🦊 Is London getting high this weekend?

Morning, London! Happy Thursday! London's about to get high this weekend. After six long years of no-shows thanks to a pandemic and weather-related disappointments, the Lord Mayor's Hot Air Balloon Regatta is scheduled to return this Sunday, May 11th. If the skies behave, up to 50 magnificent hot air balloons will launch from Battersea Park at the crack of dawn, offering a breathtaking spectacle across our iconic skyline.

Now, I can’t promise anything. This event has had more failed launch attempts than my kids' homemade volcano experiments. But the forecast is looking good, and I’ve already asked Alexa to set my alarm for 5am, so there’s that.

For those who prefer their Sunday entertainment with less meteorological suspense and at a more civilised hour, Covent Garden will be hosting its 50th Annual May Fayre & Puppet Festival at St Paul's Church Garden. And of course, you’ll find plenty more gems in our usual Scoop below.

Oh, that beautiful trivia picture I posted last week? That was Kyoto Garden in Holland Park, a beautiful, peaceful corner, a must if you haven’t been. Got a tougher one for you this week.

Anyway, here’s what we’ve got for you this week:

🎙️ London Snippets: Bits that caught our eye
🧠 Casual Einstein: Playground-worthy facts
🕰️ Blast from the Past: 1980s Carnaby
❓ Trivia: Banksy’s tunnel
📅 Readers’ Favourite: What’s on this week?

But first, the weather. You know maybe I should’ve said yes to that Nivea Sun sponsorship offer I got during the heatwave…

. LONDON SNIPPETS .
Bits that caught our eye

🎈 Look Up, London. As mentioned above, London’s skyline might get a dreamy makeover this Sunday morning, courtesy of 50 hot air balloons, weather permitting, of course. Full story

🦖 Jurassic World Roars into Battersea. Oh yes, the kids won’t know, but this takes us straight back to the 90s. That music. That ripple in the water glass. What a movie. And now, the giant reptiles are back — stomping into Battersea Power Station from May 23 with Jurassic World: The Experience. It’s part of a new 15-metre-tall cultural space hosting blockbuster exhibitions, kicking off with two dino-filled floors of Brachiosauruses, T. rexes, and more. Childhood flashbacks included. Full story

🦌 Oh Deer, They’re Back. After four years away in Richmond Park, fallow deer have returned to Greenwich Park. They’ve got a fancy new paddock and a wildflower-studded woodland to call home. They’ll be lying low for a few weeks, so don’t expect a grand entrance. Think more stealth rewilding than red carpet, and they’re likely to be more elusive than a free table at Dishoom. Full story

. CASUAL EINSTEIN .
2 for 1: Wow your kid, and outsmart the other parents

Fun Fact: Your nostrils take turns breathing. Yes, like passive-aggressive siblings on a long car journey. Every few hours, one nostril does most of the work while the other takes a little break. Then they swap. It’s called the ‘nasal cycle’.👃

London Fact: Over 55% of the London Underground runs above ground. Yep, the Tube is a bit of a poser. More than half of it basks in daylight, gliding past back gardens and washing lines in Zone 6. “Underground” just sounded snappier than “Occasionally Subterranean Rail Network.”

 .BLAST FROM THE PAST .
1980s Carnaby Vibes: Denim, Hair, Swagger

 .TRIVIA .
Think you know your London?

  EVENTS SCOOP .
What’s on this week?

🎵 Mini Museum w/ Caterpillar music @ Headstone Manor
Date & Loc: May 8th, South Harrow
Join Bill the Duck for music, movement, and a weekly dose of crafts in a lovely Tudor hall. Quack-tastic fun for the under-5 crowd.
Age: Under 5s | Price: £5 | Info

🌙 In the Night Garden live @ Churchill Theatre
Date & Loc: May 8-11th, Bromley
Join Igglepiggle, Upsy Daisy, and Makka Pakka in their hit show, where funny noises lead to friendly reunions. Night Garden magic, live!
Age: Everyone | Price: from £20 | Info

🐔 Chicken Licken @ Polka Theatre
Date & Loc: May 8-11th, Wimbledon
Classic tale + puppets + live tunes = barnyard brilliance.
Age: 3-7yo | Price: from £10 | Info

🎪 Zippos Circus @ East Ham
Date & Loc: May 8th-12th, East Ham
Acrobats, comedy, and a host who’s 3ft 6in of pure charisma.
Age: Everyone | Price: £12 | Info

🎨 Play Studio @ Tate Modern
Date & Loc: May 9th, Southbank
Costumes, movement, and plenty of open-ended play for tiny creatives.
Age: Under 5s | Price: no cost | Info

🩰 We call it Ballet: Sleeping Beauty @ Shaw Theatre
Date & Loc: May 9th, King’s Cross
Classic ballet in glow-in-the-dark costumes. A visual treat.
Age: 6+ | Price: from £34 | Info

⚗️ Ministry of Science @ New Wimbledon Theatre
Date & Loc: May 9th, Wimbledon
Explosions, experiments, and excitement. Basically, school science—on steroids.
Age: 6+ | Price: from £15 | Info

