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 today—public transit is running regular schedules, but bring an Oyster or contactless card. For foodies, look out for new pop-up eateries in Soho and Shoreditch, with everything from Peruvian street food to plant-based comfort classics.

Now, if you want a true Londoner tip—skip the late breakfast and opt for a cheeky “elevenses” at a local bakery; you’ll beat the crowds and nab fresh pastries. And here’s an offbeat fact to stump your mates: London’s oldest tradition still going strong? The nightly Ceremony of the Keys at the Tower of London—every single night for over 700 years. Now that’s commitment. According to London’s event calendar, a handful of lucky folks get to watch tonight, but tickets are hotter than a vindaloo in July, so plan ahead for next time!

Tomorrow’s a true treat with Halloween parties popping up everywhere—so dust off those costumes! Plus, new exhibitions are opening for the weekend, and Battersea Power Station’s riverside ice rink is just about ready for its grand re-launch.

Thanks for listening, please subscribe, and remember—this episode was brought to you by Quiet Please podcast networks. For more content like this, please go to Quiet Please dot Ai.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is your Things to Do in London podcast. Welcome
listeners to Things to Do in London with your globe
trutting thrill chasing host Only Bennett, coming to you on Thursday,
October thirtieth, twenty twenty five. 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

(00:21):
term energy and spoky season fever. I'm already wearing my
lucky socks just in case I run into a chest
boxing match or a cheese rolling warm up somewhere in Soho.
Right now, London is a jolly cauldron of everything, from
elegant culture and wild family fun to cheeky pop concerts
and dance floors bouncier than a kangaroo with hiccups. If

(00:43):
you love options, buckle in for families embudding nature detectives.
The Regent's Park is throwing a free nature road show today,
loaded with spider themed crafts, wildlife quizzes and a Halloween
detective trail for all ages. Drop in any time from
a leg am to three pm. Solve some spooky mysteries
or just gork at the collection of Replica bird Skulls,

(01:06):
because who doesn't love a bit of skull spotting on
a Thursday that's courtesy of the Royal Park's Nature road Shows.
If the overnight rain has U 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

(01:28):
also a powerful documentary screening and Q and 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 self Bank Center. Get
stuck into family poetry, meet children's lauriate Frank Kottrell Boye

(01:52):
or catch readings from literary big hitters like Sayaka Marata
and Zady Smith. Today, poet Iris colum 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, pop star Cattie takes the stage early at
Colours Hoxton for some lunchtime pop. Why not make that

(02:13):
your cheeky work day escape. Meanwhile, ice skating fans, hold
onto your bobble hats. Canary Wharf Ice Rink is back
in Kennedy Square Park as of today, glistening under sparking
lights until February. It's the perfect way to practice your
triple axle or just your awkward penguin waddle before the
mould wine stalls return for winter. In local News, Greenwich

(02:34):
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 insterworthy photo ops and a cool reflective vibe. Over

(02:54):
In Hackney, the Day of the Dead is being celebrated
with a costumed family bike ride at ten thirds and
a grand parade later in the day. Whether you're a
pedal pusher or a party goer, that's worth a look.
Getting around should be smooth today. Public transit is running
regular schedules, but bring an oyster or contactless card for fudies.

(03:15):
Look out for new pop up eateries in Soho and
Shoreditch with everything from Peruvian street food to plant based
comfort classics. Now, if you want a true Londoner tip,
skip the late breakfast and opt for a cheeky elevents
Is at a local bakery. You'll beat the crowds and
nab fresh pastries. And he's an offbeat fact to stump
your mates. London's oldest tradition still going strong, the nightly

(03:39):
Ceremony of the Keys at the Tower of London, every
single mite for over seven hundred years. Now that's commitment.
According to London's event calendar, a handful of lucky felks
get to watch tonight, but tickets are hotter than a
Vinderloo in July, so plan ahead for next time. Tomorrow's
a true treat with Halloween parties popping up everywhere, so

(04:00):
rust off those costumes. Plus, new exhibitions are opening for
the weekend and Battersea Power Station's Riverside by Spring is
just about ready for its grand relaunch. Thanks for listening,
Please subscribe and remember this episode was brought to you
by Quiet Please Podcast Networks. For more content like this,
please go to Quiet Please dot Ai