Rosie Hewitson

Did you miss the big day itself? Don’t panic! Valentine’s day falling on a Friday in 2025 means that there are plenty of romantic happenings all over London this weekend.  It’s not too late to go down the tried-and-trusted route and plan a romantic dinner or hotel stay for a belated celebration. Or opt or opt for something a little unorthodox and alternative, like a spoken word night themed around bad Valentine’s poetry, a love-themed art market or a trip to the theatre to see a spoofy take on Titanic. Prefer to hunker down in the dark of the cinema and immerse yourself in a good film? There are plenty of Valentine’s screenings to choose from over the weekend.  And if you need to be redeemed for forgetting the flowers and chocolates, check out our guide to Valentine’s Day in London, for advice on everything from romantic wine bars to fancy spa trips. It’s got something to tickle everyone’s fancy. 

Londoners might be known for being pretty sceptical when it comes to kitsch displays of affection, but come Valentine’s Day even the most eye-rolling naysayer will allow a bit of schmaltz and you can expect plenty of loved-up antics this weekend with V-Day landing on Friday this February. Check out our pick of the best V-Day events happening across the capital this weekend from rom-com screenings to dinners for two. Or, plan an alternative get-together at one of the many ‘Palentines’ and anti-valentines parties.    There’s plenty more going on this week that doesn’t involve over-priced cards and lashings of pink and red. See a superb performance from Sex Education’s Asa Butterfield in Riverside Studio’s production of Second Best about a man haunted by the fact he was almost cast as Harry Potter as a child. Immerse yourself in New York City’s 60’s and 70’s downtown scene at a rare retrospective of American photographer Peter Hujar. Or, assemble for this year’s annual edition of the London Bookshop Crawl where you can discover new writing, listen to author talks and nestle yourself away in some beautiful London bookshops.  Start planning your month now with our round-up of the best things to do in February.  Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Time Out London newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox. 

We don’t know about you, but we think we’re pretty damn lucky to have world-class festivals just a tube ride away. Forget trekking across the country to live in a field for five days. When you live in London, you can hop on a tube, and an hour later you’re listening to your favourite artists, tinny to hand, knowing that there’s a hot shower and a cosy bed waiting for you once the day is over. We Londoners love live music, so it’s no surprise that we’re absolutely spoilt for choice when summer rolls around. You’ve got festivals devoted to hip-hop, jazz, leftfield pop, afrobeats, heavy rock ‘n’ roll. Whatever your taste may be, my god does London have a day festival for you. Have a scroll through some of our recommendations and start planning a fantastic summer in 2025.  But be warned, most London festivals get more expensive the later you leave it, and plenty of them will sell out long before summer starts. Grab your tickets right now if you know what’s good for ya! RECOMMENDED: ⛺ The best UK music festivals🌍 The best festivals in Europe

When you’re really in need of a bit of relaxation – or just fancy treating yourself to a luxurious day of pampering – there’s no better place to head than a gorgeous spa where you can escape from reality in a sauna, hot tub or via a soothing massage. We’ve rounded up the very best spas in London right now and there’s something for all tastes, from gloriously atmospheric stone baths to the spots with the most up-to-date high-tech facials. Unwinding doesn’t have to cost the earth – there are plenty of affordable spas across the city, as well as the capital’s offerings of plush, high-end wellness suites. Whichever you choose, you’re guaranteed to leave feeling like you’re floating on air. RECOMMENDED:The best hotels in LondonThe best Airbnbs in London

The days are getting gradually lighter, the snowdrops and crocuses have arrived in London’s park, and London’s cultural scene has burst into life after a mid-winter lull. It can only mean one thing; March is right around the corner. This means it’s time to finally come out of winter hibernation and set about exploring the city’s fantastic parks and gardens, world-class museums and galleries, and unbeatable restaurant and bar offerings. From St Paddy’s to Mothering Sunday, Pancake Day to International Women’s Day, the third month of the year packs in a whole host of big celebrations.  And it’s also an especially great month for culture vultures. There are a host of film festivals happening around the city, from BFI Flare and the inaugural London Soundtrack Festival to Kinoteka, Cinema Made in Italy and the Banff Mountain Film Festival. And there’s also Deptford Literature Festival, the Young Barbican Takeover Festival, music conference series AVA London and the Other Art Fair.  Find out about all of these, and much more, in our roundup of the best things to do in London over the month. RECOMMENDED: Things to do in London this week.

