Summer has officially come to an end, and honestly, we're not sad about it. October marks the beginning of the festive season, and that means Halloween, bonfire night, and Christmas are soon to be upon us. After last year's disappointing festive period, it's safe to say 2021's events will be out in full force — and the time for going out and celebrating is finally here.
Whether it's the annual trip to Winter Wonderland, visiting immersive art fairs and installations at the Tate, or drinking Halloween-inspired cocktails at spooky themed club nights, there's a lot that we missed out on last year. But that ends now. While things aren't quite back to normal yet, there are still plenty of events confirmed to take place.
Read on to discover some incredible events and things to do that await you this festive season.
Igloos at Skylight Peckham
Image Source: Skylight Peckham
The thought of rooftop drinks in December may not be your first one when looking for somewhere to go, but thanks to Skylight Peckham, there is another way.
The new restaurant and bar has opened an igloo village on its rooftop, with heated igloos available to book for groups of up to 10 people. Slots in each igloo are for three and a half hours, and even come complete with two bottles of house wine or prosecco.
LUX is a new contemporary art exhibition taking place at 180 Strand. The exhibition will showcase works from 12 of the world's most celebrated artists and collectives including Refik Anadol, Je Baak, Cecilia Bengolea, Cao Yuxi, and Es Devlin.
Featuring 13 large-scale installations, LUX will see creatives working with the latest audio-visual technologies to expand the boundaries of interactive, immersive art, blurring the lines between the physical and virtual worlds.
Winter Wonderland is one of the most popular festive activities of all time, and sadly it was one that we couldn't attend back in 2020. This year, it's up and running like it never left, and there's more to do than ever before. From ice-skating and sculpting workshops to circus visits and Christmas markets, there's something here for everyone.
The Seven Dials Winter Festival will take over the streets of Seven Dials for three days of shopping, dining and merriment, from 19-21 Nov. Ticket holders can expect on-street entertainment, creative workshops, late night shopping, and exclusive discounts to welcome Christmas shoppers to the festive streets of London's West End.
To kick off the festive season and celebrate the launch of its holiday collection, Abercrombie & Fitch has partnered with Portobello Road Distillery for a special pop-up bar inside their new Regent Street store. The pop-up is running from 12-14 Nov, with customers over the age of 21 able to enjoy complimentary cocktails in-store while they shop.
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Pumpkin Picking at Priory Farm
Image Source: Priory Farm
Pumpkin picking is an activity that is no longer reserved for kids, and these days there are plenty of farms, patches, and fields dedicated to the festive treat. Most local farms will have a patch, with Priory Farm being a firm favourite amongst London locals.
100 Wardour and Don Julio's recent partnership resulted in a magical place called Casa Wardour, a Mexican style pop-up that features tequila-based cocktails, Mexican food, and the best entertainment. The space has regular DJs as well as a mariachi band, bringing you the ultimate Mexican experience — just in time for Day of the Dead, which falls on 2 Nov.
One of the world's leading artist fairs, The Other Art Fair aims to bring art-lovers of all walks of life together, through showcasing 140 of the best emerging artists.
This year, an exciting tequila brand, El Rayo, is the official drinks sponsor of the event and will be exclusively launching a new collaboration with Mexican artist Daniel Barreto. El Rayo will be on hand to provide taste testing all weekend, so it's worth a visit!
