February is technically the final month of winter, so congratulations: you’ve pretty much survived another one in London. To make it go by faster, you’ll always have London’s jam-packed schedule of events and things to do to make you forget about the chilly settings.
Though we’ll never stop loving this city, February is also a month particularly steeped in romance, so there’s also that to look forward to. It just so happens to be the shortest month, too, so you damn better make the most of it by doing aaaaaallll the things on this list. That’s right, every single one. Here are the best things to do in February 2025.
1. Get smitten with some brilliant London Valentine’s Day activities
Romance ain’t dead everywhere in London, and there are plenty of ways to ensure you aren’t receiving a raised eyebrow and/or death stare on the morning of the 14th when you’re expected to lay out your plan for the evening. Yes, you won’t forget, because here’s your reminder! Rumour has it that Cupid is paying a visit to London town in February, so it might be about time to start planning where you and your significant other are spending February 14.
2. Pick a romantic restaurant for a meal out
Whether it’s for Valentine’s Day, another special occasion, or just… because; London is a treasure trove for dim-lit and romantic restaurants. Here are a few that will have you reading from the I Believe In A Thing Called Love hymn sheet by the time you walk about.
🌸 Clos Maggiore: Boasting a glass roof and flowery décor, this Covent Garden screams love is in the air louder than most.
🤩 Bob Bob Ricard: Press for Champagne buttons? Yeah, this place knows what’s up. Gold-laden interiors, too.
💞 Bleeding Heart: Farringdon’s fine French bistro that offers over 450 kinds of wine should be near the summit of your lists this month.
✨ Delamina EAST: A lovely array of Mediterranean dishes can be found at this cosy Spitalfields restaurant.
View more of London’s most romantic restaurants here.
3. Attend an event for LGBT+ History Month
February marks LGBT+ History Month, and there are plenty of educational, celebrational, and essential events taking place across London over the entire month. Keep an eye out for more announcements on what to do, but there are plenty of ways to mark the occasion in London this February.
❤️ Read up on charity Queer Britain and visit their museum: established back in 2018, the charity strove to open the first national LGBTQ+ museum, which happened in 2022! Enjoy a day out at their Granary Square space to celebrate queer history and culture, as well as learning about stories and experiences.
📚 Visit Gay’s The Word bookshop in Bloomsbury: having been at the heart of London’s LGBTQ+ rights movement since 1979, this is a historic bookshop in the city that demands a visit.
🎤 A Life Of Activism: Peter Tatchell in his own words: a talk at Bow Street Police museum allows you to listen to a man who has campaigned for human rights and LGBT+ freedom since 1967. He details his arrests for protesting in different countries, and even his detention at the very police station the talk takes place at.
4. Ring in the Year Of The Snake at London’s Lunar New Year parade
While January 29 may have marked the start of the Year Of The Snake, the annual parade takes place on Sunday, February 2 and promises a lively celebration. Kicking things off at 10am just by Trafalgar Square, you’ll be able to witness the largest gathering of Chinese dragons and lions in Europe plus myriad floats, performances, and stunning costumes. Once the main parade finishes up, you can be sure that Chinatown will remain in full swing with plenty of community stands, product stalls, and, of course, lots to eat. Find out all you need to know about the Lunar New Year parade here.
5. View a groundbreaking exhibition on the life and legacy of Leigh Bowery
Tate Modern is all set to host an exhibition showcasing the legendary looks of Leigh Bowery – the boundary-pushing artist who explored themes of gender, identity, and the body. From February 27, you’ll have the chance to learn more about Bowery’s time in London during the eighties and the influence he still has on artists today. In the Tate’s words, he led a ‘short but extraordinary’ life, and this is the chance to step into the colourful world of unrestricted creativity. Find out more about the exhibition here.
6. Witness an exhibition of over 100,000 dried flowers
Flowers: Flora In Contemporary Art & Culture lands at the Saatchi Gallery on February 12, bringing a series of stunning installations and artworks that flowers have served as inspiration for artists. Spanning across two floors and nine spaces, the gallery includes a piece from Rebecca Louise Law called La Fleur Morte, which features over 100,000 dried flowers on wire trails for visitors to wander through and quietly reflect. Elsewhere, you can walk through a virtual garden with nature depicted by visual art. The exhibition begins on February 12, and you can find out more here.
7. Head to a bright Louis Vuitton x Murakami pop-up café in Soho
Know that this will now be a contender for one of the pinkest rooms in London. This pop-up café celebrates twenty years of the joining between Louis Vuitton and Takashi Murakami as part of a global re-edition of the collection. It’s the only café of its kind across Europe with baked goods and specially printed cups made for the occasion. Find it at 39 Brewer Street in Soho until February 9!
