January has a reputation as the flat month. The decorations are down, wallets are empty after Christmas, and the weather does not help. But look at the listings, and there is plenty on: a parade through Whitehall, a free light trail in Canary Wharf, the Masters snooker at Alexandra Palace, a major art fair and Burns Night suppers across the city. It is also one of the quietest and cheapest times of year to visit, so you queue less and pay less.
This guide covers the best things to do in London in January 2027. It has five dated events with prices and nearest stations, five types of activity for a cold day, and ten more ideas split into free, paid, family and couples. Nothing is repeated between sections, so you can mix and match without doubling up. Where an organiser had not published a date or price by late October, the entry says so rather than guessing.
One calendar note first. Friday 1 January is the only bank holiday this month, so the year starts with a three-day weekend. Burns Night falls on a Monday (25 January).
Quick answer: The best free options are the New Year’s Day Parade on 1 January and Canary Wharf Winter Lights from 19 to 30 January. The best paid ones are the Masters snooker at Alexandra Palace (10 to 17 January) and Dirty Dancing at the Prince Edward Theatre (from 19 January).
Book the snooker, Sky Garden and any Burns Night supper early. Most of the Christmas attractions close on 3 January, so check before you plan around them.
What’s on in London in January 2027
| Date | What happens |
| Fri 1 Jan | New Year’s Day Parade, Piccadilly to Westminster, 1 pm |
| Sun 3 Jan | Last day of Hyde Park Winter Wonderland and Christmas at Kew |
| Sun 10 Jan | Masters snooker starts at Alexandra Palace (to Sun 17 Jan). Skate at Somerset House ends |
| Thu 14 Jan | English National Ballet’s Romeo & Juliet opens at the London Coliseum |
| Tue 19 Jan | Dirty Dancing opens at the Prince Edward Theatre. Canary Wharf Winter Lights begins |
| Wed 20 to Sun 24 Jan | London Art Fair, Islington |
| Fri 22 to Sun 31 Jan | London Short Film Festival |
| Mon 25 Jan | Burns Night |
| Wed 27 Jan | Matisse: Joy opens at Lightroom, King’s Cross. Spitfire Girls opens at Park Theatre |
| Sat 30 Jan | Last night of Winter Lights |
| Sun 31 Jan | Last day of Renoir and Love, Painting the French Riviera and Korea at the British Museum |
5 January events in London: dates, prices and who they suit
1. London New Year’s Day Parade
- When: Friday 1 January 2027, 1 pm to 4.30 pm.
- Where: Starts near the Ritz on Piccadilly, passes Trafalgar Square and Whitehall, and finishes at Westminster. Green Park or Piccadilly Circus at the start, Westminster at the finish.
- Price: Free to watch from the pavement. Grandstand, VIP and Fun Zone tickets are paid, so check the official site for prices.
- Website: londonparade.com
- Best for: Families, anyone in town for the long weekend, a free start to the year.
The route is about 2.2 miles, and the whole thing takes around three hours. In 2026, its 40th year, more than half a million people lined it. Expect marching bands, dancers, cheerleaders and large inflatables, with thousands of performers taking part.
Grandstand seats are worth a look if you are bringing small children or older relatives, because you can sit down and skip the early arrival. Trains and Tube services run to a reduced timetable on 1 January, so check TfL before you leave.
2. Johnstone’s Paint Masters snooker
- When: Sunday 10 to Sunday 17 January 2027. Afternoon sessions at 1 pm, evening sessions at 7 pm. Doors open at 11.30 am.
- Where: Alexandra Palace, Alexandra Palace Way, Wood Green. Wood Green station, then the W3 bus.
- Price: Face-value tickets run from about £35 to £134 depending on session and seat. Standard seats are roughly £35 to £82, premium seats £84 to £134.
- Website: wst.tv (tickets at wst.tv/tickets/masters-tickets-2027)
- Best for: Sports fans, groups of friends, anyone who wants a night out that is not a pub.
The world’s top 16 players are invited, and the Masters has been played at Alexandra Palace since 2012. It is a non-ranking event but part of snooker’s Triple Crown, so the standard is very high and the crowd knows it.
The weekend sessions and the final sell out first. Resale sites were listing the final weekend at well above face value, so buy from the official page. Under-16s must be with an adult, and the venue is cashless, so bring a card or phone.
