Looking for the best things to do in London in September? Don’t miss the best things to see and do in the capital this month with this handy guide.
We don’t know about you, but we can’t quite believe how fast this year is going. September sees the tail end of festival season (though, it’s safe to say that the very best has been saved for last) and a whole host of exciting exhibitions taking place in the capital.
From Soul music festivals to a look around some of London’s locked doors, are you ready to discover what’s on in London in September?
Let’s dive in.
Things to do in London in September
Chat With Your Favourite Authors at Capital Crime Festival
St. Pauls
31st August – 2nd September
Love all things crime? You do not want to miss the thrilling Capital Crime Festival taking place in Battersea Park this September.
This festival is one of the biggest celebrations of all things crime and thriller, and the line-up includes some of the best crime writers and film directors from around the globe. Writers like Richard Osman, Kate Atkinson Chris Lang and Richard Armitage are among the stellar creatives hosting talks and workshops across the weekend.
Relax at Pub in the Park
Chiswick
1st – September
Tom Kerridge’s Pub in the Park series of events have already been a huge hit this year in London, but September sees the next event taking place in Chiswick, Expect delicious food, great music, and, of course, brilliant pints.
Ready for one of the best London shows in September? Expect music from McFly, Ronan Keating, and The Hoosiers, while Tom Kerridge himself (chef of a Michelin-starred kitchen no less) will getting behind the cookline with Andi Oliver and one half of the Hairy Bikers, Si King.
Chill Out at Soultown Festival
Beckenham
2nd + 3rd September
Looking for the best concerts in London in September? Soultown Festival is one of the most highly-anticipated festivals of the year and will be bringing some smooth sounds to the outskirts of the capital.
Trust us when we say that the line-up is stellar – we’re talking Sister Sledge, Boney M, Peter Andre, UB40 and heaps more. Did anyone say throwback?
Nosy Around Open House London
Multiple Venues
8th – 21st September
Fancy having a nose around some of the coolest homes in London? Don’t miss Open House London.
Open House will allow the public to explore London’s hidden treasures – including places that are usually closed. Taking place this year is Walter’s Way in Lewisham, the Rio Cinema in Dalston, and the Brunel Building, among plenty of other spots in the capital.
As well as this, expect talks, workshops, and walks throughout London.
Read More: Open House London 2022
Listen to Your Faves at London Podcast Festival
7th – 17th September
With a line-up spanning big names and niche brands in the world of podcasting, is it any wonder we’re so excited for the London Podcast Festival?
Black Prose, Empire Film Podcast, and Ramon Fear’s Terror Tapes are just some of the big names filming their episodes live in front of an audience. Plus there’ll be street food and other exciting events to get involved with during the week.
Check Out Astronomy Photographer of the Year
From 16th September
the Astronomy Photographer of the Year exhibition. This annual competition features the world’s greatest space photography, and attracts photographers globally. But who will win the prestigious title this year?
We’re not sure, but you bet we’ll be there checking out the epic photos. In fact, more than 100 images will be showcased, displayed on illuminating lightbox displays. Don’t miss out.
Celebrate at the Totally Thames Festival
Multiple Venues
1st – 30th September
Celebrate London’s waterways at the Totally Thames, a month-long festival dedicated to the capital’s famous river. The programme is jam-packed with brilliant events, from riverside concerts to outdoor movies and late-night cruises down the Thames.
We’re super excited for this event on the 1st of September. It’s a water-based cruise of Christopher Wren’s architecture. You can skip along the waters of the Thames as a knowledgeable guide explains what it is that makes the buildings so bloomin’ special.
Attend London Design Festival
Multiple Venues
16th – 24th September
One of the biggest annual events in September in London is the capital’s festival dedicated to design – and this year, London Design Festival is celebrating 21 years since its inception.
An abundance of special events, exhibitions, and open houses will take place across the entirety of the capital, spanning innovative creations to classic architecture. There will also be plenty of workshops taking place by the likes of OKA and the Global Design Forum.
Whether you’re a creative, or you simply want to brush up on your design knowledge (and skills), this fabulous event is always a highlight on the London calendar.
Scrable for Noma Tickets
Marylebone
10th September
If you hadn’t already heard, Noma is coming to London for one day and one day only. Well, actually it’s Noma Projects, the creative wing of the world’s best restaurant but who’s splitting hairs on that?
They’ll be at KOL, a Michelin-starred Mexican kitchen in Marylebone on the 10th of September. There’s a very high chance that by the time you’re reading this all the spots will have sold out, but just in case there are any dedicated foodies among you (we know there are) you better get scouring the internet for some second-hand tickets.
