This weekend is a perfect example of the diversity of the capital’s event scene – whether you’re fashion-obsessed, love to bake, want to poke around top London buildings or just fancy reading a good art book, make room in your diary for something on this list.

Open House London

See London’s landmarks from the inside this weekend as Open House London grants access to buildings that are usually closed to the public. Nearly 800 buildings are taking part, such as The Granary Building, pictured above, and the Grade I-listed Italianate building which is home to the Foreign Office. At the other end of the design spectrum, visit the top of the elliptical glass tower at 30 St Mary Axe, which you probably know as the Gherkin. 22-23 Sep

London Fashion Weekend at Somerset House

If you can’t resist a designer label, London Fashion Weekend is a money saver, not to mention an indulgence. Cut-price fashion at up to 70% off is on show at Somerset House, days after the venue was open to fashion industry elite for London Fashion Week. If you opt for a ticket that includes catwalk shows, you can choose from those which focus on a single line like Issa London or ALICE by Temperley, or trend shows examining three key looks for the Autumn/Winter season: Sergeant Indigo, Lady Brocade and Kitchen Chic. 20 – 23 Sep

Cake and Bake Show at Earls Court

Talking of kitchen chic – this new show dedicated to cakes, bread, Mary Berry and all things baking is such a great idea we can’t imagine why someone didn’t come up with it sooner. Earls Court will be the delicious setting for The Cake and Bake Show’s classes and talks with baking luminaries, including Berry and her co-judge on the Great British Bake Off, Paul Hollywood. There are also hundreds of market stalls, a supplier zone where you can pick up the latest kitchen gadgets and a kids area to get little chefs baking. Online tickets are sold out but there will be some on the door on Saturday. 22 – 23 Sep

The London Art Book Fair at Whitechapel Gallery

Be it books, magazines or rare art publications, the London Art Book Fair will bring the best of international contemporary art publishing to the Whitechapel Gallery. Books range from individual artist’s work to gallery collections, and the free entry lets you attend the buzzing programme of events (the talks on commissioning contemporary art and the position of women in comic books look particularlyworthwhile).  As you browse, you could have your photograph taken by artist Sophie Loss to become part of her new artwork, On Reflection. 21-23 Sep

Do you know of an event that should be on our list? Comment below to let us know.

If you’ve always longed to learn the polka or fancy a bit of umbrella jousting, the event line-up in London this weekend is looking peachy.

The Chap Olympiad
If you’d rather be stroking your pipe and adjusting your moustache than running the 100 metres, Bedford Square in Bloomsbury is the place to be this weekend. Gentleman’s magazine The Chap invites well-mannered men (and ladies) to its seriously silly event, The Chap Olympiad. The “celebration of athletic ineptitude and immaculate trouser creases” will see contestants throwing cucumber sandwiches instead of the discus and battling in Ironing Board Surfing, Umbrella Jousting and the Pipathlon. 7 – 8 Jul

Hampton Court Flower Show
Look out for energetic scarecrows at the annual flower show at the majestic Hampton Court Palace. The well-loved scarecrow competition has adopted a ‘porting Champions theme this year to reflect – what else? – the Olympic Games. Green-fingered experts will be on hand, along with displays like this year’s central feature which is focused on community gardening. A topical addition to the line-up is the ‘low cost/high impact’ gardens, showing how a much you can do with a limited budget. Until 8 Jul

The London Open at The Whitechapel Gallery
Spot the art stars of the future at The Whitechapel Gallery‘s open submissions exhibition which showcases current London art trends. The 35 contributors were chosen by a panel of experts and their pieces range from a directory of fictitious telephone numbers by conceptual artist Martin John Callanan to a print of Saddam Hussein’s gold bath taps on an imitation Versace silk scarf by Pio Abad. Until 14 Sept

Soane Museum’s new spaces
This little-known museum is a hoard of treasures kept by architect Sir John Soane at Lincoln’s Inn Fields in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. The first phase of the £7 million restoration of his neoclassical townhouse is now complete, and this weekend is the first chance to poke around parts of the building never seen before such as the geometric staircase painted to look like the walls of a Roman catacomb. There’s also a brand new gallery with an exhibition exploring the design of Olympic venues. Exhibition until 22 Sept

The Kensington Palace Party
All abilities are welcome at these free outdoor dancing lessons and demonstrations in the gardens of Kensington Palace. This year’s workshops pay tribute to the two Queens who have celebrated a diamond jubilee: polka and Morris dancing reflect trends in Victoria’s reign, while a rock and roll class led by the London Swing Dance Society will honour us “new Elizabethans” and today’s queen. Head to the Gold Gates to find a spot – it’s first come, first served. 7-8 July

The Tree of Life is an Arts and Crafts motif symbolising social renewal through the arts. The leaves are cast in bronze and covered in gold leaf. We think they look beautiful!