8. Witness a stunning light and sound projection onto the interior of St Paul’s Cathedral
There’s no doubt that we still need a bit of brightening up in February amid the darker, colder evenings, and ‘Luminous’ by Luxmuralis is on hand to pass that bar with flying colours. Bringing a unique light and sound projection to St Paul’s Cathedral, you’ll be able to see Sir Christopher Wren’s masterpiece in a way like never before. Drawing from the history, prestige and character of St Paul’s, Luminous is an immersive event perfect for anyone to dive into this winter to witness the building’s interiors doused in colour and receiving an illuminating glow-up.
‘Luminous’ by Luxmuralis takes place at St Paul’s Cathedral between February 22-28, and you can find tickets here.
9. Dine at Rick Stein restaurants at the prices from 1975
If there’s one way of celebrating 50 years, it’s taking the prices back to that very time. Acclaimed chef Rick Stein CBE is turning back the clocks even further than St John did when they harked back to 1991; with prices dropping to those from 1975, when he opened The Seafood Restaurant in Padstow with Jill Stein OBE. Rick Stein Barnes is the participating London restaurant, and diners on February 6-9 will be able to enjoy the Rolled Back and Retro menu. Find out more here.
10. Find a spot to watch the Six Nations
The annual rugby face-off between England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, France, and Italy returns for six weeks, and plenty of London venues are hosting spaces to watch all the action play out each weekend.
🏉 Flat Iron Square: Having made a name for themselves as a hub to watch the big footy tournaments, you can bet that a brilliant atmosphere will be created for the rugby over at Flat Iron Square.
🍻 Big Penny Social: The giant Walthamstow venue is showing all the weekend games between January 31 – March 15, and the giant screens in the beer hall are the perfect way to catch every try.
⚓ Hope & Anchor: 24 screens and heated sports huts? Yeah, this Brixton pub should be high up on your lists for all the winter rugby.
🚢 The Ship: Wandswoorth’s riverside location is a great spot for just about any day in your social calendars, and that’s no different during Six Nations season.
11. Check out this giant floating model of the sun
Luke Jerram is back with another model, and this is one you might instinctively shy away from looking directly at for too long. Never fear, though. You can gaze into this recreation of the sun how as you wish, with Helios – named after the ancient Greek sun god – displaying at the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich until March 25. Find out more about Helios here.
12. Take the family out to the annual Imagine Children’s Festival at the Southbank
This year marks the 23rd Imagine Children’s Festival over at the Southbank, which comprises of a cluster of events packed into a 6-day schedule over the half term to get kids aged 0-11 out and enjoy the space. Pictured above is an installation-meets-adventure-playground made completely from waste material that cleverly goes by the name of REPLAY, and is perfect for kids to explore and use their imaginations to run wild. It’s one of the many setups for a half-term of fun at the Southbank, which also includes a stage adaptation of the There’s A Bear In My Chair books and a poetry adventure with Kate Wakeling. Read more about the Imagine Children’s Festival and check out the schedule here.
13. Enjoy the ‘100 Years of Wonder’ show for Disney On Ice
Disney On Ice celebrates its centenary, kicking off its spring tour with a spell at Wembley Arena between February 20-23. As always, it’s the perfect family event, with Moana, Toy Story, and Encanto all on the agenda. You’ll get to see Stich (of Lilo And Stitch fame) behind the decks as well as plenty of other beloved characters. Find out more and plan your visit here.
14. Have a ball at a London gig
January is always a slow(er) start, but we really get back into the swing of live music when February rolls around. Yes, there are still a good few months until festival season, but when the lineup of gigs in the capital it’s hard to notice. Get yourself booked into a few of these and the month is sure to fly by.
🤘 Trivium and Bullet For My Valentine (February 1): The O2 – a night of riffs ringing out across North Greenwich is one way to kick off the month.
🎸 The Wonder Years (February 1): The Underworld – an intimate show from the kings of heart-on-sleeve emotional pop-punk is another way to kick off the month.
🎤 JPEGMafia (February 4): The Roundhouse – the Brooklyn rapper is known for his high-energy shows, and this one is set to be no different.
💃 Caribou (February 6-8): The Roundhouse – a threepeat of shows from the beloved DJ is making it a start to the year worth dancing for.
🍺 Dropkick Murphys (February 8): Alexandra Palace – shipping up to Boston Ally Pally for a raucous old time.
🔥Ithaca (February 8): Islington Academy – a swan song for the metalcore band will be loud and cacophonous at their final London show.