Want a drink? You've come to the right place. This is Time Out’s list of best bars in London, our curated guide to London’s drinking scene, featuring the buzziest booze dens in the capital right now. If it’s on this list, it’s excellent. These are the 50 places we'd recommend to a friend, because we love drinking in them and have done many times over. From classy cocktail joints to delightful dives, hotel bars, speakeasys, bottle shops, rooftops and wine bars, London's got them all. But what makes a truly good bar? Well, our critieria for inclusion on this list is simple; a menu of genius drinks is important, but so is overall vibe – there’s no point having the perfect paloma if you have to drink it in a bar that smells of bins. To make the Top 50 a bar has to be fun, full of lovely folk, be inclusive and also look the part.  The latest additions to our list include Below Stone Nest in Chinatown, Rasputin’s by London Fields, Bar Lina, an Italian aperitivo spot underneath the famous Soho deli, Jumbi hifi bar in Peckham, Oranj's vertitable wine warehouse in Shoreditch, and Helgi’s, a suggestively Satanic rock bar in Hackney. Now go forth and booze. RECOMMENDED: Like bars? Then you'll love London's best pubs.  Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor, and she'll have a dirty gin martini if you're buying. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

Sunday lunch. There’s nothing quite like it. An elemental meal, one that Londoners take incredibly seriously. Debates about what constitutes the ‘perfect’ Sunday roast have been known to last for hours. There is no shortage of top roasts in London. We’ve rounded up the city’s best Sunday meals from a host of homely pubs and restaurants all around town. What makes a good roast? For us, it’s simple; a cosy room is a good start, maybe in a pub with an open fire. Then it comes to the plate – we need perfect roast potatoes, well-cooked lamb, beef or pork and a decent plant-based option too. A Sunday roast is more than just lunch - it’s self-care. From snug neighbourhood staples to more bijou gastropubs, posh hotels, Michelin-star spots, and even a metal bar in Camden, we’ve got something for every taste (if that taste is for comforting mounds of roast meat, lashings of gravy and carbs for days).  A lot of these places get quite busy, by the way. So you’re always advised to book ahead to avoid disappointment.  RECOMMENDED: London's 50 best pubs. Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor, and her Sunday roast order is usually pork belly with extra gravy, extra roasties and a big glass of Pinot Noir. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

The first couple of weeks of the New Year can feel like a long old slog, but February is already on the horizon. And if you’ve spent the last few cold, dark weeks hibernating at home (very understandable) we’d urge you to think about going outside again soon, because February’s social calendar is surprisingly busy, with a bunch of important dates packed into its short four weeks including Valentine’s Day, London Fashion Week and LGBTQ+ History Month.  From Cate Blanchett’s return to the West End in The Seagull and Tate Modern’s exhibition on 80s maverick Leigh Bowery, to Young V&A’s second major exhibition Making Egypt and Jonathan Bailey’s star turn in Richard II, there are a healthy number of art openings and big-name stage productions premiering across the month.  And, if you’ve got kids, there’s loads of stuff on to entertain them during the February half-term fun, from the Southbank’s Imagine Children’s Festival to two weeks’ worth of activities for young cinephiles at the BFI.  And there’s plenty more on besides all that. Seize your chance to have some fun this February, with our guide to the best things happening in London over the month. RECOMMENDED:🎨 The best art exhibitions opening in London this February 🎭 The best theatre shows opening in London this February🍽️ The best new London restaurants opening this February🎤 The best gigs happening in London in February😂 The best comedy show to see in London this February

Afternoon tea is what makes a trip to London truly iconic – even if you already live here. You’ll find some of the best at London’s chicest hotels, restaurants, and art galleries - and we’ve worked out what makes an afternoon tea a truly memorable experience. It'’s not just perfect pastries, the most elegant of teeny tiny cakes and finger sarnies with the crusts cut off, but swish service, the option to have something boozy and bubbly and a picture-perfect, characterful room in which to enjoy it all. From The Ritz to a Caribbean restaurant in Walthamstow, the National Gallery and the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, there's truly something for every cake-munching tea-drinker in this round-up of London's best afternoon tea spreads.  Expect to pay in the region of £50 to £80 for the pleasure per person, but you'll be in for a treat if you go with one of our recommendations. Remember, many of the teas have set times for seatings, so booking in advance is always a good idea. RECOMMENDED: The best hotels in London. Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor and knows all about tiny little cucumber sandwiches and drinking Champagne at 3pm. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. The hottest new openings, the tastiest tips, the spiciest reviews: we’re serving it all on our London restaurants WhatsApp channel. Follow us now.

