Looking for something fun to do today? Something eye-opening to watch tonight? Something delicious to eat tomorrow? Our guide on things to do this week in London is personally curated, ensuring there's always a diverse range of events for you to choose from. Get stuck in!
All week
FIREWORKS NIGHT: 5 November is Bonfire Night, the anniversary of Guy Fawkes' failed attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament. There are firework displays and events all over London this week, including a free one in central London on Bonfire Night itself, and many more over the weekend.
DIWALI: London's Diwali celebrations are well underway, and with the main day of the festival this Sunday (8 November) there's plenty more to experience this week. Attend a house party at legendary Indian restaurant Dishoom, or take the family to a free Diwali event at the National Maritime Museum. Read our full selection of Diwali events in London this year.
CHRISTMAS LIGHTS: Before Bonfire Night's even happened, London's first Christmas lights are switched on. Carnaby's seasonal illuminations — which have a '90s theme this year — can be seen in their full glory from 4 November, followed by Regent Street's glowing angels from 5 November. Here's a full list of when the main displays are switched on this year. FREE, from 4 November 2026
PITCHFORK MUSIC FESTIVAL: Organised by the Pitchfork music magazine team, Pitchfork Music Festival has events in 16 venues across London, including Royal Festival Hall, Roundhouse and Hackney Empire. The Avalanches & Friends, DIIV, Tortoise, Jacob Alon, Hania Rani, Noname, aja monet, Los Thuthanaka, Lido Pimienta, Noname, ear, Robert Lester Folsom and many more are on this year's line-up. 2-8 November 2026
KOREAN FILM FESTIVAL: Cinemas across the capital host screenings as part of the 21st London Korean Film Festival, which includes critically acclaimed films, new talent and Korean box office hits. The opening gala at BFI Southbank on Monday is a screening of 2025 crime drama The Journey to Gyeong-ju, followed by a Q&A with director Kim Mi-jo and actor Lee Jung-eun. 2-16 November 2026
THEATRE FESTIVAL: Voila! Theatre Festival spans multidisciplinary, multilingual and multicultural performance. This year, that translates into close to 100 different productions across several genres, including classical music-hip hop crossover Rostro x Eminem, and movement-led documentary (M)Others Between Shores, about the experience of migrant mothers. The programme is extensive, so you're bound to find several events to pique your interest. 2-22 November 2026
WRAP UP LONDON: Annual charity coat collection WrapUp London returns to London stations and other venues from Monday, so dig out your old coat from the back of your wardrobe. The organisation redistributes the coats they collect to those who need them most, to help keep them more comfortable and safe over the winter months. Collections take place 2-22 November 2026
CLOUD 9: Caryl Churchill's Cloud 9 — which follows a family from Victorian Africa to 1970s London — gets a new production at the National Theatre, exploring how we think about gender, power and the legacies of empire. 2 November 2026-January 2027
E PELLICCI: From Monday, selected items from the menu of legendary East End deli E Pellicci are being served at Selfridges. Head to the Brass Rail within the Oxford Street department store to get your fill of pasta and the Reuben, Pellicci-style. From 2 November 2026
THIS MUST BE THE PLACE: 23 international artists display painted works at This Must Be The Place, a group exhibition marking 125 years of the Whitechapel Gallery, closing this weekend. FREE, until 8 November 2026
PRINCESSES OF PUNJAB: Also ending this weekend: learn about Punjabi princess and suffragette icon (and goddaughter of Queen Victoria), Sophia Duleep Singh and five women who shaped her extraordinary life, in a Kensington Palace exhibition. Until 8 November 2026
PUB OF THE WEEK: The Catherine Eddowes, a Craft Beer Co pub, has just opened on Mitre Street in the City, overlooked by the Gherkin. Aside from the usual ambrosial selection of beers, its name/sign is a tribute to the woman murdered by Jack the Ripper opposite this spot in 1888. As the pubs says "His name became infamous. Hers deserves to be remembered."