🤸♀️ Cyndi Lauper (February 11): The O2 – who just wants to have fun then?
😎 Justice (February 11-12): Alexandra Palace – time to do the D.A.N.C.E as the sound of the pulsating speakers.
❄️ Snow Patrol (February 15): The O2 – if I lay here…
🎙️ ScHoolboy Q (February 20): The Roundhouse – fresh from the release of Blue Lips last year, Q takes to the Roundhouse for a bouncing London show.
🕺 Craig David (February 20): The O2 – fill me in on who’s playing the O2 this month?
🥳 High Vis (February 21): Electric Brixton – propelled into the biggest London venue the hardcore band has played yet, watch High Vis storm through the tracks from their latest record, Guided Tour.
🐷 BIIG PIIG (February 27): The Roundhouse – following up her debut album with a big ol’ London show mere weeks later; this is how to do a Friday night in the city.
Read our guide on some of the best London gigs happening in London this year.
15. Head on a bookshop crawl around the city
If you can’t face another pub crawl and are eager to tick off plenty of beautiful London bookshops that you’ve been meaning to browse through, then the London Bookshop Crawl was tailor-made for you. Taking place between February 14-16, you can join up on a guided tour of words around the capital or just pop into the partaking spots, which will be hosting events including signings and meet and greets. On the Saturday, you can even end your journey by heading over to Battersea Bookshop for The Big Bookish Quiz – which still has spots left! Read through the full programme of events here.
16. Surround yourself with the colour of nature at the beautiful Kew Gardens Orchid Festival
It’s not long until spring now, when London will start to look, bloomin’ colourful once again, but if you can’t wait to catch sight of beautiful flowers then there’s always the month-long Kew Gardens orchid festival. Each year, the festival chooses a different country to represent, with this year’s theme being Peru, so you can expect a floral presentation that represents the wildlife, culture, agriculture and much more.
Kew Gardens Orchid Festival takes place from February 1 – March 2, and you can find out more information here.
17. Spend a Saturday pottering around a brand-new flower market
Providing a new space for creative, foodie, and flower endeavours, Deptford Flower Market is running its first trade on February 1, and will continue to do so each Saturday between 9am and 4pm. Partners Ru and Stu are setting up their Where Have All The Flowers Gone stall to serve up beautiful bouquets, and among the other stalls you’ll find everything from LGBTQIA+ books to delightful tea. Find out more about Deptford Flower Market here.
18. Touchdown at one of these venues for a voracious Super Bowl Sunday (February 11)
February is the month of the crowning moment in the NFL sporting calendar. For many in London, it’s just a regular day… but, for sports fanatics—or just those hoping to fight off the Sunday scaries with nachos, wings and comradery—Super Bowl Sunday has it all. Plus, Kendrick Lamar is playing this year’s halftime show, so you better say you want ‘MUSTARRDDD!’ with your hot dog and tune into the game. Super Bowl LIX takes place on Sunday, February 9, and here are a few places around the capital showing all the action. Catch the clash between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles, which takers place in New Orleans this time around – all the more reason to amp up the party atmosphere.
⚽ TOCA Social: Usually you’ll catch all the footy here, but this February it’s dialling up the U and the S and the A notches this month for the Super Bowl. Tuck into wings and drink from red cups at this immersive sports bar.
🏈 The Blues Kitchen: A favourite for a dance at the weekend, this time it’s turning its attention to Sunday night. Taking you from til late and drip-feeding you beer and food, this is one (sorry, three: Camden, Brixton, Shoreditch) mean option for Super Bowl LIX.
🍺 BOXPARK: Ah, it’s never a where-to-watch-this-sporting-event list without Boxpark, is it? Their giant screens are turning on at the Croydon and Wembley London venues for a raucous night of NFL.
🍗 Big Penny Social: The giant beer hall along the Blackhorse Beer Mile has you well and truly covered for this mammoth event, kicking proceedings off at 8pm and running all the way until 4am. Work on Monday will be painful, but worth it all the same.
19. Lose yourself in a 360-degree Coldplay immersive experience
Over at Lightroom, you can experience Coldplay in a unique manner by way of 360 screens. Showing A Film For The Future, a visual companion to their latest album Moon Music, this project features the work of more than 150 visual artists from 45 different countries – and is set to look stunning across the Lightroom screens with a 45-minute kaleidoscopic adventure. Find out more and plan your visit here.
20. Swerve over to the Formula 1® Exhibition
The fine and formidable Formula 1® Exhibition is closing its doors on March 2, so the month of February really is pretty much your final chance to rev your engines and speed over to see it. You’ll find it in the ExCeL Centre, and is a treasure map for F1® obsessives to fawn over – from spotlights on Enzo Ferrari & Ayrton Senna to collections of cars and iconic footage. Find out more and book your spot here.