Queer history shouldn’t be contained to a single, short month every year. Thankfully, in London you can find some of the best gay bars and queer club nights in the world, along with special events that celebrate LGBTQIA+ life, all year round. But things really hit a peak in February, when hundreds of talks, workshops and festivals appear for LGBT+ History Month. The annual observation celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, having been established in 2005 by Paul Patrick and Sue Sanders, the founders of LGBT+ education charity Schools OUT. Each year’s celebration focuses on a specific theme and five historical queer figures who represent it. In 2025, the theme is Activism and Social Change. Head to events throughout the month and you may get to hear more about five historic activists being highlighted this year: National Trust founder Octavia Hill, Ivor Cummings, the ‘father of the Windrush generation’, suffragette Annie Kenney, trade unionist Charlie Kiss and abolitionist Olaudah Equiano. From film screenings and alt-cabaret to queer history lectures and family-friendly crafts, prepare to be enlightened, inspired and entertained by a rainbow of celebratory events taking place across the capital. Here are some of our favourites. RECOMMENDED: Check out our full guide to Queer London

Once a byword for raucous nightlife, flamboyant fashion and a rough-and-ready kind of cool, Dalston has grown up quite a bit since its hipster heyday. Having lived in and around Dalston for the past seven years, I’d say it’s definitely still edgier than its chichi Islington neighbours Newington Green and Canonbury, more youthful than the young parent-filled Stoke Newington to the north, and grungier than Hackney Central and London Fields on its eastern border. But for the most part, it’s much like any other decent neighbourhood: home to a hugely diverse mix of multicultural communities who all find it a bit too expensive, plus an excellent offering of bargain shops and cheap eats that sit between an ever-growing number of natural wine bars and luxury boutiques.  Long home to a strong Turkish community, it’s one of the best places in London to get a kebab, a crispy fade or a hammam scrub. And while the area’s once-legendary nightlife isn’t what it used to be – pour one out for our dearly departed Power Lunches, Plastic People and Alibi – its high street remains one of east London’s go-to destinations for after-hours fun, especially for Hackney’s large queer community. And that’s before you even start exploring the area’s lovely cultural offerings, or its residential streets dotted with great pubs and cafés. Read on for our guide to Dalston’s best bits, and get to grips with an area that’s a glorious blend of London’s many tastes and characters. RECOMMENDED:🍽️ The best restaur

Ever the city dweller cynics, Londoners can be pretty sceptical when it comes to kitsch displays of affection. But, even the most eye-rolling naysayer will allow a bit of schmaltz in February when Valentine’s Day arrives. If you’re feeling loved up this week, check out our pick of the best V-Day events happening across the capital from rom-com screenings to dinners for two. Or, plan an alternative get-together at one of the many ‘Palentines’ and anti-valentines parties.    There’s plenty more going on this week that doesn’t involve over-priced cards and lashings of pink and red. See a superb performance from Sex Education’s Asa Butterfield in Riverside Studio’s production of Second Best about a man haunted by the fact he was almost cast as Harry Potter as a child. Immerse yourself in New York City’s 60’s and 70’s downtown scene at a rare retrospective of American photographer Peter Hujar. Or, assemble for this year’s annual edition of the London Bookshop Crawl where you can discover new writing, listen to author talks and nestle yourself away in some beautiful London bookshops. Start planning: here’s our roundup of the 25 best things to do in London in 2025 Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Time Out London newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox.

By rights, Peter Hujar should be far more famous than he is. Born in New Jersey in 1934, the photographer was a contemporary of Robert Mapplethorpe and Nan Goldin, and a close friend and sometime lover of Paul Thek and David Wojnarowicz. He rubbed shoulders with countless artists and literary luminaries, photographing everyone from Andy Warhol, Susan Sontag and Wiliam S. Burroughs to Greer Langton, John Waters and Cookie Mueller. Pretty much anyone notable in the thriving art scene of downtown Manhattan in the 1970s and ’80s was acquainted with Hujar.  But despite being enviably well-connected, he didn’t achieve much in the way of mainstream success before his death of AIDS-related pneumonia in 1987, exhibiting rarely and producing just one photobook (1976’s Portraits in Life and Death) during his lifetime. Even posthumously, he’s mostly been recognised by association with other artists; a striking portrait of the dying transgender icon Candy Darling is famed for its use as the album artwork for Antony and the Johnson’s Mercury Prize-winning album I Am A Bird Now, while an anonymous 1969 portrait titled Orgasmic Man is instantly recognisable as the cover art of Hanya Yanagihara’s bestselling novel A Little Life.  Yet Hujar’s photographs should be known in their own right. Not only was he a masterful documenter of the scene in which he operated, but a multifaceted photographer with an exceptional command of light and composition and a sensitive, compassionate eye. All of this

With its 30th edition taking place this summer, the Southbank Centre’s Meltdown Festival has long since established itself as a key date in London’s cultural calendar. Each year, the Southbank invites one celebrated artist to curate the festival, with such luminaries as David Bowie, Yoko Ono, Grace Jones, David Byrne, Nick Cave, Anohni and Chaka Khan have previously taken on the exciting tast. This year it’s the turn of Mercury Prize-winning rapper, Top Boy actor and previous Time Out cover star Little Simz. She’s promising a boundary-pushing line-up for the eleven day festival, featuring plenty of local organisations and grassroots collectives, plus the one-of-a-kind performances that have characterised Meltdown over the years. As usual, it’ll culminate in a headline show from the Brit Award-winner herself. Meltdown 2025 will take place in mid-June, with further line-up announcements due in the spring.  Find more great London festivals here.