Today's events: Monday 2 November
LIGHTSTREAMS: New play Lightstreams opens at Theatre503 (Battersea). It's about migrant care workers and Covid, based on interviews with migrant care workers across London and the South East, and its London debut is rather timely due to the recent government report on care homes during the crisis. There's a post-show Q&A tonight too. 2-4 November 2026
TRANS HEALTHCARE FUNDRAISER: Live music from shame, Sorry and Lava La Rue — plus other acts — is performed at EartH Hall in Dalston, in a special gig raising money in support of trans healthcare. 6.30pm-10pm
PELÉ: Andrew Downie discusses his new biography of Pelé at Sambrook's Brewery in Wandsworth, revisiting the debate over the greatest footballer of all time through comments from figures including Bobby Moore, Pope Francis and Diego Maradona. The talk is followed by a Q&A. 7pm-8.30pm
CHURCHILL'S QUEEN: Historians Dr Nigel Fletcher and Katherine Carter discuss the remarkable friendship between Winston Churchill and Queen Elizabeth II, at Greenwich Theatre. They share stories from each of their recent books, take questions from the audience and sell signed copies afterwards. 7.30pm
MURDER SHE DIDN'T WRITE: Put your detective skills to work at Rose Theatre in Kingston, where Edinburgh Fringe favourites Degrees of Error improvise a brand-new Agatha Christie-inspired murder mystery from audience suggestions. Every show is different — and you must solve the crime before the killer is revealed. It's one of the Agatha Christie shows we recommended, coinciding with the new Christie exhibition at the British Library. 7.30pm
CAPITOL CABARET: The Divine in Stoke Newington hosts the Capitol Cabaret, an unofficial Hunger Games drag show and cabaret marking the release of prequel film Sunrise on the Reaping. Expect performances from drag artists, a raffle and hosting from Effie Trinket. Dress as a franchise character or Capitol citizen for a chance to win a prize. 7.30pm-9.30pm
Today's events: Tuesday 3 November
REVOLVING DINNER PARTY: 'Gastronauts' Bompas & Parr take over Holborn's Space House for their next mission: Gastolabe. Book yourself in for a revolving dinner party where your table moves throughout the meal, allowing you to mingle with multiple fellow diners as you eat. Clever stuff! 3-8 November 2026
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, opening today. View never-before-seen early sketches, unpublished studies and original works from across Mackesy's career. 3 November 2026-7 February 2027
FEMALE TEXTILE DESIGNERS: Authors Victoria Bradley and Elizabeth Currie join Wallace Sewell founders Harriet Wallace-Jones and Emma Sewell at the V&A South Kensington to discuss women's contributions and experiences in textile design. The conversation covers their career paths and the barriers women have faced in education and business, as well as Wallace Sewell's innovative use of colour, structure and yarn in TfL moquettes. 3.30pm-4.30pm
ANATOMY OF SEX: The Florence Nightingale Museum in Lambeth hosts Bits & Bobs: The Anatomy of Sex, an interactive evening with the Society for Reproduction and Fertility. Explore eight activity stations, flash talks and animations led by experts in reproduction, fertility and anatomy. FREE, 6pm-9pm
TOOTING BEC ASYLUM: Historians and authors Liz Sayce, Philip Bradley and Karen Ellis-Rees give a talk about the former Tooting Bec Asylum, which stood next to Tooting Common from 1903-1995 when it was demolished to make way for the Heritage Park Estate. It takes place at St Leonard's Church. 7.30pm
KINGSTON POWER STATION: Head to the cornerHOUSE in Surbiton, where Stephen Fielding, Heritage Projects Manager at Habitats & Heritage, gives a talk about Kingston Power Station. Hear how the station contributed to the development of the National Grid and modern life, alongside details of Habitats & Heritage restoration projects including the repair of Sir Joseph Bazalgette's mausoleum in Wimbledon. 7.30pm-9pm
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Revel in the joy and romance of Renoir
Couples waltzing in sun-dappled Montmartre. Friends raising a glass over a leisurely lunch. Stolen glances between lovers, and intimate portraits of family life. Fall in love with Renoir at an exhibition that celebrates the Impressionist painter's gift for capturing romance, friendship, and the emotion of everyday life.
