Looking for things to do in London this weekend? From Bonfire Night fireworks and Diwali celebrations to ice skating, art fairs, live music and Remembrance Sunday, here are 13 things worth doing from Friday 6 to Sunday 8 November 2026.
November has only just begun, but London is already getting busy.
Bonfire Night itself falls on Thursday 5 November this year, but some of the capital's biggest fireworks celebrations are taking place across the weekend. At the same time, London's winter season is beginning to appear, with the opening of Glide at Battersea Power Station, while cultural events including Diwali in Greenwich, Pitchfork Music Festival London and the London Korean Film Festival give you plenty of alternatives if fireworks aren't your thing.
There are also smaller events worth knowing about, including a contemporary art fair in Highgate, a special exploration weekend at the Royal Geographical Society and a three-day jewellery pop-up in Covent Garden.
So, if you're deciding what to do in London between Friday 6 and Sunday 8 November 2026, here are 13 ideas to put on your weekend list.
1. Watch the Fireworks & Drone Festival at Alexandra Palace
Saturday 7 & Sunday 8 November
📍 Alexandra Palace Park
From £11.50
If you want one of the biggest Bonfire Night experiences in London, head north to Alexandra Palace.
The Fireworks & Drone Festival returns on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 November, with a new two-day format for 2026. Gates open at 4pm on both days.
Saturday is the bigger night out, with an outdoor DJ set from Eats Everything, a German Bier Festival with a Queen tribute band, funfair rides, street food and plenty of entertainment.
Sunday has a more family-focused format, including a kids' rave, karaoke with Shaun Williamson and an earlier fireworks display.
Across both days you'll also find the giant bonfire, marshmallow toasting, funfair rides, ice skating and the main fireworks and synchronised drone show.
The location is another reason to go. Alexandra Palace sits high above North London, giving the fireworks a particularly impressive London skyline backdrop.
Good for: groups, families, first dates and anyone who wants a big Bonfire Night atmosphere.
2. See the fireworks at Blackheath
Saturday 7 November, 5pm–10.30pm
📍 Blackheath
Ticketed
If you live in South East London, Blackheath gives you another major fireworks option.
The Blackheath Fireworks event takes place on Saturday 7 November from 5pm until 10.30pm, with fireworks alongside live entertainment, comedy, fairground rides and food.
This year's entertainment includes DJ Luck & MC Neat, Brandon Block, Massaoke and Lords of Lightning, as well as comedy from the Big Belly Comedy Club. There is also a large Street Food Village with more than 60 vendors.
The event is more than simply turning up for the fireworks and going home, so give yourself enough time to explore the site.
There are also significant road closures around Blackheath from the afternoon, so public transport is the sensible option.
Good for: foodies, families and anyone looking for a South London fireworks night.
3. Spend Saturday evening at Battersea Park Fireworks
Saturday 7 & Sunday 8 November
📍 Battersea Park
Battersea Park is another major London location carrying its Bonfire Night celebrations into the weekend.
The fireworks take place on both Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 November, giving you two chances to go if your weekend schedule is already busy.
If you're choosing between the different displays, think about where you want to spend the rest of your day.
Battersea is particularly easy to combine with an afternoon around Battersea Power Station, which is also opening its winter ice rink this weekend.
That means you can make a full day of it rather than travelling across London just for the fireworks.
Good for: couples, groups and anyone already exploring Battersea.
4. Celebrate Diwali at the National Maritime Museum
Saturday 7 November, 10.30am–5pm
📍 National Maritime Museum, Greenwich
Free
One of the weekend's best free events takes place in Greenwich.
The National Maritime Museum's Diwali celebration takes place on Saturday 7 November from 10.30am to 5pm, with a day of performances, creativity and cultural activities.
Expect dance performances, lantern-making, rangoli workshops, storytelling and other activities, with the event built around the theme of coming together and community.
There is also a lantern parade as part of the day's celebrations.
Because the event is free, it makes a great addition to a wider Greenwich day out. You could spend the afternoon around the museum and Cutty Sark, walk through Greenwich Park and then stay for food.
Good for: families, culture lovers and anyone looking for a free Saturday activity.
5. Start your winter season at Glide at Battersea Power Station
Opens Friday 6 November
📍 Battersea Power Station
If you're not ready for Christmas yet, London might change your mind.
