9 amazing things to do in London this May, from festivals to art

You may not believe this but that fiery orb visible in the sky yesterday was in fact the sun. Despite being subjected to a cold, wet and generally miserable start to 2024, the weather is set to change, ushering in more temperate climes that will make leaving the house less onerous.

Now it’s up to you to make sure you don’t waste this sliver of sunshine – and to help you out we have curated a list of nine of our favourite things happening next month, come rain or shine.

1) GRAND DESIGNS LIVE The UK’s biggest home renovation expo arrives in London from 4-12 May, promising a line-up of the biggest interior designers in the land, with experts on everything from bathrooms to gardens. Whether you’re looking for inspiration for a small project or about to overhaul your entire home, there will be something for you here. 4-12 May, granddesignslive.com

2) URBAN VILLAGE FETE The Urban Village Fete curated by Gilles Peterson returns to Greenwich Peninsular, promising to bring together music, food and creative thinking in a way that will entertain and inspire. Fellow BBC Radio 6 Music DJ Jamz Supernova will be spinning uplifting tunes while a roster of thought leaders will host interactive workshops. 19 May, greenwichpeninsula.co.uk

3) NATIONAL GALLERY AT 200 The National Gallery, one of London’s most revered institutions, is about to celebrate its 200th birthday. From 10 May there will be a series of events celebrating the bicentenary, including a festival in Trafalgar Square and the first major Van Gogh show in the UK since 2010. From May, nationalgallery.org.uk

4) PRINCESS DIANA: ACCREDITED ACCESS EXHIBITION The series of momentous events precipitated by the passing of the Queen has led fascination with the royals to reach levels not seen since the days of Princess Diana. You can relive those days at the first photography show dedicated to the life and times of the People’s Princess. In Princess Diana: Accredited Access Exhibition at the Dockside Vaults you will find pictures charting the key moments in her life. From 25 May, princessdianaexhibit.com

5) THE CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW If you like dressing up nicely, drinking champagne and looking at some lovely plants, then it’s that time of year again: the Chelsea Flower Show returns this month with garden designs, floral displays and some lovely places to eat and drink while taking it in. New for this year, a ‘No Adults Garden’, with a den and water slide. 21-25 May, rhs.org.uk

6) GO TO A FESTIVAL London’s early season music festivals get underway this month. There’s Wide Awake in Brockwell Park, a festival for new music, Cross The Tracks, also in Brockwell, celebrating jazz, soul and funk, and Gala, in Peckham Rye Park, an homage to “the warm, organic and soulful sounds dance music was built on.” 25 May for Wide Awake wideawakelondon.co.uk; 26 May for Cross the Tracks, xthetracks.com, and 24-26 May for Gala, thisisgala.co.uk

7) FRAGILE BEAUTY Some of Elton John and David Furnish’s private photography collection is on view at the V&A from this month, with snaps looking at the themes of “fashion, celebrity, reportage and the male body.” The collection includes a self-portrait of Robert Mappelthorpe, Elton John with egg on his face from 1999 shot by David LaChapelle and some stunning fashion photography, particularly of pieces by Versace. From 18 May, vam.ac.uk

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8) FAWLTY TOWERS LIVE This classic 1970s TV series is continually finding new life, from immersive theatre shows to a televised reboot (yes, really). John Cleese is behind this new theatrical production that wraps three episodes into one piece of theatre: fans might remember ‘The Germans’, ‘Communication Problems’ and ‘The Hotel Inspector’. Book and decide for yourself whether the comedy legend, and his show, still has a place in 21st century society, or should be consigned to the vaults of history. From 4 May, fawltytowerswestend.com

9) QUENTIN BLAKE’S ART There’s nothing like a picnic in a Royal Park in the good weather, but if you wanted to make your experience more magical, Quentin Blake has drawn a load of illustrations to make the park’s rules and regulations look more fun. You can walk through the parks and spot all 27 different pieces of art. One says “sharing isn’t caring” and warns against feeding wildlife with an illustration of a boy getting swamped by animals. Cute. All month, various locations

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