A rainy local street scene with umbrellas, warm lights, and cosy indoor plans

Top Picks

Rainy Day Picks This Weekend

11–12 July Near Clapham Park

Not every listing gets a golden ticket

We check the usual frankly silly number of local websites, then look for events that feel rainy-day friendly: cinemas, theatres, talks, workshops, galleries, concerts, cosy venues, and anything less likely to involve standing in a muddy field making brave weather noises.

Happening Saturday 11 July to Sunday 12 July.
Picked for Clapham Park, not somewhere halfway across the county.
Only Local Gems and Curated venues make the cut, because standards are still a thing.
Listings with proper descriptions get bumped up the list. Three words and a shrug will not do.

Our 10 picks near Clapham Park

Coriolanus1

Coriolanus

at Network Theatre

Set in a post-apocalyptic landscape, Coriolanus, a fierce and proud Roman general, earns fame after defeating Rome’s enemies, his military success, he despises the common people and refuses to flatter them for political gain. Urged to seek public office, his arrogance alienates citizens, leading to his banishment. In anger, he allies with his former enemy Aufidius and marches against Rome. As destruction looms, his mother, Volumnia, pleads with him to spare the city. Moved by her words, he relents, choosing honor over revenge. His decision saves Rome but seals his fate, as he is killed for betraying his allies in return.

3.4 milesSat 11 Jul
Local gemSee the details→
Community
community2

Is Small Beer on the Bermondsey Beer Mile

at Small Beer Brew Co.

The Small Beer brewery and taproom is close to several craft breweries and bottle shops that make up the Bermondsey Beer Mile. If you're tackling the Bermondsey Beer Mile on a Saturday, we recommend starting in the Small Beer taproom, and then making your way up to London Bridge, where your food and public transport options are plentiful. Alternatively, you can do it the other way around, kicking things off on Druid Street and ending your day in South Bermondsey, where you can visit Four Pure and Small Beer before closing time at 10pm.

3.9 milesSat 11 Jul23:00
Local gemSee the details→
Community

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Young Conductors Mentoring Scheme with Crouch End Festival Chorus3

Young Conductors Mentoring Scheme with Crouch End Festival Chorus

at Making Music - Scotland

2 dates from 01 Sep 2024 Making Music Member Event Summer concert: O Mistress Mine 10 Jul 2026 07:30 pm to 09:00 pm A delicate summer poesy of song, with music to touch the heart strings. Making Music Member Event Come and Sing Mozart Requiem 11 Jul 2026 12:30 pm to 07:00 pm Come and sing Mozart Requiem Making Music Member Event South Birmingham Sinfonia: Spain and beyond 11 Jul 2026 03:00 pm to 05:30 pm South Birmingham Sinfonia: Spain and beyond Making Music Member Event Summer Showcase 11 Jul 2026 03:00 pm to 04:00 pm Making Music Member Event Make More Sail - Summer Concert 2026 11 Jul 2026 05:00 pm to 08:30 pm Make More Sail by Adrian Bawtree and Gloria by Francis Poulenc Making Music Member Event Eltham Choral Society Summer Concert 11 Jul 2026 07:00 pm Eltham Choral Society Summer Concert Making Music Member Event A Night at the Proms 11 Jul 2026 07:00 pm Derby Concert Orchestra 11 July 2026 concert Making Music Member Event Wombourne & District Choral Society 11 Jul 2026 07:30 pm to 09:30 pm Wombourne & District Choral Society Summer Concert 2026 Making Music Member Event Rutter Gloria 11 Jul 2026 07:30 pm Choral and brass concert Making Music Member Event

4.1 milesSat 11 Jul
Local gemSee the details→
Festivals & Events
Wagner: Tristan and Isolde4

