Hey Neighbours!
This week's newsletter is a little different. That's because I'm mainly focusing on your future self. You know, the one that likes to plan ahead, budget, and send calendar invites. Yes, that person. This is the kind of newsletter you can save for later, but you'll also get reminders the closer we get to the dates.
Alright, lets get to it.
Plan Your Weekend:
Round Up
Bits and bobs worth knowing.
👶 Haringey early years consultation closes Sunday: Parents with under-5s and childcare professionals have until 31 Aug to shape council services through nine surveys covering funded childcare, resources, and support. Topics include making childcare roles more attractive and improving information access. Five £100 vouchers up for grabs in prize draw.
🌻 Camden in Bloom final call: This Sunday (31 Aug) is your last chance to enter the borough's gardening competition. Six categories including best front garden, community garden, and young gardener under 10. Winners get Camden Garden Centre vouchers plus bonus prizes. Email photos to [email protected] by Sunday.
🚽 Seven new 24/7 public toilets open across Islington: Free, self-cleaning facilities are now live at Newington Green, City Road, and Highbury Fields, with four more opening by early October. All feature wheelchair access, menstrual waste disposal, and automatic disinfection after every use.
🏃♀️ Islington crowned UK's healthiest city: New study ranks the borough top with 77.8% physical activity levels, the highest in Britain, ahead of Oxford and Edinburgh despite weaker cancer and childhood obesity stats. Car-free zones and cycling push credited for healthy lifestyle culture.
🌳 East Finchley's 70-year-old birch trees saved: Barnet Council grants tree preservation orders for five trees opposite the station after 700+ residents petitioned against removal for new housing development. Success for campaigner who started the fight in 2005. Strategic planning committee to hear petition in September.
🎭 Gujarati festival comes to Brent: Three-day Rangeelu Gujarat celebration at Roe Green Park, Kingsbury from 5-7 September. Music, dance, comedy, plus vegetarian food stalls, described as London's only non-religious Indian cultural festival.
🌳 Trees felled at Finsbury Park after Krankbrother raves: Conservation group calls August damage "worst ever" with branches hacked off for fences and "dead zones" of trampled grass left behind. Council defends tree removal as safety-related, but campaigners want £1.3m events moved elsewhere. Five-day drum'n'bass festival drew 50,000 ravers to biodiverse north side.
🏘️ North Finchley residents fight developer's housing plans: 100 locals launch "Our North Finchley" campaign demanding rejection of Regal's town centre and Great North Leisure Park redevelopment. They want community-led alternatives instead of "poorly designed" schemes prioritising "developer profits over local needs." Developer defends 850+ new homes plan as sustainable investment.
My North London Top Events
Natural Aspect Summer Concert | 📍Parliament Hill Bandstand, Hampstead Heath | 31 August | Free
Fifth year of this free community concert on the Heath from 1-5pm. Kinobe (the duo behind "Slip Into Something More Comfortable") headline alongside ska band Peace & Love and rock outfit Roscoe P Coltrane. There's also circus skills workshops, a tree-themed stilt walker, and you can sign up to be a volunteer shepherd for autumn grazing.
Queen's Park Book Festival | 📍Queen's Park, NW6 | 30-31 August | (£) + Free
A weekend of author talks and literary events in Queen's Park. This year's speakers include Naga Munchetty, Alan Hollinghurst, Hanif Kureishi and Lyse Doucet, plus emerging writers in the Community Tent. You can wander between events, grab a coffee, and actually chat to authors.
Classic and Vintage Car Show | 📍Capel Manor Gardens, EN1 | 31 August | (£)
Over 500 classic cars from the 1920s onwards displayed in beautiful gardens. There's also a mini zoo, live music, food stalls and a vintage drinks bar. Plus you can explore 30 acres of gardens and have cream tea by the 17th century manor house.
Nature Walk - Bug Safari | 📍Parliament Hill, NW3 | 30 August | Free
One-hour guided walk with a resident expert looking for bugs and insects on the Heath from 12-1pm. All ages welcome but under 18s need an adult with them. Free but donations welcome and booking essential.
