Between the joys of summer's outdoor cinemas and bars, and the excitement of Christmas, there's a little thing called autumn. We've pulled together some of the best events happening in London in September, October and November 2026 to keep you going as the nights grow darker and the days get chillier.
Cultural events in London: Autumn 2026
TOTALLY THAMES: Totally Thames is a whole month of events celebrating our waterways. Talks, walks, live performances, boat trips and workshops usually feature, with 2025 highlights including a large-scale fire installation on and around Royal Victoria Dock, and live music at Crossness Pumping Station — and these are a mere drop in the ocean/river, in a programme that's flooded with things to get up to. Usually throughout September
FOURTH PLINTH INSTALLATION: It's all change on Trafalgar Square's Fourth Plinth, as current installation Mil Veces un Instante (A Thousand Times in an Instant) by Teresa Margolles is replaced with Tschabalala Self's Lady in Blue. Sometime in September
LONDON PODCAST FESTIVAL: Headphones at the ready for London Podcast Festival at Kings Place, which sees both mainstream and niche podcasts filmed in front of a live audience, with some recordings streamed online too. No confirmation on participants for this year yet, but we do know it'll take place 3-13 September 2026
CHISWICK BOOK FESTIVAL: We're awaiting details of the schedule for Chiswick Book Festival, taking place at a variety of venues including Chiswick Cinema, Chiswick Library, and Hogarth's House. 9-14 September 2026
MARKFIELD ROAD FESTIVAL: Taking place in South Tottenham for the last two years Markfield Road Festival is a free arts and music festival for all ages. 2026 programme TBA, but last year it included open arts studios, short films screenings, live music performances, workshops including life drawing, and a carnival procession featuring local school children. Keep an eye on the website for 2026 updates. TBC
HERITAGE OPEN DAYS: Not only do we get Open House (below) in September, but Heritage Open Days too. This nationwide programme of events — including several in London — invites you inside hidden places, to celebrate history and culture. In London in previous years, that has included walks, behind-the-scenes tours, and a chance to visit the place we once suggested might be the best shed museum anywhere, Dulwich's British Vintage Wireless and Television Museum. Full 2026 details TBC. FREE, 11-20 September 2026
OPEN HOUSE LONDON: It's the most wonderful time of year, when all manner of London buildings and structures — usually off-limits to the public — fling open their doors. Our previous Open House London highlights include going inside the St Pancras clock tower, and up on the roof of 55 Broadway. 12-20 September 2026
LONDON DESIGN FESTIVAL: The 24th edition of London Design Festival showcases London as the design capital of the world. We're expecting the usual blend of displays and exhibitions, talks and more. 12-20 September 2026
CAMDEN INSPIRE: We're waiting to find out if one-day local festival Camden Inspire is happening in 2026. Last year's festival was in collaboration with Camden Green Loop, the organisation behind the planned Camden Highline, and had a focus on upcycling. 2026 details TBC
CHELSEA HISTORY FESTIVAL: The National Army Museum, the Royal Hospital Chelsea and Chelsea Physic Garden usually team up again for Chelsea History Festival, which covers local, national and global history through walks, talks and other events. 2026 details TBC
SHEEP DRIVE: One of London's wackiest annual events is the London Bridge Sheep Drive and Livery Fair. Each year, a chosen celebrity has the honour of herding sheep over Southwark Bridge while the public watch, followed by a livery fair at the north end of the bridge. Keep an eye on the website for this year's announcement. FREE, 27 September 2026
THE LAMBETH FRINGE: The Lambeth Fringe (previously known as Clapham Fringe) usually takes place through September and October, with over 200 shows across 25 venues spanning theatre, comedy, cabaret, music and family events. 2026 details TBC
MONTH OF THE DEAD: Ghoulishly good festival of death Month of the Dead usually takes place throughout October, leading up to Halloween with talks on the macabre, cemetery tours, film screenings, and a necrocopia of other events taking a cerebral look at death and the afterlife. 2026 details TBC
BLACK HISTORY MONTH: October is Black History Month, honouring the often unheralded accomplishments of Black Britons in all fields throughout history. It's national, with events running all year, but things happening in London this month can be found on the Black History Month site. Throughout October>
BLOOMSBURY FESTIVAL: After a truncated, three-day version of Bloomsbury Festival took place last year, it's back to full strength for 2026, taking place throughout the month of October. Full programme and details TBC. 1-31 October 2026
BFI LONDON FILM FESTIVAL: The full programme for the 70th BFI London Film Festival is due to be announced in September, but it's usually full of gala nights and UK and world premiere screenings, and is probably the biggest event of the year for the London film industry. 7-18 October 2026
ART FAIRS: Two of London's biggest art fairs take place in October, bringing members of the art industry from all over the globe back to the capital. Frieze London (14-18 October 2026) sets up shop in Regent's Park, with galleries showcasing work by contemporary artists in a variety of media. Over in east London, The Other Art Fair (dates TBC) takes over the Old Truman Brewery, with a focus on artworks available for all budgets, from over 100 artists.
