Things To Do This Week In London: 30 December 2024-5 January 2025
Finish 2024 and start 2025 in style.
All week
TWIXTMAS EVENTS: Weird week, this. It starts when we're all still knee-deep in Christmas leftovers and holiday vibes, but by the time it ends, the festivities will be a distant memory. Our guide to things to do between Christmas and New Year has plenty of entertainment ideas to see you through until the start of 2025.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: A reminder that there's some disruption to public transport through until the new year. There's also no free public transport on New Year's Eve this year, though some services do run through the night to get partygoers home. And note that roads and bridges around central London start closing from about 2pm on Tuesday to prepare for the fireworks, so many bus routes are disrupted. Full details here.
WINTER WONDERLAND: The huge festive funfair continues in Hyde Park until the end of this week with rollercoasters and fairground rides, theatre and circus shows, an ice kingdom, food and drink stalls, an ice rink and plenty more. Be aware that you still need to book your entry in advance this year. Until 5 January
ICE SKATING: A festive staple, skating rinks pop up all over town for the Christmas season and stick around until the new year so you can take to the ice outside palaces, skyscrapers, and all manner of other backdrops this week. These are London's best ice rinks this year.
PANTOS: If you didn't manage to catch a pantomime before Christmas, fear not. Several continue until this weekend (oh yes they do), including Aladdin at Lyric Hammersmith, Dick Whittington at Greenwich Theatre, and Pinocchio at Stratford East. Have a look at our guide to panto in London for all of your options, and get booking.
PENGUIN PARADE: Last chance to visit the Penguin Parade, a free trail of a dozen penguin sculptures, each 1.6m tall and individually decorated. They're dotted around the Fleet Street area, with a map to help you find them. Alternatively, take a wander around the area and see how many you stumble across. FREE, until 5 January
BIRDS: BRILLIANT AND BIZARRE: The Natural History Museum's current exhibition gives us a closer look at the only surviving dinosaurs. Birds: Brilliant and Bizarre delves into the world of birds, looking at how different species have evolved to survive, and how our lifestyles are affecting them. Until 5 January
ELTON JOHN'S PHOTOGRAPHS: Photographs from the Sir Elton John and David Furnish Collection are on display at the V&A Museum until Sunday. Subjects such as fashion, celebrity, reportage and the male body are tackled in the images. Until 5 January
LEHMAN TRILOGY: Sam Mendes' biographical fable of three Jewish immigrants and their pursuit of the American dream, resulting in the 2008 global financial crash, closes this weekend. Read our review, then see it at the Gillian Lynne Theatre. Until 5 January
LECTURE COLLECTION OF THE WEEK: Maybe you're reading this slumped in a familial armchair many miles from London — and already missing the capital a tad. Now's a good time to peruse Gresham College's incredible collection of recorded lectures, covering everything from White Christmas to Black Holes. Videos are free to watch.
WEEKEND WALKS: Grab your walking boots and head out on one of our weekend walk routes. See a part of London you haven't visited before, and best of all, it's free — unless you stop in a pub for a pint or two...
Monday 30 December
MUPPET TREASURE ISLAND: Enjoyed the many, many screenings of The Muppet Christmas Carol in recent weeks and keen to get some more Muppet action? The Prince Charles Cinema in Leicester Square screens Muppet Treasure Island, a 1996 take on the classic book starring Kermit The Frog, Miss Piggy, Gonzo The Great, Fozzy Bear and co. 6pm
FELA KUTI: Camden's Jazz Cafe pays tribute to musician Fela Kuti, a pioneer of the Afrobeat genre. Kuti's former bandmate Bukky Leo teams up with several London musicians to tell many of the Nigerian multi-instrumentalist’s stories. 7pm
THE HOLIDAY: Not had your fill of Christmas films yet? Barbican screens 2006 festive romcom The Holiday, accompanied by an orchestra. Watch the story of Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz's characters swapping houses for the festive season, while the soundtrack is performed live. 7.30pm
FLEETWOOD BAC: Tribute band Fleetwood Bac pops up at the Half Moon in Putney for a full replica of a Fleetwood Mac show from the 1970s-80s. There's the option to book a table for dinner before the show too. 8pm
KING GONG: The Comedy Store holds its monthly King Gong, a ruthless open mic night, where brave new comics try to make the crowd laugh, before being 'gonged' off stage. Their aim to is to last the full five-minute slot they're allotted, with three members of the audience randomly assigned as judges, showing them a red card when they've had enough. 8pm
New Year's Eve: Tuesday 31 December
NEW YEAR'S EVE: Tonight's probably the biggest night of the year when it comes to partying in the capital. Bars, pubs, hotels, restaurants and other venues throw shindigs to see in 2025 — take a look at our picks, and see whether any have last-minute tickets. Our New Year's Eve events guide also includes daytime events happening today, a few of which we've highlighted below.
