Lyle Lyle Crocodile at Everyman on the Canal

Under GBP20

Cheap date ideas in London: 1925 events this week (18 Jul to 18 Jul)

Cheap date ideas in London, all in person and under GBP20 each. Gigs, comedy, exhibitions and more, with the price shown on every listing.

1925 events this week (18 Jul to 18 Jul) Updated daily · last refreshed 18 July 2026
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Lyle Lyle Crocodile at Everyman on the Canal
Family Free

Lyle Lyle Crocodile

Everyman on the Canal · Tonight

An Artist in Everyday Life at Wellcome Collection
Workshop Free

An Artist in Everyday Life

Wellcome Collection · Tonight

The Slow Jams Bottomless Brunch (Blues Kitchen) at Blues Kitchen Shoreditch
Food Nightlife Free

The Slow Jams Bottomless Brunch (Blues Kitchen)

Blues Kitchen Shoreditch · Tonight

Zen Space at Redbridge Central Library
Workshop Family Free

Zen Space

Redbridge Central Library · Tonight

First Contact VR Experience at Redbridge Central Library
Social Free

First Contact VR Experience

Redbridge Central Library · Tonight

Face Painting at Redbridge Central Library
Art Festival £3

Face Painting

Redbridge Central Library · Tonight

Crazy Comic Club - Character Workshop at Redbridge Central Library
Festival Workshop Free

Crazy Comic Club - Character Workshop

Redbridge Central Library · Tonight

Giant Games at Redbridge Central Library
Family Free

Giant Games

Redbridge Central Library · Tonight

The Morgan Macmillan Maker's Market at The Morgan Arms
Social Free

The Morgan Macmillan Maker's Market

The Morgan Arms · Tonight

Music at Kew Palace at Kew Palace
Live music Free

Music at Kew Palace

Kew Palace · Tonight

Nelson Mandela Day Trafalgar Square London at Trafalgar Square
Nightlife Free

Nelson Mandela Day Trafalgar Square London

Trafalgar Square · Tonight

KONTEKST Film Festival 2026: ENTANGLEMENTS at Conway Hall
Art Exhibition £20

KONTEKST Film Festival 2026: ENTANGLEMENTS

Conway Hall · Tonight

Imagine Series: Àwa (Us) with Ọlámony at Wigmore Hall
Live music £5

Imagine Series: Àwa (Us) with Ọlámony

Wigmore Hall · Tonight

The Glamorous Grandmas with Jodie Lancet-Grant at Redbridge Central Library
Talks Family Free

The Glamorous Grandmas with Jodie Lancet-Grant

Redbridge Central Library · Tonight

Once Upon A Dragon’s Fire - Drama Workshop with Cat & Hutch at Redbridge Central Library
Theatre Workshop Free

Once Upon A Dragon’s Fire - Drama Workshop with Cat & Hutch

Redbridge Central Library · Tonight

The Hip Hop Orchestra Brunch - Shoreditch at Blues Kitchen Shoreditch
Food Live music £16.50

The Hip Hop Orchestra Brunch - Shoreditch

Blues Kitchen Shoreditch · Tonight

Archduke at Royal Court Theatre
Comedy Theatre £15

Archduke

Royal Court Theatre · Tonight

Class of '79 at The Half Moon, Putney
Live music £15

Class of '79

The Half Moon, Putney · Tonight

Summer Garden Salon at Design Museum
Art Community £5

Summer Garden Salon

Design Museum · Tonight

Sounds Familiar Music Quiz - Daytime Party at O'Neill's Wardour Street
Festival Live music £15

Sounds Familiar Music Quiz - Daytime Party

O'Neill's Wardour Street · Tonight

Sounds Familiar Music Quiz - Summer Special at O'Neill's Wardour Street
Festival Live music £15

Sounds Familiar Music Quiz - Summer Special

O'Neill's Wardour Street · Tonight

Bassface Sessions at Basing House
Nightlife Free

Bassface Sessions

Basing House · Tonight

Traditional Irish Music Sessions at Howl at the Moon
Live music Free

Traditional Irish Music Sessions

Howl at the Moon · Tonight

Wimbledon Soul Club at The Woodman
Live music Nightlife Free

Wimbledon Soul Club

The Woodman · Tonight

Hurricane Saturday at Sugar Cane
Nightlife Free

Hurricane Saturday

Sugar Cane · Tonight

London Museum Docklands highlights tour at London Museum Docklands No.1 Warehouse West India Dock Road London
Talks Tours £13.50

London Museum Docklands highlights tour

London Museum Docklands No.1 Warehouse West India Dock Road London · Tonight

XOTIC GLOBAL GARDEN PARTY at The Fox and Firkin
Nightlife £7.50

XOTIC GLOBAL GARDEN PARTY

The Fox and Firkin · Tonight

Open afternoon at The Clockworks at The Clockworks
Talks Free

Open afternoon at The Clockworks

The Clockworks · Tonight

LEGO Build the Change: Dear Zoo Challenge at Idea Store Chrisp Street
Talks Family Free