3. Canary Wharf Winter Lights
- When: Tuesday 19 to Saturday 30 January 2027, 5 pm to 10 pm every night.
- Where: Canary Wharf estate, including Cabot Square, Canada Square Park and Crossrail Place. Canary Wharf station (Jubilee line, Elizabeth line and DLR).
- Price: Free.
- Website: canarywharf.com
- Best for: Couples, families with older children, photographers, a free evening.
This is the 11th edition, themed RE(IMAGINE), with a trail of around 16 installations by UK and international artists. Many of them are interactive, so you can walk through them rather than just look. The permanent artworks on the estate, such as Camille Walala’s colourful tunnel, are part of the route too.
Pop-up stalls along the way sell hot drinks and street food, from Mexican to Indian to plant-based. Weekday evenings are calmer than weekends, and it feels colder between the towers than you would expect, so wrap up.
4. London Art Fair
- When: Wednesday 20 to Sunday 24 January 2027, with a preview day on 19 January. Friday and Saturday 11 am to 7 pm, Sunday 11 am to 5 pm.
- Where: Business Design Centre, 52 Upper Street, Islington, N1 0QH. Angel station is the closest.
- Price: Paid timed tickets. 2027 prices were not listed in late October. In 2026, tickets started at about £22.50.
- Website: londonartfair.co.uk
- Best for: Art lovers, couples, first-time buyers who want to see what is out there.
The 39th edition brings together more than 120 galleries showing modern and contemporary work. Past lineups have included pieces by Tracey Emin, Francis Bacon and Barbara Hepworth, plus a National Trust collaboration on surrealist and post-war art. There are talks on collecting too, which are useful if you have ever wondered where people actually start.
Sunday closes two hours earlier than Friday and Saturday, so do not leave it to the last afternoon.
5. London Short Film Festival
- When: Friday 22 to Sunday 31 January 2027.
- Where: Cinemas and arts venues across London. Last year’s list included BFI Southbank, Rio Cinema in Dalston and SET Peckham, so the nearest station depends on what you book.
- Price: Ticketed by screening. 2027 prices had not been published in late October.
- Website: shortfilms.org.uk
- Best for: Film fans, cheap date nights, people who like finding things before everyone else does.
The 24th edition is expected to show more than 200 new shorts across about 60 programmes, alongside talks, workshops and walking tours. The full lineup had not been announced in late October, so check back nearer the time.
A programme is a bundle of films, so choose by theme or venue rather than by a single title. It also qualifies for BAFTA and BIFA, which is why a few future names tend to show up here first.
Events compared
| Event | Cost | Book ahead? | Best for |
| New Year’s Day Parade | Free (grandstand paid) | No | Families, a free day |
| Masters snooker | About £35 to £134 | Yes | Sports fans |
| Winter Lights | Free | No | Couples, photographers |
| London Art Fair | Paid, prices to be confirmed | Yes | Art lovers |
| Short Film Festival | Per screening | Yes for popular shows | Film fans |
5 types of activity that suit a January day in London
1. Book a Burns Night supper
Burns Night is Monday 25 January this year, and it is the best excuse of the month to eat haggis, neeps and tatties with a dram on the side. Sussex in Soho, run by the Gladwin Brothers, does a lively version with whisky cocktails and a live bagpiper. The Wolseley on Piccadilly goes for a smarter supper of Scottish classics with cocktails inspired by Burns himself. Carousel in Fitzrovia serves modern Scottish cooking from visiting guest chefs.
In recent years, set suppers have cost roughly £45 to £85 a head, and several 2027 menus were still to be confirmed in late October, so treat that as a guide rather than a quote. Because the 25th is a Monday, some places hold theirs on the weekend before, as Sussex did in 2026. If haggis is not for you, January is also Veganuary: Mildreds has five London branches, including Covent Garden and King’s Cross.
2. Spend an afternoon in a proper café
January afternoons go dark before five, which suits a long coffee. Burgh House Café in Hampstead sits inside a museum on one of the prettiest streets in north London, with coffee, cakes, light lunches and a courtyard garden for milder days. In the West End, Hideaway Coffee near Piccadilly Circus is a snug little place with a courtyard, pastries and breakfast, which is hard to find that close to the crowds. For hot chocolate, Rabot 1745 overlooks Borough Market and looks like the inside of a cocoa plantation.
