London events in January
January 2019 in London is going to be a belter. Though the festive season is coming to a close and the days are still as dark and chilly as ever, there's tons of fun stuff happening in London throughout the New Year to enjoy. Whether you want to keep warm by a pub fire, dine out at the best new restaurants, take in the best theatre openings this month, start a new hobby or embrace a healthier lifestyle (bye, mince pies) we've got you covered for London in January. January is also the month of the New Year's Day Parade through central London, the London Short Film Festival, the London Art Fair, Winter Lights at Canary Wharf and Burns Night. So what are you waiting for?
Hey, and while you’ve got your diary out, remember that it's never too early to start planning for February either.
RECOMMENDED: The definitive London events calendar
Our January 2019 highlights
Winter Happiness Festival
Cold and skint now January’s arrived? This three-day fest is here to see you through the bleak season. Join happiness workshops, ecstatic dance classes or jump into a room filled with hundreds of eco-friendly balloons. Sounds like a gas.
Marc Rebillet
See the self-made, internet-famous New York-based musician-cum-comedian.
Alan Partridge Bingo
Alan Partridge is bouncing back for this special bingo night at Moth Club, where the numbers have been swapped for swapped classic Partridge quotes and characters. Back of the net.
Extraveganza
Street Feast’s first ever fully vegan street food party has taken two years to plan, and the veggie line-up does not disappoint. Chow down on vegan cheeseburger tacos from Club Mexicana in collab with Temper, and plant-based treats from Alexis Gauthier – London’s only vegan chef to have held a Michelin star – plus plenty more.
Zero Waste Vegan January Supper Club
Plant-based chef Sophie Gordon is putting on a veg-tastic spread for this intimate four-course meal, which will involve no wasteful packaging what-so-ever.
Turn up the Archive
Remember nights in front of the box watching ‘Desmond’s’, ‘No Problem!’, ‘The Fosters’ and ‘The Real McCoy’? Spend an evening celebrating black British sitcoms that changed the comedy landscape and became a vital piece of black representation in the UK, with side-splitting stand up from Femmes of Colour Comedy Club.
Jörg Immendorff
See fiercely political paintings that change with the ages. Immendorff’s bile is still as powerful as it was back in the day.
V&A Friday Late: ‘All to Play For’
If you weren’t totally freaked out by Black Mirror’s ‘Bandersnatch’, play newly commissioned video games, design your own and find out how we’ll be one-upping in the future at this gaming late.
‘Mean Girls’ Quote-A-Long
It may not be October 3rd, but there's always time for some ‘Mean Girls’ appreciation. Grab your clique, don your fetchest outfit and get ready to shout along to a screening of your fave teen-flick.
Vegan Wine and Cheese Party
Gobble down a ‘cheese’ board with all the trimmings, exclusively of the plant-based, meat-free variety, at this vegan bash.
Hidden Stories of St James's Park
Get to know London's oldest Royal Park, St James's on this walk teasing out the lesser known stories of the green space. Discover the history of iconic locations such as 'The Mall' and 'Horse Guards Parade', before seeing the resident pelican's daily feed.
Natural History Museum Late: Intelligence
Is intelligence just a human concept, or can our furry friends teach us a thing or two? Find out at this late exploring intelligence in the animal kingdom with live nature talks, pop-up science stations and behind-the-scenes tours of the museum’s zoology collection (£15).
Uniqlo Lates at Tate Modern
Hang out after-hours at this regular late-night arty party at Tate Modern. The first late of 2019 takes inspiration from the Pierre Bonnard: ‘The Colour of Memory’ exhibition and features meditation sessions, Tai Chi in the Turbine Hall and a colour therapy nail bar.
Burns Night in London
Raise a wee dram to Scotland's national poet, Robert Burns! From foot-stomping ceilidhs to haggis-fuelled feasts, London's got Burns Night celebrations covered. Take a look at our pick of the best Burns bashes.
