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February events
February in London can be a bit chilly, and the tourist attractions get busy mid-month when the school’s break-up for a week. But those dark and frosty evenings make it a great time for walking through the bright lights of the West End. Maybe you can treat your partner to a meal and a show on Valentine’s Day?
Theatre shows in February
Treat yourself to a meal and a balcony seat at a West End show
to Les Miserables is an epic tale of passion and destruction set against the backdrop of the French Revolution
to A man is obsessed with a family curse and hires a sceptical young actor to help him exorcise the fear that grips his soul
to The Phantom of the Opera has some of the best sets in the West End and one of Andrew Lloyd Webbers finest scores
to Based on the Oscar-winning Disney movie The Lion King tells the story of Simba and his adventures in the jungle
to Agatha Christies murder mystery crime thriller has been running in the West End for nearly 60 years
to If you like The Wizard of Oz then you will love Wicked -- it tells the story of what happened to the good and evil witches
to Thriller celebrates Michaels career in a spectacular show filled with songs and dazzling dance moves
to Roald Dahls Matilda tells the story of a child who rebels against the grown-ups when she discovers her amazing powers
to Mamma Mia is based on the hit movie starring Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan and uses the songs of ABBA
to The Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society put on a West End show but will they crack under the pressure?
to Relive Berry Gordys journey as he launches Motown and the careers of superstars like Michael Jackson
to The writers behind The Play That Goes Wrong are back with The Comedy About A Bank Robbery at the Criterion
to Disneys Aladdin has been turned into a West End musical and will be showing at the Prince Edward Theatre
to Palace Theatre will be showing Harry Potter and the Cursed Child -- a brand-new Harry Potter story by JK Rowling
to The Jack Black movie School of Rock has been turned into a West End mind-blowing musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Julian Fellowes
to Everybodys Talking About Jamie is all about overcoming prejudice with songs by The Feelings Dan Gillespie Sells
to Alexander Hamilton was George Washingtons right hand man and one of Americas Founding Fathers
to TINA tells the story of Tina Turner from her humble start in Nutbush to her transformation into a global superstar
to David Threlfall and Rufus Hound will be starring in the medieval adventures of Don Quixote at the Garrick Theatre
The Sam Wanamaker Theatre will be putting on a candlelit production of Shakespeares most brutal play Macbeth
to Caroline is a poorly paid maid who transforms her basement workplace into a magical place of singing washing machines
to True West tells the story of two brothers pitted against each other as they try and impress a producer with their film ideas
to Trevor Nunn will be directing the heartbreaking but ultimately joyous story of Tevye the milkman and his family
to When Christopher comes under suspicion for killing Mrs Shears dog he decides to solve the crime himself
to The Sam Wanamaker Theatre will be putting on a candlelit production of Christopher Marlowes Doctor Faustus
to The Jamaican Nine Night wake is a traditional way to see off the dead -- with a nine night party of food and laughter
to Coming Clean is a play about a seemingly happy couple whose relationship founders when a new man comes into their lives
to Leave To Remain tells the story of a gay couple facing an uncertain future which threatens to fracture their families as well
to On the outside Judy seems to be the perfect 1950s housewife but if you peek behind the curtains her marriage is starting to unravel
to 9 To 5 uses the music of Dolly Parton to tell the story of three put-upon workers who oust their egotistical office boss
to Come From Away tells the story of how a small Canadian town took in 7000 stranded air passengers after 9/11
to The five-month long season of Harold Pinters one-act plays continues with A Slight Ache and The Dumb Waiter
to The American Clock is Arthur Millers play about the nations unwavering faith in capitalism after the 1929 stock market crash
to Harry Judd Aston Merrygold Jay McGuiness and Louis Smith will be dancing their way through a 1960s soundtrack in Rip It Up
to The Sam Wanamaker Theatre will be putting on a candlelit production of Christopher Marlowes Edward II
to Waitress tells the story of pie-making Jenna who longs to escape her dreary marriage in small-town America
