Things to Look Forward to in London This September 2026
August is almost over, which means London is about to enter one of those months when it feels like the city has suddenly decided to put everything on at once.
There are major festivals, free cultural events, food, fashion, design, architecture, theatre and one of the world's most famous medieval artefacts finally coming to London.
So if you're already wondering what's happening in London this September, here are some of the things worth putting in your diary.
Some are completely free.
Some need tickets.
And a few are the sort of things you should book as early as possible.
1. Back to Hogwarts is changing this year
September starts with a big change for Harry Potter fans.
On Tuesday 1 September, the official Back to Hogwarts celebrations will include a free fan experience at Old Billingsgate, with interactive experiences, photo opportunities, giveaways, gaming and a glimpse at the upcoming HBO Harry Potter series.
But there is one particularly important detail if you've made a habit of going to King's Cross every 1 September.
There will be no official Back to Hogwarts event, countdown or announcement at King's Cross Station this year.
The official Harry Potter website is explicitly telling fans not to travel there expecting one.
There will still be Harry Potter activity elsewhere, including an 11am Back to Hogwarts announcement at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London, followed by further broadcasts at Platform 9¾ throughout the day.
So if 1 September is part of your Harry Potter tradition, this is definitely one to know about before you make your plans.
When: 1 September
Where: Old Billingsgate and other official Harry Potter locations
Cost: Old Billingsgate event is free but ticketed
2. Totally Thames takes over the river for the entire month
If you like discovering unusual things happening around the Thames, September is a very good time to explore the river.
Totally Thames runs from 1–30 September, bringing a month-long programme of art, culture, performances, walks, races and other events to locations along the river. Visit London currently lists it as one of the major September events in the capital.
The important thing is that Totally Thames isn't one event happening in one place.
The programme stretches across London, so you can find something happening near different sections of the river throughout the month.
That makes it a particularly good one to keep checking rather than simply choosing one date and forgetting about it.
When: 1–30 September
Where: Various locations along the Thames
Cost: Varies by event
3. Meatopia returns to Tobacco Dock
If your idea of a good September involves a lot of food, Meatopia On-Fire London should be on your list.
The festival returns to Tobacco Dock from Thursday 3 to Sunday 6 September, bringing chefs together to cook over wood and charcoal.
There are also drinks, live music and DJs, making it much more of a festival experience than simply going somewhere for a meal.
The official schedule currently lists:
Thursday 3 September: 4pm–10pm, over-18s only
Friday 4 September: 2pm–10pm
Saturday 5 September: 12pm–10pm
Sunday 6 September: 12pm–6pm
And if you're travelling by public transport, Tobacco Dock is around a five-minute walk from both Shadwell and Wapping stations.
When: 3–6 September
Where: Tobacco Dock
Cost: Ticketed
4. Black On The Square returns to Trafalgar Square
One of the best free events to put in your September diary is Black On The Square.
The Mayor of London's festival returns to Trafalgar Square on Saturday 5 September from 12pm to 6pm.
The free festival celebrates Black culture and creativity, with music, entertainment, workshops, food and traders.
This year's event also marks several important anniversaries, including 60 years of Notting Hill Carnival and 30 years of the MOBO Awards.
It is completely free to attend, so this is one to remember if you're looking for something interesting to do without spending money on tickets.
When: Saturday 5 September, 12pm–6pm
Where: Trafalgar Square
Cost: Free
5. CelebrASIA returns to Battersea Power Station
From 11–13 September, Battersea Power Station will host the third edition of celebrASIA, a free festival celebrating Southeast Asian culture.
The 2026 event is set to be the biggest edition yet, with live music, dance performances, national dress parades, street food, arts and crafts, an Artisan Market and family activities.
There are also some new additions this year, including expert panels covering fashion, food, literature and culture, cooking classes, comedy performances and an extended programme of film screenings.
More than 35 food and drink vendors are expected to take part.
And because the festival takes place at Battersea Power Station, you can easily turn it into a full day out around the riverside neighbourhood.
When: 11–13 September
Where: Battersea Power Station
Cost: Free to attend
6. The Great River Race turns the Thames into a giant racecourse
On Saturday 12 September, hundreds of boats will take to the Thames for the Great River Race.
The race covers 21.6 miles, running from Millwall towards Richmond and passing beneath London's bridges. Visit London's current September guide lists it as one of the month's major events.
And you don't have to enter the race to enjoy it.
You can simply find a good viewing point along the Thames and watch the boats make their way through London.
It is one of those events that can be surprisingly fun to stumble across because suddenly a normal riverside walk turns into a huge sporting spectacle.
When: Saturday 12 September
Where: Along the Thames, from Millwall towards Richmond
Cost: Free to watch from public areas
7. London Design Festival turns the city into a giant design exhibition
From 12–20 September, London Design Festival returns for its 24th edition.
And this isn't an event confined to one exhibition hall.
The festival spreads across London through installations, exhibitions, talks, design districts and special projects.
The 2026 programme includes 11 design districts, including Bankside, Chelsea, Mayfair, Shoreditch, Soho and others.
There are also plenty of individual installations and events listed across the official programme, ranging from architecture and furniture to craft, technology and public art.
So even if you're not someone who normally follows the design world, September is a good excuse to explore London and see what has appeared around the city.
When: 12–20 September
Where: Various locations across London
Cost: Varies; many events and installations are free
8. Open House Festival lets you see inside London
This is one of the best September events for anyone who has ever walked past a London building and thought:
“I wonder what it looks like inside.”