Oval Space gets Framed
Frame, the supercool gym, is turning ten. To celebrate it’s taking over the east London party warehouse with mini trampolines and big tunes for a ‘Rebounding Rave’.
Wasted Chic Young Designer and Vintage Market
Wasted Chic is a fashion platform championing young emerging designers and small independent fashion labels. Join them as they set up shop in a huge east London converted warehouse.
Lost Voice Guy
There are few tickets remaining to see the ‘Britain’s Got Talent’s winner. Catch him now before he inevitably moves to Vegas.
Crisis Ice-Breaker
Take a teeth-chattering plunge into a chilly Tooting Bec Lido to raise money for homeless charity Crisis.
Robert Rauschenberg: ‘Spreads 1975-83’
See a single series of works by a giant of modern art. Focusing on just one bit of Rauschenberg’s work is a proper treat.
Winter Lights at Canary Wharf
The bright lights of Canary Wharf's towers provide quite the spectacle after dark, but the business district glows brighter than usual throughout January thanks to the addition of light installations from international artists.
‘Sweat’
US playwright Lynn Nottage's devastating look at American working-class life.
‘The Catherine Tate Show Live’
The sketch comedy star and actress hits the West End. Are we bovvered? Yes, we are, actually.
‘Hadestown’
Already lined up to transfer to Broadway in 2019, see this musical theatre staging of Anaïs Mitchell’s massively acclaimed 2010 ‘folk opera’ album ‘Hadestown’.
UK Cold Water Swimming Championships
This festival of cold water swimming sees some very bold swimmers brace themselves for races in the almost literally freezing (as low as 1°C) waters of Tooting Bec Lido.
Adam Hess: ‘Seahorse’
Listen to rapid-fire gags, stories about a Bitcoin blunder and tales of childhood mishaps from this talented rising star stand-up.
‘How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World’
This is a special chance to catch the new ‘How to Train your Dragon’ film before anyone else in a secluded corner of Islington, which has been transformed into the Nordic land of Berk.
‘Wiltshire Before Christ’
Something wiccan this way comes. Artists Jeremy Deller, David Sims and fashion brand Aries use photography and film in this immersive exhibition to explore pagan symbology and neolithic sites.
Scotch Whisky Weekend
This dram fine celebration takes place across the same weekend that Burns Night falls. And we all know the best kind of burn you can get is the gentle one down the back of your throat after your first sip of the good stuff.
‘Ribera: Art of Violence’
Ribera was the master of gore, a sort of proto-Wes Craven - but there's a lot of beauty amongst all the blood and guts in this wonderful show.
‘Fashioned from Nature’
From fur to future fabrics, the V&A's hellbent on making us think long and hard about the material side of fashion.
‘Modern Couples: Art, Intimacy and the Avant-garde’
This stunning exhibition shows that behind every great male artist is a female artist he wouldn’t share his paintbrushes with.
‘Chambre Noire’
Valerie Jean Solanas is notorious for trying to murder Andy Warhol, and for her violent feminist text SCUM Manifesto. Puppetry company Plexus Polaire use life-size human puppets, jagged music, hallucinatory video imagery and plenty of wit to tell her story.
Winter at Skylight Rooftop
Take your pirouettes to new heights on Skylight’s rooftop ice rink. Find the frozen stretch sat alongside a cluster of cosy igloos and huts where you can knock back mugs of mulled wine.
‘Mantegna and Bellini’
This exhibition explores the long and fruitful artistic exchange between Venetian master artist Giovanni Bellini - yes, the cocktail is named in honour of the peachy hues of his paintings - and his son-in-law, fellow Renaissance artist Andrea Mantegna.
Hogwarts in the Snow
The Harry Potter studio tours get a festive makeover with Christmas trees and a seasonal feast in the Great Hall, decorations in Gryffindor common room and snow drifts in Diagon Alley.
The Camden Vintage Furniture Flea
From crockery to atomic-era prints, there’s plenty of retro oddities at this flea about all things kitsch.
