Best guide to What’s On In Shoreditch This Weekend |May 2026

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Best guide to What’s On In Shoreditch This Weekend |May 2026

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May 29, 2026

What’s On in Shoreditch this weekend(Fri 29 –Sun 31 May 2026)

From the team at Islington Local Guide — your what’s-on authority for East and North London.

Shoreditch doesn’t really do quiet weekends, and this one’s no exception. The markets are in full swing, the street art’s looking its best in the sunshine, half-term’s still running, and on Saturday the whole neighbourhood becomes one giant screening room for theChampions League final. There’s also a low hum of anticipation in the air, because SXSWLondon rolls into these very streets on Monday — but more on that below.

So whether you’re here to shop a Sunday market till you drop, hunt down a new mural,watch Arsenal go for European glory, or just eat your way down Brick Lane, here’s how to do Shoreditch properly this weekend. Everything below has been checked for these specific dates.

Sunday is market day (but Saturday counts too)

If there’s one thing Shoreditch and its borders do better than anywhere, it’s markets —and the weekend is when they hit full tilt.

Brick Lane and the Old Truman Brewery are the Sunday epicentre. The street market itself runs Sunday, roughly 10am to 5pm, while the Truman Brewery’s clutch of indoor markets give you all-weather browsing: the Backyard Market (arts, crafts and emerging designers; Sat 11am–6pm, Sun 10am–5pm), the Sunday UpMarket and the Boiler House food hall, plus the Vintage Market for rails of second-hand gold. Come hungry — the global street food here is half the point.

Old Spitalfields Market is open all weekend (Sat 10am–6pm, Sun 10am–5pm), with the covered Kitchens street-food area firing up from around 11am — a more polished, weather-proof counterpart a few minutes west. And the area’s most photogenic Sunday institution sits just down Hackney Road: Columbia Road Flower Market, every Sunday, around 8am to 3pm, rain or shine.

Go early for the pick of the blooms, late for the bargain-shouting.

A non-negotiable pit stop in between: Beigel Bake on Brick Lane, open 24 hours, for asalt beef beigel that has fuelled East London’s market-goers, clubbers and cabbies for decades.

Saturday: the Champions League final, Shoreditch-style – What’s On in Shoreditch this weekend

The big one this Saturday is football: Arsenal v PSG in the Champions League final, kick-off 5pm UK time from Budapest.

Shoreditch’s headline spot is BOXPARK Shoreditch, which is hosting an official Arsenal v PSG screening from around 4pm, with multiple HD screens across its indoor and outdoor terraces, a wall of street-food traders and several bars. It’s a ticketed, 18+ event with a proper party atmosphere — book ahead, because this will sell out and it’s the loudest, most communal way to watch in the area.

Prefer a pub? Bar Kick on Shoreditch High Street is one of London’s great football venues — giant screens, table football and a fittingly international crowd for a European final. Wherever you land, get in early; the whole of East London will be watching.

Street art and a creative wander

You don’t need a ticket — or a plan — to enjoy the best free thing in Shoreditch: thestreet art. The lanes around Brick Lane, Hanbury Street, Fashion Street and Redchurch Street are an ever-changing open-air gallery, from monumental murals to stencils that vanish within weeks. Wander solo, or pick up one of the many guided street-art walks if you want the stories behind the spray paint.

When you need a breather from the crowds, duck into Arnold Circus — the bandstand at the heart of the Boundary Estate (Britain’s first council housing) is a genuinelypeaceful spot — or the green of Allen Gardens just off Brick Lane.

Culture and cinema at Rich Mix

For something indoors and brilliantly Shoreditch, Rich Mix (35–47 Bethnal Green Road,E1 6LA, a minute from Shoreditch High Street) is a three-screen independent cinema and multi-arts centre rolled into a former leather factory. Expect a mix of mainstream and indie films plus live music, comedy and free exhibitions across the weekend — andas a charity, it runs plenty of affordable and family-friendly options, making it a reliable half-term backup if the weather turns. Check the cinema and live listings for the exactline-up before you go.

Eat and drink – What’s On in Shoreditch this weekend

Shoreditch is one of London’s great grazing grounds. A few pointers, all walkable from each other:

Brick Lane curry houses — the historic heart of the city’s Bangladeshi dining scene; pick the one that pulls you in.

Spitalfields Kitchens — a tidy, all-weather line-up of street-food traders inside Old Spitalfields Market.

Blues Kitchen Shoreditch — the Hip Hop Orchestra Brunch brings bottomless drinks, BBQ bites and a live soundtrack on Saturdays if you fancy a boozy daytime.

Competitive socialising — Shoreditch is the home turf of darts-and-drinks venueslike Flight Club and shuffleboard at Shuffle Club, both made for a group Saturday.

Book ahead anywhere good — it’s half-term and a final, so the area will be rammed.

With the kids (half-term) –What’s On in Shoreditch this weekend

Half-term hasn’t quite finished, so for younger ones: the street-art hunt is a free, surprisingly engaging way to keep them moving (set them a “spot the animal mural” challenge), Rich Mix has family screenings and activities, and Old Spitalfields Market is buggy-friendly with easy food options. Hackney City Farm (Goldsmiths Row) is a short walk north and a guaranteed win — free, with pigs, goats and a café.

The parade next door (a quick note)

Arsenal’s title parade on Sunday 31 May (from 2pm) is over in Islington, so it won’t directly close Shoreditch’s streets.
But Old Street is one of the points where diverted buses are being curtailed, and huge numbers of fans will be moving across the city, so expect busier-than-usual transport on Sunday afternoon and evening and check the TfL app before you travel.Looking ahead: SXSW London lands Monday Worth knowing if you’re around next week: SXSW London returns to Shoreditch from Monday 1 to Saturday 6 June, taking over 20-plus venues from the Truman Brewery to Shoreditch Town Hall with music showcases, film premieres and big-name talks (this year headlined by Michelle Obama).

So if Shoreditch feels like it’s quietly gearing up this weekend — it is. Grab a wristband if the line-up tempts you.

The weekend at a glance (FAQ)

Is Brick Lane market on this weekend?

Yes. The Sunday Brick Lane market runsroughly 10am–5pm, and the Old Truman Brewery’s indoor markets (Backyard Market,Sunday UpMarket, Vintage Market, Boiler House food hall) trade across Saturday and Sunday too.

Is Old Spitalfields Market open?

Yes — Saturday 10am–6pm and Sunday 10am–5pm, with street food in the Kitchens from around 11am.

Where can I watch the Champions League final in Shoreditch?

BOXPARK Shoreditch is running an official Arsenal v PSG screening from about 4pm (ticketed, 18+, multiple HD screens). Bar Kick on Shoreditch High Street is a great pub alternative. Kick-off is 5pm on Saturday 30 May.

Does the Arsenal parade affect Shoreditch?

Not directly — the parade is in Islington.But Old Street is a bus-diversion point and transport across East London will be busy onSunday afternoon, so plan ahead.

Is SXSW London on this weekend?

Not quite — SXSW London runs 1–6 June, starting Monday. Shoreditch is gearing up, but the weekend itself is markets, football and street art.

Is it half-term?

Yes — it’s the tail end of the May half-term, so markets and family spots will be busy.

Islington Local Guide is a discovery-led editorial platform covering the best things to do,eat, drink and discover across Islington, Hackney, Shoreditch and nearby North and East

London. We verify venues and event dates before we publish — but details can shift, so

always check official sources (the venue, BOXPARK, TfL) on the day. Know a Shoreditch spot we’ve missed? Tell us — we’re locals too.