Morning, London! Happy Thursday! Over the weekend Peter Gabriel rocked up to a 30-seat venue in West Hampstead for an impromptu acoustic set. Meanwhile, Mumford & Sons played a tiny, free show at Flat Iron Square, announced same-day via Instagram. And once upon a time, I casually bumped into Amy Winehouse in Camden and Ronnie Wood (yes, Rolling Stones Ronnie) wandering around Primrose Hill on a Saturday morning.

What’s the point of all this? I don’t know. Maybe just a moment of appreciation for how London will always be that cool, musically chaotic city, no matter what. And since we’re sharing secrets, my favourite website to spot upcoming gigs: Concertful London. Not an ad (I wish!). Just a great one to find all sorts of bands, not just the big headliners. Best finds? The bands you adored as a teenager now past their prime and playing in tiny venues for £30.

Anyway, we seem to have turned a corner—then immediately turned back because apparently, it might snow this morning. (Which, let’s be real, means a few sad flakes and some very dramatic headlines.) Still, we had a glimpse of spring, cherry blossoms are popping up everywhere, and we’re just 2.5 weeks away from the clocks going forward, meaning longer days and slightly better moods.

Our first London Scoop T-shirt needs to be weather-related. Something like: 🚨 I’m not obsessed with the weather, you are! 🚨

If you are curious about last week’s poll: Do you take Vitamin D? Yes, religiously (32%); I try but I’m not consistent (44%); Nope (16%); Wait, am I supposed to be taking this? (8%). Any doctors in the audience? Care to explain whether we’re all slowly turning into mushrooms? Hit reply—would love to share your wisdom next week.

Let’s see what else we’ve got for you today:

• 🎙️ London Snippets: Bits that caught our eye

• 🧠 Casual Einstein: Two new playground-worthy facts

• 📌 Community Corner: Anything to share?

• ❓ Trivia: Know your London?

• 📅 Readers’ Favourite: Family events this week

But first—the ever-changing weather:

. LONDON SNIPPETS .

Bits that caught our eye

🎡 The London Eye Turns 25. Back in the ’90s, architects Julia Barfield and David Marks didn’t let losing a design competition stop them. Ignoring the snub, they pushed ahead with their vision for a giant wheel on the Thames, winning over the press, the public, and the purse-holders. On 9 March 2000, the Millennium Wheel took its first spin. 85 million rides later, it’s a London icon. Not bad for a rejected idea. Full story

🚄 Eurostar, You’ve Got Company... Maybe. Virgin (Richard Branson) wants £700m to shake up Eurostar’s monopoly with a high-frequency London-Paris-Brussels (and maybe Amsterdam) rail service—but not before 2030. Meanwhile, St Pancras is scheming up more trains to France and potential routes to Germany and Switzerland. More trains, more competition… maybe even cheaper fares? We can dream. Full story

🌙 Westminster Wants You to Party. Most parents don’t hit the town like they used to, but Westminster Council thinks London’s nightlife needs a glow-up. Their “Westminster After Dark” plan aims to boost late-night entertainment with new venues, better lighting, and 100 extra CCTV cameras—because nothing says fun like surveillance. They’re also considering "Late-Night Entertainment Zones" in Oxford Street, The Strand, and Victoria Street, keeping the party away from sleepy residents. Full story

 .CASUAL EINSTEIN .

2 for 1: Wow your kid and outsmart the other parents

Here are two cool facts to help you sound like the smartest parent on the playground—or to fill those awkward silences with the other dads.

Fun Fact: You produce enough saliva in a lifetime to fill two swimming pools. That’s about 20,000 litres of spit sloshing around in your mouth over the years. Next time you’re at a pool, try not to think about that. 🏊‍♂️💦

London Fact: In 1952, Tower Bridge accidentally started lifting while a bus was still on it. The No. 78 double-decker had to jump a 3-6 foot gap, and somehow, driver Albert Gunter landed it safely with 20 passengers aboard. His reward? A £10 bonus (or so the legend goes) for his unexpected stunt-driving skills. 🚍🏗️

 .TLS COMMUNITY CORNER .

