Things To Do Today In London: Wednesday 13 November 2019

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The lights go on at Coal Drops Yard today

Things to do

COUNTRY LIVING FAIR: Decorations, crafts, gifts, homewares and food and drink are all part of the Country Living Christmas Fair, which begins today. Browse a plethora of stalls selling items to help you get ready for the festive season, and take part in creative workshops including needle felting, bauble making and calligraphy. Business Design Centre (Islington), from £19, book ahead, 13-17 November

SKATE AT SOMERSET HOUSE: Get your skates on as the ice rink at Somerset House is back for a season of twirling (and tumbling) in the beautiful courtyard. It's the ice rink's 20th anniversary, so look out for all-night openings in addition to the usual skate nights — plus the Fortnum Christmas Arcade is back, as is the towering tree. Check out the details of all of London's ice rinks. Somerset House, from £11, book ahead, 13 November-12 January

NEUROSCIENCE: Spend your lunch break hearing from neuroscientist Soyon Hong about her work on what immune cells do in the brain, from their role in learning and memory to their contribution to ageing and dementia in Alzheimer’s. There's a chance to ask your questions at the end too. Wellcome Collection (Euston), free, just turn up, 1pm-2pm

Get your skates on at Somerset House from today

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS: Another day, another set of Christmas lights going on — well, two actually. Marylebone Village hosts an afternoon of family-friendly fun (3pm-7pm) with fairground rides, live music and a Santa's grotto. Ricky Wilson from the Kaiser Chiefs presses the all-important button at 6pm. Meanwhile Coal Drops Yard in King's Cross transforms into a winter forest for its lights switch-on, with a performance by the London Gay Men's Chorus, festive food and drink, and illuminations designed to look like the Northern Lights. See when the rest of London's Christmas lights are switched on (a lot of them are this week).

KEYHOLE SURGERY: The aptly-named Professor Roger Kneebone gives a free talk about keyhole surgery. Find out how operations have changed completely in just a few decades thanks to the minimal access procedures, and hear from retired surgeons from the 1980s, who re-enact how they used to do things. Probably not one for the squeamish. Museum of London, free, just turn up, 6pm-7pm

Get festive at the Country Living Christmas Fair

CHRISTMAS JUMPERS: Christmas Jumper Day is 13 December this year, but give Primarni a swerve and fashion up your own festive knitwear. Take an old sweater along to this Christmas jumper workshop or use one provided and go nuts with sequins, baubles, glitter, pom pom and pine cones. This is no time to be shy. Bermondsey (address provided on booking), £38, book ahead, 6.30pm-9pm (sponsor)

BRIGHT NIGHTS: Kensington Palace stays open late for Bright Nights: Empire. Writers, artists, scientists and psychologists share their thoughts about the complex legacy of the British Empire through debates, music and performances. Psychologist Dr Erica McInnis talks about the problems with Eurocentric psychology, and spoken word artist Jaspreet Kaur shares poetry on the impact of Empire. Kensington Palace, £25, book ahead, 6.30pm-10pm

JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL: As part of the Jewish Film Festival, watch 2018 French documentary Shut Up And Play The Piano. It's the story of musician Jason Beck, better known as Chilly Gonzales, who is the son of Hungarian Jews who fled to Canada during the war. Follow two decades of his career, including collaborations with Daft Punk, Feist, Jarvis Cocker and Peaches. Bertha DocHouse (Bloomsbury), £12.50/£10, book ahead, 6.30pm

Create your own Christmas jumper

DAMBUSTERS STORY: Author and military historian Max Hastings talks about his book Chastise: The Dambusters Story 1943. It's the story of Operation Chastise, the 1943 destruction of the Mohne and Eder dams in Germany, and Hastings delves into whether the 1955 film about the raid is true to life. The London Library, £15/£12, book ahead, 6.45pm-8.30pm

COMEDY: Dr Steve Cross from Science Showoff hosts Off The Shelf comedy night, with a collection of comedians performing sets inspired by the weird and wonderful lectures given in Bishopsgate Institute's Great Hall over the years. Bishopsgate Institute, £7/£5, book ahead, 7pm

CHILD MIGRANTS: Cameroon-born writer, poet and playwright Eric Ngalle Charles and Scottish doctor and singer-songwriter Anna Macdonald appear together for an event looking at the way poetry and music can help parentless child refugees overcome trauma. Charles arrived in the UK after fleeing persecution in his village, and Macdonald founded the charity Play for Progress, which helps traumatised and unaccompanied child refugees. King's College (Strand), free, book ahead, 7pm-9pm

Tube ponderings with Barry Heck

Our resident tube fancier dishes out daily thoughts on the London Underground.

Sometimes, you just have to be a rebel. But can you name the two underground stations where I'm defying the authorities? Answers to @HeckTube on Twitter.

Good cause of the day

Book ahead for A Peaceful Noise, a very special gig taking place on 29 November. It's in aid of the Nick Alexander Memorial Trust — Nick was the merchandise manager of Eagles of Death Metal, and was killed in the Bataclan terror attacks in Paris in November 2015. The gig is in memory of those who died that night, and raises money for the Trust's work in offering grant awards for young people trying to get into the music industry. Find out more and book tickets.

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