21. Catch the tail end of this stunning winter lights display
It may only run between January 21 and February 1, but you’ll still have time to check out the beautiful annual display of winter lights over at Canary Wharf this winter. Brighten up your darker days by way of LED and neon glows that are certain to look stunning by the water once the sun has gone down. Read more about it here.
22. Attend a church service for clowns
Though you’d usually be somewhat frowned upon at your Sunday mass for calling your fellow churchgoers clowns, on this occasion it’s hitting the nail on the head (resulting in a big red nose). Yes, a church service for clowns is laughing its way into the city on February 2 for the Annual Grimaldi Clown Service. Why the dress code? The service at All Saints Haggerston pays tribute to Joseph Grimaldi, the legendary clown performer who made his debut at Sadler’s Well in the 18th century, aged just three! The tradition of celebrating ol’ Joey dates back to 1946, and you can find out more about the free service here.
23. Check out another one of London’s many wonderful art exhibitions
Of course, when it comes to art, there’s always plenty going on in London. Once you’ve checked out the delightful exhibit at Borough Yards, you can make your way through a host of other top-notch exhibitions in the big smoke during February. There are tonnes of exhibitions showing off inspired work all year round, and you can find the very best of them in our handy guide.
24. Catch a repeat of the World Cup final matchup in the Women’s Nation’s League at Wembley
Come February 26, England will be facing Spain in the Women’s Nation’s League – marking the first time the pair of teams have come up against one another since the World Cup final in 2023. England will be hoping to reverse the result this time around, and you can catch the game live at Wembley Stadium. Find out more and book your spot for the game here.
25. Enjoy the first 5pm sunset of the year
Look – we might seem to be desperately clutching at straws for a win here… but I’m here to tell you right now that it is one. London’s sun has disappeared before 5pm every day since the twenty-bloody-seventh of October, but that’s all changing. Note down February 7, because it’ll still be light by the time you make the beeline from the office to the pub. By the end of the month, it’ll be nearing the hallowed 6pm sunset, and summer’s warm embrace will seem ever closer.
26. Enjoy a week of half-term fun at the London Transport Museum
Bound over to Covent Garden this half term to celebrate the posters of the Tube at the London Transport Museum. Under-fives will have the chance to join the ‘Strike A Pose’ workshop to learn about human and animal characters on the classic poster in a dance and drama class, and older children will be able to design their own posters in the artist studios and build an artwork of the city in the ‘Layers Of London’ session. Families will also be able to hear stories from the Jewish Museum London on how Jewish artists contributed to the legacy of the London transport posters, and then have the chance to make posters in the style of these artists. Find out more information here.
27. All aboard the Murdér Express!
Transport yourself over to 1920s East London for an evening of dining meets murder mystery. Enjoy a theatrical dining experience over the course of two hours, where passengers jump aboard an old luxury train to be whisked back in time and put on a comedy theatre show telling a tale of murder as the three-course meal is tucked into. Find out more about the experience and sign up here.
28. Relax at these pop-up cabin saunas and plunge pools
Earlier in the winter, you were probably looking out for festive pop-ups slinging churros and mulled wine, but this part of the season calls for something altogether different. Self-care is the name of the game, and if you happen to pass through King’s Cross between now and March, you can run along into the two pop-up wood cabin saunas or three plunge pools as a means to escape the stress of every day life, taking a moment to breathe. Find out more here, and happy plunging!
29. Time travel by way of a Horrible Histories® experience
Travel into the days of the ‘Gorgeous Georgians’ by way of an actual Georgian manor house in Osterley Park. Landing just in time for the February half term, the experience is made up of a 10-station to whizz around and learn about the past in a fun, interactive way. Receive a Georgian makeover (with towering wig included) before spinning the wheel of woe to learn what job you’d be up to as one of the ‘cheerless children of the period. Find out more about the experience here.
30. Visit somewhere that you might not believe is actually in London
It might seem a little off to recommend places that aren’t like London, given the nature of our publication and all, but there’s a method to the madness… promise. Many of us haven’t been away for a while and don’t have plans to until the weather is warmer, so why not make pretend at these stunning locations? These places are tucked away in the Big Smoke and are all well worth checking out.
😎 BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir – have a gander at the sheer beauty of this traditional Hindu temple in Neasden, which, upon being built in the 90s, once had the title of largest Hindu temple outside of India.
🪄 Painshill Park Crystal Grotto – oooooooo, cool looking grotto.