📌 Lottie (@funfamilyfundraisers), community manager at AFK Charity, asked if I could share this with The London Scoop crew. They’ve got a cinematic fundraiser on April 12th, and tickets are just £6—a bargain for a good cause! More info.

Got something to share? Drop me a message 🙂 

. TRIVIA .

Think you know your London?

. EVENTS SCOOP .

What’s on this week?

👣 Little Feet @ British Museum
Date & Loc: Mar 13th, Russell Square
Explore the world of science! Try X-ray imaging, test metals like a metallurgist, or examine fabrics as an organic expert. Love colours? Create a rainbow decoration or a science-inspired drawing to display. Little Feet offer free, fun activities for families with children under five!
Age: 0-5yo | Price: No cost | Info

🎪 Miniature Travelling Circus @ Little Angel Theatre
Date & Loc: Mar 13th-19th, Islington
Roll up! Roll up! Take your seats for the smallest circus in town. George the ringmaster has quite the challenge on their hands. The circus isn’t quite what it once was but even still, George has curated a programme of acts more bedazzling than ever.
Age: 3-6yo | Price: from £13 | Info

🖼️ Affordable Art Fair @ Battersea
Date & Loc: Mar 13th-16th, Battersea
Discover the joy of collecting art at Affordable Art Fair, Battersea Spring, hosted in London’s beautiful Battersea Park. Find your perfect piece from our hand-picked selection of galleries showcasing 1,000s of original contemporary artworks, priced from £100.
Age: Everyone | Price: No cost | Info

🎭 The Little Prince @ London Coliseum
Date & Loc: Mar 13th-Mar 16th, Covent Garden
The Little Prince, one of the best-selling and most translated books ever written, comes to London for its UK premiere.
Age: 5+ | Price: from £46 | Info

⚓ Mudlarks Family Gallery @ London Museum
Date & Loc: Mar 13th-23rd, Docklands
Mudlarks brings the docks to life through interactive play, which keeps little ones occupied and stimulates their development. Find out what the docks were used for and what life would've been like for sailors many years ago.
Age: Under 8s | Price: from £3 | Info

🎭 Playing Macbeth @ Globe Theatre
Date & Loc: Mar 13th- Apr 20th, Southbank
Experience a daring new production of Playing Shakespeare with Deutsche Bank: Macbeth in the Globe Theatre. This fast-paced, 90-minute version is created especially for young people and is the perfect introduction to Shakespeare for everyone.
Age: Everyone | Price: from £5 | Info

🏗️ Festival of the Future @ RIBA London
Date & Loc: Mar 14th, Marylebone
Explore, create, and imagine your future in the built environment at this two-day festival bringing together 20+ partners.
Age: Everyone | Price: No cost (must book) | Info

🎤 Singing, Stories & Crafts @ London Transport Museum
Date & Loc: Mar 14th, Covent Garden
Weave your way into the far reaches of the city using a maze of railway tunnels as you follow the ‘Underground Mouse’, soar gracefully over London’s iconic landmarks with ‘Kayla the Kestrel’, or adventure across the Atlantic Ocean for a taste of the Caribbean with the ‘Canteen Queen’.
Age: Under 5s | Price: from £24 (kids free) | Info

📖 Rug Rhymes @ Southbank Centre
Date & Loc: Mar 14th, Southbank
Come and get snug as a bug while National Poetry Library puppets Federico and Firebird share some of their favourite poems, nursery rhymes and rhyming stories.
Age: 0-5yo | Price: £4 | Info

🎸 MiniJam: Jammin with JJ. @ The Exhibit
Date & Loc: Mar 14th, Balham
40 minutes of banging tunes & Friday vibe drinks for you; lots of activities & fun for the little ones.
Age: 18mo-4yo | Price: £10 | Info

🍦 Cinderella Ice Cream Seller @ Lyric Hammersmith
Date & Loc: Mar 15th, Hammersmith
Get your dessert spoons ready for a tale of perseverance, princes, palace balls, glass slippers and, um, ice cream? In this new musical for families and children, join Talvi and Caldwell, loyal employees of Cinderella’s, as they share her rags to riches tale, and confront their own desires, hopes, and the magic that lies within each scoop of Cinderella’s legendary ice cream.
Age: 5+ | Price: £10 | Info

