Things to do in London in January
At this time of year I’m always looking for new or interesting things to do, to make this particularly cold and dark month a bit more bearable.
Canary Wharf Winter Light festival. One thing I’ve done in January for quite a few years now is to visit the annual Winter Lights in Canary Wharf. This free festival includes several different light installations in the Canary Wharf area. This year, the festival runs from 21 January to 1 February, and includes 12 installations - fewer than usual, but I’m looking forward to checking it out next week. There are usually lots of food and drink stalls as well so I’m planning on grabbing a sweet treat and hot chocolate to keep warm. https://canarywharf.com/whats-on/winter-lights-2025/
Winter Lights in 2019
Battersea Power Station light festival. There is also an annual light display at this time of year outside Battersea Power Station. I went for the first time last year, and spent some time checking out the shops inside the power station as well as seeing the lights. This year, the festival runs from 25 January to 25 February and there are 7 artworks, which are free to view.
Oscar nominated films at the cinema. January is my favourite time of year to go to the cinema, as there are usually lots of Oscars contenders screening in cinemas around London. This years films include The Complete Unknown, and The Brutalist. A couple of weeks ago I saw the road trip comedy/drama A Real Pain which was excellent. I like the Curzon and Picturehouse cinemas, but if you’re looking for something a bit more unique, there are some great independent cinemas in the city, from the Electric Cinema in Notting Hill to Genesis and Rich Mix in East London, The Garden cinema and the Prince Charles cinemas in Covent Garden, the Barbican cinema in the City, the British Film Institute on the Southbank, and the Lexi in Kensal Rise.
Art exhibition. January is a good time to visit an art exhibition in London, as there are fewer tourists around. I recommend the Taylor Wessing photo portrait of the year exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery, which is running until 16 February. I also really enjoyed the British Library’s exhibition about women in the medieval period, which is on until 2 March.