The best events and things to do this weekend, September 18-20

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Harry Fletcher17 September 2020

It's set to be another glorious weekend in the capital, and with the Government's new rule of six kicking in, Londoners are looking to enjoy it responsibly.

The weather is shaping up nicely, with London’s beer gardens and rooftop bars welcoming (small) groups in the sunshine. There is whole host of outdoor arts events to enjoy, too.

If you feel like ducking inside, there are world-beating art exhibitions to check out, as well as incredible restaurant deals and much more. Be sure to support the underdogs, too – grab a table at one of our favourite small restaurants, where size really isn't everything.

Here are our picks of the best things to get up to in London this weekend.

Celebrate The Clapham Grand’s reopening weekend with live music and comedy

One of the biggest and most multi-faceted venues in south London is back in action, with the Clapham Grand hosting a reopening party this weekend. Frank Turner performs on Friday night after helping raise £25,000 for the venue with their ‘Save The Grand’ live stream earlier in the year. Drag Race & Big Brother star Courtney Act performs on Saturday, before Russell Howard takes to the stage on Sunday. Book your tickets now.

September 18-20, The Clapham Grand, St John's Hill, SW11 1TT, claphamgrand.com

Enjoy a free negroni at Burger and Lobster

It’s National Negroni Week and one of the most popular mini-chains in London is getting boozy to celebrate. Customers who order a negroni this weekend and post on their social media accounts with all the right tags will receive a complimentary negroni on their next visit. Make sure to check out our guide to the best negronis in London, too. Chin chin!

Until September 20, various locations, burgerandlobster.com

Head to the floating cinema at Merchant Square

First look at London's new floating cinema

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There’s a brand new floating cinema experience to be had in London this summer. Openaire, Merchant Square and GoBoat are welcoming members of the public to Paddington's Merchants Square to enjoy screenings on Regent’s Canal under the stars. There are 16 boats waiting to take up to 128 movie lovers out onto the water, with films being shown on a 6x3m LED screen and audio enjoyed through noise cancelling headphones. Screenings this weekend include Dirty Dancing, The Greatest Showman and Pulp Fiction.

Merchant Square, W2, openaire.co.uk

Stay up late at one of London’s late-night haunts

Siobhan Bradshaw

London is in a state of semi-lockdown right now, but there are still plenty of places putting on socially-distanced nights out. The Standard has put together a helpful guide to our favourite late night haunts which are welcoming guests until the early hours right now. Highlights include the newly opened Black Book in Soho, Slim Jim’s Liquor Store and late night dining at Duck & Waffle. Read the full guide here.

Various dates and locations

Enjoy a culinary treat with Bloomberg Arcade

Bloomberg Arcade in the heart of the City has changed the way it does things, launching a new takeaway service for its top restaurants under the new Arcade To Go initiative. Highlights for diners to look out for include Vinoteca’s new steak kits, as well as Ekte's Scandi-style smørrebrød sandwiches and Brigadier’s chilli mango margaritas, all available to enjoy at home. Caravan, Bleecker, Ekte, Ahi Poké, Homeslice, Kym’s and Koya are all involved too.

Bloomberg Arcade, 3 Queen Victoria Street, City, EC2R, bloombergarcade.com

Head down to Laduree’s new Moët & Chandon terrace

Relax into late summer and treat yourself to a glass of fizz at the new alfresco Champagne bar at Covent Garden hotspot Laduree. There’ll be free flowing Moët, as well as Belvedere ginger spritz and Moët Champagne julep cocktails, plus food pairings available from a menu of modern French classics.

Ladurée, 1 The Market, WC2E 8RA, laduree.co.uk

Check out Homeboy’s new Irish food offering

Gaelic charm: Homeboy on Essex Road will extend its Irish hospitality to a new hidden pub

You’ll struggle to find a better bar in north London than Homeboy, with the Islington spot doing a great range of cocktails and a cracking pint of Guinness. There’s even more to look forward to now as well, after the venue teamed up with ex-Chiltern Firehouse chef, Michael Williams, to launch a brand new food offering. The menu features twists on comfort food including the "Buffalo Nuggs" - nuggets of buttermilk fried chicken with buffalo sauce made using Irish whiskey. Head down on Tuesdays and make use of the free cheese board offer for something to soak up the drinks too.

108 Essex Rd, Islington, N1 8LX, homeboybar.com

Grab a late night bite at the The Breakfast Club’s Saint Elmo

The Breakfast Club has been serving perfect hangover-busting grub in the mornings for 15 years, and now it’s flipping the way it does things by welcoming a new late night sandwich bar. Saint Elmo’s sandwich bar is taking up a permanent residency at its Berwick Street location every day from 5pm. Top picks include the chicken Kiev sandwich and the flagship Saint Elmo’s Fire, described as “your local kebab shop in a sandwich”.

11 Berwick St, Soho, W1F 0PL, thebreakfastclubcafes.com

Take a boat trip around London

Head off on your own voyage of exploration with Go Boat, which runs self-drive boating experiences in London. One household or support bubble of up to eight people is allowed per boat – bear in mind that proof of address may be required – with a chance to discover views of the city from brand new perspectives, cruising along London’s canals at their own leisure. The firm operates out of two locations in Paddington and Kingston upon Thames, with hour-long sessions starting at £79.

Paddington and Kingston upon Thames, goboat.co.uk

Head to Jesus Christ Superstar in the park

Mark Senior

Head to the park for Jesus Christ Superstar in London this summer. The Evening Standard Award-winning revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s rock musical is back against all the odds this weekend, with theatre fans enjoying the show under social distancing from Saturday. It’s a chance to see the popular show in new surroundings, following sell-out runs at Regent’s Park and a summer season at the Barbican last year.

Until September 27, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, NW1, openairtheatre.com

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