Looking for something fun to do today? Something eye-opening to watch tonight? Something delicious to eat tomorrow? Our guide to 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!
What's on all week
ROSEBUDS COMEDY FESTIVAL: Clapham's Bread & Roses Theatre is the place to head for the Rosebuds Comedy Festival all week. Expect shows and WIP performances by a range of comedians including Tom Whiston, Chris East, Cameron Sinclair Harris and Marina Smith. 26 January-1 February 2026
INDEPENDENT MUSIC WEEK: Flex your support for London's indie music venues at this tough time of the year, by going to a gig or two as part of Independent Music Week. Our pick of shows include Annie & the Caldwells at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, Future Utopia at The Social, and Soaked at the Camden Assembly. 26 January-1 February 2026
WINTER LIGHTS 2026: You've got until Saturday to see Winter Lights, the free illuminations trail dotted around Canary Wharf. It's available 5pm-10pm each evening, with glowing installations at locations including Crossrail Place, Westferry Circus and Jubilee Park. Download the map to plan your route. FREE, until 31 January 2026
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM: Step into candlelit winter woods and discover the shadowy underbelly of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, in the final week of its run at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse. Four young lovers flee to the forest beyond the city walls, unaware that the forest itself is locked in a fierce battle between the Fairy King and Queen, Oberon and Titania, over the ownership of a stolen child. Until 31 January 2026
FONDUE NIGHTS: On selected evenings, Holland Park restaurant Julie's holds Fondue Nights on its heated terrace. Priced at £38 for two people, the experience features rich, melted cheese, accompanied by crusty bread, cornichons and a selection of charcuterie. Wine pairings are available too. Selected dates until 13 February 2026
DAVID BOWIE AFTERNOON TEA: There's a starman, waiting... at the Hotel Cafe Royal. Or at least, a Starman-themed menu, in the guise of the new David Bowie themed afternoon tea at the Regent Street venue. On the menu: sandwiches with names like The Thin White Duke, and The Berlin Years, and desserts such as Green Suit, Lemon Static and Midnight Orange. Until 13 February 2026
THE WEIGHT OF BEING: The beautiful Two Temple Places has a new free exhibition, The Weight of Being: Vulnerability, Resilience and Mental Health in Art which showcases how British artists from the post-war period to today have grappled with psychological pressure, breakdown, recovery and resistance. It features dozens of artworks drawn from galleries and collections across the UK, and the building itself is worth a look too. FREE, until 19 April 2026
PUB OF THE WEEK: Following a £2.4m refurb featuring tan leather banquettes and velvet tasselled lighting, the Trafalgar on Chelsea's King's Road offers elevated pub classics — including a Sunday roast — and real ale just as we like it, i.e. in jugs. The posh pub's also now a second home to the unimpeachable Always Be Comedy stand-up night, which is based at Kennington, but is now also hosted at this Chelsea venue on Thursdays.
READ OF THE WEEK: The histories of motoring and sport feature in the first two editions of Curious London, a series of pamphlets delving into London's past, packed with trivia, maps and photos. A lovely little addition to any London-slanted bookshelf. There's currently a small discount too.
FEBRUARY IN LONDON: With a new month beginning on Sunday, you'll be needing our guide to things to do in London in February to plan the upcoming four weeks. Highlights include wassailing, a flower festival, Super Bowl screenings, Wallace & Gromit, and a church service for clowns.