☘️ St Patricks Day Festival @ Camden Market
Date & Loc: Mar 15th, Camden Town
Celebrating everything that Celtic culture has to offer. We have an array of free events coming up, from live music to bodhrán workshops, as well as baking workshops, Irish dancing performances and a Celtic cabaret.
Age: Everyone | Price: No cost | Info

🎸 Family Concert: A London Adventure @ Sinfonia Smith Square
Date & Loc: Mar 15th, Westminster
Travel through the hustle and bustle of Westminster to Smith Square Hall, a historic 18th century music venue, for a musical adventure into London’s storied past. You’ll experience works from composers that lived and worked in London, with interactive presentations on each piece from our engaging Fellowship orchestra.
Age: Everyone | Price: from £6 | Info

⛸️ Ice Discos @ Alexandra Palace
Date & Loc: Mar 15th, Alexandra Park
Throw your skates on and join us on the ice for an unforgettable ice party of lights, music and skating following Haringey Huskies ice hockey games.
Age: 14+ | Price: £14 | Info

🐭 Disney JR Live @ Southbank Centre
Date & Loc: Mar 15th-16th, Southbank
Join Mickey Mouse and all his favourite pals, including Minnie, Goofy, Ariel, the Puppy Dog Pals, and Ginny and Bitsy from SuperKitties as they look forward to a fun day together.
Age: Everyone | Price: from £19.50 | Info

🎉 Bing’s Birthday @ Pentland Theatre
Date & Loc: Mar 15th-16th, North Finchley
Get ready for an amazing celebration with Bing’s Birthday, a brand-new live stage show packed with fun, laughter and surprises!
Age: 2+ | Price: from £12 | Info

🚂 Festival of Railway Modelling @ Alexandra Palace
Date & Loc: Mar 15th-16th, Muswell Hill
Experience London’s premier model railway show at Alexandra Palace! Perfect for families and enthusiasts, the show is regarded as one of the biggest and best railway modelling exhibitions in the UK.
Age: Everyone | Price: from £8 | Info

💃 Pop up: Indian Dance Workshop @ V&A Museum
Date & Loc: Mar 15th-16th, South Kensington
Take part in a fun dance workshop for the whole family inspired by the Great Mughal exhibition.
Age: Families & 5+ | Price: No cost | Info

🌸 Sounds of Blossom @ Kew Gardens
Date & Loc: Mar 15th-Apr 6th, Kew
In collaboration with the Royal College of Music, Sounds of Blossom will bring the spring blooms to life. Music students from the college have composed new music, commissioned by Kew and inspired by the glory of spring. These new compositions will be played around the Gardens in Kew’s blossom hotspots.
Age: Everyone | Price: from £7 | Info

☘️ St Patrick’s Family Party @ Big Penny Social
Date & Loc: Mar 16th, Walthamstow
Join in the family fun with our St Patrick's Day Family Party! Because why should the grown ups get all the fun?! Expect traditional Irish music from Coppermill Folk, a family ceilidh and the Maguire O'Shea Dance Academy will be showing us how its done with traditional Irish Dancing.
Age: Everyone | Price: £7 | Info

🎭 Mini Movers & Groovers @ Stanley Arts
Date & Loc: Mar 16th, South Norwood
This dance workshop will explore togetherness through moving, using contact, props and drawing and offers a great family bonding experience.
Age: 1yo+ | Price: £5 | Info

🌳 Winter Sculpture Park @ Thamesmead
Date & Loc: Mar 16th, Thamesmead
40 artworks. 2 months. 6.5 acres of wild grassland. ​Roam and get lost amongst the former Thamesmead golf course along the banks of the River Thames. Closed to the public for over a decade, naturally rewilded, and home to local intrigue and exploration, the disused golf course provides the perfect backdrop.
Age: Everyone | Price: No cost | Info

