Library festival, repair cafe and farm dates
Published Thursday 4 June 2026
Book free library events, plan a Repair Cafe visit and note family-friendly dates ahead.
Top Updates
Free Festival of Words events at Canada Water Library
Southwark Libraries has three useful Festival of Words sessions at Canada Water Library from Thursday 4 to Saturday 6 June. Thursday's Stories and Rhymes from Around the World is for babies, toddlers and preschoolers, Friday's books and music session is for nought to fives, and Saturday's Greg Heffley meet-and-greet is aimed at Diary of a Wimpy Kid fans aged 9 to 15. The Greg Heffley slots are free but need booking by emailing Libraries@Southwark.gov.uk.
Dates For Your Diary
Until Sunday 30 August
Groundbreakers at the Brunel Museum
Groundbreakers: The Intrepid Men who built the Thames Tunnel runs from 17 April to 30 August at the Brunel Museum. The museum is open Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays, 10.30am to 3.30pm, with under-16s free.
Saturday 27 June
Broken Umbrella workshop at Canada Water Library
Science Owl's free Broken Umbrella session runs at Canada Water Library on Saturday 27 June, 2.15pm to 3.45pm, for children aged 5 to 11. Children take apart broken household items and use the materials for a sustainability and STEM activity; no booking is needed.
Saturday 12 September
Surrey Docks Farm Harvest Festival
Surrey Docks Farm has put its Harvest Festival in the diary for Saturday 12 September, 11am to 4pm. Entry will be free as usual, with fair games, Morris dancers, BBQ and bar, pizza, and farm produce sales raising money for the farm.
What's On
Thursday 4 June
Stories and Rhymes from Around the World, 11-11.45am. The free Canada Water Library session is for babies, toddlers and preschoolers, with songs, movement and rhymes in different languages.
English+ at Canada Water Library, Noon-2pm. The free English+ drop-in offers informal English practice for language learners. It is an adult session, but useful to know about if you are already near the library during the school day.
Friday 5 June
Books and music with Margaret Omoniyi, 1-2pm. Southwark Music's free storytelling, singing and play session is for nought to five year olds with parents and carers.
Saturday 6 June
Southwark parkrun, 9am. The free weekly 5k starts in Southwark Park at 9am. Children can take part with a responsible adult, but this is the standard 5k event rather than junior parkrun; register and bring a barcode via Southwark parkrun.
Rotherhithe Repair Cafe, 10am-1pm. The next Repair Cafe runs at The Old Mortuary on Saturday morning. Take a small electrical item, clothing, toy, mechanical item or bike and see whether local volunteers can help repair it.
Greg Heffley meet-and-greet, 1pm and 1.50pm slots. The Diary of a Wimpy Kid character visit at Canada Water Library has two short meet-and-greet slots. It is free, but booking is essential and attendees need to be Southwark Libraries members.
Wednesday 10 June
Music Classes for Under-Fives, 10.30-11.30am. The term-time under-fives music class at Canada Water Library uses singing, instruments, movement and props. Booking is essential by emailing Fiona.Fraser@southwark.gov.uk.
Roadworks and Transport
- Rotherhithe Street, Spa Road and Brunel Road: Rotherhithe Street closures continue through Friday 12 and Friday 19 June. Spa Road has a road closure from Tuesday 9 to Thursday 11 June, and Brunel Road has Thames Water multi-way signals from Wednesday 10 to Friday 12 June.
- Surrey Quays Road and Southwark Park Road: Surrey Quays Road has UK Power Networks multi-way signals through Monday 8 June, with other power works in the same corridor continuing later in the summer. Southwark Park Road has two-way signals into July, so allow extra time around Surrey Quays, Southwark Park and Lower Road approaches.
- Rotherhithe New Road and Drummond Road: Rotherhithe New Road has multi-way signals into late June and early July, while Drummond Road has Openreach two-way signals through Wednesday 24 June. These are the works most likely to slow trips towards Bermondsey, Deptford and the Old Kent Road side.
Planning Watch
- Digital display proposed by Southwark Park: Southwark has validated application 26/AP/1544 for Southwark Park facing Rotherhithe Tunnel on Jamaica Road. It proposes a freestanding monopole and one digital display screen.
- Secure by Design details for Southwark Park Road unit: Application 26/AP/1555 at 193-195 Southwark Park Road seeks approval of Secure by Design details tied to an earlier permission for a vacant Class E unit to become an adult gaming centre.