to The Donmar Warehouse is putting on a production of Berberian Sound Studio - based on Peter Stricklands horror movie
to TV ballroom dancers Anton and Erin are back at Barbican Hall with Dance Those Magical Musicals
to A comedy play improvised from start to finish when a lost Jane Austen novel will be discovered before your eyes
to When Agnes Eaves arrives late to the feared Bayou Mansions it either signals hope for the residents or horror
to The Sam Wanamaker Playhouse will be putting on an intimate candlelit production of William Shakespeares Richard II
to The Globe Theatre will be putting on a fast-paced performance of William Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet
to Betrayal is the culmination of Jamie Lloyds Harold Pinter season and stars the Hollywood actor Tom Hiddleston
Music, comedy & film in February
Live music concerts and comedy gigs in London during January
to Tom Rosenthal from Plebs will be coming to the Battersea Arts Centre for a week of work in progress shows
Rob Newman will be taking us on a whirlwind tour through the last 3000 years of philosophy in Total Eclipse Of Descartes
Australian band Parkway Drive will be coming to London in February and playing one night at Alexandra Palace
Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls will be playing one night at Alexandra Palace to support their last album Be More Kind
Reginald D Hunter will be doing some stand-up at the 100 Club alongside Jamali Maddix Phil Wang and Sarah Keyworth
Synth-pop band CHVRCHES will be kicking off their UK and Ireland tour with a big show at Alexandra Palace
to Have I Got News For You star Paul Merton will be appearing with the Comedy Store Players at Londons Comedy Store
to Tom Neenan will be exploring the perils of toxic masculinity and the male creator in a narrative-driven comedy show
to Join Daniel Cook at the Battersea Arts Centre for an hour of stand-up comedy about death and his new pet cat
Folk pop star Maggie Rogers will be playing the Brixton Academy in support of her debut album Heard It In A Past Life
American band Good Charlotte will be playing one night at Alexandra Palace to support their album Generation Rx
to Alun Cochrane will be doing some stand-up at Londons most popular comedy club - all 6-foot 4-inches of him
The soul music collective Jungle will be playing their biggest-ever headline show in February when they come to Alexandra Palace
to Michael McIntyre will be doing some warm-up shows at the Duchess Theatre in preparation for his Big World Tour
Grammy nominated singer Emily King will be coming to Bush Hall following the release of her new album Scenery
to Ben Target is promising us some doggy paddle lessons and synchronised aquatics at his Battersea Arts Centre pool party
to The multi award-winning comic Nathan Caton does regular stand-up shows at Londons famous Comedy Store
Family & Kid’s events in February
Some ideas if you’re planning to take your children to London in February
to Based on the Oscar-winning Disney movie The Lion King tells the story of Simba and his adventures in the jungle
to If you like The Wizard of Oz then you will love Wicked -- it tells the story of what happened to the good and evil witches
to Roald Dahls Matilda tells the story of a child who rebels against the grown-ups when she discovers her amazing powers
to Disneys Aladdin has been turned into a West End musical and will be showing at the Prince Edward Theatre
to Palace Theatre will be showing Harry Potter and the Cursed Child -- a brand-new Harry Potter story by JK Rowling
to Enter the nocturnal world of the creatures that live in pitch-black caves and at the bottom of the deep dark ocean
to The Science Museum will be telling the extraordinary story of the life-giving star that sits at the centre of our Solar System
This cable car offers fantastic views as it carries you across the Thames from the O2 Arena to the ExCel Centre in five minutes
NAMCO Funscape is like an indoor funfair with arcade games pool tables 10-pin bowling bumper cars and a sports bar
free to A child-friendly exhibition about pirates that will take your kids on a swashbuckling adventure and show them some real pirate coins
The Royal Observatory in Greenwich puts on a daily show at their planetarium to show you what will be visible in the sky tonight
Heres your chance to enter the animal enclosures and get close to some of the friendliest animals at London Zoo
Enjoy a medieval banquet and be entertained by English knights and singing minstrels and King Henry VIII
to Re-live the movie Night At The Museum by spending a whole night inside the Natural History Museum!