🎉 Birthday Weekend @ Tate Modern
Date & Loc: May 9th-12th, Southbank
Celebrate 25 years of art with live music, talks, and family-friendly fun.
Age: Everyone | Price: no cost | Info

⚗️ Exciting Science @ Lyric Hammersmith
Date & Loc: May 10th, Hammersmith
With fun and fact-filled experiments, watch in amazement as volcanoes erupt, vacuum cleaners turn missile launchers, and smoke blasters do their thing!
Age: 4+ | Price: from £10 | Info

🌳 Nature Adventurers @ Hyde Park
Date & Loc: May 10th, Hyde Park
Den building, willow weaving, fire lighting—bushcraft heaven for curious kids.
Age: 8-12yo | Price: £85 | Info

🖌️ Art Road Trip @ National Gallery
Date & Loc: May 10th, Trafalgar Square
After a year touring, the mobile art studio returns home for a creative bonanza for all ages.
Age: Everyone | Price: no cost | Info

🎨 Early years Art session @ National Gallery
Date & Loc: May 12th, Trafalgar Square
Last tickets! Inside the Clore Art Studio, spark curiosity and creativity through open-ended sensory play.
Age: Under 5s | Price: no cost | Info

🍦 Cinderella Ice Cream Seller @ Arts Depot
Date & Loc: May 10th, North Finchley
Get your dessert spoons ready for a tale of perseverance, princes, palace balls, glass slippers, and, um, ice cream?
Age: 5+ | Price: £12.75 | Info

🎪 Family fun day @ Dulwich Festival
Date & Loc: May 10-11th, Dulwich
Family extravaganza as the Dulwich Festival rolls back into town.
Age: Everyone | Price: no cost | Info

🎭 The Paper Dolls @ Little Angel Theatre
Date & Loc: May 10th onwards, Islington
When a little girl cuts out a string of paper dolls she takes them by the hand and together they go on a fantastical adventure whirling through their home and garden.
Age: 3-8yo | Price: from £13 | Info

🪆 May Fayre & Puppet Festival @ Covent Garden
Date & Loc: May 11th, Covent Garden
Shows, Stalls and Workshops, Folk Music and Maypole Dancing.
Age: Everyone | Price: no cost | Info

🎭 A Squash and a Squeeze @ Little Angel Theatre
Date & Loc: until May 11th, Islington
A classic tale brought to life with puppets and a not-so-roomy cottage.
Age: 3-8yo | Price: from £13 | Info

🐦 Beginners Bird Watching @ Fulham Palace & Gardens
Date & Loc: until May 11th, Fulham
Discover the joys of birdwatching at the green meet!
Age: Everyone | Price: £2 | Info

🌿 The Green Meet @ Fulham Palace & Gardens
Date & Loc: until May 11th, Fulham
Celebrate gardening, biodiversity, and community at this lush springtime gathering!
Age: Everyone | Price: from £3 | Info

🎂 Bing’s Birthday @ Radlett Centre
Date & Loc: May 13th-14th, Radlett
Join Bing and friends for puppets, songs, and party prep.
Age: Everyone | Price: from £17.50 | Info

📚 Story Explorers: Imaginary Worlds @ British Library
Date & Loc: May 16-18th, Regent’s Park
Books, ancient treasures, surprising sounds, quirky art, and yes, a giant furry octopus await!
Age: 2-9yo | Price: from no cost (booking req) | Info

🌙 Dino Snores Sleepover @ Natural History Museum
Date & Loc: May 17th, South Kensington
Space exploration + night in the museum = unforgettable sleepover.
Age: 7-17yo | Price: £100 (sleepover) | Info

🌳 Of the Oak @ Kew Gardens
Date & Loc: May 3rd onwards, Kew
An immersive installation celebrating the mighty oak. Nature meets art.
Age: Everyone | Price: Included with entry | Info

🌸 Chelsea in Bloom @ Sloane St.
Date & Loc: May 19th-25th, Chelsea
A floral takeover of Chelsea’s streets, shopfronts, and secret corners — now celebrating 20 blooming marvellous years.
Age: Everyone | Price: no cost | Info

📄 Early years studio: paper @ Burlington Gardens
Date & Loc: May 21st, Mayfair
Scrunch, shred, pulp, or craft paper from scratch—unleash creativity with this versatile material!
Age: Under 5s | Price: no cost | Info

🎭 Shakespeare for every day of the year @ Open Air Theatre
Date & Loc: May 25th, Regent’s Park
A witty, fast-paced evening of scenes and speeches drawn from the hit anthology. Shakespeare under the stars — what’s not to love?
Age: 11+ | Price: from £26 | Info

🎉 Family Takeover Day @ Open Air Theatre
Date & Loc: May 25th, Regent’s Park
Kids’ comedy, live music, a mini rave, and snacks on the grass — basically your dream bank holiday, but with less whining (hopefully).
Age: Family | Price: from £15 | Info

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