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What's on in Waterloo & South Bank this week (26 October–4 November)

The Queen's Walk beside the Royal Festival Hall lit up at night, with the London Eye beyond

Photo: AndyScott / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

It’s half-term week, Halloween falls on Saturday and the riverside is already getting ready for winter, so there’s plenty to enjoy in Waterloo and on the South Bank over the next ten days. The London Literature Festival is wrapping up with free storytelling and making sessions for all ages, Quentin Blake’s much-loved characters are popping up all over the Royal Festival Hall, and the Winter Market returns to the Queen’s Walk on Monday 2 November. Here are some of our favourite picks – most of them completely free.

Free events

  • Quentin Blake: The Southbank Parade – Tue 27 Oct to Sun 8 Nov, Tue–Sun 10am–11pm (closed Mondays), across the Royal Festival Hall. Free, no ticket required. Hunt for Sir Quentin Blake’s rock stars, dancers, poets and skaters celebrating the 1951 Festival of Britain – a perfect half-term treasure trail.
  • London Literature Festival Book Swap – Wed 28 Oct to Sun 1 Nov, 10am–8pm (closes 7.30pm on Sun 1 Nov), Blue Side Foyer, Royal Festival Hall. Free, no ticket required. Last chance this week to bring a book, take a book and leave a recommendation for the next reader.
  • Creative Encounters: Manifesto Library – Wed 28 Oct, from 6pm (around two and a half hours), The Clore Ballroom, Royal Festival Hall. Free, no ticket required (ages 16+). Join zine-maker Zoe Thompson to craft your own collaged zine inspired by a much-loved book, with a friendly zine swap to finish the evening.
  • Search for a Story – Thu 29 Oct to Sun 1 Nov (from 11am Thu, Sat and Sun; from 1pm Fri), The Clore Ballroom, Royal Festival Hall. Free, no ticket required (ages 5+). Gather round a giant storytelling bed, piece together well-loved tales and help the Story-collector in short pop-up storytelling sessions through the day.
  • Philharmonia Chamber Players: Brahms & Lisney – Thu 29 Oct, 6pm, Royal Festival Hall. Free (ticket required, ages 7+). A lovely 45-minute early-evening concert pairing Joy Lisney’s dreamy string quartet with Brahms’ warm and lyrical String Sextet No.1.
  • Cardboard Citizens: The Meaning of Home – Fri 30 Oct, 10.30am (around 90 minutes), The Clore Ballroom, Royal Festival Hall. Free, no ticket required (ages 5+). A creative family workshop of play, art and poetry inspired by Jacqueline Wilson’s The Bed and Breakfast Star, exploring what makes a place feel like home.
  • Charleston to Hip Hop: How Black Dance Changed British Culture – Fri 30 Oct, 3pm–5pm (family session) or 6pm–8pm, Studio 1, The Colombo Centre, 68 Colombo Street (Coin Street). Free, first come, first served. Close Black History Month in style with a live performance from Jazz Dance Elite led by Jreena Green, a dance workshop everyone can join, and refreshments.
  • Southbank Centre Winter Market – opens Mon 2 Nov (until Sun 3 Jan), stalls 11am–10pm, Queen’s Walk under Hungerford Bridge. Free to browse. The alpine-style chalets return to the riverside with twinkling lights, hot chocolate, street food and handmade gifts from independent makers.
  • Uncommon Ground – from Wed 4 Nov (until Sun 15 Nov), 11am–6pm, Oxo Gallery, Oxo Tower Wharf. Free entry. More than 60 makers from the Society of Designer Craftsmen show beautiful ceramics, glass, textiles, jewellery and woodwork – many pieces on display for the first time.

Also worth booking

  • Funday: Frankenweenie – Sun 1 Nov, family workshop from 10.45am in the main foyer before the screening, BFI Southbank. £8 adults, £4 under-16s (workshop free to Funday ticket holders). Round off Halloween weekend with wonderfully weird crafts and Tim Burton’s heartfelt black-and-white tale of a boy and his dog Sparky.
  • Martin Guerre – final week, until Sat 31 Oct, The Old Vic, The Cut. Tickets £14.50–£76.50 (ages 12+). Catch the last performances of this reimagined version of the Olivier Award-winning musical from the creators of Les Misérables, staged in the round.
  • Black Screen Classics – continuing until 30 Nov, BFI Southbank. £9.50 (£4 for under-16s). There’s still plenty of time to explore this wonderful season of Black cinema, from Mandabi and Touki Bouki to Babymother.

Whatever you choose, we hope you have a wonderful half-term and a happy Halloween – enjoy everything our brilliant neighbourhood has to offer!