Things to do on New Year’s Day in London

You could be born, grow up, and die a peaceful death in London without ever hearing about this city's grand New Year's Day Parade, which boasts 10,000 performers and nearly half a million spectators. But perhaps all that will change this year, with a new later start time of 1pm designed to entice more Londoners to go out and celebrate the New Year with grand pageantry, music and dance. This year's biggest name act is Sam Ryder, the UK's most successful Eurovision entrant in ages. The rest of the line-up is a truly eclectic mix of names with a kitschy feel: think Spice Girls tribute act Say You'll Be Spice, giant dinosaur puppets from Creature Events, viral hip hoppers Bad Moms That Dance, and American marching bands. 

Trafalgar Square’s beautiful St Martin’s in the Field church's festive line-up doesn't end with 2025. Its candlelit New Year's Day concert features classical music performances by the Festive Orchestra of London and violin virtuoso Matthew Truscott. Or return the following day for a Viennese New Year's celebration full of Strauss's waltzes and polkas.

A New Year's Day walk is highly traditional. But why not add a little bit of fairy-lit pizzazz this year? Walk Kew Gardens' 3km trail and you'll see the space lit up with dozens of larger-than-life illuminations, with both the venue’s glass houses and the trees that cover its grounds drenched in different hues. The whole thing is stunning, but don’t miss the lake, where you’ll catch reflections of the vibrant lights dancing on the water, taking the magical feeling to another level.

The National Portrait Gallery’s latest show trains its lens on a fashion icon: trailblazing 20th century photographer Cecil Beaton. Delight in its elegant snaps of midcentury ladies in furs and glittering ballgowns, and you'll want to commit to a fabulous 2026 that's blissfully free of such 21st century notions as athleisure wear or Dry January.

Kerry James Marshall's larger-than-life, lushly coloured paintings are a rich antidote to the January gloom. He has become arguably the most important living American painter over the past few decades, with an ultra-distinctive body of work that celebrates the Black figure in an otherwise very ‘Western’ painting tradition. This big, ambitious and rave-reviewed show is a rare chance to see his work outside the US, and a stellar way to start your 2026.

The Anmatyerr artist Emily Kam Kngwarray only took up painting during the last decade of her life. Making up for lost time, she produced thousands of paintings in the years leading up to her death in 1996. This exhibition is an impressive introduction to a visionary artist and, to those unfamiliar with Aboriginal art, a new way of understanding art.

Shakespeare’s best loved comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream is almost always staged in the height of summer. But this year, Shakespeare's Globe is breaking with tradition to stage a fresh interpretation of it indoors, by candlelight, in the depths of winter. Let it bring a dose of magic to your 2026, plus reassurance that sunnier days will eventually arrive.

The sweetest festive event you’ll find, the Museum of Architecture’s is an intricate biscuit metropolis erected in King’s Cross’s Coal Drops Yard for the festive season. As well as marvelling at all the confectionary craftsmanship on display, visitors can take part in a series of hands-on gingerbread house workshops where they’ll be able to construct a delicious souvenir to take home. 

Winter Wonderland gets seriously hectic in the run up to Christmas Day. But by New Year's Day, things should have chilled out a little. So embrace the cool atmosphere by checking out its  ice sculpture exhibit, which has been freshly reimagined as a 'Mystical, Mythical Fantasy World' for this year. There's also a Real Ice Slide and ice sculpting workshops, after which you can warm yourself up with steaming cups of mulled wine at the German-style Bavarian Village.

You've only got until January 4 to catch this likeable take on a festive movie classic, with a new cast that includes Joel Montague, Carrie Hope Fletcher and Aled Jones. It's largely faithful to the smash-hit 2003 Will Ferrell film, but with dazzling choreography and perky songs to ramp up the seasonal magic even further.

There are so many great New Year’s Day parties happening across London, meaning that the NYE fun doesn’t have to stop on January 1. So if you’re still standing after New Year’s Eve, head to one of these great events and start 2022 in the best way possible.

Had a raucous New Year’s Eve? Grab a hat and shake off the cobwebs by heading out on a wintry walk around one of London’s picturesque green spaces. We reckon these routes are the most beautiful of the bunch. 

While there are always more than enough festive things to do in London – light displays, ice rinks, endless department-store browsing – sometimes we all need to get out of the capital. Away from the noise, smog and, yes, all that endless shopping. What’s needed is crisp country air, a stiff walk or a serene spa day. Here are our fave day trips from London to enjoy this winter, all under two hours from Zone 1.

Is there anything more wonderfully wintry than wrapping up warm, pulling on some ice skates and gliding around a frosty slab of ice with your loved ones? Each winter, London fills up with pop-up rinks, from the legendary Somerset House to the newer Glide at Battersea Power Station. At all, you’ll find festive vibes ramped up to the max – and a lot of fellow Londoners vying for a spot on the ice. Book in advance to guarantee you can show off your best ice moves (or your ability to stay upright, at the very least). Here are some of the best rinks to soar across this winter. 

As fun and festive as Christmas is, the idea of having to head out into the crowds and scour the shops for the perfect presents for everyone in your life might not fill you with excitement. Instead of turning to the temptation of online ordering, skip the high street and head straight for one of London’s many markets.

In the run-up to Crimbo, the capital becomes home to tons of wintry fairs, stacked with stalls selling unique pressies from small businesses and independent designers that you’d never find in the big shops online or off. They’re perfect for browsing as the big day looms and a good excuse to treat yourself to Christmas snacks and mulled wine as you tick gifts off your list.

In the days after Christmas Day, some markets are still going, so go for a stroll around and pick up some post-Xmas gifts for yourself – or those you missed off your list the first time around. 

If you feel like you've eaten a whole farm's worth of animals over December's long festivities, why not give Veganuary a try? London's teeming with restaurants that'll show you a rollicking good veg-based time, including spectacular Chinese flavours at Tofu Vegan or hearty mediterranean fare at Bubala. Check out Time Out's list to find out where to start.

There's been a gaping chasm, an unfillable abyss, in London's recreational heart ever since the Trocadero finally closed its doors in 2011. It has left the city crying out for an arcade experience, somewhere to go and lose yourself in gaming. And now, Power Up is here to answer all of your RPG prayers. Admittedly, it doesn't have a rocket-shaped escalator or countless dark corners for snogging, but what it does have is bank after bank of classic videogames.

Even if you’re the biggest Scrooge in the game, you can’t deny that London looks pretty magical once the Christmas lights have been turned on and tinsel-covered trees greet you at every turn. Luckily, the city is never in short supply of festive light displays, whether you’re looking for something classic – like Regent Street’s trumpet-playing angels, or a themed display, like those found on Carnaby Street. Each string beams bright enough to warm the coldest of hearts quicker than you can say ‘Bah, humbug’. Most of London's lights will stay up til the first weekend in January, so you'll be able to get in some final glimmers as 2025 hits. 

Before Christmas day, it's tempting to keep things a bit PG. You don't want to end up on the naughty list, after all. But by the time New Year's Day rolls round, you may as well head to one of London's many adults-only festive entertainments. These pantos promise innuendos and silliness galore, plus more knob gags than you can shake a stick at. 

By this point in the festivities, you'll probably never want to see a sausage roll or mince pie again. So take refuge from the stodgiest crimes of British Christmas food at Soho’s Chinatown, which bursts with light, crispy and delicious treats to enjoy. Book a full sit down dinner with friends and relations, or just grab a takeaway bao and wander round soaking up the atmosphere.