🚽 Crossness Pumping Station – you won’t have ever clapped eyes on a sewage system like this. Crossness Pumping Station is better known as the ‘Cathedral of Sewage’, and one look at its beauty will tell you why.
Read about the extraordinary places in London here.
31. Grab a slice (or 10) on National Pizza Day
Pizza helps with, well, pretty much anything. A meal before heading out on a Friday night, or a cure for an ungodly hangover – it’ll tick any box. It’s handy that National Pizza Day falls on February 9, so you’d best head out for a circular dose of food heaven. Not that you needed an excuse, am I right? I am right.
Check out our handy guide to the best pizzas around London.
32. Stomp into a festival dedicated to mud
Usually when we head to a festival, mud is the last thing we want, but in this instance, the festival’s whole premise surrounds it. Taking over the London Wetland Centre for nine days across the February half-term, Mudfest 2025 is putting on a lineup of unmatched mud-based activities, including mud art, animal footprint making, wormery displays, mud & spoon racing, and much more! You can read more about the mud festival and plan a visit here.
33. Experience a VR invasion of Martians here in London
With live actors and multi-sensory effects alongside one of the most iconic scores of all, Jeff Wayne’s The War of The Worlds: The Immersive Experience is a top choice to head into a different realm to escape the cold this winter. You’ll shuffle in from the London streets and find yourself deep in a Martian invasion of Victorian England where it will greet you with green eyes and a purple kaleidoscope. Find out more and book your spot here.
34. Spend an evening celebrating Australian wines
Milk Beach might be found in the centre of London, but it celebrates the cuisine and alcohol of somewhere far, far away: Australia. You can head there to try it at any time, but if it’s the wine that piques your interest, you’ll want to be there on February 26 to celebrate libations from the Torbreck Vintners; an evening that will be hosted by Sacha Timaeus and take attendees through Rhone- style red and white numbers to try with the intimate three-course meal. You can find out more about the evening and book your ticket here.
35. Enjoy a day out at the theatre for one of London’s many other performances this month
If you’re stuck for something to do in London, there’s no safer bet of a good time than heading out to one of the countless theatre productions. Read our guide here.
36. Celebrate independent breweries by trying lots of beer
Trying out beers from a selection of 70 exceptional kinds from 50 makers to celebrate independent breweries sounds like the perfect mix of championing something great while treating yourself. Liquid Dreams kicks off on February 28 at The Mall Tavern in Notting Hill , and you try everything from Swedish stout to California Hop Beard IPA to Belgian Kriek Sour. Your ticket will guarantee you a 1/3 pint glass and access to all the beer you could want to sample! Find out more and grab your tickets here.
37. Step into London’s history by way of the Gunpowder Plot experience
A mix of London’s infamous history, live actors, and virtual creation make up the Gunpowder Plot experience, which zaps you back to 1605 to dive into the Tower Of London vaults to reenact the story of Guy Fawkes and the conspiracy. After a successful run in the capital, the experience comes to a close at the end of February, so this is your last chance to enjoy the mystery of the tale told through acting and technology. Find out more and book your spot here.
38. Bag yourself a free chocolate
Who’s going to pass up the opportunity of a free cupcake? Certainly not you? Londoners can get their paws around a free serving from Lola’s as they celebrate their new store in South Kensington. They’ll have a cupcake to hand out to each of the first 250 customers, so you’d better act fast! Find out more details about the cupcake giveaway here.
39. Drink up at an out-of-this-world cocktail experience
Enter a world of flavour at the Avora cocktail experience, where you’ll shuffle into a Hackney venue and get lost in a theatrical storyline and paradise of colourful tipples. Think foraging around the universe of Avatar colliding with a Thursday-evening drink-up out with your mates. Find out more information about Avora and book your tickets here.
40. Keep on exploring this fine old city
Of course, there’s plenty more going on this month and we won’t stop beating the drum of what to do this month. Here are some more honourable mentions for stuff that’s going on in the near future.
🧀 This Monthly Street Market Is Dedicated To All Things Cheese-y
🍽️ Dishoom Will Launch Its First London ‘Permit Room’ Bar And Café In Notting Hill
⁉️ This Immersive Quizzing Experience Drops You And Your Friends Into Your Very Own TV Game Show
😋 This Floating Chinese Restaurant On Regent’s Canal Is A Beloved Camden Classic
🍗 Berenjak Are Opening A Brand New Restaurant In London For More Delightful Persian Flavours
🎥 London Is Quoted More Times In Movies Than (Nearly) Every Other City In The World
🏉 London Is Home To The Most Famous Rugby Pub In The World
🧪 You Can Now Enjoy An Afternoon Tea At The Science Museum For The First Time