Renoir and Love at the National Gallery brings together 40 paintings from collections all over the world. That includes Dance at the Moulin de la Galette, on display in the UK for the first time ever. This magnificent (and enormous) artwork is Renoir at his most joyful: capturing a crowd of revellers at an outdoor dance hall in Paris. Other highlights include The Swing, Lunch at Restaurant Fournaise (The Rowers' Lunch), and other paintings from the 1860s-1880s (during which time Renoir became an innovator of Impressionism).
You’ve got until 31 January to experience this serotonin-boosting show. Get your tickets today and prepare to be whisked away to the summery gardens and exuberant dance halls of 19th-century France, as portrayed by one of its greatest ever artists.
Renoir and Love. Until 31 January 2027 at the National Gallery. Tickets here.
Today's events: Wednesday 4 November
KUNSTY: Returning to Southbank Centre for a second year, Kunsty is a weekend of raucous performances from independent artists working at the boundaries of dance, performance, live art and cabaret. The programme includes Samir Kennedy and Sean Murray's vulgar vampy cabaret IT'S GOT LEGS, and Fringe favourite Fag Packet's physical theatre comedy, DYKE Systems Ltd. 4-6 November 2026
CROYDONITES FESTIVAL: Vikings, bears and a special film premiere are part of this year's Croydonites Festival, which showcases the south London's cultural heft through a medley of comedy, clowning, theatre and film. 4-21 November 2026
BENEATH THE STONES: Descend into the undercroft of St Mary Magdalene's Church in Paddington for a subterranean tour of its hidden sanctuary. The guided walk explores the Chapel of St Sepulchre, an early masterpiece by architect Sir Ninian Comper featuring intricate 15th century style stone carving, gilding and stained glass. Learn about the inventive Victorian engineering required to create this memorial space and see the results of its recent restoration. 12pm
HISTORY OF EMPIRES: Historian and author Philip Parker discusses the history of empires, through maps at Stanfords in Covent Garden, giving insight into the growth and decline of more than 60 empires, exploring the roots of their success, the causes of their demise and the legacies they left behind. 7pm
AMERICAN MIDTERMS: Political expert Jonathan Paris examines the significance of the recent US midterm elections for Trump's presidency, his likely Republican successor, the Democratic Party and America's future at JW3 in Finchley. He also considers the results of the Israeli election and their potential impact on US-Israel relations. 7.15pm-8.15pm
SEA SHANTIES: Spend a raucous evening on board the Golden Hinde (drydocked on Bankside) as Frankie Heartless and the Heartless Rogues perform live. The roving pirate band covers sea shanties and folk tunes, with the audience strongly encouraged to wear pirate costumes. 8.15pm-10.30pm
Today's events: Thursday 5 November
TEDDINGTON BEER FESTIVAL: If you've just about recovered from London's Oktoberfest celebrations, head to the Landmark Arts Centre for Teddington Beer Festival. Sample cask ales and ciders, with proceeds supporting the Landmark Arts Centre, where the event is held. 5-8 November 2026
TANGO AFTER DARK: World Tango Champion Germán Cornejo brings his company to Sadler's Wells for Tango After Dark, a two-hour production featuring 10 dancers, a five-piece live orchestra and two singers performing the music of Astor Piazzolla. The show mixes intimate, athletic choreography with dramatic storytelling, and returns after a sold-out 2018 run. 5-9 November 2026
UK JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL: Various cinemas around London and beyond host screenings as part of the UK Jewish Film Festival. The festival spans genres including drama, comedy and documentary, and begins with an opening night gala at BFI Southbank, screening When the Night Falls, based on a true story about the deportation of French Jews from Vichy France to the Nazi Occupied Zone during the Second World War. 5-15 November 2026
