All weekend
BST Hyde Park gets started this weekend. Image: Tom Hancock
CHILDREN'S LITERATURE FESTIVAL: What is apparently the UK's largest children's literature festival pitches up in Barnes for a weekend of talks and workshops. Hear from big names in the world of kids' books including Axel Scheffler, Michael Rosen and Lauren Child; take part in Aardman model-making sessions; or have a go at Manga illustration, among many other events and activities. 27-28 June 2026
JAPANESE FEMALE PHOTOGRAPHERS: The Photographers' Gallery's summer exhibition displays the work of 27 Japanese women photographers, from the 1950s to present day. More than 200 photographs, videos, installations and rare photobooks are on show, in a bid to rebalance a history too often told through a single, male-dominated lens. 24 June-27 September 2026
THE SLEEPING BEAUTY: The English National Ballet is at the Royal Albert Hall for Sir Kenneth MacMillan's production of The Sleeping Beauty — the first time it's been performed at this venue. The classic fairy tale of the cursed Princess Aurora, from her christening to her wedding celebrations, is brought to life with Tchaikovsky's score, as performed by the English National Ballet Philharmonic. 25-28 June 2026