From seduction, courtship and marriage to voyeurism, adultery and unrequited love; with over 2000 paintings on display at the National Gallery, it’s no surprise that just about every kind of love story can be found on its walls. Led by award-winning tour guide Muriel Carré, this 90-minute tour takes in a whole bunch of romance-themed masterpieces by the likes of Van Eyck, Gainsborough, Rembrandt, Rubens and Velázquez. It’s a popular event, so be sure to book tickets online in advance. 

Classical music impresario Raymond Gubbay returns to his favourite venue for a Valentine’s Day-themed edition of the ever-popular Music from the Movies series. Violinist Esther Abrami and soprano Carly Paoli will be joining the London Concert Orchestra and conductor Toby Purser to perform an array of songs that have soundtracked some of the most popular rom-coms of all time, including Love Actually, Romeo and Juliet, Bridget Jones’ Diary, Pretty Woman, Bridgerton, Amélie, Chocolat, La La Land and Titanic. Can you imagine how electrifying a full orchestral rendition of ‘My Heart Will Go On’ will be? If you can think of a more memorable way to spend the most romantic day of the year, we’d very much like to hear it. 

Looking for a date night treat for your film-obsessed lover? The BFI is delivering a stellar programme of romantic flicks for Valentine’s Day. On the bill are Thatcherite Britain romance My Beautiful Laundrette, sporty rom-com Love and Basketball, Aussie mystery drama Picnic at Hanging Rock, Céline Sciamma’s period romance Portrait of a Lady on Fire and 1960 Oscar winner The Apartment. There’ll also be a Galentine’s screening of cult 1970s examination of female friendship Girlfriends on Thursday February 13. Or if you really want to impress your boo with some serious cinéma, take them to an all-night marathon of the first three movies in the Twilight Saga at the BFI IMAX on Saturday February 15. No making out in the back row though, please!

Home to Dalston Culture House, NTS Radio’s OG studios and a whole bunch of creative businesses based inside Stamford Works, this lively square behind Dalston Kingsland High Street is a hub of activity on all but the coldest days of the year. On any given afternoon you might find groups of Jamaican men playing dominoes and blasting reggae outside of its ramshackle jerk trucks, kids whizzing around on scooters, buskers playing to people lounging about on benches and skateboarders setting up their own ramps. And in the summer months it hosts a sporadic variety of free community events ranging from play areas and street markets during Hackney Carnival and open-air film screenings to festivals like NTS Square Party and Dalston Supersquare. In short, it’s a vibrant little corner of east London that’s always worth stopping by to see what’s occurring. 

More than two decades since its original branch of Beyond Retro opened in a former dairy factory on Brick Lane, London’s favourite vintage brand is the largest retailer of vintage clothing in the country. Opened in 2011, this superstore at the top of Kingsland High Street houses a vast but fastidiously curated stock of around 12,000 items of pre-loved clothing encompassing the widest possible range of styles ranging, from dazzling sequined party dresses and mid-century tailoring to vintage military jackets and retro sportswear.  You could easily spend hours rummaging through the racks to discover its hidden gems.  Beyond Retro is in our list of the 100 best shops in London.

One of a small cluster of charity shops on Kingsland High Street, Crisis Dalston sells clothing, books, homewares, toys and games, alongside branded stationery and gift cards. Inside the store you’ll also find a small coffee shop where you can grab barista-made lattes and flat whites made using Crisis’s own blend, made in collaboration with Brixton-based roastery Volcano Coffee Works, plus cakes and smoothies. Staffed by a friendly team of stylish volunteers, it’s always worth popping in for a quick rummage if you’re in the area.

Planted in 2010 on an empty patch of land that was once occupied by railway tracks from the old Eastern Curve line, this volunteer-run community garden has been a social enterprise since 2012 and remains one of Dalston’s best-kept secrets. Step past the unassuming wooden front gates that open out onto the hectic junction between Balls Pond Road, Dalston Lane and Kingsland High Street and you’ll find a tranquil patch of land filled with colourful flowers and greenery maintained by volunteer gardeners. The luscious space is dotted with tables and benches, with a wooden pavilion building situated by the entrance. Visitors can settle down in a comfy spot with a coffee or beer from the on-site café, which also serves homemade cakes and soups making use of fresh produce grown in the garden, with all food waste being composted to fertilise the vegetable beds and raised planets filled with herbs. There are blankets available during colder months, while in the summer it does a roaring trade in pizzas cooked fresh in a wood-fired oven.  The garden also hosts an array of community-focused events, from gardening, craft and children’s workshops and school performances making use of its colourful wooden stage to annual traditions including Christmas carol-singing and a pumpkin lantern festival around Halloween. In one of the most built-up areas in the city, Dalston Eastern Curve Garden is a real haven for the many locals without gardens. Long may it flourish!

