Looking for the best things to do in London in September? We’ve got you…
You’re in plenty of time to book tickets to the best events in London, from theatre shows to art exhibitions, and there are always pop-ups opening across the city, but our handy guide features the best of what’s on in London in September so you won’t miss a thing. It’s big back-to-school vibes in September, even for those of us who haven’t set foot in a classroom in years. All the summer-focused pop-ups start to wind down and the major cultural institutions open big blockbuster events, like the Dirty Looks fashion exhibition at the Barbican and a show on Marie Antoinette at the V&A. In fact, it’s a bumper month for design fans with Open House, London Fashion Week and London Design Festival all in the calendar, and as it’s also Secondhand September, it’s a great chance to make moves to live an even more sustainable life.
1. Experience Sleep Like Never Before With Max Richter
Experience sleep like never before with by bedding down for an overnight presentation of Max Richter’s SLEEP at Alexandra Palace. The British-German composer’s eight-and-a-half-hour-long piece, designed for people to fall asleep to, has been performed around the world at places like the Great Wall of China and the Sydney Opera House. To celebrate the work’s tenth anniversary, Richter will be performing it in full at Ally Pally, the first time the whole piece has been done in London since 2017. That means pulling an all-nighter to experience it, with the concerts running from 10pm – 6am, but you do get to enjoy it from a bed (so come in your comfies) and you get a light breakfast in the morning. It doesn’t come cheap, with tickets just under £250, but it’s a unique experience and a price you’d pay for a night in a London hotel.
Fri 5th & Sat 6th September 2025
Alexandra Palace Way, London N22 7AY
alexandrapalace.com
2. Snoop Around London With Open House Festival
For two weeks in September hundreds of buildings in the capital, many of which are usually closed to the public, swing open their doors and let you have a look inside. The charity Open City, whose mission is to make architecture and spaces more accessible to the communities that live around them, runs Open House Festival to encourage people to visit new places and help them engage with the city they live in. The festival encompasses hundreds of sites across all 33 boroughs of London and draws in tens of thousands of visitors, and this year is set to be its biggest edition yet.
Sat 13th – Sun 21st September 2025
Various London locations
openhouse.org.uk
3. Learn How to Make Noodles at Tonkotsu
Ramen fans, listen up! We’re teaming up with Tonkostu (easily one of our favourite noodle spots in London) to host a one-off noodle-making masterclass this September – only for LOTI INSIDERS. Ever wanted to know what goes into crafting bowls of ramen like a pro? Here’s your chance. On Sat 6th September, head to Tonkostu East where the restaurant group’s co-founder Ken Yamada will guide you through how to blend and roll out your dough, before shaping it into the perfect ramen noodles. He’ll then cook them into the Tonkotsu dish of your choice so you can try the fruits of your labour. At the end of the meal, you’ll get a bag of goodies (worth £20) to take home, including a jar of their legendary ‘eat the bits chilli’ oil. Get your tickets here.
Sat 6th September 2025, 11am – 12.30pm
Tonkotsu East, Arch 334, 1a Dunston Street, London E8 4EB
tonkotsu.co.uk
4. Spend an Evening With Barack Obama
This September, you’ll have the chance to hear directly from one of the most inspirational leaders of our time as 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama, is coming to London. After an improbable path to the White House, his presidency that brought more economic strength, security and worldwide respect to the USA, and now he’s sharing his thoughts on what comes next for America and the rest of the world. Obama will be in conversation with David Olusoga at The O2, where he’ll be discussing hope, resilience, and the power of lifting one another up in a time of great uncertainty. As he’s said, “True democracy is a project that’s much bigger than any one of us. It’s bigger than any one person, any one president, and any one government. It’s a job for all of us.”
Weds 24th September 2025
The O2, Peninsula Square, London SE10 0DX
seatunique.com
5. See Rare Blondie Photos at This Exhibition
The Barbican Music Library is on a roll with its exhibitions; following popular displays on emo music and Black British music, a show featuring rare backstage photographs of Blondie is taking over the space. Blondie in Camera 1978 features 50 images taken by photographer Martyn Goddard, capturing the band in concert, backstage, in the studio and during photo sessions, in the year they released the Parallel Lines album. The exhibition also includes poster prints, album covers, concert memorabilia, and items from the private collection of Alan Edwards, who’s done Blondie’s PR since 1978.