Open House Festival returns from 12–20 September, opening buildings and other sites across all 33 London boroughs to the public.
And the important part?
Everything in the festival is free to attend.
Some activities are drop-in, while others are ticketed and need to be booked in advance.
Bookings for ticketed activities opened on 19 August, so if there is a particular building or tour you want to see, it's worth checking availability rather than assuming you can simply turn up.
The 2026 programme is already live, with everything from buildings and architecture to walking tours and other events.
When: 12–20 September
Where: Across all 33 London boroughs
Cost: Free
9. The Bayeux Tapestry finally comes to London
This is arguably one of the biggest cultural events of the year.
From September 2026, the Bayeux Tapestry will be displayed at the British Museum for the first time since it was made almost 1,000 years ago.
The nearly 70-metre-long tapestry tells the story of the events leading up to the Norman Conquest and the Battle of Hastings in 1066.
The exhibition is scheduled to run from September 2026 until July 2027.
This is one where you should think about tickets early.
The British Museum says booking for September–December 2026 opened on 1 July, with members receiving priority booking.
So if seeing the tapestry is on your list, check the latest ticket availability before making your plans rather than assuming you can simply walk into the exhibition.
When: September 2026–July 2027
Where: British Museum
Cost: Ticketed exhibition
10. London Fashion Week returns
September brings one of London's biggest fashion events back to the city.
London Fashion Week takes place from Thursday 17 to Monday 21 September 2026.
The British Fashion Council's provisional schedule includes major British names such as Burberry, McQueen, Mulberry, Erdem, Emilia Wickstead, Richard Quinn and Simone Rocha, alongside emerging designers and new talent.
Not every catwalk show is open to the general public, so don't assume you can simply buy a ticket to every show.
However, the wider programme includes installations, exhibitions, retail activity and cultural events that give Londoners and visitors opportunities to experience the fashion week atmosphere.
When: 17–21 September
Where: Various London locations
Cost: Varies
11. September is your last chance to see the current version of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
If you've been putting off seeing Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, September gives you one final reason to go.
The current two-part production at the Palace Theatre is scheduled to close on 20 September 2026.
That means September is your last chance to experience the current two-part format before the production changes.
Visit London's current September guide lists the show as running until 20 September, with tickets currently available from around £31.25.
So if you've been saying:
“I'll see it eventually.”
This might be the month to stop saying that.
When: Until 20 September
Where: Palace Theatre
Cost: Ticketed
12. NIGO: From Japan with Love is still on at the Design Museum
September isn't only about events that start that month.
There are also exhibitions already running that are worth putting into your plans.
One of them is NIGO: From Japan with Love at the Design Museum.
The exhibition explores the work and influence of the Japanese designer, artist and cultural figure NIGO and runs until 4 October 2026.
That means September is one of the final opportunities to see it before it closes.
And if you're already heading to the Design Museum for London Design Festival, it makes even more sense to combine the two.
When: Through 4 October 2026
Where: Design Museum
Cost: Ticketed
13. Es Devlin's major exhibition opens later in September
There is another Design Museum exhibition worth knowing about, but this one needs a date correction from earlier versions of this article.
Es Devlin's major retrospective does not open at the beginning of September.
The Design Museum's current official information gives the exhibition dates as 2 October 2026–4 April 2027.
However, the Design Museum's earlier 2026 programme announcement gave 18 September as the opening date.
Because the museum's current exhibition page now says 2 October, the later date is the one I would use in a current article.
So if you're looking forward to it in September, think of it as something coming next, rather than an exhibition you can definitely visit in September.
The exhibition will explore 30 years of Devlin's work across sculpture, stage design, music, language and light.
When: From 2 October 2026
Where: Design Museum
Cost: Ticketed
What should you book now?
If you're planning your September in advance, a few things deserve more attention than others.
The Bayeux Tapestry should be high on your list if you want to see it, particularly because it is a major one-off opportunity to see the tapestry in England. Check the British Museum's current ticket availability before planning your visit.
Open House Festival is another one to look at early. Everything is free, but some activities are ticketed and can become fully booked.
Meatopia requires tickets, so check the day and session you want before going.
And if you're interested in London Fashion Week, check the official programme before making plans because the main shows aren't all public events.
What can you do for free?
September doesn't have to be expensive.
You can spend the month going to events such as:
Black On The Square in Trafalgar Square.
celebrASIA at Battersea Power Station.
Open House Festival, which is completely free.
The Great River Race, which you can watch from public areas along the Thames.
And plenty of London Design Festival installations and events are free, although individual events can have their own arrangements.
Totally Thames also has a mixture of free and paid events, so check the individual listing before heading out.
September might be one of the best months to explore London
August gets plenty of attention because of summer holidays, outdoor events and Notting Hill Carnival.
But September is when London starts getting busy again in a completely different way.
Theatres are running.
Major exhibitions are opening.
Food festivals return.
The Thames becomes a stage.
Buildings open their doors.
Fashion takes over the city.
Design installations appear across neighbourhoods.
And the Bayeux Tapestry finally comes to London after almost a thousand years.
So if you're wondering what there is to look forward to after August ends, the answer is quite a lot.
Whether you want a completely free day out, something you need to book in advance, a major cultural event or simply an excuse to explore another part of London, September has plenty worth putting in your diary.
And you don't have to wait until September arrives to start planning.
Planning your next London day out? Discover more neighbourhood guides, hidden gems, food spots and things to do on LondonYaar.com.
Follow @rohan.londonyaar for more London places, stories and things worth knowing before you visit.