The UK’s largest queer film event returns to the BFI Southbank (and to the BFI Player online) for its 39th edition from March 19-30. While the full line-up is still under wraps, some details of what’s on the bill have been revealed. The opening night gala boasts the international premiere of Andrew Ahn’s ‘The Wedding Banquet’, starring Bowen Yang, Lily Gladstone, Kelly Marie Tran, Youn Yuh-jung and more. The closing night gala will give ‘Night Stage’ – the new erotic thriller from award-winning writer-directors Filipe Matzembacher and Marcio Reolon – its UK premiere. Shatara Michelle Ford’s ‘Dreams In Nightmares’, which follows three Black queer femmes on a road trip across the US midwest will also have its UK premiere at the festival in a special presentation. Elsewhere, cinephiles can expect the usual showcase of shorts, documentaries and feature films from across the globe tackling all manner of LGBTQ+ themes, alongside a programme of expanded-reality works, panels, Q&As and after-hours events. 

Launched in September 2018, this self-styled ‘multi-arts space for the 21st century’ is an ambitious restoration of the formerly derelict Savoy Cinema originally built in the 1930s. Its slightly ungainly name is short for ‘Evolutionary Arts Hackney’, but the programming is trendy and accessible rather than too highfalutin. Featuring two atmospheric spaces – a 680-capacity seated theatre upstairs and a 1200-capacity standing-only concert hall downstairs – the venue is a popular destination for mid-level tours and nightlife events, hosting everything from Skepta’s club night Más Tiempo and Pitchfork London gigs to day festivals by Dialled In and regular nights by Deptford Northern Soul Club, Butch Please! and Dimitri From Paris.

One of a cluster of jazz venues within walking distance of Kingsland station, Dalston Jazz Bar has been steadily growing in popularity since going viral on TikTok last year thanks to its intriguing pricing structure.  Book a table at one of two nightly dinner servings at the ramshackle spot and you’ll be treated to live jazz from the house band, while waiters flit between crammed tables delivering platters of huge tiger prawns, mussels cooked in white wine, bubbling fish stew and more specials from the daily-changing menu to a lively and diverse clientele. The twist? There are no prices on the menu, with guests encouraged to pay what they think the food is worth (with a minimum donation of £20 per head to cover the musicians’ fees).  At 10pm, dinner service ends, the tables are stripped and the place transforms into a nightclub of sorts, with 62-year-old head chef and owner Robert Beckford often stepping behind the decks alongside his son Duke, and live jazz replaced by old-school hip-hop and RnB.  The place is especially rammed on weekends, when it stays open til 3am and a significant proportion of Hackney’s under-30 population queue up to get inside. 

English Heritage’s blue plaque scheme is a beloved London tradition. Set up all the way back in 1866 to commemorate famous and noteworthy figures to have lived and worked in this great city, it has honoured over 1000 Londoners including the likes of Freddie Mercury, Emmeline Pankhurst, Samuel Pepys and Enid Blyton.  This year, actress and fashion icon Audrey Hepburn and influential glam rock musician Marc Bolan will be added to the auspicious list of names with plaques dotted around the city, with English Heritage having just announced its latest recipients. The locations of the plaques hasn’t yet been revealed.  The list of 2025 honourees focuses on cultural icons whose creative endeavours have helped to shape London. Also receiving plaques this year are ballerina, choreographer and English National Ballet co-founder Alicia Markova; Jamaican poet, playwright and equal rights campaigner Una Marson; acclaimed novelist Barbara Pym; and portraitist and landscape artist Graham Sutherland.  Recipients of the plaques must have been deceased for at least 20 years, and must have lived or worked in a surviving building in Greater London, the exterior of which has not been substantially altered.  Love a bit of London history? You can find out more about 2025’s recipients, and delve into the database documenting past honourees on the English Heritage website here.London’s first Roman basilica has been uncovered in the City The Natural History Museum is opening a new gallery, and it’s fr