Tunes in the Park | 📍Waterlow Park, N19 | 31 August | Free
Part of the Pop-Up Proms series, this Sunday's free outdoor concert features Funny Bones, a trombone ensemble from the Royal Academy of Music. Expect inventive melodies and big brass energy from 2:30-3:45pm in Waterlow Park
Highgate History Walk | 📍Lauderdale House, N6 | 31 August | (£)
Last chance to explore Highgate's history on this 90-minute guided walk from 11am. Starting at Tudor Lauderdale House, you'll see the historic high street from the 1600s, 18th century mansions, churches and historic pubs.
September Picks
Plan ahead for September. Here are a few picks, events marked with (£) require a ticket in advance.
1–7 Sept
🎙️London Podcast Festival | 📍Kings Place, N1 | 4-14 September | (£)
Europe's first major podcast festival celebrates its 10th year with 11 days of live recordings. No Such Thing As A Fish are doing four shows, plus appearances from Jameela Jamil's Wrong Turns, Empire Film Podcast, and multiple History Hit shows with Dan Snow. There's also comedy, wrestling podcasts, and the funeral home sitcom Wooden Overcoats.
🎶Latinas Of London | 📍Jazz Cafe, NW1 | 6 September | (£)
A Night celebrating London's emerging Latin music scene with artists blending their Latin American heritage with British upbringing. Desta French hosts alongside British-Colombian 'rocketon' artist Lisey Tigra.
🛌 Max Richter SLEEP – 10 Year Anniversary | 📍Alexandra Palace, N22 | 5-6 September | (£)
Max Richter's eight-hour overnight performance returns to London for the first time since 2017. You literally sleep through the show - beds are provided along with bedding and light breakfast. It's part concert, part art installation, challenging how we experience music. These will be the largest SLEEP shows ever performed.
🌿Folk Fest at Clitterhouse Farm | 📍Clitterhouse Playing Fields, NW2 | 6 Sept | Free
There's a working farm tucked away in NW2 that's hosting its first ever folk festival. Live music, local food stalls, workshops and storytelling circles from 12-5pm. It's their first go at this so go on, show them some support.
🛶Angel Canal Festival | 📍 City Road Basin, Graham Street Park & Islington Boat Club | 7 September | Free
Free family festival by the canal in Angel from 11am-4pm. Puppet shows, live music, boat trips, canoeing you can try, craft stalls and food. It's a community event that happens every year - basically a Sunday afternoon by the water with entertainment and activities for kids and adults.
😂Stand Up Comedy at The Phoenix | 📍Phoenix Cinema, East Finchley | 7 September | (£)
Live comedy returns to the Phoenix Cinema. Ross Smith (E4), Sara Barron (Live at the Apollo), and Tom Price (Magic FM host) are trying out new material, hosted by Joe Bor from Channel 4. Proceeds go towards the cinema.
Source: Angel Canal Festival
8–14 Sept
🎨Markfield Road Festival | 📍South Tottenham, N15 | 12-14 September | Free
Free arts festival celebrating local creatives across three days in South Tottenham. Open arts studios, short film screenings, life drawing sessions, and yoga with the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation. All ages welcome for this community celebration of art, music and discussion.
🍜 Barnet Food Festival 2025 | 📍RAF Museum, Grahame Park Way, NW9 | Sat 13 – Sun 14 Sept | (£)
Barnet’s biggest foodie weekender is back at the RAF Museum. Over 40 food stalls, global street eats, sweet treats, and a pop-up beach bar. ( kids go free).
Source: Barnet Food Festival
🛍️Market Tales Launch | 📍Seven Sisters Market, N15 | 13 September | Free
Seven Sisters Market (also known as Latin Village) has been famous for its Colombian and Latin American traders, but many were displaced over the years. Now they're back at Wards Corner and this celebration from 3-8pm marks their return.
