A short, sharp guide to what’s on in Hackney this weekend:

Friday

Take the children to a half-term playscheme featuring den-building, music, arts and cooking. From 10.30am, at Homerton Grove Adventure Playground, Wardle Street/Brooksby Walk, Homerton, E9. Free, email bridget.handscomb@hackneyplay.org.

Create and stage exciting group stories using objects and props during family learning festival. From noon, at Arcola Theatre, 24 Ashwin Street, Dalston, E8. Free, call 020 7503 1645.

Decorate a recycled jam jar to create a lantern to light up your autumn evenings. From 2pm at Geffrye Museum, Kingsland Road, E8. Free, call 020 7739 9893.

Body pop and lock at street dance classes for over-16s with Sharma Jay, from 6pm to 7pm at the Elsie Centre, Dalston Lane, E8. Costs £6.50, call 07985 254 143.

Saturday

Learn about body and breath awareness at an Iyengar yoga class for professional actors and dancers. From 10am, at Shoreditch Town Hall, 380 Old Street, Shoreditch, EC1V. Free, email reboot@clodensemble.com.

Learn how failure points the way to success at a talk about turning things around. From 11.30am, at Shoreditch Town Hall, 380 Old Street, Shoreditch, EC1V. Free, email event@innerspace.org.uk.

Enjoy a ghoulish night out at The Halloween Ball with Europe’s largest gay men’s chorus. From 3.30pm and 7.30pm, at Hackney Empire, Mare Street, E8. From £10, call 020 8985 2424.

Sunday

Pick up a piece of affordable art at an art fair. From 10am, at Ginger White Space, Studio 11, Bayford Street Business Centre, London Fields, E8. Free, email ziadul@gingerwhite.co.uk.

Gain confidence using a sewing machine and understand how to thread up, wind a bobbin, make seams, hems, pockets and add a patch/applique. From 11am, at Fabrications, 7 Broadway Market, E8. Costs £30, email barley@fabrications1.co.uk.

Take part in the Break London radio half-term takeover. From noon, at the Timber Lodge, 1A Honour Lea Avenue, Queen Elizabeth Park, E20. Free, call 020 7241 9076.

Enjoy a relaxing afternoon at Acoustic Sunday with musicians and comedians. From 1.30pm, at St Peter’s Church, Northchurch Terrace, De Beauvoir, N1. Free, email admin@soundadviceuk.com.