FIREWORKS: If it's the fireworks you're keen to see, be aware that all tickets to attend the viewing area by the river have sold out. If you don't have a ticket, you won't get anywhere near the area. Some of London's New Year's Eve party venues claim to offer a view of the fireworks at midnight, but again, many have sold out and they can be very expensive. Your best bet for watching the show is tuning in on TV from the comfort of your own sofa. It's warm, there's no queue for the toilets, and you haven't got to worry about finding your way home afterwards.
KIDS' COUNTDOWN: Kids buzzing for New Year, but not going to last until midnight? Take them along to Southbank Centre on NYE morning for the Kids' Countdown with Just Vibez — a full-on party with singing, dancing and a NYE-style countdown to midday instead of midnight. FREE, 10.30am
ZIMMER VS WILLIAMS: The London Concert Orchestra performs the best scores from two of the greatest film composers of all time, Hans Zimmer and John Williams, in a single show at Barbican. Hear music from Star Wars, Jurassic Park, the Lion King and others. 2.30pm
WHEN HARRY MET SALLY: It's become something of a tradition for Leicester Square's Prince Charles Cinema to show 1989 rom-com When Harry Met Sally on New Year's Eve (makes sense if you've seen the film). We're pleased to say they're not letting us down this year, so you can spend the evening huddled away in the cinema watching Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal, and still make it out to a party/home for the Hootenanny. Cheers to that! 6.15pm
New Year's Day: Wednesday 1 January
NEW YEAR'S DAY: Up with the lark, and keen to crack on with 2025? You'll be needing our guide to New Year's Day events in London.
WINTER BIRDWATCHING: Get some fresh air and learn the intricacies of birdwatching at London Wetlands Centre in Barnes. The winter birdwatching session takes place in a three-storey hide with an expert on hand to offer tips on how to identify different species. BYOB (binoculars, that is). 10am-12pm
NEW YEAR'S DAY PARADE: If you're not busy sleeping off the year's biggest hangover, head into central London at lunchtime for London's New Year's Day Parade. Marching bands, dancers, and huge inflatable balloons are all part of the entertainment this time round. FREE, from 12pm
NYD CEILIDH: More into doing the dancing yourself than watching others at the parade? The Ceilidh Liberation Front are at Southbank Centre for a New Year's Day Ceilidh, a family-friendly event which requires no prior experience. Simply turn up, pick up the steps and get dancing. FREE, 1pm
NEW YEAR'S DAY PROMS: Barbican's usual New Year's Day Proms is a celebration of classical music, including works by Verdi, Bizet, Puccini and others, performed by the London Concert Orchestra. 3pm
WEALDSTONE FC: Kick off the year with some lower league football, courtesy of Wealdstone FC, who are at home to Boston United in the Vanarama National League today. KO 3pm
Thursday 2 January
SUKH OJLA: Comedian Sukh Ojla brings her show The Aunty Years to Soho Theatre, covering her experience of approaching 40, and pretending to be a grown-up. 2-4 January
FASCINATING AIDA: Comedy singing group Fascinating Aïda continue their 40th anniversary celebrations with a run of shows at Southbank Centre. The trio combine live music with uproarious comedy for a cabaret show suitable for age 14+. 2-5 January
ROMAN LONDON: Stretch your legs on a guided walk focusing on Roman London. Meet at St Paul's and spend a couple of hours visiting the Roman Wall, Roman baths, a military fort and the Temple of Mithras, all dating back nearly 2000 years. 11am
SHRINKWRAPPED COMEDY: A psychologist analyses comedians live on stage in Shrinkwrapped at the Top Secret Comedy Club on Drury Lane. Award-winning science comedian Robyn Perkins and real-life psychologist Dr. Carolyne Keena take part in this trial run of the show, which sees comedians perform their best material, before submitting themselves to gentle psychological probing in front of a live audience. 6pm
BATTLE OF WATERLOO: Footprints of London guide Rob Smith offers a virtual tour focusing on how word of victory at the Battle of Waterloo reached London in 1815, and how Londoners reacted to hearing the news. Find out about memorials to the battle, and other ways in which it's commemorated around London through a talk with pictures, and a Q&A. 8pm-9pm
Friday 3 January
JANUARY BLUES FESTIVAL: You've got to love London — first few days of the year, and there's already a music festival. And this one's right on the money: the January Blues Festival launches today at 229 in Great Portland Street, and should gee you up for the chilly months ahead, thanks to two weeks of blistering music. 3-17 January