Throughout September 2025
Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London EC2Y 8DS
barbican.org.uk
6. Stock Up on Art at Art Car Boot
A whole load of art is pulling into King’s Cross this September as the Art Car Boot Fair is returning to Lewis Cubitt Square, and this year’s theme is ‘Comedy & the Comic!’. Over 120 artists, including Vic Reeves, Pam Hogg, Dion Kitson, Camille Phoenix, Rankin, Modern Toss, Jealous Gallery, Heath Kane, Sara Pope, Juno Calypso, Susie Hamilton and Russell Heron will all be selling their work. Mr Doodle will be there, doing live drawings in a doodle-covered American school bus, as will the Misfortune Teller (doing personalised prophecies) and #RenaissanceSelfie (turning everyday objects into Renaissance-style portraits).
Sat 20th September 2025
Lewis Cubitt Square, King’s Cross, London N1C 4DR
artcarbootfair.com
7. Check Out These Downton Abbey-Inspired Floral Displays
If you’re a Downton Abbey fan then you’ll no doubt be ready and waiting to see the Crawley family and staff for the last time with Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale. Once you’ve been to the cinema, head down to Kew Gardens for this floral exhibition inspired by the series, which has been on a global tour before arriving in London. At the Fleurs de Villes Downton Abbey show, taking place inside a marquee on the lawns next to Kew Palace, the luxury floral storytelling brand will be displaying fresh floral mannequins inspired by the characters and the period fashion of the show. As well as the mannequins, the exhibition will feature live botanical demonstrations and talks from local florists; an afternoon tea in the Orangery; and a fan favourite contest where you can vote for your fave display.
From Mon 22nd September 2025
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, TW9 3AB
kew.org
8. Celebrate the Work of David Lynch at This Festival
This September, a two-day get-together of David Lynch fans is coming to Genesis Cinema in Whitechapel. Organised by the producers of London’s Twin Peaks UK Festival (which ran from 2010 until 2019), A Gathering of the Angels will bring stars from across Lynch’s oeuvre to town for a weekend of screenings, live performances, panel discussions and more. Expect to see the likes of Michael Horse (Deputy Hawk in Twin Peaks), Dexter Fletcher (Bates’ Boy in The Elephant Man), Lesley Dunlop (Nurse Nora in The Elephant Man) and more in conversation. In addition to that, there’ll be screenings of I Know Catherine, the Log Lady and Lynch-esque short films; an immersive theatrical Mullholland Drive experience; a quiz hosted in a secret bar recreated from the Blue Velvet set; the Double R Club will be performing cabaret; and there’ll be music from Tim Burgess and DJ Yoda.
Sat 27th & Sun 28th September 2025
93-95 Mile End Road, London, E1 4UJ
gatheringoftheangels.com
9. Enjoy Some Social Satire From Fran Lebowitz
She’s been a New York City icon since the 1970s, but Fran Lebowitz became internationally beloved for her no-nonsense, slightly curmudgeonly, sense of humour in 2021 when a Netflix docu-series about her (Pretend It’s a City, directed by Martin Scorsese) was released. Now, the social satirist is coming to London. Lebowitz will be live in conversation for one night at the Barbican, sharing her take on a little bit of everything, including her time spent writing a column for Andy Warhol’s Interview magazine and her pet peeves, such as tourists, celebrity culture and baby strollers.
Fri 19th September 2025
Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London EC2Y 8DS
fane.co.uk
10. See Joe Locke in His West End Debut
Heartstopper’s Joe Locke is making his West End debut in the UK premiere of Clarkston by Samuel D. Hunter. Playing at the Trafalgar Theatre for a limited nine-week run, the play, a modern frontier story, follows Jake, who on a journey west of rediscovery, meets kindred soul Chris in a Costco in a rural American town. As the pair’s bond deepens, so does their sense of adventure. Ruaridh Mollica and Sophie Melville are also starring, with Jack Serio directing.
From Weds 17th September 2025
Trafalgar Theatre, 14 Whitehall London SW1A 2DY
clarkstonplay.co.uk
