Brilliant things to do in London in September 2024
Embrace the changing of the seasons with these brilliant events and openings
Well, that’s it. Summer is officially over. It’s back-to-school season and time to start thinking about cosy knitwear and your Netflix must-watch list. And, while you may be lamenting the return of colder weather, the changing of the seasons also traditionally heralds a slate of new openings, launches and must-try events in the capital – and this year is no different. From exciting store openings to an array of exhibitions and pop-ups, here’s our guide to the best things to do in London in September 2024.
The shopping: Whistles
Opening its new flagship in time for London Fashion Week, Whistles has designed a luxury shopping concept in the heart of Covent Garden that will open its doors on 12 September. Located on Long Acre, the store spans more than 3,600 square feet, spread across two floors, making it Whistles’ largest store to date. Showcasing a curated edit of must-have pieces from the AW24 collections, customers can shop all lines including Whistles Wedding, Petites and Limited Edition, all available in sizes UK 4-20, alongside a curated edit of Brands at Whistles, such as Hai, Rains, Isle of Eden and Sahar by Modest Mira.
With a gallery-inspired allure, the store’s design juxtaposes the building’s original exposed brickwork with stone and neutral tones alongside pops of moss green and terracotta. Inside, spacious fitting rooms guarantee a relaxed environment while a private suite offers complimentary 1-2-1 personal styling appointments. Getting married? The full Whistles Wedding collection is available in store and brides-to-be can pre-book private wedding appointments for both the bride and bridesmaids. We know where we’ll be shopping this season…
Whistles, 117 Long Acre, WC2E 9PA, open from 12 September 2024, visit whistles.com
The immersive event: Energy by Longchamp
To celebrate the launch of its AW24 campaign, Longchamp Team Spirit, the French fashion house is hosting a global series of immersive installations open to the public this month. Entitled Energy by Longchamp, the London pop-up will take place at 180 Studios and see three days of free workshops focusing on physical, cultural, and energy programming – think workshops by manifestation guru Roxie Nafousi, Lauren Jumps teaching a skipping class, Isa Welly leading a wellness experience and Sasha Morgan hosting a Pilates class. This innovative event will also feature a curated selection of ready-to-wear and accessories from the new season collection, including the hero Le Roseau bag, which will be showcased in Longchamp’s signature Pantone 267C green. This unique event is only in London from 5-7 September before it moves to Paris, Shanghai, Seoul and Kyoto, so don’t miss it while it’s in town.
Energy by Longchamp takes place at Surrey Street, WC2R 2ND, from 5-7 September 2024, visit longchamp.com
The culture: British Art Fair
Hosted at Chelsea’s Saatchi Gallery at the end of September, the British Art Fair returns to the capital to present an array of modern and contemporary British art. Promoting homegrown art since 1988, the fair focuses on pieces from the early 20th century to modern day with works by Britain’s most famous artists, including Frank Auerbach, Banksy, John Craxton, Tracey Emin, Terry Frost, Barbara Hepworth, Damien Hirst, Ivon Hitchens, David Hockney, Henry Moore, John Piper, Bridget Riley, William Scott and many more, shown by more than 80 of the UK’s leading dealers.
Highlights this year include a special exhibition dedicated to Wilhelmina Barns-Graham – one of Britain’s most significant 20th century modern artists and a prominent member of the post-war St Ives group. Elsewhere, don’t miss a new section dedicated to digital art in Britain, titled Pivotal: Digitalism and curated by interdisciplinary artist Rebekah Tolley-Georgiou, which will present shoppable digital art in all formats, including AI, AR, VR, digital sculpture, moving image, photography and painting.
The British Art Fair is open at Saatchi Gallery, King’s Road, SW3 4RY, from 26-29 September 2024, visit britishartfair.co.uk. To get two-for-one tickets click here.
The festivals: Classic Boat Festival, The Big Woof Festival and Greenwich Beer Festival
The Classic Boat Festival is set to make waves in London from 7-8 September when it returns to St Katharine Docks for a weekend filled with maritime splendour. Promising to be bigger than ever, the 15th edition will showcase more than 50 vessels, from war heroes like the Dunkirk Little Ships fleet to the impressive 20m Navy P2000 ship. Alongside the on-water attractions, there will be delectable menus from the dockside bars, restaurants and pop-up stalls to keep you occupied on land too.
