This Week in E20: 3–9 August

Comedy Night at Timber Lodge Café: Thursday evening

Every first Thursday of the month, Timber Lodge Café on the Park hosts a live comedy night, and this Thursday is your chance. Four comics, 70 seats, and tickets from just £6. It's an intimate and affordable evening out that punches well above its weight. Book at brewstreet.uk/event-list.

London Reggae & Food Festival: Friday at Riverside East

Riverside East heats things up this Friday 7 August for a Jamaican Independence Special. From 3pm to 10pm, the Park's riverside bar and venue hosts a full reggae, dancehall, and soca party with a headline DJ lineup including Saxon Sound, Seani B, DJ Nate & English Fire, Izzy Bossy, Shayna Marie, Vybz-SR, and Tuggzy Onpoint. Tickets on Skiddle.

West Ham v Portsmouth: Saturday at London Stadium

The new Carabao Cup campaign kicks off this Saturday with West Ham hosting Portsmouth at London Stadium, kick-off at 3pm. It's the first competitive match of the 2026/27 season. Riverside East will be running their West Ham Fan Zone from before kick-off.

Jamaica Independence at Riverside East: Sunday afternoon

The celebrations continue on Sunday. The Reggae Brunch takes over Riverside East from 2pm to 8pm for the 64th anniversary of Jamaican Independence, with a rum punch hour from 2–3pm, jerk chefs in the front yard, a Dancehall Queen competition with cash prizes, plus resident DJs, a glitter bar, and roaming entertainment. Tickets via Fatsoma.

Planetarium Go: on the Park until 29 August

If you haven't visited Planetarium Go yet, this week is a good time to go. The state-of-the-art mobile planetarium is set up beside the ArcelorMittal Orbit and runs until 29 August, with a 360-degree dome, advanced projection, and immersive sound taking you through space — from documentary-style shows on the history of astronomy to animated films. It works well for all ages, and your ticket includes 30% off Zip World London experiences like Helix, the world's longest and tallest tunnel slide. Book at london.planetariumgo.co.uk.

Black Eats Festival: this weekend at Hackney Bridge

Black Eats Festival is at Hackney Bridge this Friday to Sunday (7–9 August) for its summer edition, celebrating Black food culture with traders from across Africa, the Caribbean, and beyond. There's also a retail market, a bookshop, and live DJs throughout. Daytime sessions (12–4pm) are family friendly; evening sessions (5–9pm) are 18+ with a full bar. Book at blackeatsfest.com.

Also worth knowing this week

Pop-up padel tennis continues on the Park through to the August bank holiday weekend. The Music Is Black: A British Story at V&A East runs daily through to January 2027 and is well worth an afternoon if you haven't been. And if you're heading to Westfield on Saturday, the free Home Design Talk: Alfresco Summer Hosting runs at John Lewis from 1–2pm.

Something happening?

If you know about an event, market, or community gathering in E20 that we've missed, let us know and we'll add it to the listings.