New Year’s Day Parade 2024. I have to start the January Super Seven for 2024 with London’s largest parade including 10,000 participants from the UK, Europe and the USA. It all kicks off at noon on Piccadilly, and finishes up at Westminster. Lots of viewing points along The Mall & Whitehall.
New Year’s Day Parade. 1 January 2024.
Balloon Museum. This is THE immersive exhibition I’d been waiting for. It’s been to Paris, Milan, Madrid and NYC.. finally it is here in London. If you book NOW before 31st December I’m sharing a 50% discount. Trust me it makes a BIG difference. Use the code UK50OFF.
Balloon Museum now until 18 February 2024.
Winter Lights 2024 at Canary Wharf. Beat the January blues and follow the light trails over 11 days, as this light festival returns for its 8th year. Lots of deals in the local restaurants and food trucks galore. Weekends are VERY busy – you have been warned. Wednesday 17- Saturday 27 January.
LIFE at St Martin in the Field by Luxmuralis. This extraordinary light show is back for 5 days, against the same backdrop of the crypt and the tromp-l’oeil window. It makes for a very memorable evening and it sells out. Booking essential for the 40 mins experience. Tickets from £8 at non-peak times. 30 January – 5 February 5.30pm – 9.45pm.
Magic Monday at The Barbican. Beat the Monday blues and make it magic with their movie deal for £6 a ticket.See the latest Ferrari movie or Sofia Coppola’s Pricilla.
Magic Monday now until 8 April 2024.
Not part of the deal, but one that will see out January with a bang is Pet Shop Boys Dreamworld . The greatest hits tour for two nights only 31 January.
A Civil War re-enactment… Yes one damp January Sunday morning, I found myself in the middle of something quite extraordinary. It’s a must for history nuts like me. Sunday 28 January.
Aire Ancient Baths. Ease into the new year at this hidden gem in Covent Garden. Ditch the busy streets and into step into a sensory haven that will melt away any winter-stress. Definitely one of my greatest discoveries of 2022 & enjoyed throughout 2023. Add a 30minute massage and you leave fully revived.
It is utter bliss. Read my Aire blog post and get an offer code.
Art catch up..
7 Exhibitions before they close this month;
Christo and Jeanne-Claude : Boundless at Saatchi Gallery. Ends 22 January.
UVA : Synchronicity at 180 The Strand. Ends 28 January.
Hiroshi Sugimoto : Time Machine at Hayward Gallery. Ends 7 January.
Rubens & Women at Dulwich Picture Gallery. Ends 28 January.
Rebel : 30 years of Fashion at The Design Museum. Ends 1 February.
Frans Hals at The National Gallery. Ends 21 January.
Claudette Johnson : Presence at The Courtauld. Closes 14 January.
Exhibitions opening this month:
Alice Irwin & Sinta Tantra : Colours and Gold at Pitzhanger Manor opens 25 January.
Cute at Somerset House opens 25 January. A look a how we define cuteness in contemporary society through art, AI, fashion and social media.
Glass Heart at Two Temple Place opens 27 January. Exploring the evolution & significance of glass in the UK.
Mime London 2024 . If you’ve enjoyed this festival in the past, the new curated project will appeal. After 5 decades of success, the directors of the MimeLondon festival have created this new project at The Barbican, showcasing mime through puppetry, mime and unspoken performance. 23 Jan – 17 February.
Chinese New Year : Celebrate the Year of the Dragon in Chinatown beginning from mid-January. London holds the biggest Chinese New Year celebrations outside Asia so clear your diaries for 10 February if you want to see the parade.
London Art Fair 2024 : 17-21 January at The Business Design Centre N1.