There’s so much going on in the capital this month, we thought we’d compile the best events into one handy guide. How thoughtful. There’s theatre productions, plenty of parties and free cocktails to see out the month in style. Time to plan:

August Cultural Agenda: Food

1. For a Foodie Weekend: Caribbean Food Fest

The Lowdown: Bringing a taste of the Caribbean to the streets of London, the second annual Caribbean Food Week Festival will be held on the 25th and 26th August in celebration of Caribbean Food Week 2017. Jerk chicken, plantain – it’s all happening.

The Event: Taking place at Windrush Square in Brixton, the event will bring Caribbean culture to life through live cookery demonstrations, authentic street food and markets, and live music to complete the vibe. As part of this, attendees will learn how to make Encona’s authentic Jamaican jerk popcorn recipe from scratch while top chefs will also be sharing their tips for cooking traditional Caribbean cuisine.

Price: Free entry

Where: Windrush Square, Brixton, London, SW2 1JQ

2. For an Inspirational Talk: Jamavar Women’s Club

The Lowdown: Jamavar co-founder Samyukta Nair is celebrating London’s leading ladies, bringing together inspirational women from a plethora of backgrounds to celebrate their diverse talents, share stories, ideas and advice for a monthly meeting of minds held in the exuberant subterranean bar beneath the Mount Street restaurant.

The Event: Designed as an antidote to the traditional ‘boy’s clubs’ of Mayfair, the next dinner will be on Monday (21st August) hosted by Isa Guha, Ex-England cricketer, who lead her team to victory in the 2009 World Cup. Specialists in the regional dishes of India, Executive Chef, Rohit Ghai, has created a bespoke Women’s Club menu, beginning with canapés of stone bass tikka and shami kebab or paneer and aloo tikka, which will be served with a glass of fizz from the bar, to raise a toast to the evening.

Price: Tickets will be £45pp inclusive of a welcome drink, canapés, a three courses dinner and a Jamavar goody bag. Tickets can be reserved by calling 0207 499 1800.

Where: Jamavar, 8 Mount Street, London W1K 2NF

3. For a Mexican Fiesta: Breddos Tacos x Tabasco x Pjoltergeist

The Lowdown: The Breddos x TABASCO TacOver series sees Breddos welcoming inspiring chefs from home and overseas to their kitchen to collaborate on two events. Each TacOver will run in a similar format: an all-day taco and mezcal party, followed the next day by a collaborative 8+ course set menu dinner.

The Event: The next event on Sunday (20th August) sees Breddos partner with Pjoltergeist from Oslo, one of Scandinavia’s most respected and creative restaurants headed up by chef Atli Mar Yngvason, who was formerly sous chef at Michelin-star restaurant Ylajali in Oslo. On Sunday, Breddos will be throwing one hell of a Mexican fiesta at their Clerkenwell digs. No booking required, just come down hungry and prepare to feast on tacos and sip on Mezcal.

Price: Free entry.

Where: 82 Goswell Rd, London EC1V 7DB

August Cultural Agenda: Music

4. For a One-Off Gig: DJ Kate Simko and London Electronic Orchestra 

The Lowdown: Chicago born producer, composer, pianist, and DJ Kate Simko, is bringing her genre-bending project London Electronic Orchestra to one of London’s most iconic live music venues, The Jazz Cafe on Thursday (August 24th).

The Event: Kate and LEO’s biggest London show of the year, the night will feature a quartet of harp, violin, and two cellos alongside Kate on keyboards and London-based vocalist Alex Marshall. With a signature pop-soul vocal style, Alex has featured on numerous electronic, folk, and house tracks with artists like Mac Elliott and Billie Marten. One of London’s most unique and innovative ensembles, Kate Simko & London Electronic Orchestra create a distinct sound that combines the intricacies and textures of classical instruments with electronic music; incorporating synthesizers, organic sound design and live sequencing whilst bringing a new perspective to both genres.

Price: From £10. Tickets here.

Where: 5 Parkway, Camden Town, London NW1 7PG

The Lowdown: This is one event you don’t want to miss. Field Day festival return to Dinerama on Sunday (27th August) for a big Bank Holiday bash. Following Easter Sunday’s sell out success, Field Day have curated another unmissable event running from noon ‘til midnight with 12 hours of music, food, and booze.

The Event: Dinerama will be rolling up their shutters to host another huge line-up with DJs including Simian Mobile Disco, Baio, Eclair FiFi, Ewan Pearson, Throwing Shade, Lemmy Ashton, Bugged Out, Eat Your Own Ears, Snap Crackle & Pop plus special guests to be announced. Expect all of Dinerama’s street food stars and brilliant bars – grab a plate of Thunderbird’s fiery chippuffalo wings with a side of Laffa’s crispy halloumi fries, sink a Tequila Colada slushy then dance off your dinner from day ‘til dark.

