Guide to the best events, festivals, workshops, exhibitions and things to do throughout February 2026 in London.
January has a habit of overstaying its welcome, testing patience with its rigid routines and post-holiday restraint. By contrast, February arrives with renewed momentum, signalling a return to normality—and a far more active social calendar—once the first payday of the year is safely behind us.
Despite being the shortest month, February carries considerable weight in London’s annual calendar. Valentine’s Day, London Fashion Week and LGBTQ+ History Month all converge within a tight four-week window, while the arrival of yet another half-term brings a fresh wave of family-friendly events across the capital, many of them free to attend.
Culturally, the city begins to reawaken. After a subdued start to the year, London’s art and film scenes regain pace with a series of upcoming film festivals and high-profile exhibitions. Major institutions lead the charge, with new shows from Tracey Emin at Tate Modern and Rose Wylie at the Royal Academy drawing significant attention.
Sport and wellbeing also feature prominently. From the Six Nations and the FIFA Women’s Champions Cup to Kew Gardens’ annual Orchid Festival and the debut of King’s Cross’s Equanimity Festival, there is no shortage of options for those seeking movement, spectacle, or a reset of mind and body.
In short, February offers a strategic opportunity to re-engage with the city. Whether your focus is culture, sport, family activities or simply making the most of London’s post-January resurgence, the month delivers a broad and compelling programme of events well worth your time.
1. Join an after hours gallery crawl for Art After Dark
The National Gallery, Royal Academy of Arts and National Portrait Gallery are just three of the numerous West End art institutions taking part in this year’s Art After Dark. Spanning one week in February, the art and music focused programme includes a DJ takeover at the National Gallery, live performances at BOX Piccadilly and Haymarket Hotel and an after hours gallery crawl through the West End. The centrepiece of the whole thing is a towering art installation named ‘Rise and Shine’ by London-based artist Lakwena Maciver. Her trippy 7m tall stack of disco lightboxes will stand in the middle of Piccadilly Circus channelling the energy of ’80s and ’90s London nightlife.
2. Do something romantic for Valentine’s Day
No matter your relationship status—single, newly partnered, or happily committed for the long haul—London offers an exceptional setting for Valentine’s Day. February 14 in the capital caters to every inclination, from playfully unconventional speed-dating events and tongue-in-cheek drag performances to Galentine’s gatherings and thoughtfully curated date spots designed for couples.
As plans across the city continue to take shape, we will be updating this page regularly with our curated selection of the most noteworthy Valentine’s events and experiences as they are announced.
3. Catch all the action of the Six Nations at screenings around the city
The Six Nations Men’s rugby tournament is back for 2026. From February 5, it will be taking over pubs, beer gardens and outdoor screens across London most weekends up until Saturday March 14.
France took home the title in 2025. In 2026 games take place at venues including Paris’ Stade de France, Rome’s Stadio Olimpico, Dublin’s Aviva Stadium, and London’s very own Twickenham Stadium as England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, and Wales try to burst the French team’s bubble.
You’ll find the matches on screens at London’s many rugby pubs and bars, but if you want to watch with the most atmos possible, get yourself to one of our favourite places to grab a seat and a pint and get stuck into all the action.
4. Warm up in a pop-up sauna at Equanimity Festival
Equanimity is a newly launched wellness festival aimed at giving Londoners the opportunity to pause, recalibrate and restore—set against the backdrop of King’s Cross. At its core is Slomo’s temporary spa installation in Lewis Cubitt Square, featuring wood-fired saunas, cold plunge pools and an open fire, evoking the calm and simplicity of Scandinavian bathing culture.
Programming extends beyond the spa itself. On Sundays, Slomo’s tipi will host somatic breathwork sessions alongside curated Reset Retreats, while a broader schedule of yoga, meditation, breathwork and sound healing is led by experienced practitioners throughout the week. With many sessions designed to fit neatly into a working day, Equanimity offers an accessible way to introduce moments of calm into even the busiest lunch break.
5. Come face to face with Nemo, Woody and Lightning McQueen at Mundo Pixar
Ever watched Finding Nemo or Inside Out and wondered what it would be like to exist inside those marvelous worlds created by Pixar animation studio? Well, wonder no more – the Mundo Pixar Experience is a travelling immersive show that has been transporting Pixar fans to some of its most beloved universes. And this year, it‘s coming to London. The show essentially a journey through a series of 14 rooms, one dedicated to a different Pixar film. You shrink down to toy size in Andy’s Room from Toy Story, explore the Monster, Inc Scare Floor, race into Flo’s Café from Cars to meet Lightning McQueen, visit the Headquarters of Riley’s emotions from Inside Out 2, and journey from Coco’s Land of the Living to the Land of the Dead. To make the experience all the more ‘immersive’ there will be ‘specially crafted scents’ filling each space.
6. Catch some colourful displays at the Kew Orchid Festival
This February, the Princess of Wales Conservatory at Kew Gardens turns its focus eastwards, transforming the landmark glasshouse with its annual orchid festival inspired by China. Renowned for its immersive design, the exhibition showcases the extraordinary diversity of orchids alongside the wider richness of China’s plant and wildlife heritage.
Visitors can expect dramatic visual elements throughout the conservatory, including dragon sculptures, traditional lanterns and carefully crafted botanical installations woven from living plants. The programme also extends beyond daytime viewing, with a series of ticketed evening events featuring live Chinese music, food and cocktails, as well as cultural dance performances.
Access to the orchid display is included with standard admission to Kew Gardens, making it a standout seasonal highlight within the broader visitor experience.