London Festivals & Major Events
Here's our selection of the best of London's annual festivals and cultural events:
Notting Hill Carnival
Europe's biggest street festival, with Caribbean bands, extravagant costumes and floats, and exuberant dancers. Last Sunday and Monday in August.
Chinese New Year
Dancing dragons and exotic food stands in Soho's Chinatown, spilling out into Trafalgar Square. Late January/early February, depending on phase of the Moon.
Trooping the Colour
The Queen rides out on Horse Guards Parade, with the Household Cavalry in red tunics and bearskin hats. The Saturday closest to 10th June.
Lord Mayor's Show
The Lord Mayor parades in his gilded coach, with costumed escort, from the Guildhall to the Law Courts. Second Saturday in November.
Last Night of the Proms
Exuberant finale to annual BBC-sponsored Henry Wood Promenade Concerts, with patriotic sing-alongs in the Albert Hall and Hyde Park. Saturday night in mid-September. Tickets on sale from late April; booking information: www.royalalberthall.com
Chelsea Flower Show
Whole gardens are recreated for the year's most prestigious horticultural event. Mid-May. Probably the world's most famous flower show and thus immensely popular. Book ahead: Royal Horticultural Society
London calendar of events
January
New Year's Day Parade from Parliament Square to Berkeley Square.
London International Boat Show, Earl's Court: the world's largest exhibition of its kind.
Charles I Commemoration (last Sunday): English Civil War Society dress up as Royalists from the King's army and make their way from Charles I's statue in Whitehall to his place of execution outside Banqueting House.
February
Chinese New Year: colourful celebrations based around Soho's Chinatown.
Valentine's Day (14th): the most romantic day of the year.
MarchIdeal Home Exhibition, Earl's Court. Tel: 7385 1200: exhibition of new ideas and products for the home.
London Book Fair, Olympia.
Chelsea Antiques Fair, Old Town Hall, Kings Road, SW3: wide range of antiques on sale.
Easter Parade, Battersea Park. Carnival with floats and fancy dress costumes. Camden Jazz Festival, Camden Town. Includes jazz, opera, dance, film and exhibitions.
AprilOxford and Cambridge Boat Race: annual race between university oars- men held on the Thames between University Stone in Putney and Mortlake since 1856.
April Fool's Day (1st): throughout the morning Britons go out of their way to hoodwink one another.
London Marathon, Greenwich Park. One of the world's biggest runs, with a route from Greenwich Park to Westminster.
Queen's Birthday (21st): the Queen's real birthday (as opposed to her official one in June) is celebrated with a gun salute in Hyde Park and at the Tower of London.
May
Chelsea Flower Show, Royal Hospital, SW3. Tel: 7834 4333: major horticultural show, featuring spectacular displays, and social event in the fine grounds of the Chelsea Royal Hospital.
FA Cup Final, Wembley. The final of the nation's main football competition.
Oak Apple Day, Chelsea Royal Hospital: parade of the Chelsea Pensioners in memory of their founder, Charles II.
June
Beating Retreat, Horse Guards Parade, Whitehall. Annual ceremonial display of military bands.
Derby Day, Epsom Racecourse. Tel: 01372-470047: famous flat race for 3-year-old colts and fillies.
Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, Burlington House, Piccadilly. Tel: 7300 5760: large exhibition of work by professional and amateur artists running until August. All works for sale.
Trooping the Colour, Horse Guards Parade. Tel: 7414 2357: the Queen's official birthday celebrations, with a royal procession along the Mall to Horse Guards Parade for the ceremonial parade of regimental colours. Followed by the presence of the royal family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace.
Royal Ascot, Ascot Racecourse. Tel: 01344-622211: elegant and dressy race meeting attended by royalty.
Grosvenor House Antiques Fair, Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane. Tel: 7499 6363: a large and prestigious event.
Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships, All England Club. Tel: 8946 2244: world-famous fortnight of tennis on grass courts.
July
Henley Royal Regatta, Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire. Tel: 01491-572153: international rowing regatta that's also an important social event for the well-heeled. Worth a day-trip even if you just like drinking Pimm's.
Henry Wood Promenade Concerts, Royal Albert Hall. Series of classical concerts known as The Proms, culminating in a rumbustious Last Night which spills out into Hyde Park.
Royal Tournament, Earl's Court. Tel: 7385 1200: spectacular military displays from the Royal Army, Navy and Air Force.
Swan Upping on the Thames: all the swans on the Thames belong to the Queen, the Vintners and the Dyers and for five days every year officials can be seen rowing up and down the river registering them.
Doggett's Coat and Badge Race, London Bridge: race for single scull boats between London Bridge and Chelsea that has been a tradition since 1715.
August
Notting Hill Carnival, Ladbroke Grove (bank holiday weekend): colourful and lively West Indian street carnival (Europe's largest) with exciting and imaginative costumes, live steel bands and reggae music.
London Riding Horse Parade, Rotten Row, Hyde Park: elegant competition for best turned-out horse and rider.
International Street Performers' Festival, Covent Garden Piazza: free street entertainment.
September
Chelsea Antiques Fair, Old Town Hall, King's Road, SW3: contact Tel: 01444-482514.
Horseman's Sunday, Church of St John and St Michael, W2: morning service dedicated to the horse with mounted vicar and congregation. Followed by procession through Hyde Park.
October
Judges' Service marks the beginning of the legal year in Britain with a procession of judges in full attire from Westminster Abbey to the Houses of Parliament.
Horse of the Year Show, Wembley Arena. Tel: 8902 0902: major international equestrian competition attracting the world's top horses and riders.
Costermongers' Pearly Harvest Festival (1st Sunday), Church of St Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square. Pearly Kings and Queens (street traders) attend this service in their traditional attire, which is elaborately adorned with pearl buttons.
Trafalgar Day Parade commemorates Nelson's victory over the French and Spanish at Trafalgar on 21 October.
Motor Show, Earl's Court: major international car show held every two years.
November
London to Brighton Veteran Car Run (1st Sunday): hundreds of immaculately preserved veteran cars and their proud owners start out from Hyde Park and make their way sedately to Brighton.
Lord Mayor's Show: grand procession, including the Lord Mayor's gilded coach, from the Guildhall in the City to the Royal Courts of Justice, celebrating the annual election of the Mayor who rides in the coach.
Remembrance Sunday (nearest the 11th): to commemorate those lost at war. Main wreath laying service at the Cenotaph, Whitehall.
State Opening of Parliament, House of Lords, Westminster. Official re-opening of Parliament (following the summer recess) by the Queen, who travels down the Mall in a state coach.
Guy Fawkes Day (5 November): traditional firework celebration of Guy Fawkes's failed 1605 Gunpowder Plot to blow up the Houses of Parliament. Bonfires and organised firework displays all over London.
Christmas Lights: switched on in Oxford and Regent streets.
December
Olympia International Horse Show, Olympia: major international show jumping championships.
Christmas Carol Services, Trafalgar Square: carols are sung here in the evenings beneath the giant tree which is presented each year by Norway, a tradition dating from the reign of Queen Victoria. Carol services are also held in many churches all over London.
“January” sales: excellent bargains can be found at these sales which seem to begin earlier and earlier every year.
New Year's Eve, Trafalgar Square: thousands of people congregate around the fountains to drink, hold hands and sing Auld Lang Syne at midnight.