Top Events in London – November 2022
As the night draw in, and the weather gets cooler in London, you may be wondering what to get up to.
November is, in fact, quite a busy time of year for Londoners. While we head inside and prepare ourselves for the Christmas rush, there is still plenty to get up to. You may want to wrap up with an extra layer, pop on your gloves, and plan out your diary now – as there are lots to come!
Here are my top 7 things to get up to this November in London, I hope you get to enjoy them (and don’t forget to pop any other events you recommend in the comments!).
Check out the Christmas Light Turn-On Events
With Christmas just around the corner, the lights will be turning on across the streets of London. These really are magical experiences if you get the chance to join before the big rushes of the big spots! Here are the dates for the heavy hitters:
- Oxford Street – 2nd November
This year they are focusing on sustainability in the busy shopping street. They will have reduced operating hours and LED lights combining to use two-thirds less energy than last year.
- Regent Street and St James’s — 9th November
Another powerhouse of our shopping streets in London, Regent Street and St James’s streets will get their sparkling lights turned on. They are reusing the angels that have been so adored from previous years.
Covent Garden, Carnaby Street, and Covent Garden are all yet to be announced.
Bonfire Night Fireworks
Remember, remember the 5th of November! London celebrates it’s bonfire night with gusto and your local park will probably be hosting something to enjoy the sparklers, bonfire, and perhaps even some delicious delights.
If you want something very special, and you can grab a ticket in time, then Alexandra Palace’s fireworks are definitely worth it. With the palace all lit up by the beautiful fireworks all night long, it’s a very grand experience! Gates open at 4pm, and tickets are from £11.50 per child, and £15.50 per adult.
Enjoy some Jazz
For a buzzing night of music, dancing, and epic Jazz, this week long festival comes to London for the 30th year.
The EFG London Jazz Festival is the biggest pan-city music festival showcasing talent from around the world. Acts range from icons to upcoming Jazz groups, Jazz clubs to more modern finds, you’ll be in a Jazz-lovers paradise!
Events take place from 11 – 20 November, across multiple locations and clubs in London.
https://efglondonjazzfestival.org.uk/
Grab some goodies at Winter Wonderland
Pull on your walking boots and scarf, Winter Wonderland is back and it’s epic.
Opening mid-November, this powerhouse of London events is a must visit for families and Christmas-lovers alike. With funfair, stalls, shows and santaland, you could spend multiple days at this Hyde Park based extravaganza.
It does get incredibly busy, so expect to be in lines for the food and the rides, but you’ll be surrounded by Christmas joy, so it is sure to be a fun wait in line!
They are now ticketing admissions via their website, so you can book a time and day that works for you and they can limit numbers.
If you’re going in November, it’s a great opportunity to grab some gifts and decorations before the festive season.
https://hydeparkwinterwonderland.com/
Visit the Southbank Centre
The Southbank Centre is an event-packed space no matter the time of year, but this November it’s working hard to make you come back again and again with their Winter Festival.
The Festival opens on 3 November 2022 – 8 January 2023 and has free art exhibitions, Winter Market & pop-ups, shows, and even comedy acts including The Guilty Feminist Presents Camp as Christmas, and Ed Gamble and James Acaster.
https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/festivals-series/winter-festival
Check out the V&A museum exhibits
One of my favourite things to do (which you’ll know if you’ve been a subscriber to my channel for a little while!) is to visit the museums of London.
The Victoria & Albert Museum, my personal favourite museum of London, is hosting a selection of incredible exhibits in November that I’d love to check out, including:
- Fashioning Masculinities: The Art of Menswear – From now until Sunday, 6 November for £20 per person (non-members).
The exhibition shares an overview of what ‘menswear’ actually means now and how far it’s come. https://www.vam.ac.uk/exhibitions/fashioning-masculinities-the-art-of-menswear
- Hallyu! The Korean Wave – on now until Sunday, 25 June 2023 for £20 per person (non-members)
This exhibit shares the colourful and dynamic popular culture of South Korea, exploring the makings of the Korean Wave and its global impact on the creative industries of cinema, drama, music, fandom, beauty and fashion. https://www.vam.ac.uk/exhibitions/hallyu-the-korean-wave
- Beguiling Beni: Safflower Red in Japanese Fashion display – on now until Sunday, 31 March 2024 FREE
The Japanese dye ‘beni’, made from safflower petals, produces red hues and iridescent green. This display reveals its many uses in fashion, from heel-less shoes by Noritaka Tatehana, to textiles, cosmetics and ukiyo-e woodblock prints.
More art and exhibitions in London
Finally, if the V&A isn’t quite your thing, but you want to get your art fix this November in London, there are some diverse exhibitions to enjoy.
Walking through London, you can stop off at the independent art galleries that are little finds that will tantalise your artistic needs, such as Tafeta Gallery. I actually held my own private event here for my connections and friends to have a private viewing of the exhibition by Rahma Lhoussig.
There are also big hitters such as the Tate, Saatchi galleries, and The Design Museum to name but a few.
A few of my top picks of art exhibitions are below:
- Nokukhanya Langa at Saatchi Yates, Mayfair until 15th November – delving into the world of modern media and internet culture with unique painting styles that break traditional conventions. https://www.saatchiyates.com/
- Hew Locke: The Procession at Tate Britain, Millbank until 22 January 2023 – this years chosen artist to take over the Duveen Galleries is Hew Locke. A Brixton-based sculptor, will display some of his previous works including paintings of Queen Elizabeth II made as part of the 2005 Sovereign series. https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-britain/hew-locke
- William Kentridge at Royal Academy of Arts, Piccadilly until 15th December – the biggest exhibition of South Africa’s most celebrated living artist. There are pieces that have never been seen before and some have been made exclusively for this exhibition. https://www.royalacademy.org.uk/exhibition/william-kentridge
Will you be attending any of these events in London? Which are you most looking forward to attending?
