What can I do in London in Autumn?


The sad fact is that summer in the UK is well and truly over. While spending time enjoying the British weather in one of London’s parks will have to wait until next year, Autumn is a wonderful time of year to be in the English capital.

Here are some of our suggestions of what to do in London over the next few months.

  1. See the leaves change colour in one of London’s famous parks

Watching the leaves turn yellow, orange and red in London’s many green spaces is a clear sign that Autumn has arrived. There are so many parks to choose from in London in can be difficult to decide where to go. Some of our favourites include Hampstead Heath, Richmond Park, Primrose Hill and Battersea Park.

  • Halloween (31st October)

Halloween is taken very seriously in London, with a huge variety of events where you can scare yourself silly. With immersive theatre experiences, themed nightclub events, horror film screenings and even a Dark Magic event at the Harry Potter Studios. Get your scariest costume ready and have a fang-tastic time!

  • Bonfire Night (Around 5th November)

Bonfire Night at the beginning of November is a big deal in London. The fireworks are the main attraction, and Londoners have loads of options of places to go. Alexandra Palace hosts one of the biggest events with live music, food and drink, ice skating and more. Other big fireworks displays take place at Battersea Park, Southwark and Crystal Palace Park.

  • The London Design Festival/ The Other Art Fair/Frieze

For art and design fans, London hosts a design festival and two art fairs in September and October. Visit the London Design Festival (18th – 26th September) to see a wide variety of different events including exhibitions, presentations and workshops. Frieze London (13th – 17th October) takes places in Regent’s Park, while The Other Art Fair (14th – 17th October) in East London shows artwork from over 100 different artists.

  • The Sheep Drive (26th September)

If you’re looking to see a quirky London tradition, check out the Sheep Drive at the end of September. Find an area to stand around Southwark Bridge and watch as people (and sheep) cross the River Thames to honour an age-old tradition.

Vocabulary

  • well and truly = completely
  • scare someone silly = make someone feel very scared
  • fangs = large sharp teeth (usually for animals, also vampires!)
  • a big deal = something important
  • quirky = unusual in an interesting or appealing way
  • age-old = very old