What’s On This Weekend: From Live Poetry To Park Parties

Wimbledon has yet to reach its climax and summer holidays are still in the future, but if you can stretch your imagination that far, now is a good time to start planning what you might be doing in September and October.

Bookfest

Booking opens at 9am today for Wimbledon’s wonderful book festival, housed in two tents on the Common, and devised and run by the fabulous Fiona Razvi. Now in its 11th year, Bookfest seems to offer more imaginative shows and more interesting characters every October. If you want to get your hands on tickets for such big attractions as Salman Rushdie, Tracy Chevalier, Alan Johnson and the Rev Richard Coles, you’d best book now.

Tickets for the Royal Court’s winter season go on public sale at 10am today, and Saturday, July 15, is the last day to get discounted tickets for the exciting autumn/winter season, including The Snow Queen, at the Polka children’s theatre on The Broadway, Wimbledon.

The annual Kids Go Free initiative starts today. Every time you buy an adult ticket for one of a huge range of West End shows throughout August you can take a child under the age of 16 free of charge, when you book through this website. Limited availability, so get your tickets now.

Fear not: there’s plenty to do this weekend, starting today.

Thursday

Caleb Femi, a poet and London’s first ever young people’s laureate, is coming to Mitcham Library to host a focus group on what it’s like to be young in Merton. If you have something to say, find an audience between 4.30-6pm today.

Friday

The Beguiled is my pick of this week’s film releases. Written and directed by Sofia Coppola, and with an all-star cast including Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst and Colin Farrell, it tells the story of how the arrival of a wounded Yankee soldier in a southern girl’s school sets the fur flying during the American Civil War. Reviews suggest strong performances will beguile audiences.

Also out this week: War for the Planet of the Apes – scores 93% approval on Rotten Tomatoes.

Friday & Sunday

Live music at Merton Arts Space, behind Wimbledon Library, courtesy of Come We Grow urban gardening collective. Entry free before 7pm, £5 donation after.

Sunday

With Murray and Djokovic out, if you’re not glued to the men’s singles final, visit Nonsuch Park for the Party in the Park for cakes, games, music and faceprinting, in aid of Giving and Gratitude in the Gambia.