London on Sunday 13 September: what is free and what you pay for
Open doors across the city, a free wellness festival at Wembley, Korean barbecue in the Olympic Park, classic boats by Tower Bridge and the Hampton Court gardens. Here is what costs money today and what does not.
The second Sunday of September has landed well in London: several large programmes run at once, and a good share of them is free. Here is what is open today, with an honest note on where a ticket is needed.
What can you do for free?
Open House. Day two of the festival: buildings you normally cannot enter are open to all. Many addresses are walk-in — turn up within the stated hours and queue. The programme is sorted by borough, and searching your own area beats chasing landmarks.
Your ad could be hereAdvertise hereWellness Festival at Wembley Park, 9am to 6pm. An outdoor site with fitness and mindfulness sessions, free entry, no registration — turn up and join in.
Classic Boat Festival at St Katharine Docks by Tower Bridge. Old wooden yachts and launches along the quay, free to look at, and one of the most photogenic days of the year in the dock.
The Hampton Court gardens are open free — the gardens specifically; entry to the palace still costs.
Oxo Tower Wharf on the South Bank: studios and galleries open to browse.
What do you have to pay for?
Korean BBQ Festival at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park from 2pm. Tickets required, food paid separately — it is a festival, not a fixed-price food court.
CelebrASIa at Battersea Power Station — final day, ticketed.
The London Podcast Festival at Kings Place ends today; individual events are still on sale.
The Good Immigrant panel at Soho Theatre Walthamstow, 7.30pm, ticketed. A close-to-home subject: how newcomers live here and what language does to that.
Where can you go with children?
Wembley Park and the Olympic Park are the easiest: open space, toilets, and a pushchair goes everywhere. In Open House some venues are marked step-free, but check each building — old houses have no lifts.
What should you know about getting around?
Sunday is engineering-works day on the Underground, with sections of lines closed. Check the TfL line status before you leave: a weekend route through the centre often takes longer than the map suggests. Buses run to their normal timetable and on a Sunday are frequently faster than the tube.
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