Big Woof Festival
King’s Cross, meanwhile, will welcome the return of the much-loved Big Woof Festival to Coal Drops Yard from 14-15 September. The free canine wellness event promises a weekend of fun, fur, and frolics dedicated to our four-legged friends, with highlights including dog yoga and sound baths by The Wellness Foundry and dog massages with Galen Myotherapy, as well as talks with canine experts from Talula Eats covering topics from nutrition to gut health. Plus, don’t miss The Big Woof Market featuring more than 20 of London’s best dog apparel, treats and accessories brands, as well as special dog menus at select restaurants in King’s Cross.
On the other side of the capital, The Duke of Greenwich will be hosting the ultimate celebration of craft beer on 14 September. Whether you’re a seasoned connoisseur or new to the world of craft beer, the £10 ticket grants access to the festival – as well as a free pint of house lager, a branded tasting glass, and tasters from the beer festival suppliers – where you can sample the finest tipples from local craft breweries, such as Bianca Road Brew Co in Bermondsey, By The Horns Brewing Co in Wimbledon, Herne Hill’s The Bullfinch Brewery and Ignition Brewery from Lewisham (just to name a few).
The Classic Boat Festival will take place at 50 St Katharine's Way, E1W 1LA, from 7-8 September 2024, visit skdocks.co.uk; The Big Woof Festival will take place at King's Cross, N1C, from 14-15 September, visit kingscross.co.uk; Greenwich Beer Festival will take place at 91 Colomb Street, SE10 9EZ, on 14 September, visit eventbrite.com
The must-try menus: 1994 at St John and The Ivy Asia Moon Festival
St John
Roast bone marrow and parsley salad
Now celebrating its 30th year, iconic London restaurant St John – the establishment which defined nose-to-tail cooking under the helm of Fergus Henderson and Trevor Gulliver – will serve its original 1994 menus at Nineties pricepoints from 9-27 September. All weekday reservations during this period will be served variations of the very first St John menus from three decades ago, offering long-standing patrons and new customers an array of classics and archival favourites, from the beloved roast bone marrow and parsley salad to the delectable apricots on toast. You’d be a fool to miss it…
This autumn, The Ivy Asia will be honouring the Moon Festival traditionally celebrated in Chinese culture with a limited edition menu. From 9 September to 20 October, all London restaurants will be transformed with lanterns of all shapes and sizes, symbolising beacons that light the path to prosperity and good fortune, while diners are invited to indulge in a new afternoon tea, featuring duck spring rolls, spicy avocado maki rolls and sesame prawn dumplings, paired with sweet treats including golden brownie mooncakes and dark chocolate mousse choux buns. Elsewhere, toast the moon festival with three exclusive cocktails. Our favourite is the Xian Spritz made with Tanqueray gin, yuzu, turmeric and coconut cream.
The St John 1994 menu will be available from 9-27 September 2024, visit stjohnrestaurant.com; The Ivy Asia Moon Festival menus will be available from 9 September to 20 October 2024, visit theivyasia.com
The supper clubs: Aira x Restaurant Story, NIJŪ x Aulis, and Calum Franklin x Cut
Aira
Aulis
Two of Europe’s best Michelin-starred restaurants, Aira in Stockholm and London’s Restaurant Story, will come together for two exclusive four-hand dinners on 10 and 11 of September. The collaborative evenings will see Aira chef-patron Tommy Myllymäki cook in the capital for the first time alongside Restaurant Story's executive chef Tom Phillips, showcasing a menu combining signature dishes from both chefs' extensive repertoires and seasonal dishes from their current menus. Highlights include dill croustade with langoustine, scallop quenelle with poached king crab, and, as is customary at Restaurant Story, the tasting menu always includes a pasta course in tribute to Tom Sellers' time at Per Se. For this dinner, expect pumpkin agnolotti, pickled trumpet mushrooms and brown butter.
