London events in April
Plan an amazing April 2020 with our selection of the best events, exhibitions and things to do in London
You can guarantee that April in London has some pretty amazing things in store. Spring has officially landed in London and Easter is just around the corner. With warm, sunny weather on the way, hit up the city's rooftop bars, which are just starting to open, take a walk around London's fabulous parks, and start picking out your spot to wave on the brave souls taking part in the London Marathon. April in London is also the month of Cocktails in the City, the Oxford v Cambridge Boat Race (or, the Goat Race - if you're more into goats that boats) and the London Games Festival. There’s a whole load of other London happenings, openings and pop-ups to get involved in. Here are our April 2020 highlights to get you started.
While you're here, there's no better time to start planning your diary for May too.
RECOMMENDED: Our definitive London events calendar
Our April 2020 highlights
Easter in London
There's a lot to like about Easter in London – two whole days off, gratuitous chocolate consumption and if we're lucky, some springtime sunshine. Spend the year's first bank holiday hitting up spring fairs, wild nights out and giant Easter Egg hunts.
‘Forgotten Masters: Indian Painting for the East India Company’
See stunning nineteenth-century paintings of the subcontinent. These names have been forgotten, but it’s time to start remembering now.
British Baroque: ‘Power and Illusion’
A collection of saucy courtly paintings from the seventeenth century British Baroque period, featuring fat men in wigs, women with translucently white skin and pompous portraits of Charles II. Go for the drama, intrigue and sex. It’s like the best Netflix series ever, but on canvas. Well, if it ain't baroque...
Places to see cherry blossom in London
Want to catch the cherry blossom season? Hurry, it won't stick around for long - here's were to get your bloss on in London.
‘The Phantom of the Opera’
Andrew Lloyd Webber's gothic spectacular is totally '80s in the best possible way.
Romesh Ranganathan: ‘The Cynic's Mixtape’
Romesh Ranganathan - who is seemingly never off TV these days, with his own sitcom 'The Reluctant Landlord', Dave's 'Judge Romesh' and a team captain on 'A League of Their Own' – is back on tour. His material's smartly written, told with a permanently pissed-off persona.
Masculinities: ‘Liberation Through Photography’
Guns and cowboys, beer and beards, this show might be packed with typical images of masculinity, but with it's intimate, erotic shots of soldiers and films of men crying, it’s also full of subversion. In a society where gender is ceaselessly melting into an ever more fluid substance, this exhibition makes you walk away asking infinite questions.
‘Steve McQueen’
A heavy-hitting art exhibition from Turner Prize- and Oscar-winning Steve McQueen. Go for a painful, moving and totally amazing show about racism, violence, greed, oppression, manipulation and sadness. It’s truly eye-opening stuff.
‘Uncle Vanya’
Chekhov's great play about a group of melancholy middle-aged pals. Toby Jones is superb as an irritating bu lovable Vanya.
Steve McQueen: ‘Year 3’
The Oscar - and Turner Prize-winner’s project photographing our city’s schoolkids is a thing of absolute joy.
Mushrooms: ‘The Art, Design and Future of Fungi’
An exhibition about the mycelial meanderings in art, design and science. Mushrooms are now recognised for the important role they play in maintaining the planet’s biodiversity, for their nutritional value and for their mind-altering powers.
‘The Four Ages of Woman’
Art by women about women. And so much more. It’s topical, political, emotional – and well worth the length of the train journey to get there.
‘Les Misérables’
‘Les Mis’ is back after a light refurb. It’s the same madly OTT masterpiece.
Isa Genzken: ‘Window’
Come fly with German punk minimalism supremo Isa Genzken with his brand-new art installation about planes and spaces. Genzken’s work creates in-between spaces, nowheres and adds a bit of nuance in a black and white world.
Find great things to do all year round
101 things to do in London
London is a treasure trove of brilliant days out