EVER AFTER GARDEN: Illuminated by the light of more than 30,000 glowing roses, the Ever After Garden returns to Chelsea's Duke of York Square. Anyone can visit, and though there's no admission fee, the installation raises money for the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, so consider donating if you can. Alternatively, dedicate a rose to a loved one (minimum suggested donation £15). 5 November-21 December 2026
THE OTHER HAROLD: The British Museum's online talk Harald Hardrada: the other ‘Harold’ explores the Norwegian king's journey from Scandinavia across the Mediterranean and into the events of 1066. Using the Bayeux Tapestry as a starting point, speakers consider his invasion of England, dramatic defeat at Stamford Bridge and striking absence from the tapestry. 5.30pm-6.30pm
JO BRAND: Comedian Jo Brand brings her current show Decline and Falling Over to Hackney Empire, reflecting on ageing, selective deafness and the "joy" of becoming an invisible older woman. Every ticket includes a copy of Brand's book of the same name, to collect on the night. 7.30pm
Today's events: Friday 6 November
LUXMURALIS: Light art specialists Luxmuralis take over the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich for Lost Worlds, an immersive journey through the great civilisations, myths and forgotten histories of humanity. Light and sound effects combine as you wander through the historic spaces of the ORNC after dark, surrounded by depictions of prehistoric cave art, the lost worlds of Atlantis and Troy, and the age of the dinosaurs. 6-15 November 2026
THROUGH OUR EYES: The first group exhibition in the UK to hone in on the vibrant art and culture of the Sámi people, Through our Eyes: Sámi Art and Culture opens at Somerset House. View works by 19 artists from Europe's only recognised indigenous people, whose traditional land spans the northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia. 6 November 2026-February 2027
JULIUS CAESAR: Shakespeare's Julius Caesar gets an airing in the candlelit Sam Wanamaker Playhouse at the Globe, a production that explores friendship, betrayal and political violence — classic Shakespeare, then. 6 November 2026-14 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 — by exploring identity, culture, community and more. 6 November 2026-8 August 2027
ARCADIA: Sir John Akomfrah's Arcadia is a film installation exploring the Columbian Exchange — the mass movements of people, species, goods and disease between the Americas, Afro‑Eurasia and Europe. The piece mixes landscape and sea imagery with a layered soundtrack of nature sounds, opera and poetry. It's screened at the Natural History Museum. FREE, from 6 November 2026
INDIAN WOMEN AND WAR: Dr Kiran Sahota explores the roles played by Indian women during the Second World War, at the National Army Museum in Chelsea. The talk covers the Women's Auxiliary Corps India, the Wasbies in Burma, the Royal Indian Naval Service and the wives of soldiers left at home. FREE, 12pm-1pm
REBEL REBEL: Dance into the evening at Rebel Rebel, a pub-hours club night at the Great North Wood in West Norwood. The soundtrack spans glam, punk, indie, soul, funk, disco, garage rock, rock'n'roll and pop from the 1960s-80s. 7pm-midnight
Today's events: Saturday 7 November
CONSTANTINOPLE TO ISTANBUL: The V&A South Kensington unveils Constantinople to Istanbul: One City, Two Empires, an exhibition spanning 1,600 years of art and design from Byzantium to the Ottoman period, bringing together objects such as carved caskets, Ottoman processional scrolls, textiles and paintings by Osman Hamdi Bey. From 7 November 2026
BATTERSEA PARK FIREWORKS: London's saving one of its biggest and brightest Bonfire Night celebrations for the weekend. On top of dazzling displays, Battersea Park Fireworks boasts a funfair, excellent street food and thrilling live entertainment including a DJ set from drum and bass legends Rudimental (7 November), and an electrifying show by Arcadia's Lords of Lightning (8 November). Book asap to avoid missing out, and be sure to get down there nice and early — each event opens with a Happy Hour, offering £5 and half-price fairground rides. 7-8 November 2026 (sponsor)