With its 30th edition taking place this summer, the Southbank Centre’s Meltdown Festival has long since established itself as a key date in London’s cultural calendar.  Each year, the Southbank invites one celebrated artist to curate the festival, getting them to select a range of established and emerging musical talents and nightlife promoters to star across a two-week programme of gigs, participatory events and after-hours parties at the prestigious venue. Such luminaries as David Bowie, Yoko Ono, Grace Jones, David Byrne, Nick Cave, Anohni and Chaka Khan have previously stepped into the role, so news of who will curate each summer’s edition is always hotly anticipated. This year, Mercury Prize-winning rapper, Top Boy actor and previous Time Out cover star Little Simz joins that list of legendary names, promising a boundary-pushing line-up that will feature plenty of local organisations and grassroots collectives, plus the one-of-a-kind performances that have characterised Meltdown over the years, culminating in a headline gig from the artist herself.  It seems like the Brit Award winner has a taste for curation, having shut down the Tate Modern back in August last year when she curated a free Tate Late featuring appearances from author Open Water author Caleb Azumah Nelson and renowned skateboarder and artist Slawn.  Speaking about the festival, the Islington-born musician said: ‘I'm super excited to be the 2025 Meltdown festival curator! My team and I are preparing eleven

When it comes to American sports, it doesn’t get any bigger than the Super Bowl. The NFL’s most prestigious competition is arguably the most important annual fixture in the country’s sporting calendar, with millions of Americans getting together at screening parties to watch the action on TV. But with over 200,000 Americans living in London, and the sport steadily growing in popularity among Brits, it’s also a reasonably big deal here too. Thousands of Londoners will be staying up til the early hours this Sunday to watch all the action from the New Orleans Superdome, where the game kicks off at 11.30pm UK time. Super Bowl LIX sees the Kansas City Chiefs attempt a three-peat against the Philadelphia Eagles, in a replay of 2022’s event, the first of the Chiefs’ back-to-back titles. As well as all the cheerleading, interceptions, touchdowns and numerous cutaways to Taylor Swift cheering on boyfriend Travis Kelce from the stands, there’s also the epic half-time show from Kendrick Lamar, who arrives in New Orleans fresh from picking up five awards at the Grammys last weekend. Of course, you could catch all the action on your TV at home. But for a raucous atmosphere, freshly-poured pints, themed snacks and all manner of live entertainment, head to one of these Super Bowl screening parties around the city.  The best places to watch Super Bowl LIX in London Bad Sports: Super Bowl LIX Remember Hackney’s Bad Sports Bar? The now-closed (but never forgotten) US-style bar that served slam

You might not have realised, given all the Christmas chaos and the fact that it’s been freezing for weeks already, but winter officially arrives this weekend. With the coldest, darkest months of the year on the horizon, it’s natural to want to bunker down under a weighted blanket as soon as the turkey has been carved and the presents have been opened, not to emerge until mid-March when your bank balance, social battery and liver have finally recovered from all the festive excess. But with most people’s calendars tending to be a little bit quieter, winter is a great time to pay a visit to all of those museums, galleries and cultural institutions that you’re always saying you want to check out. This is especially true if you’re attempting Dry January and suddenly have endless hours of hangover-free weekend to fill. If you can manage to tear yourself away from the sofa – and series three of The Traitors – for five minutes, there’s loads going on around London over the next few months. Here are five things I’m especially looking forward to. World Darts Championship Final Like many unsuspecting pub-goers, I was swept up in the Luke Littler-fuelled darts mania that descended on the nation last Christmas, and now officially consider myself a ‘festive darts ultra’. After finishing as runner up last year, the kebab-loving teenage sensation will be attempting to go one better as he returns to Ally Pally over the holidays, and while you’ll be hard-pressed securing tickets to the live

Beaujolais Nouveau Day is one of the biggest days in a wine drinker’s calendar, but it’s also a great excuse for a party. This year, Bojo Novo Day takes place this Thursday November 21 – and, as always, London will be marking the occasion.  Now, a fair few of you may be thinking: what on Earth is ‘beaujolais nouveau’? And why does it have its own day? Beaujolais nouveau is a red wine produced in France’s Beaujolais region. It’s a vin de primeur, which means it’s a wine sold in the same year it’s harvested – and it’s famously released at 12.01am on the third Thursday of November. In France the day is famous for its festivals, celebrations and parties. But France doesn’t hog all the fun when it comes to Bojo Novo. The day is marked all around the world, including London. Whether you’re a Frenchie abroad or simply fancy a bit of wine-based fun, here are the best places to mark Beaujolais Nouveau Day 2024 in the capital.  Le Beaujolais  Where else? The clue’s in the name at Le Beaujolais, which currently sits at third in Time Out’s list of the best wine bars in London. On Thursday Bojo Novo Day will be marked by Le Beaujolais in a very classic, French sort of fashion – which is no less than we’d expect from a very classic, very French sort of place. 25 Litchfield St, WC2H 9NJ. Find out more. Marceline  Looking for a bit more than a few glasses of fresh gamay? Canary Wharf joint Marceline has both vino and a solid deal to celebrate Bojo Novo Day, offering a steak French dip sandw

