs from 12.30pm to 4.30pm, supervised by DBS-checked playworkers from The Kids’ Table – ideal for parents who want a proper meal without the faff.

Whitcomb’s at The Londoner, 38 Leicester Square, West End, WC2H 7DX

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Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre kicks off its summer season with a day dedicated to families on Sunday 25th May. Expect a flute-filled Bach to Baby concert in the morning; a kid-friendly comedy club (think stand-up minus the rude bits) at 11.30am; and Fly-Kid – a hip-hop party for parents and kids – from lunchtime onwards. To round off the Family Takeover Day, there will be a star-studded night of poetry and performance featuring Damian Lewis, Tony Robinson, Olivia Williams, Indira Varma, James Phoon and Samantha Spiro reading some of Shakespeare’s most-loved speeches and sonnets.

Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, Regent’s Park, NW1 4N

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One of London’s chicest outdoor dining spots is back. Hyde Park Garden at the Mandarin Oriental has reopened for summer – and this year, it’s all about elevated British classics, courtesy of Dinner by Heston Blumenthal. In the hotel’s private garden, with first-rate views across Hyde Park, the pop-up’s menu will include Heston’s famous triple-cooked chips and reimagined ‘Chips and Fish’, served on custom newspaper. Add signature dishes like the famous meat fruit and tipsy cake, and you’ve got one of the most luxe lunch spots in the city. Drinks? A Château d’Esclans wine list – featuring Whispering Angel and Garrus – brings a splash of Provence to the table. Open daily for long lunches and golden-hour rosé, this is your go-to for summer dining with serious style.

Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, Knightsbridge, SW1X 7LA

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Illustrator and designer Pip Carter – known for her work with Charlotte Tilbury and Vanity Fair – unveils her first solo exhibition Somewhere In The Nowhere this month at Shreeji newsagents on Chiltern Street. Created in partnership with Air Mail and cult flower delivery brand Freddie’s Flowers, the show features Pip’s large-scale abstract florals, layered with a surreal installation of real blooms suspended in front of the canvases. Think dreamlike cosmic diptychs filled with poppies and irises, where Matisse-style paper cut-outs collide with living plants. With a limited-edition run of silkscreen prints available post show, this two-day-only event promises to be as photogenic as it is immersive.

6 Chiltern Street, Marylebone, W1U 7PT; 28th-29th May

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For something a little different, Birkenstock has teamed up with natural nail studio Still London to launch a serene series of foot spa treatments at its Shoreditch studio. Inspired by its SS25 Florida collection, the immersive experience includes the brand’s signature foot massage and bespoke pedicures using Birkenstock’s Care Essentials range. Add a custom soundtrack by Alex Hislop and you’ve got the ultimate after-work unwind. Treatments are available Wednesday to Friday – but appointments are limited, so book ahead.

Birkenstock Studio, Dray Walk, The Old Truman Brewery, Brick Lane, E1 6QL; until 6th June

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For a countryside getaway with serious foodie credentials, FieldGoods is taking over Fritton Lake for a limited series of stay-and-dine weekends. Usually reserved for members and cabin owners, the exclusive estate is opening its gates for a seasonal lunch hosted by FieldGoods founders Elliot and Sam, alongside Fritton’s chefs. Expect a hyper-local menu made with produce from the estate’s regenerative farm and local suppliers – served alongside wild swimming, a floating sauna, heated pool, tennis courts and a sustainable gym. Choose from a one-night clubhouse stay or a two-night cottage escape, with packages starting from £250 for two.

Fritton Lake, Fritton, Norfolk, NR31 9HA; 4th-6th June

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Following its success last year, the Coravin World Wine Tour is back. The maker of the revolutionary wine-by-the-glass system has created another celebration that will see select restaurants offering an exclusive Coravin wine list, spotlighting rare and iconic wines not typically available by the glass. As well as popping up at the likes of Thomas in Cardiff, Climat in Manchester and Lapin in Bristol, the tour returns to the capital, where some exciting wines will be served at Jackson Boxer’s Brunswick House and his newcomer Dove, as well as Petrus by Gordon Ramsay and Bacchanalia. We imagine a glass of 2016 Roagna Barbaresco Albesani will pair perfectly with one of Dove’s off-menu gorgonzola burgers…

Various locations; until 31st May

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