💃La Feria - Family & Culture | 📍Phoenix Pub Beer Garden, Alexandra Palace | 13 September | Free
Full day of Latin American culture on Alexandra Palace's terrace from 12-8pm. Live performances including salsa, vallenatos, and traditional drumming from acts like Fuerza Vallenata and Ballet Cultural Bolivia. Five DJs spinning Latin beats, plus Latin American food stalls.
🧩London Design Festival | 📍Multiple venues across London | 13-21 September | Varies
London's annual celebration of design takes over the city for nine days. The 23rd edition brings together designers, retailers, educators and exhibitions across multiple venues.
15–21 Sept
🎸Busted vs McFly | 📍OVO Arena Wembley, HA9| 19 September | (£)
The two 2000s pop-punk bands are doing a joint tour they're calling a "battle." Whether it's genuine rivalry or just marketing, it's Busted and McFly on the same stage. Pure nostalgia.
🌍Crossroads Music Festival | 📍Multiple venues, Cricklewood | 19-21 & 26-28 September | Free & (£)
Two weekends of world music celebrating Cricklewood's cultural diversity. Free outdoor events include Afrobeat at Cricklewood Green, Irish music, Indian drumming, and Ethiopian grooves at various local spots. Mix of grassroots community performances and established artists across multiple genres and locations.
♻️Camden Inspire Festival | 📍Camden Collective, N1C | 20 September | Free
One-day climate and design festival focused on upcycling and reuse. Designers are transforming furniture destined for landfill into one-off pieces you can actually bid on, plus there's hands-on workshops where you can make mosaics, try fermenting, and learn how to fix things instead of binning them.
🧑🎨Day Dreaming In Tottenham | 📍Tottenham Community Sports Centre, N17 | 20 September | Free
Free art festival aimed at young people with hands-on workshops including spray painting, portrait work exploring identity, cyanotype printing, jewellery making, collage, and t-shirt printing.
🚗Art Car Boot Fair | 📍Lewis Cubitt Square, N1C| 20 September | Free
Over 120 artists sell their work from actual car boots at King's Cross. This time the theme's comedy, so expect clowns and comics while you browse. It's basically a car boot sale but with art instead of old toasters.
🏃♀️Run Shoreditch 10K | 📍Shoreditch Park, N1 | 21 September | (£)
London's newest closed-road 10K from the team behind Hackney Half Marathon. Starts at Shoreditch Park, loops out to Newington Green and back, with live music and cheer zones along the route. 9am start, festival zone at the finish line. Entry includes finisher t-shirt, medal and chip timing.
Source: Run Shoreditch 10K
🧠HowTheLightGetsIn 2025 | 📍Kenwood Gardens, Hampstead Heath NW3 | 20–21 September | (£)
The world’s biggest philosophy and music festival returns to Hampstead Heath with 150+ events. Expect debates, comedy, cabaret, live music, long-table banquets and late-night parties. This year’s theme is After the West, A New World, with speakers including Brian Cox, Alain de Botton, Mary Trump and Alastair Campbell.
22–30 Sept
🎻Attack on Titan - Beyond the Walls World Tour | 📍OVO Arena Wembley, HA9 | 28 September | (£)
The Attack on Titan anime gets the full concert treatment with rock musicians and symphonic orchestra performing Hiroyuki Sawano's iconic soundtrack. Expect tracks like "at'aek ON taitn" and "counter・attack-mankind" with synchronized scenes from the series on screen. Anime fans this one is for you but tickets are limited.
🚘The Classic Car Boot Sale | 📍King's Cross, N1C | 27-28 September | Free
The UK's biggest vintage event is back for its 10th year. Classic cars, vintage fashion stalls, street food from a Routemaster bus, and DJs spinning vinyl. There's also pinball machines from BBC's Repair Shop, a mini-Ferris wheel, and you can design your own t-shirt. Two days of vintage everything across multiple squares at King's Cross.
Ooook that's all I got for ya! Did I miss anything?
Also:
Would your future self want another email like this?
📈The most-viewed events from August:
↳ Street food market? Your mate's coffee shop event? New launch? Festival? Art gallery? Nothing is too big or too small, you can send it all here.