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

Top Picks

Rainy Day Picks This Weekend

11–12 July Near St. Leonard Shoreditch

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 St. Leonard Shoreditch, 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 St. Leonard Shoreditch

cinema1

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

0.8 milesSat 11 Jul
Local gemSee the details→
Cinema
cinema2

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

0.8 milesSat 11 Jul
Local gemSee the details→
Cinema

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cinema3

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

0.8 milesSun 12 Jul
Local gemSee the details→
Cinema
Rhythms of London4Free! (worth double-checking)

Rhythms of London

at St. Margaret's House

Rhythms of London explores the city through contrast, movement, and close observation. The exhibition brings together two interconnected bodies of work that reflect different layers of urban experience. The first focuses on trees, abstract foliage, and museum interiors. These works capture quieter moments within the city, where natural forms and architectural spaces create a sense of pause. Branches, leaves, and structural elements are observed and reinterpreted through line, colour, and composition, revealing underlying rhythms that often go unnoticed. In contrast, the second body of work turns towards people and movement. Figures appear fragmented and fluid, dissolving into colour and gesture. These works respond to the pace and density of city life — the constant flow of bodies, overlapping trajectories, and fleeting interactions. Rather than depicting individuals, they evoke the collective energy of London as a shared, ever-changing environment. Together, the two series present London as a space shaped by opposing forces: stillness and motion, clarity and ambiguity, solitude and collective presence. The shift between quiet observation and dynamic movement reflects the way the city is experienced — not as a fixed image, but as a sequence of changing impressions.

1.1 milesSun 12 Jul
Local gemSee the details→
Community
Wagner: Tristan and Isolde5

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.

1.1 milesSun 12 Jul£72
Local gemSee the details→
Live Music
Workshops Events6

Workshops Events

at Samya Studios

This workshop series is for keen experienced students, yoga teachers and teachers-in-training. We will work through a series of postures and analyse how each student might find more space and alignment in each posture. Mouse will then show how to assist each of the poses and then you’ll have a chance to practice the assists on each other. This will help you to start developing an analytical and anatomical approach to asana. Hands on assists are a wonderful and useful part of the yoga practice and can be both therapeutic and educational. Mouse will share her systematic approach to all assistants so you can apply these skills to any asana and build your confidence.

1.3 milesSat 11 Jul
Local gemSee the details→
Community
Young Conductors Mentoring Scheme with Crouch End Festival Chorus7

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

2.1 milesSat 11 Jul
Local gemSee the details→
Festivals & Events
Coriolanus8

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.

2.6 milesSat 11 Jul
Local gemSee the details→
Community
community9

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.

3.4 milesSat 11 Jul23:00
Local gemSee the details→
Community
In-Person Group Hypnobirthing Course London - Dates 202610

In-Person Group Hypnobirthing Course London - Dates 2026

at The Hypnobirthing Midwife - group classes in Leyton

July Sat 11 & Sun 12 July 2:30pm to 7pm (in person both days) Pause Leyton London E10 6NQ + 15 July 7:30-9:30pm (Zoom) 22 July 7:30-9:30pm (Zoom) 29 July 7:30-9:30pm (Zoom) 3 Aug 6:30pm (in person) Check availability Sept Sat 26 & Sun 27 Sept 2:30pm to 7pm (in person both days) Pause Leyton London E10 6NQ + 30 Sept 7:30-9:30pm (Zoom) 7 Oct 7:30-9:30pm (Zoom) 14 Oct 7:30-9:30pm (Zoom) 19 Oct 6:30pm (in person) Check availability Nov Sat 14 & Sun 15 Nov 2:30pm to 7pm (in person both days) Pause Leyton London E10 6NQ + 18 Nov 7:30-9:30pm (Zoom) 25 Nov 7:30-9:30pm (Zoom) 2 Dec 7:30-9:30pm (Zoom) 7 Dec 6:30pm (in person) check availability

3.8 milesSun 12 Jul
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.