Price: Tickets are £10 and include a beer. The last event sold out in advance so get yours here.

Where: Shoreditch Yard, 19 Great Eastern Street London EC2A 3EJ

Photo Credit: Johnny Stephens

6. For Live Music: The London Edition

The Lowdown: This August Songs From Above will return to The London EDITION with a celebratory series of live music from London’s leading alternative choir. Fresh from the BBC Proms, London Contemporary Voices will play tribute to music-icons through the decades, covering pop classics from Madonna to Whitney Houston, Bowie to George Michael.

The Event: On Wednesday (23rd August) London Contemporary Voices will be banging out guilty pleasures – from Cyndi Lauper to Wham and other musical greats. And the following Wednesday (30th August), London Contemporary Voices will pay tribute to the rock gods, from Bowie to Prince. And they’ll be Jason Atherton bar snacks, including soft corn tacos with BBQ pork shoulder, cod croquettes and Buccleuch estate beef tartare to munch on.

Price: Complimentary, no ticket necessary.

Where: The London EDITION, 10 Berners Street, W1T 3NP

Photo Credit: Carsten Windhorst

August Cultural Agenda: Events

7. For Free Fun: A World of Play

The Lowdown: On Thursday (24th August), Casumo.com is hosting an extraordinary one-off pop-up event in Shoreditch, east London. A World of Play promises to put some oomph into your summer with an eclectic explosion of quirky eccentricity.

The Event: Attendees will be transported into a colourful, musical adventure world complete with spinning human slot machines, musical bingo, giant card games, ’Gospel-oke’, retro video games and more. On top of all that there will be a live performance from award winning loop pedallist THePETEBOX, plus complimentary drinks and prizes to be won, including a sky dive, a year’s supply of pizza and SSE Wembley Arena tickets.

Price: It’s completely free, and there are still a few tickets up for grabs. Simply register here.  

Where: Kachette, 347 Old St, London EC1V 9LP

8. For a Black Comedy: Mother’s Ruin at the Underbelly Festival 

The Lowdown: Equal parts historical and “hysterical”, Mother’s Ruin: A Cabaret About Gin is a raucous journey told through tales of women, love, secrets and gin. Two of Australia’s hottest stars, Maeve Marsden and Libby Wood, accompanied by Australian cabaret legend Tom Dickins, together ignite the stage with stunning vocals and quick wit as they take an intoxicating stroll through the history of one of the world’s favourite tipples. 

The Event: With a generous splash of stunning music, a dash of theatricality and a twist of feminist theory, Mother’s Ruin is a deliciously contemporary cabaret cocktail. The production comes to London for one performance only (30th Aug), and has a strong record of selling out in similar Spiegeltents around the world.

Price: From £17.50. Tickets here.

Where: Underbelly Festival Southbank, Belvedere Road Coach Park

August Cultural Agenda: Drink

9. For Cocktails: Aperol Spritz Sundial Social 

The Lowdown: Aperol will be spritzing up London’s Southbank this August bank holiday weekend, as it returns to unveil the Aperol Spritz Sundial Social. The pop-up installation sees the launch of an extraordinary 20ft wide, functioning sundial and bar, offering Londoners a refreshing Aperol Spritz serve when the sundial strikes ‘aperitivo hour’ at 5pm.

The Event: The Aperol Spritz Sundial Social will offer a complimentary spritz per person to ensure guests start their evenings the Italian way. Come British rain or shine, the sundial will continue to encourage Italian sociability, with Aperol Spritz on offer across the weekend.

Price: Free entry

Where: Queen’s Stone area in Southbank adjacent to the Thames and alongside Oxo Tower by Bernie Spain Gardens

10. For a Wine Education: Village East

The Lowdown: Village East have recently launched a monthly ‘Wine Watch’ series featuring rotating topics on different wines for your delectation with resident wine guru Pippa Penny, adopting a casual and conversational approach that’s both educational and fun. Novices and connoisseurs welcome.

The Event: With over 15 years of experience in the industry, Village East’s wine specialist Pippa Penny will be guiding guests through jargon, sharing tricks of pairing with food and selecting wines suited for any occasion with a relaxed approach. On Tuesday (22nd August), the event will focus on Chardonnays from the hills of Morocco and South Africa, to the infamous Chablis vineyards of France.

Price: Tickets can be purchased here.

Where: 171-173 Bermondsey St, London SE1 3UW

Photo Credit: Paul Winch-Furness