Orpheus at Battersea Arts Centre

See an innovative take on the Orpheus myth at Battersea Arts Centre, staged by award-winning company Little Bulb Theatre. The haunting tale has been transposed to 1930s Paris, where Orpehus and Eurydice play out their doomed love story to a Hot Club jazz soundtrack. Performances will be accompanied by live musical interludes and late night dancing on Fridays and Saturdays. Tickets are £10. 16 Apr-11 May

The Mayor of London’s Feast of St George in Trafalgar Square

In celebration of St George’s Day, the commemoration of England’s patron saint which takes place on 23 April, the Mayor of London is laying on traditional entertainment and cuisine in Trafalgar Square. Given St George’s Day’s 13th century origins as a day of feasting, the main attraction of this fun family event will be food: you can enjoy delicious free tastings, purchase a variety of treats to nibble in the banqueting area and watch live cookery demonstrations. There will also be a packed programme of entertainment provided by top London performers. 20 Apr

2013 Virgin London Marathon

Catch the incredible atmosphere of the Virgin London Marathon this Sunday, when more than 30,000 people will be running 26.2 miles through London. Participants, many of whom are raising money for their favourite charity, will race from Greenwich Park to Buckingham Palace, taking in sights such as the London Eye, Tower Bridge and Canary Wharf along the way. Spectators watch at all points of the route and can enjoy the colourful costumes of many runners as well as the bonhomie among the crowd. 21 Apr

Pick Me Up: Graphic Arts Festival at Somerset House

Returning for a fourth year, the Pick Me Up festival brings the best of the graphic arts to the Embankment Galleries of Somerset House. Not only can you see – and purchase – a diverse mix of works by top artists, but there are also lots of events and workshops to entertain and inspire. This weekend it’s Children’s Choice Weekend, wherein kids can model Shaun the Sheep with Aardman animators, attend a Gruffalo illustration workshop with Axel Scheffler and much more. Tickets start at £8. 18-28 Apr

Floriculture – Flowers, Love and Money at the Garden Museum

Head to one of London’s best small museums for this fascinating exhibition on the art of floristry. Exploring the inspiration of cut flowers to painters and their symbolism in many aspects of life, it stretches from the origins of the Covent Garden flower market to the present day. Admission is £7.50 for adults. Until Apr 28

From the fastest bride to the slowest snail, there are always lots of world records set at the Virgin London Marathon. This Sunday, 100 runners will attempt to set wacky records as part of World Record London, a series of world record attempts in London this year. The categories include:

• Fastest marathon hula hooping
• Fastest marathon carrying 20lb pack
• Fastest marathon run by a parent and child
• Fastest marathon in a two-person pantomime costume
• Fastest marathon by a linked team
• Fastest marathon wearing a gas mask
• Fastest marathon dressed as a cartoon character
• Fastest Marathon in a wedding dress
• Fastest marathon dressed as a vegetable
• Fastest marathon dribbling a football
• Fastest marathon in a fireman’s uniform
• Fastest marathon in a suit
• Fastest marathon running with an egg and spoon
• Fastest marathon on crutches
• Fastest marathon on stilts

Good luck to all the runners. We’ll be cheering from the sidelines!

Virgin London Marathon, Sunday 22 April 2012

Here, thanks to intrepid camera-wielding VL staff member Madelene, are some fantastic shots of the London Marathon.

Were you there? Running or cheering? Tell us your marathon stories in the comments below. And if you have any pictures you’d like to share, just add them to our flickrpool.