This week is absolutely packed full of events! We’ve got Brockley Max in full swing, Goldsmiths students taking over The Albany, jazz popping up all over the borough, and a few library gems for anyone who wants a plan that does not involve refreshing the weather app.
In this week’s Loop:
Brockley Max’s final stretch
Goldsmiths’ PureGold shows at The Albany
Free jazz, garden time and folk-punk in SE4
A nicely chaotic library mixed bag
🗓️ Our picks for 2nd June - 7th June
PureGold 2026
Final-year sounds, Deptford stage, big “I saw them before...” energy
Goldsmiths’ BMus Popular Music students are back at The Albany for PureGold 2026, with final-year degree shows running from Wednesday 3 to Saturday 13 June. Each night brings a fresh line-up of original sets, so this is a good one for anyone who likes hearing new music before it has been sanded down by the algorithm.
Tickets are £5-£10, with free tickets available for Goldsmiths staff and students with ID. Book and view the running order here.
Wednesday 3rd - Sunday 13th June @ 7:45pm, except Sunday 7th @ 6:30pm
The Albany @ Douglas Way, Deptford, SE8 4AG
Note: Ages 16+. The listing notes haze and adult content.
Brockley Max Festival
Nine days, many venues, one excellent excuse to stay local.
Brockley Max is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, with events across Brockley, Ladywell, Crofton Park and Honor Oak. Expect music, art, comedy, workshops, theatre and the sort of neighbourhood energy that makes you forgive the Overground for most of its sins.
The festival runs until Saturday 6 June, finishing with Max in the Park on Hilly Fields from 12pm-6pm. Browse/check details here. Many events are free or low-cost, but check individual listings here before you head out.
Friday 29th May - Saturday 6th June
Various venues @ Brockley, Ladywell, Crofton Park, Honor Oak and Hilly Fields
Jazz in Brockley - Pete Horsfall Trio
Trumpet, voice, beer, Brockley. Tidy.
Jazz in Brockley returns to waterintobeer with the Pete Horsfall Trio: Pete Horsfall on trumpet and voice, Nick Costley-White on guitar and Ben Love on bass. It is straight-ahead jazz in an intimate SE4 setting, which is a very civilised way to spend a Thursday evening.
Tickets are £13.20 (general) / £6.60 (unwaged). Book/check details here.
Thursday 4 June @ 7:30pm - 10pm
waterintobeer @ Unit 2 Mantle Court, 209-211 Mantle Road, SE4 2EW
Come ’n’ Grow
A free Friday garden reset, no gardening/allotment knowledge required
Step away from the screen and into The Albany’s hidden garden for Come ’n’ Grow, a weekly gardening club for adults. You’ll learn how to grow veg, pick up gardening skills, meet a few people and help keep the garden happy for bees, butterflies, frogs and other small local dignitaries.
It is free and all over 18s are welcome, but booking is requested so they can keep an eye on numbers. Tools are provided. Be sure to check details and book here. Donations are appreciated to help keep the community garden open.
Friday 5 June @ 12pm - 2pm (weekly, every Friday until Friday 30th October)
The Albany @ Douglas Way, Deptford, SE8 4AG
Jazz Saturdays
Free lunchtime jazz, with very little admin involved
The Albany’s café is easing into summer with Jazz Saturdays, a free first-Saturday-of-the-month session featuring performers from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. Drop in, grab lunch, pretend you were always planning a cultured Saturday, and let the jazz do the heavy lifting.
No ticket needed, though it is first come, first served if busy. Check details here.
Saturday 6 June @ 1pm - 2pm (monthly, first Saturday of the month)
The Albany Café @ Douglas Way, Deptford, SE8 4AG
Live Music - Acoustic Anarchy
Folk-punk, DIY colour and a Saturday night with teeth
Acoustic Anarchy lands at waterintobeer for Brockley Max with Pog, Wob and The Daffodildos. Expect folk-punk, DIY anthems, big energy and the sort of line-up that is very unlikely to be mistaken for background music.
Free entry, no booking required, though there is a £5 suggested donation entry that all goes to the artists. Details can be found here.
Saturday 6 June @ 7:30pm - 10pm
waterintobeer @ Unit 2 Mantle Court, 209-211 Mantle Road, SE4 2EW
Summer Jazz Series at The Fox and Firkin
Garden jazz, Lewisham High Street, and hopefully a cooperative sky
The Fox and Firkin kicks off its four-part Summer Jazz Series with a Women in Jazz takeover in the garden. The line-up includes Marysia Osu and Lily London DJing, with the wider series supporting Lewisham Donation Hub. There’ll be street food, drinks, market stalls and free entry for children, which is handy if your Sunday plans need to cover several generations.
Tickets are £12-£15, with a full series pass for £40 also available. Book/check details here. Families welcome, with free entry for children.
Sunday 7 June @ 1pm - 11pm (& 12th July, 9th August, 27th September)
The Fox and Firkin @ 316 Lewisham High Street, SE13 6JZ
Mixed Bag ✨
For when your feet need a sit-down
💻 Code Club - Wednesday 3 June, 4pm-5pm, New Cross Learning. A free drop-in for coding and digital skills. Handy for young tech-curious brains and adults who still fear spreadsheets.
🎭 Blackheath Community Youth Theatre - Thursday 4 June, 5pm-6:30pm, Blackheath Village Community Library. A drama session for ages 10-15, good for kids with stage energy and nowhere to put it.
📖 Blackheath Reading Group - Thursday 4 June, 6pm-7pm, Manor House Community Library. A free first-Thursday book group for adults, with new members welcome and no booking needed.
🎬 Deptford Library Cinema Club - Screening - Thursday 4 June, 6pm-8pm, Deptford Lounge. Free weekly film screenings with a monthly theme. Biscuits and fellow film fans are part of the charm. Discussions follow on the last Thursday of the month from 6pm-7pm.
📚 Reading Group at Catford Library - Friday 5 June, 11am, Catford Library. A free monthly adult reading group on the first Friday of the month. No booking needed, thankfully.
See you next week ~