Below 20
Trying to survive ‘Dry January’? This low-alcohol and booze-free pop-up has got you. Sip on drinks like artichoke juice and blended avocado mixed with spirits with less than 20 percent abv. Your liver will thank you.
Vegan Afternoon Tea at OXO Tower Restaurant
Going in for veganuary? OXO Tower Restaurant has a brand new plant-based take on a traditional cream tea with expertly-crafted vegan sweets, savouries inspired by classic tea sandwiches and tempting desserts with a vegan twist.
Shape
Looking for a new year pick-me-up? Join fitness classes, yoga and martial arts workshops, health talks and snack on vegan food at this wellness jamboree.
‘Don Quixote’
Rufus Hound is a hoot in the RSC's knockabout take on Cervantes.
‘The Tragedy of King Richard the Second’
Joe Hill-Gibbins's offbeat reimagining of Shakespeare, starring Simon Russell Beale.
‘The Capital’
This wordless show uses moving walkways to explore how people can live in the same city without their lives ever colliding.
Chinese Arts Now Festival
Ring in the Chinese New Year of the Pig by pigging out on a load of Chinese theatre, dance, music, film, live art performances and augmented reality.
Tamales Festival
If you dig Mexican food, you'd be sorry to miss authentic Mexican joint Mestizo's lip-smacking festival. Tamales are a traditional Mexican dish and pretty rare to find in the UK, so take advantage of this offering.
Kris Lemsalu: ‘4LIFE’
Ceramic-and-fabric installations about metamorphosis. It's a heady, enthralling visual experience.
Heralding Spring
Due to Chelsea Physic Garden having its very own unique microclimate, over 120 species of snowdrops bloom unusually early each year there. Find the trail of dainty white flowers weaving through the botanical garden and attends walks, talks and workshops to find out more about them.
‘Rachel Maclean: The Lion and The Unicorn’
Take in this satirical jab at Anglo-Scottish relationships by a great young artist. It’s a perfectly surreal and neatly put together show. Och aye.
‘Klimt/Schiele’
Gustav and Egon were friends and mutual admirers, and between them they created some of the most stunning avant-garde art of their generation. Gorgeous stuff.
‘Pre-Presidential Library’
Aleksandra Mir marks the start of the new year by turning the Hayward's HENI Project Space into a miniature archive of American tabloid covers featuring President Trump in the years before he became president.
‘Nine Night’
Transferring to Trafalgar Studios after a hit premiere at the NT, Natasha Gordon - the first ever black British woman to have a play in the West End - directs and stars in this drama looking at the legacy of the Windrush generation.
‘The War of the Worlds’
Check out this smart homage to Orson Welles's 1938 radio broadcast, which famously reimagined HG Well's novel as a series of faux news bulletins about a Martian invasion of New Jersey. It's a stylish take on a sci-fi classic.
Amadeo Luciano Lorenzato
Catch the first UK exhibition for Brazilian painter Amadeo Luciano Lorenzato. His colourful landscapes are known for their expressively textured surfaces, an effect achieved using brushes, combs and forks.
Nicolas Deshayes: ‘Swans’
See glistening ceramics inspired by toilets. They're oddly sexy and delightfully tactile sculptures.
Grace Wales Bonner
This multi-sensory installation by fashion designer Grace Wales Bonner broadly based around a series of 'shrines' created by Kapwani Kiwanga, Eric N. Mack, Paul Mpagi Sepuya and Wales Bonner herself.
Condo 2010
The citywide art festival is back for another year, so brave the cold to discover some seriously exciting new art from 52 international galleries across 18 London spaces.
Hot Gin Roof
Back again for another wintery stint, Sipsmith Gin's the star of the show at this cocktail pop-up on the Ham Yard Hotel roof. Sip on hot G&Ts, steaming Juleps and re-invented classics from previous editions of Hot Gin Roof.
‘Songs for Nobodies’
Head to this poignant musical stuffed full of songbook standards. You'll get to see a truly stunning performance by Bernadette Robinson.
‘Bloomberg New Contemporaries 2018’
The annual showcase of talented young artists is back. From George Stamenov to Heidi Maribut and Yushi Li, this one's not to be missed.