LONDON LITERATURE FESTIVAL: Malala Yousafzai, Michael Rosen, Reese Witherspoon, Harlan Coben, Sebastian Faulks, Simon Armitage and Zadie Smith were among the faces on the programme at the 2025 London Literature Festival at Southbank Centre. We're awaiting 2026 details, and we'll update you when we know more. 21 October-1 November 2026
MCM COMIC CON: Halloween isn't the only reason to dig out your fancy dress costume at the end of October. MCM Comic Con returns to ExCeL for three days of celebrity guests, panel discussions, cosplay, tabletop and video games and more. 23-25 October 2026
HALLOWEEN: Things get spooky in London towards the end of October as Halloween looms. Check back nearer the time for our guide to the best Halloween events for both kids and adults, as well as scary film screenings around town. In the meantime, why not start planning a trip to one of these charming pumpkin patches near London. 31 October 2026
DIWALI: Diwali falls on 8 November this year, so London's official celebrations in Trafalgar Square are likely to take place a week or two before, with live music, dancing and more. Keep an eye on our event listings for details of other Diwali celebrations around town. FREE, 2026 date TBC
FIREWORKS: Keep an eye on our Bonfire Night guide, which we'll update with details of this year's fireworks events as and when they're announced. Around 5 November
LORD MAYOR'S SHOW: If you're a sucker for pomp and pageantry, don't miss the Lord Mayor's Show. The event marks the outgoing Lord Mayor being replaced by the new one, and takes the form of a grand procession. Full details will be confirmed closer to the time, once the new Lord Mayor is announced. FREE, we'd guess either 7 or 14 November 2026
REMEMBRANCE: There are always special events in London around 11 November, to mark Armistice Day, or Remembrance Day. We'll bring you details closer to the time. 11 November 2026
EFG LONDON JAZZ FESTIVAL: Get down with the trumpets at the EFG London Jazz Festival, which offers 10 days of live performances at venues including Barbican, Southbank Centre and the Royal Albert Hall. Details of this year's programme TBC. 13-22 November 2026
New exhibitions in London: Autumn 2026
BAYEUX TAPESTRY: Probably London's — if not the UK's — most anticipated exhibition of the whole year is the British Museum's temporary custodianship of the Bayeux Tapestry, leaving France for the first time since it was most likely created here in England. At time of writing, details such as dates and ticket prices haven't been announced, but be quick when those tickets go on sale as it'll be very popular. September 2026-July 2027
ES DEVLIN: Artist and designer Es Devlin is the subject of an autumn exhibition at the Design Museum. Look back on her 30-year career in the first museum show in the UK dedicated to her work, which has featured in collaborations in theatre and opera as well as Olympic ceremonies, Superbowl half-time shows and monumental stadium sculptures. 18 September 2026-11 April 2027
TIM WALKER'S FAIRYLAND: British photographer Tim Walker has spent five years photographing LGBTQ+ trailblazers for major National Portrait Gallery exhibition, Tim Walker's Fairyland: Love and Legends. Dozens of activists, performers, artists, and writers feature in the photos, alongside a book with contributions written by Travis Alabanza, Russell T Davies, Shon Faye, Lisa Power and Joelle Taylor. 8 October 2026-31 January 2027
THE 90S: Former British Vogue editor-in-chief Edward Enninful OBE quest curates Tate Britain's exhibition The 90s spanning photography, fashion, art and design in a decade of optimism, freedom, and rebellion. 8 October 2026-14 February 2027
LIGHT AND MAGIC: Tate Britain celebrates the birth of art photography in Light and Magic, an exhibition about pictorialism, the first international art photography movement, developed across the world from the 1880s to the 1960s. 14 October 2026-21 February 2027
HOKUSAI: Experience Mount Fuji as Japanese printmaker Katsushika Hokusai saw it 200 years ago. Dulwich Picture Gallery brings together the complete set of Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji, Hokusai's depictions of the mountain in different lights and seasons. 20 October 2026-17 January 2027
AGATHA CHRISTIE: 50 years since the death of novelist Agatha Christie, the British Library opens a major exhibition on her life and work. View notebooks, personal letters, early manuscript drafts, dictaphone recordings and personal objects belonging to Christie, and find out how her work shaped the entire crime writing genre. 30 October 2026-20 June 2027
CHARLIE MACKESY: Author and illustrator Charlie Mackesy — creator of The Boy, The Fox, The Mole and The Horse — is the subject of a new Dulwich Picture Gallery exhibition. View never-before-seen early sketches, unpublished studies, and original works from across Mackesy’s career. 3 November 2026-7 February 2027
NUE BLACK AESTHETIC: The Design Museum celebrates contemporary Black designers who are reshaping the British design landscape, in furniture, architecture, fashion, and installation, exploring identity, culture, community, and more. 6 November 2026-8 August 2027
BLOOMSBURY DUO: Vanessa Bell — sister of Virginia Woolf — and her husband Duncan Grant were the most famous artistic duo of the Bloomsbury Group. View their works and learn about their relationship at Tate Britain. 12 November 2026-11 April 2027
VAN EYCK: One of our art critic's pick of the top exhibitions to see in London in 2026, Van Eyck: The Portraits at The National Gallery brings all of the Flemish painter's portraits together for the first time in history. 21 November 2026-11 April 2027
New theatre shows in London: Autumn 2026
We'll bring you details of the best new shows for autumn 2026 as and when they're announced.