BACK TO BLACK: Amy Winehouse's landmark album gets an intimate jazz, blues and vintage-soul reworking at Toulouse Lautrec in Kennington. Back to Black: 20th Anniversary features vocalist Cali Rivlin and original touring guitarist Robin Banerjee, alongside pianist Nick Gilmore and trombonist Tarik Mecci, with songs including Back to Black, Rehab and Valerie. 7-8 November 2026
JAPANESE MARKET: Browse Japanese sweets, crafts, kimonos, records and more at Yokimono Market, taking place across the weekend at the Factory in Dalston. 7-8 November 2026
DIWALI: Though London's main Diwali celebrations in Trafalgar Square were cancelled due to the weather, there are plenty more ways to celebrate in London, including a free Diwali festival at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich today. Watch dance performances, have a go at Rangoli art or lantern-making, and try on a selection of traditional South Asian clothing. It all culminates in a lantern parade through Greenwich Park. FREE, 10.30am-5pm
PICKLE FESTIVAL: Deptford pub the Dog & Bell holds the 30th edition of its annual Pickle Festival, where people enter their homemade recipes for a chance of being crowned the winner. Beyond that, it's a whole pickle-centric afternoon with preserves, hot sauce, chutney, bread and cakes also getting involved, along with arts, crafts and photography. All entries must be submitted by 4pm
LIVE AT THE CHAPEL: Chris McCausland headlines a comedy night at Union Chapel in Islington, joined by Lou Sanders, Emmanuel O and Janine Harouni, with Phil Ellis hosting. The monthly show takes place in the atmospheric chapel, with seating unreserved and allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. 7.45pm
AUNTIE FLO: Boundary-pushing DJ Auntie Flo — credited by the Guardian as 'taking World Music into the future —' is in charge of the heavy basement soundsystem at Leytonstone's new venue Altar tonight. 10.30pm-3am
Today's events: Sunday 8 November
REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY: Today is Remembrance Sunday, when events are held to commemorate those who have lost their lives in wars and conflicts around the globe. London's main event is a procession and laying of wreaths, at the Cenotaph on Whitehall; expect road closures if you're in the area, with a national two-minute silence at 11am
THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS: A handmade-puppet adaptation of Kenneth Grahame's classic The Wind in the Willows comes to Artsdepot in Finchley. Follow Mole and Ratty from the river bank into the Wild Wood, alongside Badger and Mr Toad, with original music, props and costumes. Age five+. 10.30am/1.30pm
THE BIG MARKET: Browse a curated selection of 30 local makers, designers and small businesses at The Fox and Firkin in Lewisham. Alongside the stalls, there are free artist workshops, a new craft area, an activity book and DJs throughout the day. FREE, 12pm-6pm
WARTIME WILLESDEN: Retired Judge Dr Jonathan Lewis gives a keynote speech based on his recent book, about wartime during Willesden. Particular focus is on the war heroes who are commemorated at Willesden Jewish Cemetery. The afternoon also includes stories of the first Jewish chaplain to serve in the field, and Jewish involvement at Bletchley Park. 1.45pm-4.30pm
JEWISH HISTORY: Marc Gardiner leads a walking tour exploring 1,000 years of London's Jewish history, starting in Aldgate and crossing the historic City of London. Hear about Jewish life from the medieval period to the present, including the 1290 expulsion, resettlement under Cromwell and later immigration. 2pm-4pm
POETRY OF DECADENCE: Hear a free reading of poems from the anti-moralist, fantastical Decadence movement of the late 1800s at Keats House in Hampstead. Afternoon Poems includes work by Aubrey Beardsley, Oscar Wilde and Charles Baudelaire. FREE, 2.15pm-3.15pm
BLACK ALTERNATIVE MUSIC: Journalist and feminist punk musician Stephanie Phillips explores the Black artists who shaped rock 'n' roll and alternative music, at Conway Hall in Holborn. Drawing on her book We Were Here, she discusses figures including Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Little Richard, Jimi Hendrix, Tina Turner, Betty Davis, Poly Styrene and Bad Brains, as well as the future of punk, metal, hardcore and indie. 3pm-4.30pm