Small cafés change their hours more than chains do, so check before you travel. Burgh House works well after a walk on Hampstead Heath.
3. Browse a Sunday flower market and the sales
Columbia Road Flower Market runs every Sunday from about 8 am to 3 pm, and in January it is one of the cheerier corners of London. Rows of stalls, sellers who grow their own plants, and the independent shops along the road, which open too. Go early for the best choice or around 2 pm for lower prices. The nearest station is Hoxton on the Overground, with Shoreditch High Street close by.
If it rains, Old Spitalfields Market is an indoor alternative about a 20-minute walk away. For the sales, the big stores on Oxford Street and Regent Street usually keep reductions going into January, though end dates differ by shop, so check each retailer before making a special trip.
4. Catch a new show in the West End and beyond
January is when the winter openings arrive. Dirty Dancing starts at the Prince Edward Theatre on 19 January for a limited run to 24 April, with tickets from £28. It runs 2 hours 15 minutes including the interval and is recommended for ages 14 and over. English National Ballet’s Romeo & Juliet opens at the London Coliseum on 14 January. For something smaller, Spitfire Girls, a play about the women who helped keep Britain flying in the Second World War, has its London premiere at Park Theatre in Finsbury Park from 27 January to 27 February.
Midweek performances are usually easier to book than Friday and Saturday nights.
5. Plan a gallery day around the shows that close on 31 January
Several big exhibitions end with the month, so the first half of January is the time to see them without a last-week crush. Renoir and Love is at the National Gallery until 31 January. Painting the French Riviera is at the Royal Academy until the same date, and the British Museum’s Korea exhibition also closes on the 31st. In South Kensington, Freddie Mercury: Splendid Things at the V&A runs until 17 January. All are ticketed, so book a timed slot and check prices on each venue’s own site.
The National Gallery and the Royal Academy are both in the West End, so you can do them in one day. At the RA, Nicole Eisenman’s large sculpture in the Burlington House courtyard is free to see until 5 February.
10 more things to do in London in January
Free things to do
- 1. Book a free slot at Sky Garden. The garden on the top floors of the Walkie Talkie building is free, but you need a timed ticket, and tickets are released up to three weeks ahead. Public hours are 10 am to 6 pm on weekdays and 11 am to 9 pm at weekends, and each ticket gives you an hour inside. A weekday late afternoon catches the skyline at dusk. Monument is the nearest station. For a January date, booking opens in December.
- 2. Walk in Richmond Park to see the deer. The park has herds of deer and wide open grassland, and it costs nothing. Frosty mornings are the best time, and the contrast with central London is part of the appeal. Keep a sensible distance from the deer. Richmond station is the closest, then a short walk or bus to Richmond Gate.
- 3. Join Bankside’s Twelfth Night celebration. A free, slightly eccentric folk procession near Shakespeare’s Globe, with the Green Man, the Holly Man, wassailing, a play and a free slice of Twelfth cake. In recent years it has been on a Sunday near 6 January, and in 2026 it began at midday on 4 January. The 2027 date had not been announced in late October, so check thelionspart.co.uk before you go.
Paid things to do
- 4. Tour the Tower of London. The fortress has almost 1,000 years of history as a palace, prison and even a zoo. The Crown Jewels include more than 23,000 stones, the Yeoman Warders run entertaining tours, and the ravens are easy to spot. Book a timed ticket online and go early on a weekday. Tower Hill is the nearest station.
- 5. Climb St Paul’s Cathedral. The dome is 364 feet high, and you can climb to the Stone and Golden Galleries for views across the city. Inside, look for Holman Hunt’s The Light of the World, and in the crypt you will find the tombs of Nelson and Wellington. St Paul’s is the closest station.
- 6. See Henry Moore: Monumental Nature at Kew Gardens. Moore’s large sculptures are set out across the gardens until 31 January 2027, and a Kew Gardens ticket gets you in. When the cold bites, the glasshouses are the place to warm up. Kew Gardens station is a short walk away.
Things to do with children
- 7. Visit SEA LIFE London Aquarium and the Paddington Bear Experience. The aquarium has more than 500 species across 14 themed zones. The Paddington Bear Experience is close by on the South Bank, with interactive sets and characters from the films. Both are indoors, which makes this a safe rainy-day choice. Waterloo or Westminster are the closest stations.