Glide at Battersea Power Station opens on Friday 6 November and runs until 3 January 2027.
It is London's riverside ice rink and features three interconnected rinks and a 200-metre skate trail, with views across the River Thames and the London skyline.
The setting is what makes this different from many other London ice rinks.
You are skating directly beside Battersea Power Station, with the Thames and the city around you.
There are also festive food and drink options, a vintage fairground and other activities around the rink.
If you're looking for a date idea this weekend, this is an easy one.
Good for: dates, friends and families.
6. Explore the Highgate Art Fair
Friday 6 – Sunday 8 November
📍 Highgate Primary School, Storey Road
Weekend general entry £10; concessions £8
For something completely different, head north to Highgate.
The Highgate Art Fair runs from 6 to 8 November and brings together more than 50 artists, galleries and collectives in the Victorian hall of Highgate Primary School.
The fair focuses on original and affordable contemporary art, with visitors able to discover work directly from artists and studios.
General entry on Saturday and Sunday runs from 10.30am to 6pm, while Friday evening is the private view.
This is a good choice if you want to spend a few hours somewhere that feels a little removed from central London's busiest attractions.
You can also turn it into a wider Highgate day by exploring the village and heading towards Hampstead Heath afterwards.
Good for: art lovers, creatives and anyone looking for a quieter weekend activity.
7. See live music at Pitchfork Music Festival London
Friday 6 – Sunday 8 November
📍 Various London venues
Music fans have an entire weekend to choose from.
Pitchfork Music Festival London is taking place across the capital from 2 to 8 November, and the final three days include some of the festival's biggest shows.
On Friday 6 November, The Avalanches, Panda Bear & Sonic Boom and Arushi Jain are at the Roundhouse, while Olof Dreijer performs at the ICA and Bassvictim appears at Troxy.
Saturday includes Noname at Heaven, Thaiboy Digital at Village Underground and the huge Dalston Takeover featuring artists including DIIV, Mandy, Indiana, Psychedelic Porn Crumpets and Working Men's Club.
Then Sunday brings Hania Rani to Royal Festival Hall.
Not every show still has tickets available, so check the programme before making plans.
Good for: music fans and anyone wanting a proper night out.
8. Spend Sunday morning at the National Service of Remembrance
Sunday 8 November
📍 The Cenotaph, Whitehall
Free
Sunday isn't only about fireworks.
Remembrance Sunday takes place on 8 November, with the National Service of Remembrance held at the Cenotaph on Whitehall from 11am.
The service commemorates British and Commonwealth military and civilian personnel involved in the two world wars and later conflicts.
Members of the public can watch from pavements along Whitehall and Parliament Street, although spaces are limited and security procedures will be in place. Whitehall opens to the public from 8am.
The two-minute silence takes place at 11am.
If you plan to attend, treat it as a respectful commemorative event rather than simply another attraction. Large bags are discouraged, and the government recommends allowing extra time for security and transport.
Good for: anyone wanting to take part in an important national commemoration.
9. Go to the London Korean Film Festival
2–16 November
📍 Various London venues
Prefer a cinema weekend?
The London Korean Film Festival is running across London from 2 to 16 November, so several screenings fall within this weekend.
The festival is now in its 21st edition and showcases Korean cinema ranging from new releases and genre films to independent work.
Screenings include films such as Possible Love, Time of Cinema, The Gorals and Mongrels, with selected screenings featuring introductions or Q&As.
The festival is a good reminder that a London weekend doesn't have to revolve around the same West End shows and tourist attractions.
Check the programme and choose a screening that catches your attention.
Good for: film lovers and anyone looking for something different.
10. Visit the 70 Years of Love pop-up in Covent Garden
Friday 6 – Sunday 8 November
📍 The Stables, 40 Earlham Street, Covent Garden
Free admission with booking
If you're already going to be around Covent Garden, there is a three-day pop-up worth checking out.
The Diamond Store's “70 Years of Love” experience runs from 6 to 8 November at The Stables on Earlham Street.
The pop-up celebrates the brand's history with an immersive jewellery experience, giveaways, personalised love poems, a jewellery bar and an installation inspired by the inside of a diamond.
There are also two ticketed panel discussions during the weekend.
