Few things warm the winter cockles like a light festival. Strolling along enchantingly illuminated trails through gardens and forests after dark, wrapped up in your winter woollies, hot chocolate (or mulled wine) in hand, is a top-notch way to spend a winter evening. Here's our pick of the best light and illumination festivals in London for winter and Christmas 2024.
Winter Light at Southbank Centre 2024/25
Though not a fully-fledged light festival in the same way as other events on this list, Winter Light at Southbank Centre is the first glimmer of a warm glow as winter sets in — 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 2024. Combine it with a trip to the Southbank Centre Winter Market, which opens the same day.
Winter Light at Southbank Centre, 1 November 2024-2 February 2025, FREE!
Christmas at Kew 2024
The daddy of London's Christmas calendar — and one of our all-round favourite annual events in London — Kew Gardens' Christmas offering gets better every year. An atmospheric trail winds through the gardens after dark, perfect for a family-friendly night out or a romantic date.
Over a million lights and thousands of laser beams go into the event, which also features a fire garden, light tunnel and illuminated trees. It usually culminates in a choreographed laser show on the lake, which is truly mesmerising. Refreshment stalls are dotted throughout the gardens, peddling hot chocolate and other warming treats, and there's a small funfair halfway round. Our video of 2022's Christmas at Kew gives you an idea of what to expect:
Tickets sell out (no surprise, they've been on sale since February!) so book soon.
Christmas at Kew 2024, 13 November 2024-5 January 2025.
Epping Ongar Lights Express 2024
We love illuminations, and we double love trains, so we're thrilled that Epping Ongar Lights Express is returning to the the London-Essex border this year.
Ride an illuminated train from Ongar station, stocking up on refreshments before you board. Then sit back and enjoy trackside illuminations from the windows as you wind through the Essex countryside on the one-hour trip. Commentary comes from "Voiceover Man" (as heard on Britain's Got Talent and X-Factor).
Epping Ongar Lights Express, 16 November 2024-12 January 2025.
Winter Light Trail at Vauxhall City Farm
Vauxhall City Farm hosts a winter light trail for the first time, wending its way through the gardens. Johnny Vaughan and the Pearly Kings and Queens host the big switch-on event on 30 November, after which it's open selected evenings until 22 December.
Winter Light Trail at Vauxhall City Farm, 30 November-22 December 2024.
Christmas in Chelsea 2024
Also new for this year is a light trail through the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea, home to the Chelsea Pensioners. The normally-private estate opens to ticket holders, for a 1km illuminated stroll through Ranelagh Gardens. A Christmas market, and workshops on topics including wreath- and candle-making are also part of the fun.
Christmas in Chelsea, 4-29 December 2024.
The Ever After Garden 2024
A field of 30,000 glowing white roses takes up residence in Mayfair again this winter, offering a spot for reflection and remembrance. The Ever After Garden is an illuminated installation designed as a garden of remembrance. It's a charity event, raising money for The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity via donations and dedications, but is free to visit. You can dedicate a rose to a loved one here.
The Ever After Garden, Grosvenor Square, 14 November-18 December 2024.
Enchanted Woodland at Syon Park 2024
Sadly, the Enchanted Woodland at Syon Park didn't happen in 2023, and it's been confirmed that it won't be happening again this year either.
London's Christmas light switch-ons
Christmas lights are switched on in high streets and shopping districts around the capital. We'll be adding details of Christmas light switch-ons to this page as they're announced — they start from 5 November 2024.