free to Meet Mary Poppins at the Bank of England Museum for one of her interactive storytelling tours for kids
Art & Museum exhibitions in February
If you’re into art and history then how about visiting a gallery or museum?
free to Learn how scientists are fighting back against the bacteria that are growing increasingly resistant to antibiotics
free to Magic Realism is an exhibition of paintings created during the Weimar Republic years between World Wars I and II
to See how todays blockbuster videogames are created by looking at concept art and large-scale immersive installations
free to This exhibition explores the connection between some of Britains oldest cultural organisations and transatlantic slavery
free to Jesse Darling uses the legend of Saint Jerome to create works about control captivity and the subjugation of others
free to The Bank of England Museum will be putting on an exhibition of work by Feliks Topolski about the Debden printing works
free to Pierre Huyghes new exhibition at the Serpentine uses images of peoples brain activity and a birthing chamber of live flies
free to A free exhibition that showcases some of the finest examples in the British Museums collection of 70000 medals
180 objects and 600 years of treasures from Anglo-Saxon England exploring the beginnings of the English language
to Wildlife Photographer of the Year returns to the Natural History Museum with this exhibition of the top 100 photos
A demonstration about Victorian surgery inside the original 19th-century Operating Theatre at St Thomass Hospital
to Tate Britain will be putting on a retrospective of work by the last of the Pre-Raphaelites Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones
to Fans of Charles M Schulz much-loved Peanuts cartoon will want to see the Charlie Brown and Snoopy exhibition at Somerset House
to Roman Vishniac is best known for documenting the daily life of harrassed Jews living in Germany between the wars
to This exhibition examines the role that photography once had and how it has changed in this age of internet images
free to The Tate will looking at the uncompromising sculptures that emerged in Britain after the Second World War
to An exhibition of drawings by two Austrian artists in the centenary of their deaths -- Gustav Klimt and Egon Schiele
to The National Gallery will be putting on an exhibition of works by the Italian Renaissance portrait artist Lorenzo Lotto
to A group event where youll turn into a CSI and collect evidence around the Natural History Museum to solve a murder mystery
to The major new exhibition at the British Museum will reveal treasures from the reign of King Ashurbanipal of Assyria
to Energise your body with an early-morning yoga class followed by a live gong bath at the Natural History Museum
to Gainsboroughs Family Album collects together fifty works showing the family life of 18th-century artist Thomas Gainsborough
free to An exhibition all about cats that explores how they have been portrayed in literature in paintings and on the stage
to The Guildhall Art Gallerys new exhibition will explore the changing way that childhood was portrayed in Victorian art
free to Explore the development of P G Wodehouses writing career with this free exhibition at the British Library
free to Rachel Macleans darkly comic and satirical film explores the relationship between Scotland and England
free to Edwin Landseers majestic painting of The Monarch of the Glen is one of the worlds best-loved animal paintings
free to The British Museum will be marking the anniversary of Cooks Pacific voyage by looking at it from the Islanders perspective
to Tate Modern will be putting on a major new exhibition of work by the master of colour and composition Pierre Bonnard
to Put on some headphones at the Natural History Museum and dance along to the songs playing inside your head
to This exhibition compares the work of two very different artists: the peerless Michelangelo and the video artist Bill Viola
to An exhibition of work by Scottish artist Morag Keil using found materials and everyday objects in a series of installations
to Some of the finest designs and dresses by Christian Dior tracing the impact that his fashion house has made over the last seventy years
free to An exhibition of 65 rarely seen Rembrandt prints and drawings to mark the 350th anniversary of the Dutch Masters death
to In The Beginning collects together more than 100 works by the American photographer Diane Arbus from her early career
to The Hayward Gallery is putting on an exhibition of artworks by Kader Attia called The Museum of Emotion
to This retrospective will showcase some large-scale works and sculptures by Franz West - one of the leading figures in European art
to The Elizabethan Treasures exhibition brings together many of the best miniature paintings from the 16th and 17th-century
free to Get your sketchbook and pencil ready for ninety minutes of drawing famous paintings at the National Gallery
