Image credit GDIF 2021 / Helen Boast

• Mayor of London launches new Winter Lights season to celebrate the most magical time of the year, with a host of outdoor festive events and activities for visitors to enjoy
• Experience the magic of the Northern Lights in London for free with ‘Borealis’ lights display, by renowned artist Dan Acher
• See thousands of illuminated white roses displayed in Grosvenor Square for the ‘Ever After Garden’ by fashion designer Anya Hindmarch
• Other attractions include unique illuminations along the Southbank, DAWAAT poetry and dance performances, Canary Wharf Winter Lights Spectacular, and more

Award-winning destination has added a range of new and sustainable offerings, including 18 new hotels in 2021 alone 

Autumn has officially arrived! Jumper weather, vibrant tree colours and the slight chill in the air signifies the start of the cosiest season.

There are so many exciting events on the horizon and Visit London has curated a list of the best activities to do in London this autumn – whether you’re a foodie, fashionista, or simply looking for exciting things to do with the family.  

Image: London climate tech startup and urban farm, Crate to Plate ©Stephen Chung/PinPep 

• Global climate tech investment sees rapid growth since Paris Agreement, with record $32.3bn raised in 2021
• UK firms raise $4.3bn in VC funding since 2016, ranking 4^th globally
• London is home to more climate tech companies than any other European city
• Europe is the fastest-growing region for climate tech investment since 2016

As Halloween draws closer, there’s a cauldron of themed events and activities taking place around the capital to keep everyone entertained during the spookiest time of year.

• New research shows biggest challenges parents face during school holidays are the cost of keeping their children entertained (45%) and finding fun experiences to suit the whole family (34%)
• Pop-Up London - a free festival of culture for all ages in central London – will see more than 100 performances involving more than 200 performers and artists
• Artists, musicians, dancers, comedy acts, circus performers and more will perform at Spitalfields E1, Canary Wharf, mainline train stations and many other locations during October half term
• The capital’s diverse communities will be celebrated with Brazilian drumming, Cantonese story-telling and Caribbean steelpans featuring alongside performances that explore themes of climate change and the digital age

• London and New York are top cities globally to build a successful tech company outside of Silicon Valley
• UK capital ranks highly for funding, talent, and connectedness in latest Global Startup Rankings by Startup Genome
• London tech firms raise record levels of investment in 2021, already more than the whole of last year
• New report launched during London Tech Week 2021, the largest tech event in Europe

• Award winning artist, Yinka Ilori joins The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, to unveil a series of eye-catching street art installations in central London to encourage visitors back to the city as part of the Mayor’s Let’s Do London Autumn culture season
• 18 pedestrian crossings in Tottenham Court Road and the City of London are being transformed with bright colours and shapes to celebrate the return of London’s world-leading design, fashion, film and art festivals this autumn
• Photographer Rankin joins the Mayor to announce ambitious shoot and landmark exhibition celebrating London’s theatre industry’
• The return of world-leading design, fashion, film and art festivals are key attractions of the Mayor’s Let’s Do London autumn season

• New London Lates season sees the city bursting back to life with unforgettable experiences supported by world-class actors, DJs, musicians and artists
• Mayor of London invites the public to celebrate the return of the city’s nightlife
• Includes unique collaboration between Fabric nightclub and the English National Opera – ‘One Night at the Opera

• Over a third of parents (37%) are not organising their usual summer family holiday due to pandemic uncertainty
• Almost half (47%) stating they would consider a London city break over their usual beach holiday
• 70% of parents cited ‘keeping the kids entertained’ as the number one challenge faced during the school holidays
• Mayor joins with his new Mayors of Play to launch a reimagined version of the iconic London Tube map at ZSL London Zoo today to showcase the abundance of family-friendly indoor and outdoor events and activities across central London
• Map has been curated by the new Mayors of Play – five lucky youngsters who are helping the Mayor to spotlight London’s family-friendly offering this summer   

• Agenda and registration for London Tech Week 2021 now live, with many more sessions and speakers to be added

• Mayor launches a season of summer Family Fun with an abundance of child-friendly events and activities across central London
• Sadiq issues an invitation to young Londoners to apply to be London’s first Mayors of Play
• Heralded as the ‘best summer job in the world’ – five lucky youngsters will help curate a summer of fun alongside the Mayor of London himself