October marks Black History Month, with a number of events set to take place across Redbridge.

Redbridge Council's culture and leisure contractor Vision Redbridge Culture and Leisure is running a range of children's and adults events across the borough's libraries.

Ancestry Talks: Black History for Beginners
6.30pm – Monday, October 4
Online talk via Zoom
Free – Booking required

Historian Paul Crooks will take his audience on a journey from ancient Africa to black Britain via the Caribbean.

Black History Month Reading Group
3-4.15pm – Wednesday, October 6
Redbridge Central Library and via Zoom
Free – Booking not required

The group will be reading The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett and Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi. Online attendees must email the library for the Zoom link.

Pop 'n' Paint Black Icons for Queens Night: Beyonce versus Rihanna
8-10pm – Thursday, October 7
Redbridge Central Library
£20 – Booking required, for ages 16+

Resident artists will be at the event to help attendees create their own works of art. All supplies are included and canvases are pre-drawn.

State of mind... what would you do?
4-6.30pm, Friday, October 8
Redbridge Central Library
£5 – Booking required, for ages 12+

This workshop combines art, film and acting and is based on real life scenarios that young people face growing up in London.

The Rapping Princess with Hannah Lee
11.30am-12.30pm – Saturday, October 9
Redbridge Central Library
Free – Booking not required, for ages 3-7

Learn about fairy tales with author Hannah Lee, who will read from her new picture book, The Rapping Princess.

Spoken word masterclass
1-4pm – Saturday, October 9
Redbridge Central Library
Free – Booking required, for ages 14+

Musician and poet Mr Gee will help attendees hone their spoken word writing and performance skills.

MIND: Black women's listening event
1-3pm – Wednesdays, October 13, 20 and 27
Redbridge Central Library
Free – Booking not required, for ages 16+

Listening event to help isolated groups discuss their unmet social and mental health needs.

Pop 'n' Paint Black Icons: Black Panther
6-8pm – Thursday, October 14
Redbridge Central Library
£20 – Booking required, for ages 16+

Children's Pop ‘n’ Paint Black Icons: Be a Superhero
12.30-2.30pm – Saturday, October 16
Fullwell Cross Library
£10 – Booking required, for ages 5+

Ilford food festival
11am to 5pm – Saturday, October 16
outside Town Hall, Ilford High Road
Free – Booking not required

A world food festival including dance performances and family activities.

COBO: Comedy Shutdown
7.30pm – Saturday, October 16
Kenneth More Theatre
£19 adults; £16.50 concessions – Booking required

Comedy of Black Origin’s Black History Month special.

Black Brits African and Caribbean Community Fair
11am-5pm – Sunday, October 17
Redbridge Central Library
£1 – Booking not required

The fair will celebrate black culture with stalls including arts and crafts, food, music, fashion, jewellery and health and wellbeing.

Colourism: the origin
7pm to 8pm – Thursday, October 21
Online talk via Zoom
Free – Booking required

Historian Paul Crooks provides an insight into the roots of colourism, stemming from his research into his family history, going back over 200 years.

'Distant Drums' by Whispered Tales
11am-6pm – Saturday, October 23
Community Pitch, Ilford High Road
Free – Booking not required

Digital art installation telling the story of Reggae Sound System culture and its role in the fight for racial equality.

The art of African head wrapping
Noon-2pm – Tuesday, October 26
Redbridge Central Library
£2 – Booking required, ages 7+

Workshop teaching the art of African head wrapping using cloth pashminas.

Travelling whilst black: virtual reality experience
10am-12pm and 2-4pm – Thursday, October 28
Redbridge Central Library
Free – Booking not required

A virtual reality experience that will immerse users into the history of restriction of movement for black Americans and the creation of safe spaces in communities. The video lasts 15 minutes.

Let’s talk about writing
2-4pm – Thursday, October 28
Online talk via Zoom
Free – Booking required

Author Roy Merchant talks about his writing and how to get published.

African drumming workshop
2pm to 4pm – Thursday, October 28
Fullwell Cross Library
£2 – Booking required, for ages 7+

A workshop using rhythms, movement, singing, chanting and musical games.