All weekend
ICE RINKS: Get your skates on, as ice rinks are opening all over town from this weekend — Hampton Court Palace, Battersea, Hyde Park and Somerset House are just a selection of the venues with ice rinks this year. Read our guide to ice skating in London at Christmas to see all of the options.
WINTER WONDERLAND: It's the first weekend of this year's Hyde Park Winter Wonderland, and all of the usual attractions are back; fairground rides, observation wheel, circus shows, Christmas markets, food and drink stalls, bars, an ice rink... it goes on and on. Take a look at our guide to Hyde Park Winter Wonderland 2022 for all you need to know, including the lowdown on ticketing this year. 18 November-2 January
LIGHT TRAILS: London is absolutely LIT, as it's the first weekend of various festive illumination trails including Christmas at Kew, Lightopia at Crystal Palace, and Illuminature at London Wetland Centre in Barnes.
EFG LONDON JAZZ FESTIVAL: It's the final weekend of this year's EFG London Jazz Festival, and the programme's busier than a John Coltrane sax solo. See finalists for the BBC Young Jazz Musician competition, catch Cuban pianist Chucho Valdés in action, or watch two episodes of television programme Jazz 265 — and that's just a tiny fraction of what's on offer. Until 20 November
TOTTENHAM LITERATURE FESTIVAL: Celebrating diverse stories by Black authors, poets, and artists from Tottenham and beyond, Tottenham Literature Festival is a mixture of in-person and online events. There's a big festival day on Saturday, and a family day on Sunday. 14-23 November
MAGDALENA ABAKANOWICZ: Tate Modern has opened an exhibition dedicated to Polish artist Magdalena Abakanowicz. Wander through a forest-like display of her large-scale woven fibre sculptures inside the gallery's Blavatnik Building. 17 November 2022-1 May 2023
JUBILEE EXHIBITION: Only a couple more weeks to see the Jubilee Exhibition at St Paul's Cathedral. It opened this year to celebrate the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, before her death, and looks at the grand ceremonial occasions held at the Cathedral to commemorate the Royal Jubilees of four British monarchs: George III, Victoria, George V and Elizabeth II. Until 1 December
HACKNEY REVEALED: New illumination arts festival Hackney Revealed is now under way in east London, with light projections and other art installations to view both inside and outside local buildings. Head to London College of Fashion this weekend to see Paper Gardens, an origami wonderland featuring suspended flowers and butterfly lanterns. FREE, 15 November-8 December
MUSEUM OF LONDON: A reminder that time is running out to visit the Museum of London at its current London Wall home, before it closes for a significant period of time while it moves to its new home. FREE, until 4 December
Saturday 19 November
WINTER ICE FESTIVAL: Canary Wharf's Jubilee Park hosts a three-day Winter Ice Festival. Follow a trail of 15 carved ice sculptures, each representing an endangered bird or animal species; watch ice-sculpting experts at work in front of your eyes; and have a go yourself with a free masterclass. FREE, 17-19 November
SLAVERY GLOBES: All 96 of the hand-painted globes from the World Reimagined art trail will be on show in Trafalgar Square ahead of auction. Each globe explores one aspect of the Transatlantic slave trade, and include some exceptional contributions. FREE, 19-20 November
BIG IDEAS LIVE: Sky News' annual Big Ideas Live event explores the biggest issues facing us right now, from AI to the Space Race to science and tech superpowers. The UK's Astronomer Royal Lord Martin Rees and NASA astronaut Nicole Stott are among guests at a day of talks, interactive experiences and installations in Shoreditch. 9.30am-6pm
JAPANESE MASKS: Take the kids (age 5+) along to the British Museum for a free mask-making workshop. It's inspired by headpieces and other objects from Japan within the museum's collection. Use digital technology to design your mask, then print it off and take it home with you. FREE, 10am-4pm
BRITISH FOLKLORE: Join London Fortean Society at Holborn's Conway Hall (or online via livestream) for a day of talks and short films about the folklore of Britain and beyond. Highlights include Dr Irving Finkel of the British Museum talking about the earliest ghost stories ever written, and Natural History Museum botanist Roy Vickery on the symbolic importance of plants in folklore. 10am
CHARITY BOOK SALE: Bag yourself a literary bargain at the Amnesty Book Sale, held twice a year by the Blackheath & Greenwich branch of Amnesty International. Rummage through tables of second hand books, with all profits raised going to the charity's human rights work. 10am-4pm