WaterAid presents ‘The Water Effect’
Today, one in nine people around the world still don’t have water close to home. WaterAid is raising awareness of this crisis with their display of portraits focusing on people whose lives are directly impacted by the global water crisis.
‘The Favourite’ Costume Display at Hampton Court Palace
See costumes created for Olivia Colman, Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz in one of the locations used for Yorgos Lanthimos’s baroque drama.
James Acaster: ‘Cold Lasagne Hate Myself 1999’
Grab this chance to catch the best comedy show of 2018 before Acaster takes his cold lasagne off tour. Who knew he could get any better?
‘Good Grief, Charlie Brown!’
This show celebrates the work if the brilliant Charles M Schulz and the art he inspired. It’s touching, iconic and reminds you of what it means to be human. Brilliant.
‘Time Out 50: 50 Years, 50 Covers’
Time Out is 50 this year. Since our pocket-sized first issue in 1968, we’ve published almost 2,500 magazines in London and other great cities around the world. Now, you can see our best ever magazine covers at this show.
Miroslaw Balka: ‘Random Access Memory’
The artist's White Cube solo show features a huge installation made up of two metal walls heated to 45 degrees - also known as the maximum temperature the human body can tolerate. It will also warm you up just as the mercury starts to plummet in late January.
Raqs Media Collective: ‘Spinal’
When soldiers from the Indian subcontinent recorded their first-hand experiences of the First World War, officials were unsettled by the 'excess of poetry' in their accounts. This new installation from Raqs Media Collective considers the consequences of ignoring wartime trauma.
Festival of New Masculinity
This brand new festival is debating the pressures of modern masculine identity with a focus on male mental health. There's a packed programme of events including brunches, workshops led by the trans community, panel talks on music and mental health, live podcasts and secret gigs.
Vault Festival
See live performance, theatre and dozens of comedy shows - from the like of Dane Baptiste, Lazy Susan, Jessica Fostekew, and Desiree Burch - under the arches of Waterloo.
The Pub Choir
Got something to get off your chest? Try belting it out at The Pub Choir. They're looking for new voices and no previous singing experience required. Each session is £5.
‘Company’
Marianne Elliott’s production of Stephen Sondheim’s 1970 musical comedy ‘Company’ finds hidden depths in what was already a stone-cold classic.
‘Genetic Automata: Larry Achiampong and David Blandy’
Check out this collaboration between artists Larry Achiampong and David Blandy looking at race and identity in the era of advanced video games and DNA profiling.
Collective Cinema
Check out this new pop-up in Lewisham, screening films in the beautiful St Margaret's Church. As well as showings of blockbusters, family favourites, and cinematic classics, screenings here will also include live music from local musicians, and drinks and snacks from local suppliers.
Beatrice Gibson: ‘Crone Music’
See two new films by Beatrice Gibson, 'I Hope I'm Loud When I'm Dead' and 'Deux Soeurs Qui Ne Sont Pas Soeurs' (Two Sisters who aren't Sisters). Camden Arts Centre is also hosting a series of events connected to the films and the large collection of people involved in their creation.
Bill Viola / Michelangelo
What do a contemporary video artist and a Rennaissance master have in common? Find out with Bill Viola/Michelangelo, the opening exhibition of 2019 at the Royal Academy.
Hyon Gyon
Korean shamanism and intense emotions of rage, sorrow and anguish inspire the artworks of Hyon Gyon. This is the first time a European gallery has staged a solo exhibition of her art.
Hendrix Talks
Hey, voodoo chile. If you love a bit of Jimi, hit up these talks, led by musician Nigel Jones, exploring how the great guitarist changed the way we think about music.
Pierre Bonnard: ‘The Colour of Memory’
It's been 20 years since UK art fans last got a chance to enjoy a major exhibition of Pierre Bonnard's delectably, delicately coloured artworks. This blockbuster exhibition focuses on the French artist's preferred practice of working from memory.
