Looking for things to do in London in May? Check this lot out
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 May so you won’t miss a thing.
Spring has well and truly spring by May and a good job too because this month marks the start of festival season. Not only are music ones kicking off in the capital, including newbies like Polygon joining the likes of GALA, Wide Awake, Field Day and Cross The Tracks, there’s even a hot sauce festival coming to town in May. With Doughnut Week, Sandwich Week, and the London Coffee Festival all happening this month, plus plenty of new restaurant openings on the way, there’s a lotta good eating and drinking to be had too. Best of all, we get two bank holidays this month, so you’ve got even more free time to enjoy all these goodies.
Tate Modern is turning 25 in 2025 and it’s putting on a big birthday weekender featuring, you guessed it, 25 of the most important artworks that have been shown at the gallery over the years. Louise Bourgeois’ Maman, a 10-metre tall bronze spider sculpture, was the first work installed in the Turbine Hall in 2000 and it’s making a comeback 25 years later to kick off the trail of returning works. It will also include Dorothea Tanning’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, Mark Rothko’s Seagram murals (currently on display at Tate St Ives), a multi-screen film installation by Nalini Malani and a series of live tarot readings as part of an installation by Meschac Gaba.
Fri 9th – Mon 12th May 2025
Bankside, London SE1 9TG
tate.org.uk
Temaki in Brixton is London’s first dedicated handroll restaurant, showcasing the art of temaki as well as Japanese small plates like yellowtail sashimi, trout crispy rice, wagyu sliders with quail egg yolk, and crab sandos. We’ve teamed up with Temaki to host a handroll masterclass for our INSIDERS on Sat 3rd May, where you’ll practice the art of crafting this type of sushi. During the session you’ll learn the step-by-step process of making sushi rice, find out how to cut fish properly for sushi, and get insights into the different methods of preparing each type of fish. You’ll make five different handrolls – akami (lean tuna), otoro (fatty tuna), salmon avocado, baked scallop and miso aubergine – and get to enjoy them along with a soft drink.
Sat 3rd May 2025, 3pm – 4.30pm
12 Market Row, London SW9 8LB
temaki.co.uk
Once again the #SheInspiresMe sale is being held on the fifth and sixth floors of the Selfridges Car Park in collab with the department store’s RESELFRIDGES resale platform. A range of vintage, pre-loved, past season and new designer fashion will be available to shop alongside beauty products from top brands. A whole host of designers, industry names and stylists, including Sarah Harris, Eugenie Niarchos, Skye McAlpine, Charlotte Olympia, Poppy Delevingne and Noor Fares will be donating pieces, and you’ll be able to shop from the likes of Jimmy Choo, Rixo, Hunza G, By Rotation, Coach, Manolo Blahnik, Citizens of Humanity, 111SKIN, Augustinus Bader, Charlotte Tilbury and Rodial. All proceeds will go to Women for Women International, a charity that helps women survivors of conflict rebuild their lives
Sat 17th May 2025
Selfridges Car Park, London, W1A 1AB
womenforwomen.org.uk
Independent Label Market is back at Coal Drops Yard this May, with indies from all across London and the UK selling their freshest and finest fare. Labels at previous markets have included Fabric, Cherry Red, Transgressive, BBE, Revolver, Far Out Recordings, Dirty Hit, Matador, Partisan, Heavenly, Rough Trade, Wah Wah 45s, and XL Recordings, so that should give you a flavour of what to expect from the 2025 edition. The labels that are in attendance will be setting up shop and stocking their stalls with limited editions, signed records, vinyl rarities and test pressings as well as exclusive label and band merchandise.
Sat 10th May 2025, 11am – 6.30pm
Coal Drops Yard, Stable Street, London N1C 4DQ
independentlabelmarket.com
GALA is celebrating its tenth anniversary in 2025 and it’s throwing one hell of birthday party. Joining the bash in Peckham Rye Park across the second May Bank Holiday weekend will be Caribou, Floating Points, Theo Parrish, Moodymann, Hudson Mohawke, Ben UFO, KiNK, Floorplan, Avalon Emerson, Bradley Zero, Hunee, Pearson Sound, Horse Meat Disco, Calibre, Jossy Mitsu and more. All you electronic music fans won’t wanna miss this.
