The Best Weekend Activities In Mumbai

As election season draws to a close and Mumbaikers cautiously await the monsoon rains to provide relief from the sun, "the city that never sleeps" continues to put on a range of events and activities to keep one busy during the weekend. Whether you choose from a mocktail-making workshop (with cats), a night trek into the Bhimashankar Forest, or support the LGBTQIA+ community by celebrating Pride Month, there’s something for everyone.

Here are seven of the best events in town.

A Walking Tour Of Bandra

Bandra is a multicultural district of Mumbai and was under Portuguese rule from 1534-1775. The former colonial influence can be found to this day in the area’s many churches. The Bandra Walk takes visitors on a guided tour of places like St. Andrew’s Church, Ranwar Village, Bandra Fort, the Basilica of Our Lady of the Mount and more.

Date: June 8-9 | 4PM-6PM

Venue: St. Andrew’s Church, 115, Hill Road, Old Rajaram Wadi, Bandra West, Mumbai 400050

Book your spot here.

Volunteer Your Time At An NGO

Assist the Seva Charitable Trust by segregating textiles at its centre in Sanjay Gandhi National Park. You will be working with Adivasi communities to set up a tailoring unit that will better their lives. There will be a guided nature walk prior to the day’s activities.

Date: June 8 | 10AM-12PM

Venue: Sanjay Gandhi National Park Western Express Highway, Rajendra Nagar Society, Kulupwadi, Borivali East, Mumbai 400066

Book your place here.

Celebrate Pride At A Queer Extravaganza

The dating company Tinder and online publication Gaysi are hosting the third edition of "Queer Made Weekend." Visitors can mingle with members of the LGBTQIA+ community and shop at stalls set up by queer entrepreneurs and small business owners. There will be music, food, performances, fashion, art, merchandise, zines, drinks and a whole lot of love to go around.

Date: June 8 | 5PM onwards

Venue: Jio World Drive, Bandra Kurla Complex, Bandra East, Mumbai 400051

Book your tickets here.

Attend An Evening Of Sufi Poetry

Shah Hussain, also known as Madhoo Lal Hussain, was a 16^th-century Punjabi Sufi poet who is regarded as a pioneer of the Kafi form of Punjabi poetry. The “Mela Chiraga’an” will combine his poetry with music and narrative. The concert features artists like Neil Mukherjee, a guitarist and award-winning music composer, Vinayak Netke, a tabla artiste, and Radhika Sood Nayak, a Sufi Kalaam vocalist and composer.

Date: June 8 | 7:30PM-9PM

Venue: The Royal Opera House, Shrimad Rajchandraji Marg, Charni Road East, Opera House, Girgaon, Mumbai 400004

Book your spot here.

Beat The Heat With A Mocktail Workshop And Cats

What better way to spend a weekend than by gulping down refreshments and cuddling with cats? This mocktail-making workshop at a cat café promises delicious beverages and an aww-dorable time. Guests will be taught how to blend, shake and stir five mocktail recipes. They may also take home a starter bar set and mocktail glass.

Date: June 9 | 2PM onwards

Venue: Cat Café Studio, 63, Harminder Singh Road, next to Kamla Mehta College, opposite Shangrila Building, Aram Nagar Part 1, Aram Nagar, Versova, Andheri West, Mumbai 400061

Book your place here.

Buy Books At A Clearance Sale

If you’re always penny-pinching when it comes to buying books, now’s your chance to splurge. There's a clearance sale this weekend where fiction books sell for INR 75, children's books are priced at INR 99, and coffee table books on art, history, and cinema are under INR 999. What’s more, you can also buy zines, prints and postcards. All proceeds from this sale go to the Dharavi Art Room, a place where women and children from the Dharavi area create art.

Date: June 8-9 | 11AM-10PM

Venue: Thrift Shop by Bombay Closet Cleanse, Shop no 3 and 4, JP Road, opposite Silver View, next to Yamu’s panchayat, Jeet Nagar, Versova, Andheri West, Mumbai 400061

Watch Fireflies At Night

As the monsoon season approaches, the glow of fireflies will soon light up the night. Adventure outfitter Nisarg Premi Trekkers is launching a Bhimashankar Forest trek for nature lovers to see these majestic creatures after dark and be dazzled by their shining beauty. There’s no better way to escape from city life than by wandering into nature’s splendour.

Date: June 8 at 9AM to June 9 at 2PM

Book your place here.