Elsewhere, on 12 September, Japanese grill and sushi bar Nijū will partner with Simon Rogan’s Michelin-starred restaurant, Aulis. This collaboration will see the creative forces of Nijū’s executive chef, Chris Golding, and Aulis head chef Charlie Tayler come together to curate a harmonious fusion of Japanese precision and farm-to-table dining. While much of the menu has been kept under wraps, lucky diners will definitely enjoy Aulis’s truffle pudding caramelised in birch with corra linn cheese and douglas fir, and Nijū’s A4 wagyu tournedos rossini with black truffle and foie gras.
This month, Cut at 45 Park Lane will welcome renowned chef and ‘London’s king of pies’, Calum Franklin, for a five-day collaboration from 17-21 September. Celebrated for his time at Holborn Dining Room, his best-selling book The Pie Room, and now cooking up a storm in Paris at Public House, the menu – designed collaboratively between Franklin and Cut’s executive chef Elliott Grover – features Australian wagyu beef Wellington, Franklin’s signature chicken, chestnut mushroom and tarragon pie, and dauphinoise potato and aged cheddar pie.
Aira x Restaurant Story will take place on 10-11 September 2024 at 199 Tooley Street, SE1 2JX, visit opentable.co.uk; Nijū x Aulis will take place on 12 September 2024 at 20 Berkeley Street, W1J 8EE, visit nijulondon.com; Calum Franklin x Cut at 45 Park Lane will run from 17-21 September 2024 at 45 Park Lane, W1K 1PN, visit dorchestercollection.com
The exhibitions: Birkenstock and David Hockney Auction
Birkenstock
From 5-8 September, Birkenstock will celebrate its 250th anniversary with a one-of-a-kind photo exhibition showcasing its legacy of quality, craftsmanship and innovation in shoemaking. The visual journey will feature never-before-seen archive materials from The Book of Birkenstock, including the brand's first advertisements, original photo and marketing materials from private estates and public archives, famous brand campaigns and fashion editorials. These will sit alongside product displays showcasing Birkenstock’s design history, featuring an array of unique products and notable designer collaborations from the likes of Rick Owens and Toogood.
David Hockney, Snow, from Weather Series, 1973
David Hockney, Celia with Green Hat, from Moving Focus, 1984
Over at Mayfair's Phillips gallery, a selection of artworks by English painter David Hockney have been curated into a free exhibition prior to auction later this month. Open to the public between 12-19 September, before auctions on 19 and 20 September, get up close and personal with three works from Hockney’s celebrated Arrival of Spring series: a captivating series of 61 iPad drawings that document the transformation of winter into spring. Created in preparation for the artist’s 2012 Royal Academy retrospective, A Bigger Picture, Hockney returned to his late mother's Bridlington home in 2006 to observe and record five Yorkshire springs. Another rare-to-market highlight includes Hockney’s first foray into etching with his portfolio A Rake's Progress, previously exhibited at Dulwich Picture Gallery in 2014.
The Birkenstock exhibition will be held at 11 Dray Walk Gallery, 91 Brick Lane, E1 6QL, from 5-8 September 2024, visit birkenstock.com; the David Hockney exhibition will be held at 30 Berkeley Square, W1J 6EX, from 12-19 September 2024, visit phillips.com
The cooking class: Petit Pavyllon
Calling all foodie families: Michelin-starred restaurant Pavyllon London is partnering with En Cuisine Cooking School to launch a new Petit Pavyllon series. Ideal for budding young chefs, the special culinary experience includes lunch at Pavyllon for adults while children enjoy a private cookery class, complete with a chef’s hat, apron and spectacular dishes to take home. Starting on 15 September and running on the third Sunday of each month until January 2025, children will enjoy a 90-minute cookery experience guided by expert chefs teaching essential kitchen techniques and crafting restaurant quality dishes. The pièce de résistance? Mini master chefs will proudly present their fine dining creations to their loved ones at the Pavyllon counter at the end of the class. No pressure…
Petit Pavyllon will take place from 15 September 2024 at Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane, Hamilton Place, W1J 7DR, visit pavyllonlondon.com