FAMILY FILM CLUB: For a cheap (and weatherproof!) day out, take the kids along to Barbican Family Film Club. This week's film is Ponyo, a fantastical Japanese animation depicting the friendship between Sôsuke, a five-year old boy, and a magical goldfish princess called Ponyo. 11am
QUEER, THERE AND EVERYWHERE: Granary Square's LGBTQ+ museum Queer Britain hosts drag performers Orlando and Eugène Delacroissant, and experts from The National Archives to explore LGBTQ+ lives in the 1921 census. Learn how people did — or did not — record their lives, and how they chose to have their identities represented. FREE, 1pm/3pm
FOLK FESTIVAL: The Nest Collective’s one-day festival, Magpie's Nest, celebrates folk and roots music from around the world. Wander between two different stages at Grand Junction in Paddington, enjoying live music from the likes of The Jackie Oates Trio, Emmanuela Yogolelo, Anna Mudeka, Luca Rossi, Fred Hills Trio, Maja Bugge and Anna Ling. 3pm-10.30pm
LONDON CHAMBER ORCHESTRA: Searcys at 116 Pall Mall teams up with the London Chamber Orchestra for a special concert featuring UK jazz trumpeter Pete Horsfall, celebrating the music of the legendary Louis Armstrong. There's also the option of tucking into afternoon tea at the venue before the performance. 4pm afternoon tea/6pm concert
CANDLELIGHT CLUB: Get glammed up for The Candlelight Club's November party. The 1920s themed event takes inspiration from Prohibition-era America, taking the format of a secret speakeasy, with a live jazz band and cabaret performers, at a secret central London location. 7pm
LOST IN MUSIC: Head back to the 1970s at Fairfield Halls in Croydon, with live tribute show Lost in Music: One Night at the Disco. Donna Summer, Gloria Gaynor, Diana Ross, Chaka Khan and Chic are among the acts covered by impersonators. 7.30pm
POEM BRUT: Poet-artists from across the UK gather at Rich Mix in Shoreditch for Poem Brut, a performance of 12 new works which explores different ways of performing poetry and celebrates the possibilities of neurological diversity. 7.30pm
Sunday 20 November
2022 WORLD CUP: It's not often you can watch a World Cup match beneath twinkling Christmas lights, but that's the situation this year, as the action kicks off today. Plenty of pubs, bars and other venues are screening matches here in the capital — take a look at our guide to where to watch the World Cup in London, and get booking, as many venues are selling out already. Here's hoping it's coming ho-ho-home. 20 November-18 December
MIDCENTURY MODERN: Looking to spruce up your home? Interiors show the Midcentury Modern returns to Dulwich College, with furniture, ceramics, glassware, industrial, vintage posters, art, lighting, fabrics, rugs and more available to buy from 85 dealers and designers. Prices range from £10-£10,000 so there's something for all budgets. 10am-4pm
CLASSICAL COFFEE MORNING: Start your Sunday in sophistication, at the Royal Albert Hall's Classical Coffee Morning. Jack Tyndale-Biscoe from the Royal College of Music performs works by Bach, Mendelssohn, and Franck, as you enjoy a hot drink and pastry in the venue's Elgar Room. 11am
FLEA MARKET: Browse stalls by over 60 traders specialising in flea and vintage items at Walthamstow Flea Market at Big Penny Social. Furniture, homewares and collectible items are among the products for sale. 11am
WOMEN'S DERBY: The World Cup begins today, but all eyes are on the women's teams for the South London derby, which sees Crystal Palace Women take on Charlton Athletic at Selhurst Park. Tickets are just £10 for adults, £5 for over-65s, or free for kids. Bargain! 2pm
COCKTAIL MASTERCLASS: Sweeties, the 10th floor cocktail bar at The Standard, London, hosts a 90-minute cocktail masterclass. Head mixologist Jack Sotti teaches you how to make three of the bars's most popular cocktails; Frothy Boi, Pick Me Up, and Love & Happiness. Ticket also includes a welcome drink. 2pm
FAMILY SNOW BALL RAVE: Designed for parents who aren't ready to give up partying just yet, Big Fish Little Fish holds one of its legendary family raves at Between The Bridges on the South Bank. Dance the afternoon away to techno, acid house, UK Garage, house, jungle and drum and bass tunes — with glitter cannons, bubbles, giant balloons, face painting and other family activities too. 2pm-4pm
ANTI-ANTI-ANTIFOLK: No we didn't fall asleep at the keyboard — that really is the name of this weird and wonderful mini music festival at Windmill Brixton, featuring 10 off-the-wall acts over nine hours. Performers include Gary Paradiso & His Peccadilloes, Extradition Order, and David Cronenber's Wife. From 3pm
BERN BABY BERN: Skate with a Swiss twist at the Somerset House ice rink, which hosts a session in collaboration with the Bern region of Switzerland. Bernie the Swiss mountain dog will be in attendance, with local Swiss goodies available, and a Swiss menu served up in on-site restaurant, Chalet Suisse by Jimmy Garcia. 4pm