Dine Out at a Devil Wears Prada Immersive Cinema Experience
Moorgate
15th September
We’ve written about Taste Film’s stuff in our guides before. We absolutely love them. They get together every few months or so to screen some much-loved movies with a twist. This screening is also a dinner, and you’ll be eating along with the characters on screen.
This time around they’re showing The Devil Wears Prada and serving up five drinks and dishes at various points throughout the movie. As usual you’ll be eating the same thing as the characters on screen do – nice then we don’t remember anyone in that film having anything other than a splendid figure.
Escape a Power Cut at Battersea Powerstation
Battersea
Open indefinitely
London has gained a new escape room. Escape the Power Cut takes you behind the scenes of Control Room B for an electrifying (hehe) escape experience. What’s cool about this is that the dials and such you’ll be working around are really the instruments that ran the place back when it was used to generate power and not as a swanky shopping mall.
Your job will be to restore power during an outage. To do this, you’ll need to solve a series of puzzles and (because all good control room engineers do this) drink a couple of cocktails.
Booking is open now. Tickets can be purchased here.
Check Out Barking Riverside’s Summer Sessions
Barking
Until September 17th
Throughout the summer Barking Riverside has been laying on some summer sessions full of fun for everyone. These will be running until the 17th of September with heaps more fun stuff still to come.
There’s a family rave with OG family ravers Big Fish Little Fish, fitness classes on the waterfront every weekend, mobile cocktail bars, foodie pop-ups and heaps more. You can check out the full schedule here.
Attend a Wellness Retreat
Newham
17th September
Look, London gets stressful. Sometimes we all need to take a step back and remember what’s important (mainly chillin’ the heck out sometimes). Feel like you’re in need of a little relaxation? There’s a very nice wellness retreat going down this month.
In the three-hour session you’ll be blending your own herbal teas and taking part in a smoke cleanse and meditation ritual. You’ll also be invited to make your own candle and experience a relaxing sound healing. Get ready for ultimate zen.
Hit a Brand New Food Festival
Regent Street
18th – 24th September
London loves a food festival. It also loves a bit of sustainable cooking. It must have been a matter of time before someone came up with this concept: a food festival all about ethical cooking.
Enter Future of Food Festival, the new kid on the block. These guys are running a week-long program of food pop-ups talks and other events. What does that involve? Well, there’s chef’s table sessions at one of our fav restaurants in London, Fallow, panel discussions at Fortnum and Mason, Michelin-starred tasting menus and heaps more.
More info and bookings can be found here
Catch a Marina Abramović Exhibition at Royal Academy of Arts
Piccadilly
From 23rd September
The great Marina Abramović is getting an exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts starting this month and running all the way through to January.
The retrospective will examine the work of the legendary performance artist through images and video. What’s more, the exhibition will change over time so you can go back for seconds and have a completely new experience.
Abramovic has been hailed as one of the most important conceptual artists of the past half-century. Her works are often provocative performance pieces that push the boundaries of the form, even putting the artist’s life at risk. It’s quite something to behold.
More info and tickets here
Read More: London Exhibition Edit: The Must See Exhibitions in London Right Now
Or The Smalls Films Festival
Hoxton
23rd + 24th September
September marks the return of The Smalls Film Festival, London’s annual weekend of short film screenings. The festival is a run through some of the best of the short film world and has been running now for over a decade and a half.
Film screenings are broken down into categories like animation, comedy, documentary, drama and so on. You buy a ticket and breeze through a whole genre in one sitting. It’s always a good laugh and a brilliant way to experience some of the lesser-known creative cinema being made in London, and around the world.
More information and tickets here
Hear the Music of Zelda Performed by Candlelight
London Bridge
23rd September
Candlelight has a rep for putting on some pretty special performances. This month they’re taking their signature candlelit stage and using it as a platform to play the songs from the legendary Zelda games.
The tracklist says they’re going to cover themes going as far back as 1986 and as recently as 2023, and yes, Breath of the Wild is in there.
Take a Competitive Cocktail Masterclass
Fitzrovia
Open indefinitely
Did you ever play that life-sized version of Monopoly? Well, the people behind that have come up with a brand new way to compete against your pals. This newly opened experience has you and your gang competing against each other in groups of up to 20 to mix drinks like you’ve never mixed them before.
Your judge (and guide) will be an expert bartender who’ll rank the winning mixologists and teach you a thing or two about how to make the perfect drink.
Practical Tips for Exploring London in September
- September is a seriously glorious month for visiting London. Hotels are cheaper and crowds are slightly thinner, but the weather is still pretty pleasant (read: Unpredictable. It is London, after all).
- There are so many one-off events happening this month in London. Book ahead to avoid disappointment. The same goes for restaurants and bars.
