London's fun light displays don't end just because Christmas is over — in fact, they're only just beginning. These are the illuminations festivals and trails coming to the capital in January-March 2025, to keep the glow going until the lighter nights return.
1. Canary Wharf Winter Lights 2025
For 12 evenings across January and February, 11 temporary light artworks and sculptures are dotted among the skyscrapers of east London for Canary Wharf Winter Lights. They run alongside the area's permanent art installations, and are free to visit. Plan your route using this map; just be aware that Winter Lights gets very busy on weekend evenings, so consider visiting on a week night.
The seasonal ice rink in Canada Square Park remains in situ until late February, so you can combine a wander around the lights with a twirl on the ice. Our guide to eating and drinking in Canary Wharf has you covered for dinner/drinks/coffee/snacks — we've always found Winter Lights is best enjoyed with a hot chocolate in hand.
Winter Lights 2025 in Canary Wharf takes place 21 January-1 February 2025, 5pm-10pm each evening. It's free to visit.
2. Battersea Power Station Light Festival 2025
Another venue luring visitors in with the promise of a free trail is Battersea Power Station. Its annual light festival returns for a fifth innings, promising eight large illuminated artworks, both inside and outside the Power Station building. They include a horse on a spring that can be ridden, prompting lights to spark into action, which the kids'll love — and a playful neon ball of wool. Arachnophobes, keep your wits about you in Turbine Hall B, as it's home to a giant spider consisting of 80 smaller spiders.
Battersea Power Station Light Festival, 23 January-23 February 2025, free, 8am-11pm daily. Special roaming performances take place in Power Station Park and on Electric Boulevard on 23, 25 and 26 January.
3. Here We Glow at Westfield London
Westfield London (that's the one in Shepherd's Bush) switches on its first ever light art event in January, bringing eight illuminated installations to the area. They include huge colourful bubbles which glisten in daylight before glowing at night, and a kaleidoscopic 3D colour wheel designed specifically for Westfield London's triangular roof. Task the kids with keeping an eye out for The Anooki, two roaming Inuit-inspired characters which have previously been displayed at the Fête des Lumières in Lyon and Dubai's Burj Khalifa.
Here We Glow is at Westfield London in Shepherd's Bush 23 January-2 March 2025. It's free to visit.
4. Winter Light at Southbank Centre
Winter Light at Southbank Centre is the first glimmer of a warm glow as winter sets in, having opened in early November and continuing until February — and it's free! The trail consists of a series of outdoor artworks by different artists which are colourfully illuminated at night. Jakob Kvist's Dichroic Sphere makes a return, and there are five new artworks for this year.
Winter Light at Southbank Centre, until 2 February 2025, FREE!
5. Lost In Light, Shoreditch
You've got until early February to visit Lost In Light, a three-storey takeover of a Shoreditch warehouse by Squidsoup (whose light art regularly features in Canary Wharf Winter Light, and at other events including Burning Man festival). Five different exhibitions are scattered across the three floors, each consisting of a previous Squidsoup work: Circular Echoes, Infinite, Three Volumes, Sola, and Submergence. All make use of sound as well as light to fully immerse you in the experience. Some sessions are family-friendly, while others are for adults only.
Lost In Light, 118 Curtain Road, Shoreditch. Tickets from £12.50 adult/£6.50 child.
6. Luminous by Luxmuralis at St Paul's Cathedral
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It's no secret that we're fans of Luxmuralis, the art organisation which frequently brings light and sound shows into seriously impressive venues up and down the country (including Poppy Fields and Crown and Coronation at the Tower of London, and Life at St Martin-in-the-Fields). This time they've bagged themselves one of the best venues of all, for Luminous at St Paul's Cathedral.
The interior of Christopher Wren's dome becomes a show in its own right for just one week, inspired by the cathedral's history and archives. Might get a sore neck from looking up, but it'll 100% be worth it.
Luminous by Luxmuralis is at St Paul's Cathedral, 22-28 February 2025. Tickets are available now.
Planning ahead
It sounds a bit too organised, but if you're looking ahead to next winter, The Christmas at Kew 2025-2026 dates have already been announced. The last couple of years tickets have gone on sale in February, so keep an eye out around then if you're keen. Sign up for the Kew mailing list to be alerted when they're available.
We've yet to see if London's other festive light trails, at locations including Royal Hospital Chelsea, Fulham Palace and Vauxhall City Farm will return next Christmas, but we'll update this page when we know more.
