London in January 2026: ROSL’s Curated Events Guide

Our January 2026 guide to London’s cultural calendar unveils the perfect way to lift the winter blues. From the pageantry of New Year’s Day and world-class opera productions to winter jazz, candlelit concerts and striking art and photography exhibitions, it highlights the capital’s most compelling cultural moments to start the year inspired.

London’s New Year’s Day Parade

1 January

13.00-16.30

starting near Piccadilly Circus, London

The capital begins the year with one of Europe’s largest street celebrations. London’s New Year’s Day Parade returns for its 37th year, filling the streets with marching bands, dancers, acrobats and vibrant floats. Starting near Piccadilly and passing through Trafalgar Square and Whitehall before finishing at Westminster, the two-mile route offers three hours of colour and performance. Free to attend, it remains a joyful highlight of London’s January events calendar.

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Verdi: La traviata

8 January – 17 February

Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London WC2E 9DD

Richard Eyre’s acclaimed production of Verdi’s La traviata returns to the Royal Opera House, presenting one of opera’s most enduring love stories. Featuring iconic arias including the celebrated Brindisi, the opera explores devotion, sacrifice and social expectation through the tragic figure of Violetta Valéry. Conducted by Antonello Manacorda and Giacomo Sagripanti, three distinguished casts are led by Ermonela Jaho, Pretty Yende and Rachel Willis-Sørensen, making this revival a centrepiece of London’s winter opera season.

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Cirque du Soleil: OVO

9 January – 1 February

Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Gore, London SW7 2AP

Cirque du Soleil returns to the Royal Albert Hall with OVO, a visually arresting production set within a fantastical insect ecosystem. The story follows a curious bug whose encounter with a mysterious egg sparks romance and wonder across the colony. Combining extraordinary acrobatics, striking costume design and rhythmic music, OVO transforms the iconic venue into a vivid world of colour and movement, appealing to audiences of all ages.

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Cecil Beaton: Fashionable World

Until 11 January

National Portrait Gallery, St Martin’s Place, London WC2H 0HE

This landmark exhibition celebrates Cecil Beaton’s extraordinary influence on 20th-century fashion and portrait photography. Spanning his work from the Jazz Age to the post-war years, the exhibition presents over 200 objects, including photographs, letters, sketches and costume designs. Portraits of Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor, Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret sit alongside images of artists such as Francis Bacon and Salvador Dalí, offering a rich portrait of glamour, creativity and cultural power.

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Candlelight: Hans Zimmer’s Best Works

16 & 24 January

Central Hall Westminster, Storey’s Gate, London SW1H 9NH

A candlelit concert celebrating the music of Hans Zimmer, one of cinema’s most influential composers. Performed live in the grand setting of Central Hall Westminster, the programme brings together some of Zimmer’s most recognisable film scores under a soft glow of candlelight.

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Continents Jazz Trio in Concert

17 January

Royal Over-Seas League

The Continents Jazz Trio returns to the Princess Alexandra Hall for an evocative winter concert. Featuring guitarist Toby Evans, double bassist Ben Boardman and saxophonist Elliot Wong, all emerging talents from the Royal Academy of Music, the trio performs an hour of classic jazz standards.

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London Art Fair

21 – 25 January

Business Design Centre, Islington, London N1 0QH

A key fixture in the international art calendar, London Art Fair brings together leading modern and contemporary galleries from across the globe. Alongside gallery presentations, visitors can explore curated museum displays through the annual Museum Partnership, attend talks and tours, and engage with new themes presented in Encounters and Platform. A destination event for collectors and art enthusiasts each January.

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Burns Night Supper

22 January

Royal Over-Seas League

Commemorate the life and legacy of Robert Burns with a traditional Burns Night Supper at the Over-Seas House. The evening features poetry, piping and ‘Airs on the Fiddle’, led by Master of Ceremonies James Fairbairn, with Piper Fergus Fairbairn and Fiddler Heather Jeffery. Rooted in the first Burns Supper held in 1801, this annual celebration honours Scotland’s most beloved poet through music, verse and convivial tradition.

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London Short Film Festival

23 January – 1 February

Various venues across London

The 23rd edition of London Short Film Festival launches the capital’s cultural year, presenting more than 200 films across 60 curated programmes. Screenings take place at venues including BFI Southbank, Curzon Soho, SET Peckham and the Rio Cinema. Talks, workshops and walking tours complement the film programme throughout the festival.

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Winter Afternoon Tea at ROSL

Daily, 13.00 – 17.30

in the Duke of York bar and 1910 Dining Room
at the Royal Over-Seas League

Enjoy a quintessentially British afternoon tea in the heart of St. James’s, served overlooking our picturesque garden and London’s leafy Green Park beyond. Bookings must be made 24 hours in advance. To book this experience, please visit our Afternoon tea page below or email dining@rosl.org.uk.

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Best recommendations for West End musicals according to London’s top critics in 2026:

For members wishing to dine before heading to the West End, our new à la carte menu will be available from Monday to Saturday. Reservations can be made online or by emailing dining@rosl.org.uk.

Top Hat Musical

Until 17 January

Tue – Sat 19.30 | Wed, Sat & Sun 14.00

Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre

This Olivier Award-winning musical revival brings Irving Berlin’s iconic score back to the London stage. Based on the 1935 film, Top Hat blends tap-dancing virtuosity, lavish costumes and romantic comedy as mistaken identities lead from London to Venice. A polished celebration of musical theatre’s golden age.

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The Book of Mormon

Until 18 April

Mon – Sat 19.30 | Fri & Sat 14.30

Prince of Wales Theatre, Coventry Street, London W1D 6AS

A long-running West End phenomenon, The Book of Mormon pairs sharp satire with classic Broadway spectacle. Created by Trey Parker, Matt Stone and Robert Lopez, the musical follows two young missionaries sent to Uganda, delivering big musical numbers, irreverent humour and a meticulously drilled ensemble performance.

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Paddington: The Musical

Until 25 May

Tue – Sat 19.30 | Wed, Sat & Sun 14.00

Savoy Theatre, Strand, London WC2R 0ET

Paddington Bear arrives on the West End stage in a warm, family-friendly musical inspired by Michael Bond’s beloved stories and the award-winning film. Featuring lively choreography, original songs by Tom Fletcher and plenty of marmalade-fuelled mishaps, the production has become one of London’s most popular new theatrical attractions.

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To download or print our full London Events Guide: January 2026 Edition, click here.

Members, to book an overnight stay during January, please click here or email reservations@rosl.org.uk