to The RA will be showing one of Phyllida Barlows large-scale installations in the new Gabrielle Jungels-Winkler Gallery
to The Tate Modern will be putting on an exhibition that looks back over the long career of surrealist artist Dorothea Tanning
free to French artist Louis-Leopold Boilly worked in revolutionary Paris and witnessed the rise and fall of Napoleon
Royal & Religious events in February
For tourists interested in visiting London’s palaces, churches and cathedrals
free Listen to one of the countrys finest organists play on the Grand Organ at St Pauls every Sunday
to See two of Bill Violas modern-day altarpieces in their proper religious setting in this guided art tour around St Pauls Cathedral
to Enjoy a glass of champagne and a tour of the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace in the company of an expert guide
to See the Tower of London after dark and be led around the grounds by a Yeoman Warder as he tells you all the stories
to The Royalty & The Romanovs exhibition will explore some of the events and works of art that passed between British and Russian Royal families
to Spend a night at Hampton Court being led around the courtyards listening to spine-tingling ghost stories
free On the 23rd of every month people gather at Crossbones Graveyard to pay their respects to societys outcasts
Visit the State Apartments at the worlds oldest inhabited castle which has been home to the Royal Family for a thousand years
free Attend a Sunday service in one of the countrys most beautiful chapels -- Henry VIIIs Chapel Royal at Hampton Court Palace
free You can attend a Sunday service at the Chapel Royal in the Tower of London -- one of the most historic churches in the City
free The Old Palace Tour will introduce you to three Stuart queens who had an association with the old buildings at Somerset House
free You can enjoy a choral Evensong service at Westminster Abbey which combines a traditional mass with a choir
free If you attend a choral Evensong service at St Pauls Cathedral then you can see a small part of the Cathedral for free
This guided walk will look at the outside of St Pauls Cathedral and at a selection of Christopher Wrens finest City churches
free to The Science Museum will be exploring the life and death of the Romanovs — the last imperial monarchs of Russia
to Dianas Fashion Story at Kensington Palace is an exhibition of iconic dresses that show the evolution of her style
Political & Military events in February
Daily parades and political events taking place during February
free to The London Assembly will be grilling Sadiq Khan at Mayors Question Time in their monthly meeting at City Hall
free to An exhibition of artists postcards that have been used to highlight political and social issues from the 1960s onwards
to An exhibition of 250 photographs by Don McCullin showing scenes of poverty and war in Vietnam and Northern Ireland
Enjoy a Saturday tour of Parliament and then enjoy an afternoon tea on the Terrace Pavilion overlooking the Thames
The Houses of Parliament offers guided tours on most Saturdays when the MPs have returned to their constituencies
free You can watch the Prime Minister get grilled by the House of Commons every Wednesday at Prime Ministers Questions
free Visit Parliament for free and watch MPs debating in the House of Commons and House of Lords
free to Changing the Guard at Buckingham Palace is one of the must-see sights in London for every tourists itinerary
to World War I paintings by Sir Alfred Munnings created when he was part of the Canadian Expeditionary Force
to The Shadows of War exhibition at the Queens Gallery reveals the futility of war through Roger Fentons photographs of the Crimean War
free to An exhibition about the British Hussars exploring their history and shared traditions with the Hungarian Hussars
Enjoy a private tour of the Churchill War Rooms and experience Winston Churchills wartime bunker from behind the glass
free Visit Speakers Corner on a Sunday lunchtime and hear orators discussing whatever they like in the name of free speech
free The Dismounting Ceremony (or 4 OClock Parade) is a short ceremony that takes place every day at Horse Guards
One of the best ways of seeing the Tower of London is alongside a Yeoman Warder (better known as the Beefeaters)
free Changing the Guard at Horse Guards is similar to Buckingham Palace but its less crowded and takes place every day
free The Ceremony of the Keys is the traditional locking up of the Tower of London and has been taking place every night for 700 years
Look inside the Lord Mayor of Londons official residence at Mansion House and see the interior courtyard and famous Egyptian Hall
free Watch the long arm of the law in action at the Old Bailey where members of the public can sit in the gallery and watch a case
free Why not try something a bit different -- how about going to the Royal Courts of Justice and watching a real-life court case?