🎭 We Call it Ballet: Sleeping Beauty @ Shaw Theatre
Date & Loc: Mar 16th, King’s Cross
Experience ‘Sleeping Beauty’ like never before, as dancers in glow-in-the-dark costumes bring this classic tale to life on stage.
Age: 8+ | Price: from £37 | Info

🎶 Play Tuesdays @ National Maritime Museum
Date & Loc: Mar 18th, Greenwich
Explore the Museum and the collection with your family through facilitated play, songs and stories led by early years specialists.
Age: Under 5s | Price: £4 (adults free) | Info

🎭 Sisters 360 @ Polka Theatre
Date & Loc: Mar 22nd-Apr 27th, Wimbledon
Fatima and Salima are the closest, coolest, hijabi step-sisters in all of Bradford and they will win the Tiny is Mighty skateboarding competition, there is no doubt about it. Inspired by real-life skateboarding sisters Layna, Maysa and Amaya, and their hero Olympic Medallist Sky Brown.
Age: 8-12yo | Price: from £11 | Info

🎭 My Neighbour Totoro @ Gillian Lynne Theatre
Date & Loc: Daily, Covent Garden
Winner of six Olivier Awards, this "utterly beguiling" (The Stage) and “jaw-dropping” (Metro) staging of the celebrated 1988 animated feature film is brought to you by the Royal Shakespeare Company and Executive Producer Joe Hisaishi, and adapted by Tom Morton-Smith (Oppenheimer).
Age: 6+ | Price: from £65 | Info

🧠 Hello Brain! @ Francis Crick Institute
Date & Loc: Daily, King’s Cross
Firing inside your head, the neurons in your brilliant brain make more connections than there are stars in our galaxy. From hallucinations to lab-grown neurons, we're inviting you into the ever-morphing world that makes you...you.
Age: Everyone | Price: No cost | Info

⛸️ The Flight of the Babushka Baboon @ Puppet Barge
Date & Loc: Mar 13th-30th, Little Venice
The story of a baboon who wants to fly to the moon in a hot-air balloon. This dreamlike production uses string marionettes, shadow puppets and moving poetry to tell the story of Babushka baboon’s journey. Will she escape the hunters and save the elephant? Will she achieve her dream?
Age: 4-10 | Price: from £10 | Info

🐭 The Snail and the Whale @ Southbank Centre
Date & Loc: Mar 23rd, Southbank
Set sail with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and two unlikely friends on an ocean adventure for families, in this musical adaptation of the well-loved tale..
Age: 5+ | Price: from £8 | Info

📖 Making Comics Together @ Stanley Arts
Date & Loc: Mar 23rd, Norwood
If there’s one thing more fun than making comics, it’s making comics TOGETHER! Come and join Neill and Logan Cameron for a fabulous workshop.
Age: 5+ | Price: No cost | Info

☀️ Helios in the Painted Hall @ Old Royal
Date & Loc: until Mar 25th, Greenwich
See the Painted Hall in a new light. Looking for some winter sun? See Luke Jerram’s newest and most ambitious artwork, Helios, at the London premiere at the Old Royal Naval College.
Age: Everyone | Price: £16.50 | Info

🧸 Beegu @ Unicorn Theatre
Date & Loc: Mar 22nd-May 4th, London Bridge
Alexis Deacon’s much-loved tale about friendship, respect and the importance of including others is brought to life in this heart-warming stage adaptation written and directed by Debbie Hannan. Lost on Earth after her spaceship crashes, Beegu wanders off to find some friends.
Age: 3-7yo | Price: from £10.50 | Info

🎭 The Pea and the Princess @ Polka Theatre
Date & Loc: until March 30th, Wimbledon
Leap into a high velocity adventure into the world of a Ninja Princess on a mega-mission, a practical Prince concocting the best inventions, a Queen with a slightly worrying crown obsession, and a very green baddy indeed.
Age: 3-7yo | Price: from £10 | Info

🌍 SOIL: World at your feet @ Somerset House
Date & Loc: until April, Embankment
This ground-breaking exhibition unites visionary artists and thinkers from around the world to explore the remarkable power and potential of soil.
Age: All | Price: From £10 (under 5 free) | Info

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