6 cool things to do this weekend instead of Glastonbury

Glastonbury, schmastonbury...

Look, there's no getting around this: Glastonbury FOMO is at it's realest today.

As your mates slip off to the West Country for a week of watching live music and sipping on cider, you might be sitting in your office answering emails.

But there's no point in spending your weekend indoors avoiding 'wish you were here' calls from your drunken mates (with Earth Wind and Fire blasting September in the background - plus everyone else who's performing this year) and swerving any BBC coverage of the event.

Instead, consider one of the many other fun things to do at the weekend. London Pride kicks off with it's main event this Saturday, while there's a festival dedicated solely to ice cream and the *perfect* option for culture lovers.

Here's 7 cool things to do this weekend if you're not off to Worthy Farm...

Get involved in London Pride

Saturday will see London dripping in rainbows as LGBT Pride will be kicking off its main weekend. The parade - which is not to be missed - will be starting from Portland place at 1pm and moving down Regent Street through Oxford Circus, Piccadilly Circus, Lower Regent Street, Waterloo Place, Pall Mall East, Cockspur Street, Trafalgar Square, and Whitehall. Aside from that, there'll be tons of other ways to join in the celebrations, from live music in Soho, to a plethora of bars and food stall in Trafalgar Square and endless entertainment in Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens. Round up some of your non-Glasto dwelling friends and make the most of the Pride weekend.

Go to a festival dedicated to ice cream

If anything could rival Glastonbury it's a festival dedicated solely to ice cream. You heard us right: Gelatieris from all over Italy will be taking over Old Spitalfields market for The Gelato Festival, where they'll be serving you up some of the newest and most exciting flavours from the ice cream capital. To really make the most of it, it's best to buy a 'Gelato Card' (they're £17 but oh-so worth it) which will let you sample every single flavour.

See the new Tate Modern

If you haven't already been to see the new Tate Modern (unveiled last weekend) you should make your visit this weekend. The revamp includes a hugely expanded art gallery, a new pyramid feature called the Switch House and a new panoramic viewing station. See it as a your culture alternative to mud-wading and binge-drinking.

Go camping

Hey, hear us out. Just because you haven't got a coveted ticket to Glasto doesn't mean you and your mates can't have your own little camping shindig. Round up a few of your friends, some booze and get back to basics by heading to a nearby campsite. If you're a London dweller, why not try one close to the capital, like The Secret Campsite in East Sussex, Housedean Campsite in Brighton, or Hurley Lock which is, conveniently, right on the Thames.

Go and watch a film at an outdoor cinema (weather permitting)

Ever tried an open-air cinema? Well, now's the time. With tons of Luna outdoor screens scattered all over London, the choice of film (and location) is all yours. You could head to Crystal Palace Park for a screening of Pretty Woman, or if that's not up your street, enjoy the Rooftop Film Club's offering of Mrs Doubtfire at the Bussey Building - all showing this weekend.

There's a London-based festival alternative

If you're not going to be at Glastonbury but you can't shake your ache for some festival antics, why not opt for this London alternative? The Greenwich and Docklands International Festival - kicking off this weekend - is the perfect option for open-air fun. From theatre to cinema, live performances and art installations, the festival attracts over 100,000 vistors each year... Oh, and did we mention it's free? But, if you need something a bit bigger, check out our 2016 festival guide for other Glasto-alternatives.