free to An exhibition to commemorate the often unheralded role that African and colonial soldiers played during the First World War
free to Hear the personal stories of the soldiers civilians and children who lived through the Armistice at the end of World War I
free to An exhibition of black and white photos showing the rebuilding and changes that took place after World War I
free to Moments of Silence uses recordings of the silences captured at Remembrance Services at 11 AM on 11th November
Classical music in February
All of the classical music, operas and ballets in London during February
This guided tour of the Royal Albert Hall will take you inside one of the balcony boxes for a fantastic view of the famous auditorium
John Butt and the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Chorus will be performing JS Bachs Mass in B Minor at Barbican Hall
The BBC Concert Orchestra playing some classical music by Wagner Paganini Berlioz and Liszt at Alexandra Palace
The London Symphony Orchestra will be performing some classical music by Mendelssohn Schumann and Weber at Barbican Hall
The BBC Symphony Orchestra will be performing some classical music by Beethoven and Thomas Larcher at Barbican Hall
Sir John Eilot Gardiner and the London Symphony Orchestra will be performing some classical music by Schumann at Barbican Hall
The BBC Symphony Orchestra will be performing some music by Shostakovich Peteris Vasks and Gavin Higgins at Barbican Hall
free to St Martin-in-the-Fields in Trafalgar Square usually puts on a free classical music recitals a couple of times each week
The BBC Concert Orchestra will be performing the music of Berlioz to mark the 150th anniversary of the composers death
free Listen to one of the countrys finest organists play on the Grand Organ at St Pauls every Sunday
The London Symphony Orchestra will be performing some classical music by Rameau Ravel Betsy and Poulenc at Barbican Hall
Adam Fischer and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra will be giving a performance of Mahlers Symphony No 9 at Barbican Hall
Hear the BBC Symphony Orchestra playing some classical music by Mozart Mahler and Thomas Larcher at Barbican Hall
Where better to listen to some beautiful classical music than inside an authentic Old Operating Theatre from Victorian times?
The London Symphony Orchestra will be performing some classical music by Rachmaninov Stravinsky and Weill at Barbican Hall
Sightseeing tours in February
If you’re visiting London in February then try one of these sightseeing tours
free This tour has tales about Tudor intrigues and the extravagant entertainments laid on during Georgian times
This guided walk will take you around some of the most memorable streets and locations that Charles Dickens used in his novels
If you dont fancy spending money on an open-top sightseeing bus then theres a cheaper alternative — the No 11 bus
A two-hour guided walk around the Square Mile showing you some of the most famous historical sites and buildings in the City of London
Look inside the Lord Mayor of Londons official residence at Mansion House and see the interior courtyard and famous Egyptian Hall
This guided walk will look at the outside of St Pauls Cathedral and at a selection of Christopher Wrens finest City churches
Walk through the streets of Roman Londinium and see what remains of the old city walls military fort and amphitheatre
This guided walk will take you along a small stretch of the Thames to learn some history and see some of the rivers most famous landmarks
One of the best ways of seeing the Tower of London is alongside a Yeoman Warder (better known as the Beefeaters)
free The Old Palace Tour will introduce you to three Stuart queens who had an association with the old buildings at Somerset House
This guided tour of the Royal Albert Hall will take you inside one of the balcony boxes for a fantastic view of the famous auditorium
Have a tour of William Shakespeares Globe and learn what Elizabethan life was like for the worlds most famous playwright
Walk the streets of Whitechapel and try and discover the identity of the Victorian murderer Jack the Ripper - if you dare!