Halloween’s over, now it’s time for the properly scary stuff. The future of one of the world’s most powerful countries hangs in the balance, with Kamala Harris and Donald Trump set to battle it out this week to be named the 47th President of the USA. And it’s currently far too close to call. Whoever has your backing, there’s only one proper way to watch those states turn red or blue (or independent, who knows what’ll happen?). That’s right, we’re talking about an election night all-nighter. There may be an entire ocean between us and the mighty US of A, but that doesn’t stop Londoners from fuelling up on bourbon for a spectacular presidential election party. Here are five of the best to head to on the night of November 5/6.  Three Crowns, Stoke Newington Spacious Victorian boozer the Three Crowns hosts plenty of late night parties in its basement club The Waiting Room, but it’ll be staying open even later than usual for this free screening. It’s promising plenty of drinks and snacks to keep you going until closing time at 5am. No need to book a ticket for this one, just show up and grab a seat. 175 Stoke Newington High St, N16 0PE. 10pm-5am. Free. The American Bar at the Stafford One of the longest-surviving American bars in London, this swish cocktail bar in St James’s hotel The Stafford is undoubtedly one of the more decadent places to celebrate/drown your sorrows come election night. There are plenty of classic American drinks on the menu, including seven varieties of old

You might be under the impression that autumn is a time for retiring to your sofa in your comfiest PJs armed with a steaming mug of tea, the new Sally Rooney novel and/or season three of Industry. I’m here to tell you, politely, to get off your arse and put some proper trousers on, you layabout. You’re not a small woodland mammal, you’re a Londoner, and going into hibernation is the last thing you should be doing right now.  As the days get shorter and you prepare to enter into your usual passive-aggressive battle over the thermostat with your most frugal housemate, London’s cultural scene comes alive. As well as loads of blockbuster theatre shows and major art openings, the capital goes all-in on Halloween celebrations, Black History Month and bonfire night festivities. And that’s before we even get to the plethora of festivals that arrive in town over the autumn. Harper Stern isn’t going anywhere. Sally can wait (as a certain resurgent Britpop group would be at pains to remind you). Go and grab your diary, because you’re not gonna want to miss these. The London Film Festival The UK’s biggest film festival is back this October, with 11 days and nights of cinematic excellence taking over theatres across central London from Wednesday October 9, kicking off with Steve McQueen’s ‘visually dazzling tour de force’ Blitz. As usual there are plenty of UK and world premieres to get excited about, with flicks from Mike Leigh, Pedro Almodóvar, Andrea Arnold, Sean Baker, Marielle Heller

You might think lawn bowling is reserved for those over the age of 60 dressed head to toe in white, but one chic European variation, pétanque, is apparently this year’s sport of the summer. The game, where two teams compete against each other to ‘boule’ a decided target, is having a bit of a moment right now, and it seems like plenty of us are keen to try it out, with a bunch of courts popping up all over the city. Who knew, right? Well, we did, and that’s why we’ve had a gander and collated this list of the best places in London to give pétanque a go. From Riviera-themed cocktail bars to charming south London pubs kitted out with the equipment, there are plenty of venues offering you a chance to turn your hand to some pétanque – take a look below. Boulebar at Southbank This Southbank boules court isn’t just any old place to play some games. The riverside location has eight courts, which are al fresco in the summer and are given a roof and a festive makeover in the winter. And there’s also a burger joint, a Mexican street food vendor and a well as a bar serving classic cocktails and Ricard Pastis, the liqueur traditionally sipped between throws on the pétanque court. 101 Upper Ground, SE1 9PP; £10 per person.  Prince of Wales, Cleaver Square, Kennington South London’s Cleaver Square provides an appropriately classy backdrop for a game of pétanque. Head into the pub and hire the equipment, then find a spot on the tree-lined patch out front, preferably with a pint in hand.  Cle

This is it. After weeks of highs and lows, of last-minute goals and watching through our fingers, England are through to the final of Euro 2024. The game kicks off tonight (July 14), with Gareth’s boys heading to Berlin to battle it out against Spain and become the UEFA Euro 2024 winners (here’s how to watch the game at home). The Three Lions’ attempt to go one better than their last European Championship tournament got off to a solid – if slightly tepid – start, and they’ve since topped Group C, defeated Slovakia in a nail-biting 2-1 win, beaten Switzerland on penalties and now, after that awesome 90-minute goal by Ollie Watkins in their semi-final game against the Netherlands, have gone and made it to the final.  The boys will go up against Spain on Sunday July 14 at 8pm BST, in a bid to claim the Euros 2024 trophy – could it actually be coming home? Whether you’re a diehard footie fan or just along for the ride, you’re going to want to know all the best spots in London to catch the matches. From screenings to sports pubs, these are the best places to watch Euro 2024 final in London. RECOMMENDED:🎉 All the big screens in London for the Euros 2024 final that are still taking bookings.⚽️ The 11 best fan parks in England to watch the Euro 2024 final.📺 Euros 2024 final at The O2: how to get tickets to watch the final at London’s largest screening.☀️ Will there be a bank holiday if England win Euro 2024?🛒 All the UK stores changing their opening hours for the Euro 2024 final.

