The capital’s best free events from May 20th-24th
Dear {{ first name | Cheapskater }},
So film screenings, art exhibitions and plays are the types of events which most excite you, according to our poll in last week’s newsletter. Thanks to the 500 of you who filled it out - that will be really helpful when we’re shortlisting events in future editions!
This week, we’ve partnered with the Southbank Centre, which is hosting a tonne of fun, family-friendly activities during the May half-term. Stand-out events include the Mish Mash Family Trail (an interactive adventure) and the Mughal Miniatures Dance Party, an outdoor performance featuring pop-up pictures and a lively DJ set.
Today’s newsletter is slightly shorter than usual as we’re doing another bank holiday special which will land in your inbox on Friday morning. As always, if you’re working on or know of an amazing free event happening over the long weekend that deserves a feature in Cheapskate, do let us know!
Have a great few days,
Kate and Georgia x
PS. Congrats to our reader Willow, who won a pair of tickets to Bubble Planet at Wembley Park (as promoted in last week’s newsletter). Scroll down for another unmissable competition…
MONDAY
FLOWERS 💐 Belgravia, until Mon
Floral festival
Today’s the launch of the week-long Belgravia in Bloom festival, which features large-scale flower displays created by world-famous Belgravia florists, plus floral-themed events & more.
WELLNESS 🌿 various, until Sun
Celebrating creativity
It’s also the launch of Creativity & Wellbeing Week, a UK-wide celebration of “creative health”. From a colouring workshop to short films about mental health, there’s a lot going on in London.
TUESDAY
FOOD 🍫 Leic Sq, Tues-Weds, 12-6
Small but sweet pop-up
Immerse yourself in all things chocolate at an M&M’s pop up at 59 Greek Street, where you can create a mini version of yourself out of chocolate & be among the first to try the new M&M minis.
TALK 🗣️ virtual, from 7pm
How to spread kindness
How can we turn outrage into optimism? Join the head of TED for a pay-what-you-want talk about reimagining generosity & spreading more kindness in our lives & our world.
Competition time! 💕
See Emily Nagoski, one of the world’s leading voices on sexual wellness & the bestselling author of Come As You Are, live on stage in conversation with therapist Dr Sara Nasserzadeh.
We have a pair of tickets (worth £36 each) to give away for How To Create Lasting Sexual Connections, an exciting, one-off event hosted by How To Academy on June 7.
To enter the draw, simply refer a friend to Cheapskate by sending them this link (it contains your personalised referral code): {{rp_refer_url}}.
Once they’ve signed up, you’ll be entered & we’ll then pick a name at random. Good luck! 🤞
WEDNESDAY
COMEDY 🎙️ Angel, 7-8pm
Stand-up & BYOB
Improv extraordinaire Flora Anderson (who you may know from Instagram) is doing free stand-up in Nourished Communities’ lovely garden this Weds. Plus, it’s BYOB.
ART 🖼️ Waterloo, until June 2
Garden-themed art
Weds is the launch of A Different Green, artist Bella Hoare’s garden-themed exhibit at the Oxo Tower. Bella’s work offers a feminine take on the “Green Man” figure from British pagan folklore.
THURSDAY
FILM 📽️ Herne Hill, from 7pm
Cycling Shorts
Head to the Herne Hill Velodrome for Cycling Shorts - an evening of short (& not so short) films about cycling, ranging from London to Lombok. There’ll also be “a guest appearance”.
MUSIC 🎶 Waterloo, from 6pm
Discover new artists
Enjoy an evening of high-energy, high-originality music at futuretense: THEO + The Shellers - a quirky free gig presented in collaboration with BBC Introducing.
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FRIDAY
MUSIC/ART 🖼️ Angel, until May 25
Posters through the ages
There are just a few days left to check out Twentieth Century Posters, a collection of original posters & gig photos which offer a fascinating view of the evolution of the British music scene.
PARTY 💃 Dalston, from 8pm
Icons only
To celebrate the start of the bank holiday, Ridley Road Market Bar is hosting Icons Only - a party dedicated to the kings & queens of disco, RnB & soul & pop, from Chaka Khan to Girls Aloud.
And for dessert...
🧡 Help your colleagues, family & friends get the best out of London for free by referring them to Cheapskate using your unique code: {{rp_refer_url}}.
💪 Want to try ClassPass & get access to hundreds of gyms & classes across London? Here's an exclusive 14-day trial (with a whopping 72 credits to use).
🍚 The Earl’s Court branch of South Korean street food chain Bunsik is offering 50% off all cup bap bowls on Monday & Tuesday, & 50% off all burgers on Thursday & Friday, to celebrate its opening.
🥼 Looking to upgrade your PJ game? This brushed cotton pink herringbone set is massively discounted right now. This option for men is also gorgeous (& currently on sale).
🤤 My super-talented chef friend Frank is running a residency at the gorgeous Crooked Well pub in Camberwell. Readers of Cheapskate can take 20% off their food bill on Tues, Weds & Thurs (just tell a member of staff that you’re a subscriber when you arrive!).
💰 We’ve always got our eye on a discount… & we should probably bring to your attention that Tropicfeel is offering 10% all purchases if you sign up for their newsletter. We are completely obsessed with their footwear & backpacks.
💌 If you’re like us & love newsletters, but get a bit overwhelmed by your busy inbox, you might want to try Meco. It’s a free app that’s specifically built for reading newsies (will that ever catch on?). Try it here!
☕️ On the subject of newsletters, we’ve been enjoying The Inner Circle by Coffee Grind Guru, which features coffee insights, special discounts, quizzes with rewards & more.
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We try to only include accurate information, but sometimes things can change. Everything included in the newsletter is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time the newsletter is sent out. Sometimes we make money from the links we include (like this one!) but we only recommend things we genuinely like. You can also support Cheapskate by buying us a coffee or making a monthly donation.