Explore the area around Fleet Street where the great literary wit Dr Samuel Johnson used to live
to See the Tower of London after dark and be led around the grounds by a Yeoman Warder as he tells you all the stories
to Enjoy a glass of champagne and a tour of the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace in the company of an expert guide
The Original Tour is one of Londons most popular sightseeing buses and its also a great way to travel around the capital
This traditional open-top bus tour will take in all the best landmarks and attractions with a free river cruise and guided walk
Spend a leisurely afternoon on a TRS river cruise from Big Ben to Greenwich and see some of the sights along the river
City Cruises offer one-way return or all-day boat trips between Westminster and Greenwich stopping off at Tower Bridge
A trip on a Thames Rocket is something youll never forget speeding down the river underneath the Londons bridges
The Ghost Bus Tour will take you on a journey through Londons gruesome past and into the dark heart of the capital
The See London By Night bus tour will show you Londons most famous landmarks beautifully lit up in the night sky
Forget the sightseeing buses and jump on your bike and see the sights and landmarks of London from your saddle
Walk the same streets as Charles Dickens and see the things he wrote about in his novels in the company of a costumed Victorian guide
Walk the same streets as Charles Dickens and see the locations that inspired him to write the scenes in Oliver Twist
Sports events in February
Join a Wembley Stadium Tour and see the changing rooms and pitch and walk up the stairs to the Royal Box and pretend to lift the FA Cup
Walk in the footsteps of your Arsenal heroes on a tour of the stadium and pitch and visit the Arsenal Museum
Walk in the footsteps of your football heroes with a guided tour of Stamford Bridge and the Chelsea Museum
free Hackney Marshes is the home of Sunday league football with over 70 matches played between dozens of amateur teams
Cricket fans will love having a look around the home of cricket with this tour of Lords Cricket Ground and the MCC Museum
to This ice rink sits in the shadow of the Canary Wharf skyscrapers with an icy perimeter path made of fir trees and fairy lights
to Energise your body with an early-morning yoga class followed by a live gong bath at the Natural History Museum
to Cricket fans will love dressing themselves up for this Afternoon Tea because its held in the historic Long Room at Lords
to Start your day off in style with an early morning vinyasa-flow yoga class on the new glass floor inside Tower Bridge
Other London events during February
Here are some more great events that are worth trying during February
If weaving your way in and out of the busy London traffic on a hire bike sounds like fun then how about hiring a Boris Bike for the day?
The driverless Docklands Light Railway train allows you to sit right at the front giving you a fantastic view of the track ahead
Ride around on one of Londons old 1960s double-decker buses (the one with a conductor and an open platform at the back)
Portobello Road is home to the UKs most famous antiques market where 100000 people browse hundreds of stalls every Saturday
Climb to the top of The O2s tented roof and enjoy a spectacular 360-degree view of the London skyline from the viewing platform
Sign-up to be a zoo-keeper at London Zoo for a day and get close to the animals and help to feed them and muck them out
Dress up in your Sunday best and enjoy an afternoon tea at the Ritz Hotel in the luxurious surroundings of the Palm Court
Put on your best clothes and enjoy an elegant Afternoon Tea in the famous Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon at Fortnum & Mason
Thames Clippers offer one-way return or all-day trips along a 15-mile stretch of the river between Putney and Greenwich
Bateaux London offers you great cuisine and live entertainment onboard the boat as it sails serenely down the Thames
Take your date to the Royal Observatory for a romantic evening looking at the stars through their Victorian telescope
to Here is a list of the scheduled lift times for Tower Bridge so you can see the roadway open and close and grab a photo
