Happy New Year, or welcome to the first month of 2024! January is one of those months where we are still processing the Christmas madness and all the food we consumed, it's the time when most people settle at home as it's cold outside, plus we all make a promise to not drink alcohol for a month hence the lack of excuse to go out. But here I would like to suggest that January is better than December, it's in fact the best month to treat yourself with the final reduction sales. Nothing brings more joy than going for a walk around Central London on a quiet January afternoon (unlike the December circus, yes, I have a conspiracy why that junction is called Oxford Circus), shopping, picking a quiet little café around the corner for a break and a moment to catch up with friends. Below is a list of my suggestions of things to do this month in the city.
Twelfth Night
London's annual Twelfth Night celebrations mix ancient customs with modern festivities, making for a bizarre and eclectic event. Head to the riverside near Shakespeare's Globe to witness wassailing, The Holly Man (or Green Man) being paraded across the river, dramatic performances, and a chance to be crowned King or Queen for the day by finding a bean or a pea in a cake. Like we said, an odd (but fascinating) one. FREE, 7 January
RuPaul's DragCon
More than 175 queens are on the line-up at RuPaul's DragCon at ExCeL Centre, including stars from 13 international franchises of the show such as Canada, Spain and Thailand. Full schedule TBC at time of writing, but expect appearances and performances on both the main stage and pink carpet. 13-14 January
London Art Fair
The capital's art scene swings into action for the year at the London Art Fair at the Business Design Centre in Islington. Focus is on modern and contemporary pieces, with galleries from all over London and beyond exhibiting. 17-21 January
Balloon Museum
Why not kick-off the new year with one of the most unique of London’s new art exhibits at the Balloon Museum. This fully interactive experience allows visitors to go on a journey through over the top, oversized, and emotive immersive installations with unexpected shapes.
Billed as ‘art you can feel’, head here to get a burst of static electricity to blow the January cobwebs off.
Torstig Bar
After a few weeks of heavy drinking and eating, many of us resort to dry January as a way to reset our bodies. Torstig Bar is the perfect spot to do so - alcohol free bar where you can catch up with friends without the temptation of alcohol.
Visit Maddox Gallery for ''Dreamland''
Maddox Gallery offers a new exhibition by Russell Young this January which explores the celebrity as a cultural phenomenon. The exhibition needs to be on your cultural list to help fuel your curiosity. It showcases a new body of work by Young, featuring images taken by legendary photographers Terry O’Neill and Gered Mankowitz.
