The bank holiday weekend is coming in fairly loud: a New Cross BBQ, jungle and soul at the Fox, local football, death metal and a Sunday garden takeover. There are calmer options too, if your preferred long-weekend pace is Pilates, knitting or colouring inside a library.
In this weekend’s Loop:
Friday BBQs and jungle before Carnival weekend gets going
Saturday litter-picking, soul, local football and death metal
Sunday garden grooves followed by Afro-Colombian psychedelia
Pick n Mix: Pilates, parkrun, knitting, archives and colouring
🗓️ Our picks for 28th – 30th August
Lewisham Commons Pre-Carnival Summer BBQ
Food, tunes and a Friday-night warm-up in New Cross
Lewisham Commons is taking over Piehouse Co-Op for a pre-Carnival summer BBQ and party, with DJs, tarot readings and food alongside the festivities. A good one for starting the long weekend without immediately making things complicated.
Further details can be found here including what attractions will be available - entry is free, with food offered at £10 or pay-what-you-can.
Friday 28 August @ 6pm - 12am
Piehouse Co-Op @ 213–214 Edward Place, London, SE8 5HD
Ray Keith’s Dread Bank Holiday
Jungle before the long weekend has even properly started
If Friday requires considerably more bass, Ray Keith’s Dread Recordings Carnival Special has that covered. Ray Keith is joined by Grooverider, Nookie B3B Madcap and a hefty supporting cast of DJs and MCs for an eight-hour jungle session at the Fox. Sensible shoes suddenly feel like a worthwhile investment.
Tickets available for £16 from the Fox’s website here, along with full lineup details.
Friday 28 August @ 8pm - 4am
Fox & Firkin @ 316 Lewisham High Street, London, SE13 6JZ
Note: This event is 18+
Litter Pick: Catford Waterlink Way
A Saturday morning plan with actual evidence you left the house
Eco Around Community is meeting in Catford for a free litter pick along Waterlink Way. There’s an important route change: maintenance means the group will only tackle a shorter section and will stay in Catford rather than finishing in Sydenham. Gloves, bags and litter pickers are available; bring decent footwear, water and perhaps waterproofs if the forecast is looking suspicious.
Exact details on what to bring and the start/ finish spot can be found here.
Saturday 29 August @ 11am - 12:30pm
Halfords Catford @ 1 Catford Hill, London, SE6 4NU
South London Soul Train w/ DJ Cash Money
Seven hours of funk, soul and disco in the garden
The South London Soul Train is throwing its first all-dayer at the Fox, with Jazzheadchronic joined by DJ Cash Money and MC The Chill One, plus deep-funk selectors Mati Baz and George Aresti. It all happens outside, which feels like an excellent use of a bank holiday Saturday.
Details and tickets can be found here - currently priced at £10.
Saturday 29 August @ 2pm - 9pm
Fox & Firkin @ 316 Lewisham High Street, London, SE13 6JZ
Note: This event is 18+
Lewisham Borough CFC vs Rochester United
A first home game and a very local Saturday afternoon
Lewisham Borough Community Football Club welcomes Rochester United to the Alex Yee Ladywell Arena for its first home game of the season, with the two sides meeting in the SCEFL First Division.
Tickets start at £8 here, making this a pleasingly straightforward bit of Saturday-afternoon football.
Saturday 29 August @ 3pm
Alex Yee Ladywell Arena @ Silvermere Road, Catford, London, SE6 4QX
Cerebral Incubation
Saturday evening, but make it extremely heavy
Wisconsin slam-death band Cerebral Incubation lands at New Cross Inn with .357 Homicide and Iniquitous Savagery, plus further special guests still to be announced. Expect punishing breakdowns, brutal death metal and absolutely no danger of mistaking this for an acoustic supper club.
View further details or buy tickets here through Skiddle- priced at £27.50.
Saturday 29 August @ 6pm - 11pm
New Cross Inn @ 323 New Cross Road, London, SE14 6AS
Note: This is a 14+ event, with under-16s needing an accompanying adult.
Strut Records – Free Garden Takeover
Sunday afternoon digging through some very good record shelves
Strut Records takes over the Fox garden for a free afternoon spanning African, Caribbean and Latin sounds alongside jazz, soul and disco. Expect selections from the label’s deep catalogue mixed with newer finds from the Strut crew. Free Sunday plans with nine hours of music are difficult maths to argue with.
Entry is free, details of the playing schedule can be found here.
Sunday 30 August @ 12pm - 9pm
Fox & Firkin @ 316 Lewisham High Street, London, SE13 6JZ
Movimientos Bank Holiday Fiesta: Pambelé + Cami Layé Okún
Afro-Colombian psychedelia to see Sunday safely into Monday
Sunday night at the Fox belongs to Pambelé, whose live set blends Colombian Caribbean rhythms with psychedelia, electric guitar, organ and saxophone. Cuban selector Cami Layé Okún joins them alongside DJs Magui and Chymba, so anyone hoping to quietly wind down the weekend may need another plan.
Details and tickets can be found here - general admission starts at £12, with an £8 late-entry option available.
Sunday 30 August @ 8pm - 2:30am
Fox & Firkin @ 316 Lewisham High Street, London, SE13 6JZ
Pick n Mix ✨
For when your weekend needs one more small but entertaining plan
🧘 Senior Mat Pilates - Friday 28 August, 10:15am–11:15am. A friendly session at Corbett Community Library for stretching, strengthening and meeting people. No experience needed; equipment is provided. £8 per session/ £24 for four sessions.
🏃 Hilly Fields parkrun - Saturday 29 August, 9am. A free weekly 5K for runners, joggers and walkers at Hilly Fields. Low cost, high smugness before breakfast.
🧶 Knitting Group - Saturday 29 August, 1pm–4pm. A free, friendly drop-in at New Cross Learning where you can stay for ten minutes or settle in for the afternoon.
📚 Arts & Craft Club - Saturday 29 August, 10:30am–11:30am. Head over to Downham Library for an Arts and Craft Club for children 5+.
🎨 Sunday Colouring Club - Sunday 30 August, 2pm–3pm. A free hour of peaceful colouring at Catford Library. Easy, creative and considerably less demanding than most bank holiday plans.
See you next week ~