Today's events: Monday 26 January
THE RALEIGH CLUB: Hear about the history of the Raleigh Club, a dining club founded to allow explorers to share their stories, in a free talk at the Royal Geographical Society in Kensington. Between them, the members of the club has visited large parts of the known world at the time, and the club led to the formation of the Geographical Society of London in 1830. FREE, 2.30pm-3.45pm
INSIDER TRADING: Four-piece post-punk/post-rock band Insider Trading perform live at the Old Blue Last in Shoreditch, with support acts Pedestrian Band + Debt — and tickets are just £3. 7.30pm
MISTY MOON: Variety show The Misty Moon returns to the Phoenix Arts Club, offering everything from a screening of an award-winning short film, to an extract of a new play, live music from the award-winning Dave Sutherland, to G S Baxter and headliner, X-Factor finalist Melanie Masson, all packed into one evening. 7.30pm-10pm
HAPPY MONDAYS COMEDY: Have a laugh at the Amersham Arms in New Cross, with Happy Mondays Comedy. Acts are TBC at time of writing, but you can expect a mix of established comedians trying out new material, and up-and-coming acts making their way in the comedy scene. 8pm
PUB QUIZ: Feeling clever? Test out your general knowledge at the weekly pub quiz at the White Horse in Wembley. Entry is £2.50 per person, and while there's technically no limit of players per team, any team with more than six people will receive a points penalty. Prizes include cash, and free drinks. 8pm
Today's events: Tuesday 27 January
JAZZ ORCHESTRA: Pianist, composer, and bandleader Brian Clemens leads his Big Band in Songs of the Silver Screen at Wilton's Music Hall. Hear musical hits from the Golden Age of Hollywood, James Bond, The Pink Panther, Grease, and more, performed by a 13-piece ensemble and joined by jazz singer Francesca Confortine. 27-28 January 2026
CRYSTAL PALACE SUBWAY: A chance to visit the ornate Crystal Palace Subway on one of its occasional open days. Visits are self-guided, with staff and volunteers on hand to fill you in on the history of the Grade-II* listed structure, built to allow first class rail passengers direct access to the Crystal Palace. FREE, 11am-1pm
THE SHAPE OF SHELLS: She sells seashells on the seashore, but what shape are the shells she sells... or something like that. Tonight's Gresham College lecture features Gresham Professor of Geometry Alain Goriely discussing the maths behind the beautiful shapes of shells, and how that can explain the origins of shell features such as wrinkles, spines, and spikes, which answers some questions in biology. FREE, 6pm
THE CONVERSATION: Back for a second year, the new series of The Conversation events kicks off at St Martin-in-the-Fields tonight. Author Ian McEwan discusses his novel What We Can Know, set in a drowned landscape after the seas have risen. It's followed by a Q&A session, a book signing, and a period of informal conversation. Attend in person, or watch via livestream. 7pm
CROYDON AIRPORT: "Whatever else it has done, Croydon Airport has certainly put Croydon on the map of Europe. Many foreigners instinctively think of Croydon when they hear the word England mentioned." (Croydon Advertiser, 1938). Londonist Editor Will Noble appears at Pints of Knowledge in Kentish Town tonight, exploring the golden age of Croydon, when it was a crucible of aviation, global travel and adventure. 7pm-8.30pm
CLIMATE RESILIENCE: A panel of experts discusses how communities, cities, and ecosystems can adapt to climate change. Hear about resilience, sustainable planning, and solutions to protect people and landscapes from environmental uncertainty — watch in person at the Royal Geographical Society, or online. 7pm-8.30pm
NEW ACT NIGHT: See fresh comedy talent in action at Backyard's New Act Night in Bethnal Green. David Ward hosts with performers TBC. Book a free ticket in advance, but note that if you're not in the venue by 7.15pm, you'll be charged a £3 "late fee". 8pm-10.30pm
FILM QUIZ: Know your Bridget Jones from your Indiana Jones? Head to the Prince Charles Cinema's Film Quiz to test out your film trivia knowledge, including some cult classics. Teams of up to five, with cinema tickets, PCC merch, and other film prizes up for grabs. 8.30pm
Today's events: Wednesday 28 January
FISH BOWL: As part of MimeLondon, "laugh-out-loud silent comedy" BIGRE / Fish Bowl comes to the Peacock Theatre, taking inspiration from the infamous Parisian theatre Grand Guignol. The work of French theatre company Le Fils du Grand Réseau, it tells the story of three unusual neighbours in apartments in Paris, through mime and physical comedy theatre. 28-31 January 2026
OF MICE AND MEN: OSO Arts Centre in Barnes brings John Steinbeck's novel Of Mice And Men to life on stage, telling the story of two drifters in Depression-era California seeking out a better life for themselves. 28-31 January 2026