Fri 23rd – Sun 25th May 2025
Peckham Rye Park, 34 Straker’s Rd, London SE15 3UA
thisisgala.co.uk
Oh yes Hot Sauce Society, the original and biggest hot sauce festival in the capital, is making its return and it’s set to be the best edition yet, running over an entire weekend in May. Over 40 independent hot sauce makers from across the country will be showing off their goods at Copeland Park in Peckham. There’ll also be saucy street food from Oh My Dog, Lucky’s Fried Chicken, C’est Cheese, and 450 Degrees, plus Marcello’s Ice Cream will be scooping out a festival-exclusive flavour to keep you cool. Gipsy Hill Brewing and Kraken Rum will be taking care of the bevs and DJs will spinning throughout the fest so you can drop it like it’s hot.
Sat 10th & Sun 11th May 2025
133 Copeland Rd, London SE15 3SN
hotsaucesociety.co.uk
Following a premiere at the Edinburgh International Festival in 2024, David Ireland’s play The Fifth Step is transferring to London for a run @sohoplace. Slow Horses star Jack Lowden is reprising his role as Luka in the drama, which tackles topics like addiction, masculinity and faith, with Martin Freeman starring opposite as James, who, after many years in Alcoholics Anonymous, agrees to become Luka’s sponsor. As the pair build a friendship, it becomes clear that both Luka and James have secrets in their past that could threaten both of their recoveries.
From Sat 10th May 2025
4 Soho Pl, Charing Cross Rd, London W1D 3BG
sohoplace.org
Field Day is moving up the calendar and down south in 2025, taking place across the late May Bank Holiday in Brockwell Park. It may be moving location but you can expect another day of electronic music. Peggy Gou is headlining with the likes of Folamour, James Blake b2b Mala, Jayda G, Mall Grab, Skream & Benga, Midland and 4am Kru on also on the bill.
Sat 24th May 2025
Brockwell Park, London SE24 0NG
fielddayfestivals.com
After opening new immersive art gallery Lightroom in King’s Cross, with David Hockney: Bigger & Closer (not smaller & further away), the British artist is bringing his exhibition back to the venue this spring for a third run this spring. If you didn’t make it down for the show last year or the original run in 2023, here’s what you can expect from David Hockney: Bigger & Closer (not smaller & further away). 60 years of the artist’s work will be displayed in a cycle of six themed chapters, alongside a specially composed score by Nico Muhly and commentary by Hockney himself. Lightroom worked closely with Hockney to bring the production together, adapting old works and even creating some new ones too. The experience will see the likes of Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures), A Bigger Grand Canyon and other iconic pieces shape a theatrical exploration of Hockney’s career, from the 60s to the present day; LA to Yorkshire to Normandy.
May 2025
Lightroom, 12 Lewis Cubitt Walk, N1C 4DY
lightroom.uk
Following a run at The Old Vic at the beginning of 2024, Just For One Day, the musical that tells the story behind both Band Aid and Live Aid is transferring to the West End. Back in 1985, the now legendary gig saw timeless musicians take to the stage to raise money for Ethiopian famine relief. Two Live Aid concerts took place on the same day, one in London and one in Philadelphia, making a total of $127 million combined and going down in music history. The story of how this came to be (as well as the precursor to Live Aid, Band Aid) is being retold through a new Live Aid musical, Just For One Day. The production features the songs of Bob Dylan, David Bowie, The Who, U2, Queen, The Police, Elton John, Paul McCartney, The Pretenders, The Cars, Status Quo, Paul Weller, Sade, The Boomtown Rats, Bryan Adams, Diana Ross, Ultravox and more.
From Thurs 15th May 2025
210 Shaftesbury Avenue, London WC2H 8DP
theliveaidmusical.com
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