Unmissable things to do and events in London in November 2023

Ah Bonfire Night, the evening when Brits gather in the November cold to watch fireworks and a flaming pile of wood, all in celebration of a guy who tried to blow up Parliament 400 years ago. Anyone from out of town may think Guy Fawkes Night is all a bit strange (and they’d probably be right). But, we’re fiercely proud of our Catherine Wheel whizzing, sparkler crackling tradition. You’ll find sparkles popping up in the night sky all over town this year – here are the best. 

The mother of all light trails is back. Christmas at Kew has become a key date in London’s festive calendar as the 300-acre botanic garden is lit up with glistening lights and illuminations. This year’s route will take you past glass houses emblazoned with kaleidoscopic projections, through shimmering tunnels of light and trees drenched in jewel-bright colours. As usual, there’ll also be warming winter snacks and a grotto where you can say hello to Father C himself. 

What’s a London Christmas, without Somerset House’s iconic ice rink? Skate around the grand neoclassical courtyard on this huge, 900-square-metre outdoor rink, with a 40ft Christmas tree plonked in the middle for maximum Insta-potential. This year the rink will have a Swiss wintery theme thanks to Switzerland Tourism and an all-new skate lounge from iconic rosé brand Whispering Angel. But, the best bit? The legendary weekend Skate Lates are back, bringing banging DJ sets from the city’s best club nights and selectors rinkside.

The National Theatre hasn’t hosted a major musical in some time. ‘The Witches’ is a major adaptation of Roald Dahl’s beloved dark kids’ novel about a young boy who lives with his grandmother and stumbles across a conspiracy of villainous witches hoping to turn the world’s children into mice. This stage version combines the musical theatre debuts of the great British director Lyndsey Turner and playwright Lucy Kirkwood with songs and music from the US composer Dave Malloy. Katherine Kingsley will star as the Grand High Witch, with Daniel Rigby as erratic hotel manager Mr Stringer.

Every winter the Southbank Centre turns the banks of the Thames into a frosty wonderland, full of little wooden Alpine-style cabins selling gifts, warming drinks, and snacks. This year, you can cosy up at Jimmy’s Winter Lodge with its heated riverside snowglobes where you can snaffle down cheese fondue. Further down you’ll find huts serving up truffle burgers, duck wraps, Thai street food, Lebanese-Mediterranean cuisine and cheese toasties. Or grab a glass of mulled wine while you look through gifts, jewellery and decorations made by independent designers and take in those sparking riverside views. 

The West End has played host to a Harry Potter sequel for years now – so why not a ‘Stranger Things’ prequel, eh? Playwright Jack Thorne helped come up with the story to the Stephen Daldry-directed ‘The First Shadow’ alongside the Duffer Brothers – maestros behind the Netflix retro horror smash – and Kate Trefry, a writer on the show who has also written the script here. The play is a return to the show’s setting of Hawkins, Indiana, but in 1959 (as opposed to the ’80s). That means we can see some familiar faces in their youths: expect to meet teen versions of Jim Hopper, Bob Newby and Joyce Byers, plus – most intriguingly – Henry Creel, the psychic teen who goes on to become the show’s terrifying antagonist Vecna.

Live out all your dark Dickensian dreams on a winter outing that sleighs the competition. Explore Richmond Park or Bushy Park on a traditional carriage ride drawn by a pair of majestic Shire horses from the last working herd in London. Snuggle up in a blanket and clip-clop your way around the park while sipping on sloe gin, eating mince pies and learning about your surroundings from guides and carriage riders that look straight out of ‘Great Expectations’, dressed in smock coats and bowler hats. 

A real treat here, as the great playwright Alice Birch returns to the National Theatre for her biggest show to date. ‘The House of Bernarda Alba’ is, of course, ‘Normal People’ screenwriter Birch’s adaptation of Federico Garcia Lorca’s classic tragedy about the eponymous domineering matriarch, who imposes a stifling eight years mourning period upon her five oppressed daughters after the death of her second husband. The great Harriet Walter will play Bernarda in Rebecca Frecknall’s maiden production for the NT, which will also star Isis Hainsworth, who was excellent in Frecknall’s recent ‘Romeo and Juliet’ at the Almeida.

Dreaming of a kitsch Christmas? New York’s famous Miracle on Ninth Street bar is popping up in London for the festive season, bringing ’50s Christmas decorations, nostalgic alpine-themed accessories and creative takes on old-school cocktails to Covent Garden. Think of the ’60s stop-motion version of ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’ and you'll have your finger on the vibe of this wistful pop-up. Grab a seat at the bar, described as a ‘chalet living room on Christmas Eve’, and sip on a Snowball Old Fashioned or a Christmapoliton (ft spiced cranberry sauce and absinthe mist) served in vintage, festive glassware. 

‘Elf the Musical’ rolls back into the West End with the same blunt-force charm as Buddy, its star. Apart from a few tweaks and a couple of excised characters, the story largely follows the smash-hit 2003 Will Ferrell movie vehicle that’s now a perennial Christmas favourite. Propelled by Matthew Sklar’s score – which hits all the right joyful/bittersweet notes – this is a slickly irresistible and fizzily enjoyable confection of a show. You may find yourself feeling festive even before Santa makes his final act appearance.

The Grinch would have a real job stealing all the Christmas from Hyde Park’s huge tribute to festive fun. The annual favourite is back for its sixteenth year with more cheerily lit fairground rides, a child-friendly Santa Land and quaint Christmas markets. It’s a real treat for anyone wanting to get into the festive spirit – as long as you’re ready to hear all those songs as you potter around. 

Probably the most brilliant American playwright of her generation, every Annie Baker play is a joy: her three works for the NT – ‘The Flick’, ‘John’ and ‘The Antipodes’ – are three full-on masterpieces. And ‘Infinite Life’ could be the fourth. It’s a ‘dreamlike’ play about five women on chaise longues, that constitutes ‘a surprisingly funny inquiry into the complexity of suffering, and what it means to desire in a body that’s failing you.’

November is the month when London gets transformed into the sparkliest, blingiest, most festive place on earth with the switching on of Christmas lights all over town. There's nothing like the sparkle of London Christmas lights to give the city an instant festive makeover. Head to one of these display for a good old dose of Christmas cheer. 

Need an opportunity to get stuck into an utterly decadent feast just a month before Christmas dinner? Then let us present Thanksgiving: the American holiday dedicated to eating piles of turkey and lashings of pumpkin pie. There’s a bunch of different ways you can celebrate in London come November 25 – here are a few of our faves.

Looking for gift inspiration? Look no further than London's Christmas markets and fairs, which start to pop up all over town from mid-November. Among a raft of special festive events you'll find foodie gifts, hand-crafted pressies and usually a bit of glühwein to help you get into that merry spirit.

Oblix East invites you to enjoy a delicious three-course meal whilst taking in some of London's most iconic views. Located on the 32nd floor of The Shard, this relaxing bar and lounge space offers a menu of sophisticated and classic dishes from its rotisserie and grill, which you can enjoy whilst overlooking Tower Bridge and the east of London. Indulge in mini wagyu beef burgers, roasted prawns, wild mushroom orzo or the charcoal-grilled Scottish salmon. To top off this innovative casual dining experience, you will be served wine, beer or one of two award-winning cocktail creations.

Exclusive £48 for three courses and a drink at Oblix East only through Time Out offers