Family-friendly events in London: Autumn 2026
OCTOBER HALF TERM: October half term usually falls the final week of the month. We'll bring you our guide to family-friendly half term events and activities closer to the time.
CHRISTMAS AT KEW: Too early for the 'C' word? Probably, but in our opinion, one of the season's highlights is Christmas at Kew, and it always sells out way in advance so you'll want to book sharpish. The botanical gardens come alive after dark with twinkling fairy lights, photogenic light trails, laser shows and a fire garden — all executed to perfection if previous years are anything to go by. 13 November 2026-3 January 2027. Plenty of other winter lights trails open around this time too.#
WINTER WONDERLAND 2026: Winter Wonderland pitches up in Hyde Park in mid-November. You can still expect rides, an ice rink, circus shows, a Christmas market and food and drink stalls, but like last year, you'll need to prebook to enter the site. November 2026-January 2027
ICE SKATING: London's Christmas ice rinks start opening from October/November. We'll update our complete guide to where you can take to the ice this autumn and winter as details are announced.
Food and drink events in London: Autumn 2026
HALAL FOOD FESTIVAL: The World Halal Food Festival brings dozens of food stalls to the London Stadium in Stratford, offering you a chance to sample Halal food from around the world, from burgers and hot dogs to cakes and pastries. Watch celebrity chefs whipping up their own Halal dishes and, if you like what you see, stock up on ingredients at the shopping stalls before you leave. September 2026 (exact dates TBC)
BARNET FOOD FESTIVAL: Eat your way around an airfield, as Barnet Food Festival takes place at the RAF Museum. Enjoy street food from around the world alongside live music and a kids' zone. 12-13 September 2026
LONDON COCKTAIL WEEK: London Cocktail Week claims to be the biggest cocktail festival in the world, and who are we to argue? Buy yourself a festival wristband for £20 to get access to £9 signature cocktails at hundreds of bars across the capital. There are also cocktail tours, special menus and other events going on. Usually October, 2026 dates TBC
THANKSGIVING: As always, Thanksgiving falls on the last Thursday in November. Plenty of London restaurants usually serve up traditional feasts for American expats, and anyone else who fancies getting in on the action — we'll update our guide to Thanksgiving in London closer to the time. 26 November 2026
Free things to do in London this autumn
GDIF: A parkour performance through Woolwich, dancing on a floating stage, and robotic circus were all part of last year's Greenwich + Docklands International Festival, a huge free outdoor performing arts blowout. We're awaiting 2026 details, but it's the festival's 30th anniversary so it should be a good one. FREE, 2026 dates TBC
CLASSIC BOAT FESTIVAL: All manner of vintage vessels moor up at St Katharine Docks (next to the Tower of London) for the Classic Boat Festival. Even if you don't know your port from your starboard, it's a fascinating spectacle, with around 40 preserved vessels on display, including Dunkirk Little Ships. FREE, 12-13 September 2026
FRIEZE SCULPTURE: If Frieze Art Fair (mentioned above) is out of your price range, there's art to be ogled for free. For several weeks, sculptures are dotted around Regent's Park for Frieze Sculpture, a trail that's open to everyone. Full details for 2025 are expected soon, plus, the park looks fantastic as the leaves begin to turn. FREE, 2026 dates TBC
AUTUMN WALKS: London's parks and open spaces look fantastic as the leaves change. We've picked some of our favourite places to walk in autumn, to catch the trees in their orange, red and gold finery.
Sports events in London: Autumn 2026
ICE HOCKEY: September sees the start of the ice hockey season again, with four teams to watch here in London. Here's everything you need to know before you go to your first match.
SHOREDITCH HALf: London's newest running event is the Shoreditch Half, a closed-loop half marathon route by the team behind the Hackney Half Marathon. It takes place on closed roads, beginning and ending in Shoreditch Park. 20 September 2026
NFL IN LONDON: Across three Sundays in October, four American Football teams play at two different stadiums here in London. Tottenham Hotspur and Wembley both host NFL in London games this season, though tickets sold out quite quickly so are hard (but not impossible) to come by now. October 2026 (exact dates TBC)
ROYAL PARKS HALF: The Royal Parks Half Marathon takes runners on a route through four of the eight Royal Parks (Hyde Park, Green Park, St James's Park, Kensington Gardens), and other closed roads around central London. Get yourself a place via a charity, or turn up on the day to support the runners. 11 October 2026
