London's Autumn Wonders: Family Fun, Culture, and Cheeky Escapes

Welcome, listeners, to “Things to do in London” with your globetrotting, thrill-chasing host, Oly Bennet—coming to you on Thursday, October 30th, 2025! Grab those umbrellas, London—it's a classic autumn chill with patches of blue sky, a light drizzle threatening, and the city buzzing between school half-term energy and spooky Season fever. I'm already wearing my lucky socks, just in case I run into a chessboxing match or a cheese-rolling warmup somewhere in Soho. Right now, London is a jolly cauldron of everything: from elegant culture and wild family fun to cheeky pop concerts and dancefloors bouncier than a kangaroo with hiccups. If you love options, buckle in: For families and budding nature detectives, The Regent’s Park is throwing a FREE Nature Roadshow today, loaded with spider-themed crafts, wildlife quizzes, and a Halloween detective trail for all ages. Drop in anytime from 11am to 3pm, solve some spooky mysteries, or just gawk at the collection of replica bird skulls—because who doesn’t love a bit of skull-spotting on a Thursday? That’s courtesy of The Royal Parks Nature Roadshows. If the overnight rain has you craving inside action, head to Poplar Union for “Malcolm X Marks the Spot”—a creative workshop and high-energy live performance celebrating Black voices through music and storytelling. For deep dives into culture, there's also a powerful documentary screening and Q&A of “Fatherless No More” at Queen Mary University, and “Where Do Black Men Live?” showing at Genesis Cinema, both thought-provoking pivots in Black History Month’s calendar. Swinging over to the arts, it’s the London Literature Festival at Southbank Centre! Get stuck into family poetry, meet Children’s Laureate Frank Cottrell-Boyce, or catch readings from literary big-hitters like Sayaka Murata and Zadie Smith. Today, poet Iris Colomb leads an improvised performance sure to get your creative juices—and maybe your giggle glands—flowing. If you’re more in the mood for a gig, popstar CATTY takes the stage early at Colours Hoxton for some lunchtime pop-rock—why not make that your cheeky workday escape? Meanwhile, ice skating fans, hold onto your bobble hats. Canary Wharf Ice Rink is back in Canada Square Park as of today, glistening under sparkling lights until February! It’s the perfect way to practice your triple axel or just your awkward penguin waddle before the mulled wine stalls return for winter. In local news, Greenwich is throwing a bash for the grand relaunch of The Admiral Hardy—expect free food, drinks, live music, and a sprinkle of holiday cheer. Meanwhile, “Connection and Identity” by Peter Walker brings two epic interactive art installations to the area, offering insta-worthy photo ops and a cool, reflective vibe. Over in Hackney, the Day of the Dead is being celebrated with a costumed family bike ride at 10:30am, and a grand parade later in the day. Whether you’re a pedal pusher or a partygoer, that’s worth a look. Getting around should be smooth to This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.