Wagner: Tristan and Isolde

at London Symphony Orchestra

The Concert Wagner plunges the depths and rises to ecstatic heights in one of the greatest and most intense of operatic love stories. The Music Based on a medieval tale, Tristan and Isolde is told through music that seems to transcend time and space. Wallow in the heady, ambiguous harmonies and drifting melodies that set Wagner’s opera apart as one of the most progressive of its day. The plot, in which the two characters fall obsessively in love after drinking a potion, is simple. But it enables listeners to concentrate on what is essentially a huge symphonic opera and arguably music’s most sensual experience. The Performers Sir Antonio Pappano is one of the world’s foremost Wagner conductors – together with world-class soloists and the LSO, this concert performance will be one to remember. Read the Concert Programme Tristan and Isolde changed me as a musician forever. Sir Antonio Pappano The work of the Chief Conductor with the LSO is generously supported by Alex & Elena Gerko, and members of the Chief Conductor’s Circle.

4.9 milesSun 12 Jul£72
Local gemSee the details→
Live Music
cinema5

Mandy

at Close-Up Cinema

Mandy Panos Cosmatos , 2018, 121 min Mandy “is a midnight-movie festival unto itself, over two gonzo hours, it combines giallo, Clive Barker , Death Wish , prog rock, heavy metal, Heavy Metal, Guy Maddin , Mad Max , the dueling-chainsaw climax of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 , Nicolas Roeg , and Nicolas Cage at his most bugging-out unhinged. Were scientists to engineer an uncut, 100-proof cult sensation, it would probably look, sound, and kick like this. Of course, like a lot of synthetic drugs, Mandy could also cause its fair share of overdoses, at least for those with a less-than sky-high tolerance for nonstop ‘trippy’ lunacy.” – A. A. Dowd Screening as part of our Histoire(s) du cinéma series

5.5 milesSat 11 Jul
Local gemSee the details→
Cinema
cinema6

I Don't Want to Sleep Alone

at Close-Up Cinema

I Don’t Want to Sleep Alone Tsai Ming-liang, 2006, 115 min “Kuala Lumpur replaces Taipei as Tsai’s metropolis of choice in I Don’t Want to Sleep Alone , but the return to his country of birth certainly doesn’t yield any fondness or nostalgia – a sense only strengthened by the Malaysian Censorship Board’s outlawing of the film. Oppressively grimy, littered with half-built corporate structures and neglected shantytowns, and eventually draped in the smoke of a nearby wildfire, the Malaysian capital is portrayed as an eerie labyrinth of alienation, where vagrants and loners of various cultural backgrounds scrape by on low-paying construction and service jobs. Lee Kang-sheng embodies a pair of such figures, both unnamed in the film: one a battered immigrant labourer found on the street by a nurturing young man named Rawang (Norman Atun), the other a paralyzed figure who is taken in by a tender coffee shop waitress (Chen Shiang-chyi). As ever, Tsai makes breathtaking use of space, juxtaposing the cramped and tangled interiors of apartment buildings with the cavernous gorges of multi-story construction sites. A peaceful night’s sleep with a warm body proves to be the elusive objective of the uniformly taciturn ensemble, and, as such, mattresses join Tsai’s rotating set of pet motifs, ultimately featuring prominently in a closing image of exquisite serenity.” – Harvard Film Archive Screening as part of our Histoire(s) du cinéma series

5.5 milesSat 11 Jul
Local gemSee the details→
Cinema
cinema7

The Marriage of Maria Braun

at Close-Up Cinema

The Marriage of Maria Braun Rainer Werner Fassbinder , 1978, 120 min "A parable of post-World War II Germany, Fassbinder's film recounts the transformation of an impoverished war bride into a mercenary business woman. The best known of Fassbinder's trilogy of historical films about the Federal Republic's "economic miracle" of the 1950s and one of the major productions of the New German Cinema , The Marriage of Maria Braun is equally a melodrama of the highest order – Fassbinder's successful realization of his desire to create for Germany the equivalent of a classic Hollywood movie. Maria's failures at fidelity become a metaphor for the false optimism of the society that surrounds her: we hear Adenauer in the background succumb to weakness as his pledge never to rearm the nation falls victim to the irresistible allure of power." – Harvard Film Archive Screening as part of our Histoire(s) du cinéma series