There were, as always, plenty of detractors when the first line-up announcement for this year’s Glastonbury festival was announced back in March. Headlined by 28-year-old British-Albanian pop star Dua Lipa, pop-rock five-piece Coldplay (in a record-breaking fifth headline appearance on the Pyramid Stage) and American R’n’B singer SZA – the 2024 line-up was criticised for lacking anything truly cutting edge, being devoid of star power and altogether playing things too safe.  But while organisers could certainly have stood to take a few more risks with their programming, the nostalgia-heavy line-up served as proof that sometimes cutting edge is overrated. Missed day one? Here’s Time Out’s review, including our take on Dua Lipa’s headline performance.Day two review: Coldplay wrap up a talent-packed day.Day three review: SZA and Shania Twain bring festival to a close. How to get tickets for Glastonbury 2025.How to watch highlights from Glastonbury 2024 on TV. In fact, it was often precisely where the line-up’s nostalgic picks were concerned that programmers could perhaps have afforded to take a few more risks. Overcrowding for many of the festival’s old-school sets proved to be an issue throughout the weekend, with Friday afternoon’s Sugababes performance at West Holts and noughties pop-punk princess Avril Lavigne’s Sunday afternoon slot on the Other Stage proving so popular with the festival’s sizeable millennial cohort that both stages were shut down before either set had begun

Over seven months after tickets were hastily snapped up, Glastonbury 2024 is finally here. Following Wednesday, when Glasto-goers battled a heatwave and bore witness to a drone show and fireworks, and Thursday’s warm-up, the fest finally properly got going on Friday with huge shows on the main stages and a headlining set by global pop superstar Dua Lipa. Time Out is on the ground this year at Glasto, and among other things (including headliner previews and guides to this year’s full schedule, secret sets and how to watch online), we’re also reporting back with daily reviews and round-ups. Here’s the lowdown on Friday’s best sets, with Ed Cunningham and Rosie Hewitson.  RECOMMENDED:🖊️Glastonbury 2024 festival review.⭐️⭐️ Glastonbury 2024 Day 2 review: soaring headliners Coldplay wrap up a talent-packed day⭐️⭐️⭐️ Glastonbury 2024 Day 3 review: born entertainers SZA and Shania Twain bring festival to an energetic close.🎸 The full Glastonbury 2024 line-up and stage times you need to know.🤫 Everything you need to know about the Glastonbury 2024 secret sets.📺 How to watch Glastonbury 2024 on TV.🎪 How to get tickets for Glastonbury 2025.  Dua Lipa on the Pyramid Stage: slick, spectacular pop music When Dua Lipa last played Glastonbury, Worthy Farm could barely handle her. Mere weeks after the release of her debut album back in 2017, Dua wasn’t yet the all-conquering pop titan she is today – but she still packed out the John Peel Stage (now Woodsies) to its tent-pole rafters. Se

After four days of barely any rain, Glastonbury is now truly England’s Wild West. All is coated in thick orange dust, sunnies and masks keep muck out of eyes and mouths, and Wild West motel themed venue San Remo gets more authentic by the minute. Through the dust, the party goes on. How does Glasto follow Dua Lipa, one of the planet’s biggest pop stars? Well, with an equally world-conquering rock band, of course. Coldplay headlined day two of Glastonbury 2024.  But Saturday at Glastonbury wasn’t all about Coldplay. The rest of the day boasted a load of other sets ranging from old-guard classics like Cyndi Lauper and Bloc Party to newer trend-setters Little Simz and Casisdead. Rosie Hewitson and Ed Cunningham are on the ground at this year’s Glasto – here are their best bits from day two. RECOMMENDED: ⭐️Glastonbury 2024 festival review.Missed day one? Here’s Time Out’s review, including our take on Dua Lipa’s headline performance.🖊️ Glastonbury 2024 Day 3 review: born entertainers SZA and Shania Twain bring festival to an energetic close.The full Glastonbury 2024 line-up and stage times you need to know.Everything you need to know about the Glastonbury 2024 secret sets.How to watch Glastonbury 2024 on TV.  Coldplay on the Pyramid Stage: soaring, justified headliners Coldplay are used to this sort of thing. Saturday marked the fifth time Chris Martin and co have headlined Worthy Farm – a feat managed by no other artist in history (this year took them past the Cure, who’ve head