THE TYBURN ROUTE: Join tour guide Richard Watkins for a walking tour exploring the history of condemned prisoners in Holborn, stopping at historic pubs along the route to Tyburn. Learn about the chilling past of the Tyburn Fair, including the last drinks taken before executions. 2.30pm-4.30pm
THE NEW ATLANTICS: Party band The New Atlantics take to the stage at 100 Wardour Street, performing a blend of soul, pop, and R&B hits from the likes of Stevie Wonder, Jess Glynne, Michael Jackson and Justin Timberlake. 7pm
STARRY NIGHT: Try your hand at creating your own version of Van Gogh's Starry Night Over London, at PopUp Painting at the London Art Bar in Holborn. A glass of prosecco (or alcohol-free alternative) is included in your ticket, as are all art supplies. 7.30pm-10pm
AMY WINEHOUSE: Singer Amy Winehouse is the focus of a tribute evening at the Jazz Cafe in her local area of Camden. Ciara Haidar and a full live band perform two of Winehouse's albums, Frank and Back To Black, including tracks such as Rehab and Tears Dry On Their Own. 7.30pm
Saturday 4 January
TALES FROM THE RIVER: Join a guided walk starting at St Paul's Cathedral, focusing on the River Thames. Across two hours, hear tales of the river, including what was once the busiest shipping port in the world, and visit sites including an 1100-year-old dock and the site of the first public lavatory. 11am-1pm
CROYDONOPOLIS: Londonist editor Will Noble is at the Small Hall of East Croydon United Reformed Church to talk about his book, Croydonopolis: A Journey to the Greatest City That Never Was, and tracking Croydon's history from a palatial stomping ground for the Archbishops of Canterbury to a daring experiment in futuristic architecture. 2.30pm
YOUTH ORCHESTRA: See the new generation of musicians performing live, as The National Youth Orchestra performs Ravel’s Boléro, Anna Thorvaldsdottir’s Catamorphosis, and Nielsen’s Symphony No 4 at Barbican. Free tickets are available for teenagers. 7pm
A BAND CALLED MALICE: The Half Moon in Putney hosts The Jam tribute act, A Band Called Malice. Expect to hear well-known songs by Paul Weller and co., as well as B sides and rarely-performed tracks. 8pm
BIKINI BEACH BAND: Bring some much-needed sunshine into the early days of year, with help from the Bikini Beach Band, playing their brand of instrumental 'surf noir' to Walthamstow Trades Hall. 8pm
BARNDANCE: The London Barndance Company pops up at Cecil Sharp House in Camden for an American-style barndance. Adam Hughes and Bearded Dragons perform high-energy music as a caller walks everyone through the steps. If your new year's resolution is to try something new in 2025, this may be your chance. 8pm-11pm
ICE DISCO: The Alexandra Palace rink holds one of its final ice discos of the festive season. Strap on some skates and take to the ice alongside a Christmas tree and beneath twinkling lights. Age 14+. 9pm-10.30pm
Sunday 5 January
FLEA MARKET: The Giant London Flea Market is London's largest indoor flea market, hosted at Here East in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. The market provides a platform for vintage and unique items, catering to all tastes and interests. 10am-5pm
TWELFTH NIGHT: London's annual Twelfth Night celebrations mix ancient customs with modern festivities, making for a bizarre and eclectic event. Head to the riverside near Shakespeare's Globe to witness wassailing, The Holly Man (or Green Man) being paraded across the river, dramatic performances, and a chance to be crowned King or Queen for the day by finding a bean or a pea in a cake. Like we said, an odd (but fascinating) one. FREE (donations encouraged), 12pm
NEW MATERIAL COMEDY: Hot off a successful run at the Edinburgh Fringe last year, comedian Ollie Horn tries out new material at the Top Secret Comedy Club. It's a chance to hear jokes which Horn has never shared before, and help him tweak his set before he performs the show elsewhere. 3pm
R&B GOSPEL CHOIR: London Community Gospel Choir takes over the Jazz Cafe for an evening of soul, and hip-hop songs by D’Angelo, Erykah Badu, and John Legend, recreated live by a full gospel choir. 5pm
QUIZ OF THE YEAR: The Quiz of the Year at Woolwich Works tests you on the most memorable events of 2024. Take part in a picture round, a music round, and a mystery voices challenge, with a £50 grand prize and a bottle of wine to be won. Entry is £2.50 per person, with no limit on team size, but teams with more than seven people face penalties. 7pm
STEELY DAN: Reelin' in the Years, Do It Again, Pretzel Logic: Steely Dan tribute band Strictly Dan are playing all the hits tonight at the Bedford in Balham. Doors 7.15PM
LAUGH FACTORY: Christopher Savage hosts Black Comedy UK presents Laugh Factory, a comedy show featuring a diverse lineup of comedians specialising in observational humour, satire, and sharp social commentary. Kat B, Victor Daniels, Funmbi Omotayo and A Dot are on the line-up at Backyard Comedy Club in Bethnal Green. 7.30pm-11pm