5.5 milesSun 12 Jul
Local gemSee the details→
Cinema
Saturday LOW INTERMEDIATE+ @ GEORGE GREENS School8

Saturday LOW INTERMEDIATE+ @ GEORGE GREENS School

at Tower Hamlets Badminton Meetup

**Saturday - Lower Intermediate+ @ George Green's** Come and join our friendly badminton club for a fun and competitive doubles session at George Green’s School in Tower Hamlets! **How it works** * Book your spot here on Meetup – spaces are limited. * Pay by bank transfer before the session – bank details are provided below. * Bring your own racket and non-marking indoor shoes. Feather shuttles are included. **Level** This is a **Lower Intermediate+ session**. You should be able to play clears, smashes, drops, drives, and net shots consistently in games. All players **must be at the right level** for this session. Badminton levels vary between clubs, so we strongly recommend checking out our **Instagram page** to see what *we* class as **Lower Intermediate, Intermediate, and High Intermediate** before booking. We always use the **first game as a level check**. If it becomes clear during that game that the standard isn’t the right match for this session, **you won’t be able to continue beyond that point**. As a **small community club**, we’re unfortunately **unable to offer refunds** in these situations. Please **only book a session if you are happy to accept these conditions**. **Stay connected** We have a club WhatsApp group for updates, photos, and extra playing opportunities.

5.9 milesSat 11 Jul10:10ce £12 per session, payable in advance (all first time players must pay at least 24 hours before session start time, or
Local gemSee the details→
Community
Flirting (35mm)9

Flirting (35mm)

at David Lean Cinema

FLIRTING (35mm) 1991 | Dir John Duigan | Australia | 95 min Stars: Noah Taylor, Nicole Kidman, Thandie Newton The second autobiographical film by Duigan after The Year My Voice Broke. Taylor again plays Danny, now at a rural boarding school, where he meets Thandiwe, the rebellious daughter of African parents, who studies at the nearby Girl’s college. Before long a romance develops between the two, who must get around the rules of both institutions to see each other. This tender and perceptive film sees early performances from female stars Kidman and Newton, as well as Naomi Watts. A 35mm presentation in association with The Cinema Museum. Saturday 11 July at 2.00pm Get Tickets

5.9 milesSat 11 Jul
Local gemSee the details→
Community
Well-Crafted - Wimbledon Hat Embellishment A playful, seasonal workshop inspired by Wimbledon, experiment with painting...10

Well-Crafted - Wimbledon Hat Embellishment A playful, seasonal workshop inspired by Wimbledon, experiment with painting...

at Sunbeam Studios

Patron Tickets £25 A playful, seasonal workshop inspired by Wimbledon. Expect a light, social session with a creative twist — designed to complement the energy of summer in the city. Think relaxed making, conversation and a touch of British summertime nostalgia. Led by a facilitator from the Well–Crafted platform with assistance from Alexandra Lunn, drinks provided by Wednesday’s Domaine. During the Workshop, You Will: Explore tennis through colour, pattern, and material. Experiment with painting and embellishment techniques across linen and accessories. Create a refined, personal piece to wear, use, or gift. Duration: 1 hour 50 minutes Materials: All supplies provided Why not join us every Sunday and make time to switch off and create with your hands? These workshops are all about slowing down, getting stuck into the process, and enjoying the simple satisfaction of making something tangible. The 8-workshop bundle at £200 offers a flexible way to enjoy Summer Craft Sundays – a different craft each week, with the freedom to choose the ones you’d most like to try. Drop into the sessions that inspire you and enjoy making at your own pace.

6 milesSun 12 Jul£35
Local gemSee the details→
Workshops & Classes

More Top Picks

Keep the good ideas rolling

If this page has done the trick, there is more where that came from.

Round-upFamilies This WeekendTen family-friendly picks with proper details, decent venues, and no mystery listings that leave you guessing.Round-upFree Things This WeekendA smarter list of local free picks for the weekend, chosen for quality, clarity, and the sort of detail that saves a wasted journey.All PicksBack to Top PicksSee all our curated round-ups in one place.