- 8. Spend a morning at the London Transport Museum. Vintage buses and taxis, the first ever Tube map and plenty to climb on and press. It suits children who like vehicles and is in Covent Garden, so it fits easily around a lunch stop. Covent Garden station is the nearest.
Things to do as a couple
- 9. See Matisse: Joy at Lightroom. An immersive show on the artist’s work that opens on 27 January and runs to 8 May 2027. It is at Lightroom in King’s Cross, so you can follow it with dinner nearby. Prices were not published in late October, so check lightroom.uk.
- 10. Take afternoon tea on a vintage bus. A 90-minute tour on a historic double-decker, starting with a glass of prosecco and then sandwiches, scones and pastries while it rolls past Buckingham Palace and Big Ben. It leaves from near Victoria Station on Buckingham Palace Road. The front of the upper deck has the best view, so dress warmly.
Planning notes for January
Weather and daylight
London in January is cold and usually wet, with average temperatures from about 2°C to 7°C. It is often a little milder than other UK cities. Sunset falls before 5 pm all month, so put outdoor plans such as Richmond Park, Kew and Hampstead in the morning and keep the evenings for lights, theatre and food. Pack a waterproof and shoes you can walk in.
What is still running in the first week
- Sunday 3 January: Last day of Hyde Park Winter Wonderland, Christmas at Kew and the Winter Palace at Hampton Court Palace.
- Sunday 10 January: Last day of Skate at Somerset House.
- Friday 1 January: Tube and train services are reduced, though most shops, museums and theatres stay open.
Pros and cons of visiting in January
| Pros | Cons |
| Fewer crowds than most of the year | Dark before 5 pm |
| Hotels and attractions are often cheaper | Cold and often wet, 2°C to 7°C |
| Good free events: the parade, Winter Lights, Twelfth Night | Most Christmas attractions have closed by 3 January |
| Big exhibitions and new West End shows | Snooker and the parade grandstand fill up early |
How to book free Sky Garden tickets
- Open the booking page at skygarden.london/booking.
- Pick a date. Tickets are released up to three weeks ahead, and weekends go first.
- Choose a time slot and the number of people. Entry is free.
- Arrive a few minutes early to allow for security. Your ticket covers one hour inside.
- If your plans change, cancel the ticket so someone else can use the slot.
FAQs
What are the best things to do in London in January?
The New Year’s Day Parade, Canary Wharf Winter Lights, the Masters snooker, the London Art Fair, a Burns Night supper and a new West End show such as Dirty Dancing. Book the paid ones early.
Is London worth visiting in January?
Yes, if you would rather have fewer crowds and lower prices. It is one of the quietest times to visit, and hotels and attractions are often cheaper. Pack for cold and rain.
What is free to do in London in January?
The New Year’s Day Parade (standing room), Winter Lights, Sky Garden with a booked slot, Bankside’s Twelfth Night, Richmond Park, and the permanent collections at the major national museums.
When is Burns Night in 2027?
Monday 25 January. Some restaurants hold their suppers on the weekend before, so check the date when you book.
Is Hyde Park Winter Wonderland open in January?
Only briefly. It closes on Sunday 3 January 2027.
Is the New Year’s Day Parade free?
Yes, to watch from the pavement. Grandstand, VIP and Fun Zone tickets are paid.
What can I do with children in London in January?
SEA LIFE London Aquarium, the Paddington Bear Experience, the London Transport Museum, the New Year’s Day Parade and the Winter Lights trail are all good options. Most are easier on weekdays once schools are back.
How do I get tickets for the Masters snooker?
Buy from the World Snooker Tour ticket page at wst.tv. Face-value prices run from about £35 to £134, and the final weekend sells out first.
Where to start
Pick one anchor for each week. Early January suits the parade and the last of the Christmas attractions before 3 January. The second week is the Masters or a gallery day. Dirty Dancing and Winter Lights begin in the third week, and Winter Lights and the Art Fair overlap from 20 to 24 January, which makes that the best stretch for a long weekend.
See the lights on a weekday evening, the fair on Friday or Saturday, and fit a Burns Night supper in on the Monday. Keep a free or indoor option in your back pocket for wet days.
