October Edition: What’s On in Aldgate

Hello, October! Culture, community and a little karaoke: Aldgate has a packed month lined up. Discover everything happening this month.

Latino Film Festival | 2 – 6 October
See this year’s Latino Film Festival nominees and get involved with plenty happening accross the City. Join industry workshops at Guildhall School of Music & Drama, head to free community events at Portsoken Community Centre, or dance the night away at the free Fiesta y Pachanga socials at Canopy London City.

London Latino Film Festival

TIDES: (Intertidal) Festival of Migration with Migration Museum| 3 October

Share your story of migration or displacement at Queen’s House, co-organised with Migration Museum UK and Royal Museums Greenwich. Add your voice to the Migration Museum’s living archive of over 10,000 personal stories, join creative workshops and talks, and take part in a panel moderated by Dr. Daria Valova-Lynch.

Working Together on Homelessness’ Panel| 7 October

Join the upcoming panel ‘Working Together on Homelessness: Awareness, Action, Impact’ taking place at Whitechapel Gallery on Wednesday 7 October. Hosted by Aldgate Connect BID and Cheapside Business Alliance to support Homelessness Awareness Week, the evening will showcase the work of key charities and local authorities across the City of London and Tower Hamlets to help alleviate homelessness.

Cecilia Vicuna: Living Threads at Whitechapel Gallery| 7 Oct 2026 – 14 Feb 2027

Discover the first major UK exhibition of Cecilia Vicuña at Whitechapel Gallery, celebrating one of Latin America’s most renowned artists, poets and feminist activists. Spanning six decades, it brings together painting, textile, photography, installation and film, including paintings from her time in London in the 1970s and her acclaimed Palabrarmas series.

Archive Tour LGBTQIA+ Collections at Bishopsgate Institute

Archive Tour LGBTQIA+ Collections at Bishopsgate Institute | 8 Oct 2026 – 18 Feb 2027

Bishopsgate Institute’s Special Collections and Archives holds one of the UK’s most extensive collections on LGBTQIA+ history, politics and culture, spanning the late nineteenth century onward. Explore archives from Stonewall, Switchboard and Outrage!, plus material relating to the Terrence Higgins Trust and QX magazine, as well as records of individuals including Paris Lees and Sue Sanders.

Walking tours: Black History Month | 21 October

Celebrate Black History Month with a historical walking tour of Aldgate, uncovering the stories of the Black residents and workers who made East London what it is today. Aldgate has welcomed refugees and minorities from around the world for over 400 years, and this walk is a chance to connect with the neighbourhood and the people who shaped it. Book your free spot thorough the Aldgate Connect website.

Rooftop Yoga at The Skyline London

Rooftop Yoga Class at The Skyline London | 24 October

Start your morning with Sunrise Rooftop Yoga and Brunch at The Skyline London, a guided session for all levels with panoramic views across the Tower of London, Tower Bridge and the River Thames. Stretch, breathe and switch off from the pace of the city, then stay on for a brunch to reward yourself.

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