🦊 Guess who’s on the rooftop?

Morning, London! Happy Thursday! It’s beautiful out there today. May has sneaked up on us like that mum at soft play who’s clearly had three espressos before 9am. The first of May, one of my favourite days of the year. The weather finally feels like it’s turned, there are a few bank holidays to cling to, and summer plans start feeling like an actual thing.

Massive kudos to everyone who conquered the London Marathon last weekend - especially to our readers. Whether you ran, cheered, or watched in awe from your sofa with a bacon sandwich, it was one of those days that made London feel properly magical.

In a moment of what can only be described as pre-Bank Holiday madness, I chucked my name into the 2026 ballot. The odds of getting in are somewhere between “winning the lottery” and “finding a parking space in Soho” but if the running gods smile upon me, I’m committed. And now I’ve said it out loud to thousands of Londoners, so that’s that.

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: 1960s billboards
❓ Trivia: Picture-perfect corner
📅 Readers’ Favourite: What’s on this week?

But first, the weather. Because I’m sure no one’s small-talked about it at all this week.

. LONDON SNIPPETS .
Bits that caught our eye

🏅 London Aims for Olympic Gold (Again). London is eyeing a bid to host the 2040 Olympics, with talk of “knocking it out of the park.” Ambitious? Definitely. But after 2012, we’ve got the receipts. Time to start prepping the Tube... and your kids for gymnastics trials. Full story

🥇 Marathon Mayhem: We Broke a World Record. London just smashed the world record for most marathon finishers — 56,640 crossed the line on Sunday, despite the heat. That’s more than New York ever managed. The 2026 ballot is now open, in case you're feeling inspired (or mildly delusional, like me). Full story

🎮 Minecraft Tops the Box Office. The Minecraft Movie has officially mined its way to the top, becoming the UK’s biggest film of 2025 so far — and it only took four weeks. It’s already out-earned Bridget Jones and could soon overtake Wicked. Apparently pixelated pickaxes are this year’s popcorn magnet. Have you watched it? Full story

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

Fun Fact: If you shuffle a deck of cards properly, the odds are that the exact order has never existed before. Not once. Not in any casino, pub, or tense family game night. You’ve basically created a microscopic miracle of randomness.🃏 (If you really want to know: There are 52! possible arrangements — that's approximately 8.07 × 10^67. A number so big it beats the number of atoms in the universe.)

London Fact: The Millennium Dome (now The O2) is so big you could fit the Statue of Liberty inside it. At 52 metres tall, we probably have a better chance of fitting every Londoner who’s said “We should do the Emirates cable car one day” and never gone. 🗽

 .BLAST FROM THE PAST .
1960: Less Algorithms, More Neon Charm

 .TRIVIA .
Think you know your London?

  EVENTS SCOOP .
What’s on this week?

🪵 Mini Museum w/ Caterpillar music @ Headstone Manor
Date & Loc: May 1st, 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

🎷 Live Concert @ Puppet Barge
Date & Loc: May 1st, Little Venice
Romantic jazz on a floating stage. Curious kids and cool parents welcome.
Age: 3+ | Price: £14 | Info

🍼 Baby Bounce @ Forest Hill Library
Date & Loc: May 1st, Lewisham
Songs, rhymes, and movement to get your little ones giggling and gurgling.
Age: Under 5s | Price: no cost | Info

🎭 Beegu @ Unicorn Theatre
Date & Loc: May 1st-4th, London Bridge
An alien lands on Earth. The adults are useless. Maybe the kids can help... A sweet story about friendship and fitting in.
Age: 3-7yo | Price: from £13.50 | Info

🍋 SicilyFest @ Business Design Centre
Date & Loc: May 1st-6th, Chiswick
Arancini, cannoli, Sicilian wine, live music... and that’s just for starters. A full-on festa celebrating the flavours (and charm) of the island.
Age: Everyone | Price: £5 | Info

🎪 Zippos Circus @ Acton Green
Date & Loc: May 1st-6th, Chiswick
Acrobats, comedy, and a host who’s 3ft 6in of pure charisma.
Age: Everyone | Price: £12 | Info

🎨 Play Studio @ Tate Modern
Date & Loc: May 2nd, Southbank
Costumes, movement, and plenty of open-ended play for tiny creatives.
Age: Under 5s | Price: no cost | Info

🌳 Nature Adventurers @ Hyde Park
Date & Loc: May 3rd, Hyde Park
Den building, willow weaving, fire lighting—bushcraft heaven for curious kids.
Age: Everyone | Price: No cost | Info

🎬 Rooftop Film Club: Paddington in Peru @ Stratford
Date & Loc: May 3rd, Stratford
Catch London’s favourite bear with a skyline view.
Age: Everyone | Price: from £8 | Info

📐 The Mathematical life of Shakespeare @ The Royal Institution
Date & Loc: May 3rd, Mayfair
Rob Eastaway reveals the sneaky ways maths hides in the Bard’s best lines.
Age: Family | Price: from £8 | Info

🎩 Secrets of Stage Magic @ V&A
Date & Loc: May 3rd, South Kensington
Learn tricks and illusions from the world of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.
Age: 5+ | Price: No cost (book ahead!) | Info

🎪 Carnival: Family Edit @ Southbank Centre
Date & Loc: May 3rd, Southbank
Acrobats, orchestra, and a mad scientist on a mission. Whimsical, musical mayhem.
Age: 7-11yo | Price: from £17 | Info

🎶 Family Concert @ Bach to Baby
Date & Loc: May 3rd-4th, Balham/Islington/Greenwich
Classical concert series for families to enjoy live music together.
Age: Under 5s | Price: £16 | 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

🚤 IWA Canalway Cavalcade @ Little Venice
Date & Loc: May 3rd-5th, Little Venice
Boats, bunting, brass bands, and beers — London’s quirkiest canal fest is back with floating markets, Morris dancers, and proper towpath charm.
Age: Family | Price: no cost | Info

🚂 Steam Gala - Rail @ Ruislip Lido railway
Date & Loc: May 3rd-5th, Ruislip
Ride the miniature trains, meet the engines, and explore the yard.
Age: Family | Price: from £1.80 | Info

🐨 The Koala Who Could @ Arts Depot
Date & Loc: May 3rd-5th, North Finchley
Kevin the koala finds his courage (eventually). Sweet Aussie tale for little ones.
Age: 3+ | Price: £14 | Info

🐔 Chicken Licken @ Polka Theatre
Date & Loc: May 1st-11th, Wimbledon
Classic tale + puppets + live tunes = barnyard brilliance.
Age: 3-7yo | Price: from £10 | 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

🩰 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

🎉 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

🎭 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

🎂 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

🦖 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

🎉 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

🎭 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

🌸 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

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