Saturday's panel, “Will You Marry Me? The Unfiltered Version,” takes place from 1pm to 2.15pm, while Sunday's “More Than a Diamond: The Stories We Wear” explores the stories attached to jewellery.
General admission to the pop-up is free, but booking is required.
Good for: couples, jewellery fans and anyone exploring Covent Garden.
11. Join the Royal Geographical Society's Explore Weekend
Friday 6 – Sunday 8 November
📍 Royal Geographical Society, Kensington
Ticketed
This one is particularly interesting if you're the sort of person who is always thinking about the next trip.
The Royal Geographical Society's Explore Weekend returns from 6 to 8 November for its 50th edition.
The weekend brings together explorers, researchers, expedition organisers and people planning their first field projects.
Sessions cover subjects such as expedition planning, responsible travel, field skills, risk management and communicating discoveries.
It is not simply a collection of travel talks either. The weekend is designed to help people turn ideas for expeditions and field projects into something practical.
Tickets are £135 for non-members and £95 for members, with student discounts available through the organiser.
Good for: travellers, photographers, explorers and people planning ambitious trips.
12. Catch a special evening concert at the Queen's House
Friday 6 November, 7.30–8.30pm
📍 Queen's House, Greenwich
From £16
If you want something more intimate on Friday night, head to Greenwich.
The Queen's House is hosting an evening concert featuring harpists Gloria Rappo and Xinyi Wu from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance.
The concert runs from 7.30pm to 8.30pm, with adult tickets priced at £16 and concessions available.
It is a very different Friday night from heading to a pub or a busy club, and the historic surroundings of the Queen's House make the setting part of the experience.
You could also spend the afternoon exploring Greenwich before heading to the concert.
Good for: couples, classical music fans and a quieter Friday evening.
13. Spend Sunday afternoon exploring London's autumn side
Sunday 8 November
📍 Various London parks and neighbourhoods
And finally, leave some room for something that doesn't require a ticket.
Early November is a beautiful time to explore London's parks, particularly if you get a dry afternoon.
Take a walk through Richmond Park, Hampstead Heath, Greenwich Park, Regent's Park or St James's Park and enjoy the last of the autumn colours before winter properly takes over.
You could make this as simple as:
Coffee → autumn walk → Sunday roast → sunset → home.
Or combine a park walk with one of the events happening elsewhere in London.
The best thing about this option is that you don't have to plan every minute of your Sunday.
Sometimes the best London weekends are the ones where you simply pick a neighbourhood, put your phone away for a while and see where the streets take you.
How I'd Plan This Weekend
If you're trying to fit several of these into three days, here's one possible LondonYaar-style weekend.
Friday 6 November -
Start around Covent Garden and visit the 70 Years of Love pop-up.
Then head south to Battersea Power Station for the opening weekend of Glide.
Or, if you're into music, choose one of the Pitchfork shows instead.
Saturday 7 November -
Start your day in Greenwich at the free Diwali celebration at the National Maritime Museum.
Spend the afternoon exploring Greenwich.
Then choose your evening:
Alexandra Palace for fireworks and drones,
Blackheath for fireworks,
Battersea Park for fireworks,
or Pitchfork if live music is more your thing.
Sunday 8 November -
Start the morning around Whitehall for Remembrance Sunday if you want to attend the national commemoration.
Then keep the afternoon slower.
Visit the Highgate Art Fair, catch a film at the London Korean Film Festival, see Hania Rani at Royal Festival Hall, or simply go for an autumn walk.
Final Thoughts
The first weekend of November is a surprisingly good time to be in London.
You get the last proper autumn feeling before the city goes completely Christmas-focused, while Bonfire Night celebrations bring fireworks across the capital and the first winter attractions begin opening.
There is also a good mix of things to do depending on your mood.
Want something spectacular? Alexandra Palace.
Want something free? Diwali at the National Maritime Museum.
Want a date idea? Glide at Battersea Power Station.
Want live music? Pitchfork.
Want art? Highgate Art Fair.
Want something meaningful? Remembrance Sunday.
And if you don't want to spend much at all, London's parks and neighbourhoods are still there waiting for you.
Just remember that several of the weekend's biggest events are ticketed, and some have already sold out certain sessions. Check availability before travelling, particularly for fireworks and music events.
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.