FIFA WOMEN'S CHAMPIONS CUP: London hosts the semi-finals, a third-place play-off, and the final of the first-ever FIFA Women's Champions Cup this week, with matches at both Arsenal's and Brentford's stadiums. The tournament showcases the highest level of women's club football, with the semi-final matches already confirmed as Arsenal vs AS FAR and Gotham FC vs Corinthians. Tickets available here. 28 January-1 February 2026
LONDON PARKS AND GARDENS: Lambeth's Garden Museum opens new exhibition Melissa Scott-Miller: London Parks and Gardens, showcasing the artist's magnificent paintings of green spaces around the capital. Both private gardens and well-known parks feature, including the Garden Museum's own green spaces, along with compositions from the wider city, including Hampstead, Battersea, the City and Hammersmith. 28 January-29 March 2026
A VIEW OF ONE'S OWN: Discover a new side to the Golden Age of British Landscape art in the Courtauld Gallery's new exhibition, A View Of One's Own: Landscapes By British Women Artists, 1760-1860. It brings together landscape drawings and watercolours by British women artists working between 1760 and 1860, from highly accomplished amateurs to those ambitious for more formal recognition. They have remained mostly unknown, and their works largely unpublished, until now. 28 January-20 May 2026
PIANO EXPLORED: Head to St Paul's Knightsbridge at lunchtime for a concert by pianist Howard Shelley, as he performs and tells the stories behind piano concertos by Hummel and Beethhoven. 12.45pm-2pm
Today's events: Thursday 29 January
VIBRANCE: For two evenings, the City of London holds new, free light and sound festival Vibrance. Visit five sites within the Square Mile, with different installations at each one, including a large-scale projection onto the facade of Guildhall, and a sonic installation using hidden speakers in Salters' Garden. FREE, 29-30 January 2026
CALL THE MIDWIFE: Join a London Museum host for a guided walk around the Poplar area, focusing on the post-war era depicted in memoir and TV series Call The Midwife. Visit the Lansbury Estate, Poplar High Street, the site of Poplar Workhouse, and St Frideswide’s Mission House, which inspired Nonnatus House. 11am-1pm
CARTOON MUSEUM LATE: The Cartoon Museum holds its first late opening of 2026, a chance to meet new Director Beth Bryan and take a guided tour of the collection of more than 300 years of cartoons, caricature and comic history. Entry to the current The Future Was Then exhibition is also included. 6pm-8pm
IMPERIAL LATES: Also open late tonight is Imperial College London, with a free evening focusing on happiness and health. Everyone 18+ is welcome, and activities include talks, craft sessions, Tai Chi workshops, planet-friendly snacks, and a DJ. FREE, 6pm-9pm
BLITZ TERROR: Though in-person tickets have sold out, you can still sign up to watch the livestream of tonight's talk at the Bow Street Police Museum, about the Air Raid Killer who was at large in London during the Blitz. Former Metropolitan Police DCI Steve Gaskin talks about serial killer Gordon Cummins and how his crimes committed during the Blitz blackouts changed forensic science, criminology and psychology forever. 6.30pm
ATOMIC ALBION: Writer, researcher and Londonist contributor Dr Tom Bolton is at Waterstones Gower Street discussing his new book, Atomic Albion: Journeys Around Britain’s Nuclear Power Stations. He combines travel writing with social and scientific history to discuss the legacy and future of the sites. 6.30pm-8.30pm
VICTORIAN FREAK SHOWS: Historian and author Dr. John Jacob Woolf gives a talk about the world of Victorian freak shows, which made spectacles of people who appeared abnormal or unusual, including The Bearded Lady and The Elephant Man. Salon for the City hosts the event at the Horse Hospital in Bloomsbury. 7pm
Today's events: Friday 30 January
FRESH ART FAIR: 70+ galleries come together under one roof for Fresh: Art Fair at Alexandra Palace. The focus is on contemporary art, with pieces by both rising stars and world-renowned artists for sale, along with workshops, artists demos, and a licensed bar. 30 January-1 February 2026
PLANETARIUM: An immersive planetarium experience opens at Battersea Power Station, offering 360° high-resolution projections and a series of short films exploring galaxies, planets and cosmic phenomena. It's family friendly, suitable for all ages, and under-fours go free. 30 January-1 March 2026
DEREK JARMAN: The life and work of artist Derek Jarman is the subject of a free Show and Tell event at Tate Britain. View items from his personal archive, as well as publications and printed ephemera relating to his final film Blue (1993), and reflect on Jarman’s interpretation of colour after losing his vision due to his AIDs diagnosis. FREE, 12pm-2pm
THE CROWN'S SILENCE: The British Royal Family’s connection with the transatlantic slave trade come under examination in new book The Crown's Silence. The author, historian Brooke N. Newman is at Waterstones Gower Street, discussing its contents with MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy. 6.30pm