LEGO Build the Change: Dear Zoo Challenge

Idea Store Chrisp Street · Tonight

Vinyl Brunch at Mezzanine - Tooting
Food Nightlife Free

Vinyl Brunch

Mezzanine - Tooting · Tonight

Bougie Drag Bottomless Brunch City - London at Forge, London
Dance Food £16.50

Bougie Drag Bottomless Brunch City - London

Forge, London · Tonight

Bougie Drag East - London’s Premium Drag Brunch at Forge, London
Comedy Food £20

Bougie Drag East - London’s Premium Drag Brunch

Forge, London · Tonight

Ghost of Garage Rooftop Party W Oxide & Neutrino, Mark Hill, Submatic, Danny Rankin, Tessa & Rich Reason at Freight Brixton
Live music 18+ Free

Ghost of Garage Rooftop Party W Oxide & Neutrino, Mark Hill, Submatic, Danny Rankin, Tessa & Rich Reason

Freight Brixton · Tonight

Rugby Union! Fiji vs Scotland at 2:10PM! at The Commercial
Social 18+ Free

Rugby Union! Fiji vs Scotland at 2:10PM!

The Commercial · Tonight

Tender at Bush Theatre
Theatre LGBTQ+ £10

Tender

Bush Theatre · Tonight

Postman Planet with Ben Davis at Redbridge Central Library
Talks Free

Postman Planet with Ben Davis

Redbridge Central Library · Tonight

Drag Bingo every Saturday afternoon with optional Bottomless Prosecco & Pizza at CellarDoor
Comedy Social £9.90

Drag Bingo every Saturday afternoon with optional Bottomless Prosecco & Pizza

CellarDoor · Tonight

Pancakes and Prosecco Bottomless Brunch at Duo Clapham
Food Nightlife £16.50

Pancakes and Prosecco Bottomless Brunch

Duo Clapham · Tonight

Foley Fest at Cardinal Vaughan Playing Fields
Festival Family £5

Foley Fest

Cardinal Vaughan Playing Fields · Tonight

Shoreditch Day Rave at Boxpark Shoreditch
Nightlife Free

Shoreditch Day Rave

Boxpark Shoreditch · Tonight

Day Funk DJs at Great Exhibition
Exhibition Nightlife Free

Day Funk DJs

Great Exhibition · Tonight

Crazy Comic Club - Manga Workshop at Redbridge Central Library
Festival Workshop Free

Crazy Comic Club - Manga Workshop

Redbridge Central Library · Tonight

Garden Party with special Guests: The Reggae Locksmiths featuring DJ Andy Smith (ex-Portishead) & 7Locks (Flashback Records) + at The Elmhurst
Nightlife 18+ Free

Garden Party with special Guests: The Reggae Locksmiths featuring DJ Andy Smith (ex-Portishead) & 7Locks (Flashback Records) +

The Elmhurst · Tonight

Pleasure Palace at Albert's Schloss - Soho
Live music Nightlife Free

Pleasure Palace

Albert's Schloss - Soho · Tonight

Food Nightlife £16.50

Sounds Familiar Music Quiz Brunch

O'Neills · Tonight

A good date in London does not have to cost a fortune. Some of the best evenings out are the small ones: a comedy night above a pub, a candlelit recital, an exhibition you wander through slowly, a gig in a back room you would never have found alone. The shared experience does the work, not the bill.

This guide gathers events you can attend in person where entry comes in under twenty pounds, framed here as ideas for a night out together. Because every OnlyHere listing shows its price, you can see what an evening will cost before you commit to it.

Pair anything below with a walk along the river, a cheap eat, or a drink afterwards, and you have a plan. The list updates as new dates appear, so there is usually something fresh to suggest.

Venues to know

How we pick

OnlyHere tracks live listings from over a hundred London venues, councils, and programmers, refreshed nightly. Picks favour events with confirmed dates, real venues you can find on a map, and editorial notes written by us, not the promoter. Prices and dates come from the listing itself; we never guess.

Frequently asked questions

How much should I budget for a cheap date in London?

Most low-cost dates in London sit somewhere between free and around £20 a head, depending on whether you add food or drinks. Markets, gallery visits, and park walks cost nothing. A cinema ticket, a museum café stop, or a cheap eat in Soho or Dalston pushes it up a little but stays very manageable.

What are good free date ideas in London?

The major national museums are all free, and most of them are genuinely worth your time rather than just a fallback. Tate Modern, the British Museum, the V&A, the National Gallery. Beyond that, Hampstead Heath, Barbican conservatory on free-entry days, and Columbia Road on a Sunday morning all work well without spending anything.

What are cheap evening date ideas in London?

Comedy nights, pub quizzes, and low-key live music gigs are the staples. Hackney, Peckham, and Brixton have a lot of affordable evening options. Many arts venues do pay-what-you-can nights or cheaper tickets for early or late slots. The listing page above pulls together live evening events and updates daily.

What are good rainy-day date ideas in London?

London has enough free indoor spaces that rain is not a problem. The covered passages around Covent Garden and the Burlington Arcade are good for wandering. The Barbican Centre, the Wellcome Collection, and the Southbank are all worth time regardless of the weather. A borough market coffee and a gallery afterwards is a reliable formula.

What cheap date ideas work well in East London?

East London is genuinely one of the easier parts of the city for low-cost dates. Brick Lane and the surrounding streets have independent food spots at reasonable prices. Victoria Park is good for an afternoon. Broadway Market on a Saturday, or a wander through Walthamstow's Lloyd Park if you want to get slightly further out.

How many cheap date ideas in london are listed right now?

There are 1925 events listed on this page right now. It updates daily.