MUSEUM SILENT DISCO: Don a pair of headphones and dance until the early hours at the Natural History Museum's silent disco. Three DJs each take charge of their own channel, and you can switch between them throughout the event, beneath the blue whale skeleton in the Hintze Hall. 10pm-1am
Today's events: Saturday 31 January
SNOWDROP SALE: Snowdrop season is in full swing in London, with the petite white flowers appearing in pockets all over town. Like what you see? Enfield's Myddleton House holds a snowdrop sale with plant experts selling many varieties for you to take home. Plus, Dr John Grimshaw MBE, Editor-in-Chief of Curtis’s Botanical Magazine based at Kew, and Trees and Shrubs Online, gives a talk at the event. 10am-12.30pm
UNSUNG HEROES: Take a tour of the RAF Museum focusing on the unsung heroes of the Battle of Britain, who worked with quiet courage and determination to keep the nation safe. 11am/2pm
OLD SCHOOL INDIE: Regular party event Club de Fromage throws a daytime party for age 30+, with an area dedicated to old school indie music. Head to Scala (King's Cross) to dance the afternoon away to tunes by the likes of The Clash, Pulp, Arctic Monkeys, Blondie, Nirvana, Oasis, Joy Division and more, or head downstairs for the usual Club de Fromage blend of cheesy pop. 3pm-7pm
GLENN MILLER ORCHESTRA: The world-famous Glenn Miller Orchestra is at Bromley's Churchill Theatre for a musical celebration of the legendary big band leader, Glenn Miller. They're joined by the Moonlight Serenaders vocal group and the orchestra’s own swinging jazz band The Uptown Hall Gang for a lively evening of big band tunes. 5pm
BRASS FUNKEYS: "Lively, rampant, funked up brass that'll kick your back wheels into gear all night!" That's the Brass Funkeys, who take the spirit of New Orleans, and fuse it with funk from far-flung corners of the globe. They'll have you cutting a rug at the Magic Garden in Battersea tonight. 7pm
SEEKING A DREAM: Amber Joy and Isaiah Hull are raising funds to travel to Nairobi, to host a writing project titled The Invisible Workshop. Today they're at the Horse Hospital, raising money for their mission, with live performances, DJ sets and exclusive merch. 7pm-11pm
CHARITY COMEDY: Dylan Moran, Ardal O’Hanlon, Grace Campbell, Christopher Hall, Elf Lyons, and Anuvab Pal are all on the bill at Comedy Sans Frontières. The comedy show, hosted by Shabaz Ali at Soho Theatre Walthamstow, raises money for the international humanitarian charity Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders. 7.30pm
Today's events: Sunday 1 February
WEST LONDON FLEA: A brand new flea market launches in Wembley, taking place at Europe’s largest indoor coach park at Wembley Stadium. The Giant West London Flea brings together 200 traders selling products sourced from across the UK and Europe. 10am-5pm
JEWISH QUARTER: Explore the history of London’s Jewish community in the East End, courtesy of this London Walks tour, which takes you from the plight of the pogrom refugees to the glittering success of the Rothschilds; and from the eloquence of Disraeli to the spiel of the Petticoat Lane stall holder. 10.15am-12.30pm
VINTAGE FAIR: 60 exhibitors take part in the Frock Me! vintage fair, which takes place at Chelsea Old Town Hall this month. Rummage through racks of vintage clothing, and keep your eyes out for British designer labels such as Ossie Clark, Bill Gibb and Biba. Items date from the Victorian era onwards, with jewellery and accessories also available. 11am-5.30pm
ZOO HISTORY TOUR: Mark 200 years of ZSL, the conservation charity which runs London Zoo, with a history tour themed on the marvels of veterinary medicine. Meet at the main entrance and hear about pioneering technology over the past two centuries, including how the zoo created prosthetics for a one-legged raven. 11.30am
CAMDEN V CLAPTON: Camden Town FC take on Clapton in today's London & South East Regional Women's Football League Division One North clash, which takes places at the Maurice Rebak Stadium in Finchley. KO 2pm
WEST END UNITES: The West End theatre community joins forces for Love Life: West End Unites Against Cancer, a one-night-only concert at Theatre Royal Drury Lane in support of men's mental health charity One For The Boys. Expect an all-star line-up of West End performers, creatives, musicians and supporters, with exact line-up TBC at time of writing. 6pm
BACKSTAGE: The month-long I'm Migrant Film Festival launches this evening at Genesis Cinema — and the first film out of the starting blocks is Backstage, about Aida, a member of a Tunisian contemporary dance troupe touring Morocco, and her partner, Hedi. The screening is followed by a Q&A with the film's directors. 6.20pm-8.20pm
LAUGH FACTORY: Christopher Savage hosts Laugh Factory, an evening of comedy supporting diverse talent by the Black Comedy UK team. Funmbi Omotayo, Victor Daniels and Jay Handley are all scheduled to appear, with other participants TBC. Takes place at Backyard Comedy Club in Bethnal Green. 7.30pm-11pm
