Looking for the best things to do in London in October? We’ve got you covered
You’re in plenty of time to book tickets to the best events in London, from theatre shows to art exhibitions, and there are always pop-ups opening across the city, but our handy guide features the best of what’s on in London in October so you won’t miss a thing.
Autumn is in full swing in October – yes that means pumpkin spice aplenty – but there’s way more on the calendar to get excited about before Halloween swings around, including Black History Month, Frieze and Diwali. Film fans are in luck too with the BFI London Film Festival running in October – the perfect excuse to get out to your local indie cinema. And with London Cocktail Week and UK Coffee Week both happening in October, you’ll have no problem staying hydrated either.
1. Dance at the Return of Iconic Nightclub The End
If you went clubbing in London in the nineties, you almost certainly spent a few late nights at The End. Opened in 1995 by DJs Layo Paskin and Mr C, the West End venue, with its intimate atmosphere, cutting edge sound system and incredible DJ lineup, became a defining part of London’s electronic music scene before closing in 2009. Now the club is returning for one special weekend this autumn. This is The End, 1995 – 2025: Defining an Era will be taking over KOKO in Camden, celebrating the history of this clubbing institution.
Fri 10th – Sun 12th October 2025
1a Camden High Street, London NW1 7JE
koko.co.uk
2. See Sumo in the UK for the First Time in 30 Years
The last time a Grand Sumo Tournament was held outside Japan was at the Royal Albert Hall way back in 1991, and 34 years later, it’s returning to the iconic London venue. Taking place between 15th – 19th October 2025, the five-day basho, organised in partnership with the Nihon Sumo Kyokai (Japan Sumo Association), will see Makuuchi rikishi (wrestlers) from Japan’s top-level Sumo division compete in around 20 bouts per evening following a dohyō-iri (ring entrance ceremony).
Weds 15th – Sun 19th October 2025
Kensington Gore, London SW7 2AP
royalalberthall.com
3. Watch a World Premiere at the London Film Festival
The British Film Institute (BFI) is back with another edition of the London Film Festival – now in its 69th year – meaning film fans in the capital have a big couple of weeks coming up in October. And the fest is starting with a bang as Rian Johnson’s third Knives Out film, Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, is getting its international premiere at the Opening Night Gala, ahead of its December release on Netflix The movie sees Daniel Craig return as super sleuth Benoit Blanc as he unravels another murder mystery, with the likes of Josh O’Connor, Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Mila Kunis, Jeremy Renner, Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott, Cailee Spaeny, Daryl McCormack, and Thomas Haden Church amongst the ensemble cast.
Weds 8th – Sun 19th October 2025
Various locations
bfi.org.uk
4. Fundraise for Gaza With This Gig at Troxy
Following last year’s Gig for Gaza at Brixton Academy, which raised over £125,000 for aid efforts in Gaza, Paul Weller is throwing another benefit concert this October. Taking place at Troxy, Gig for Gaza will feature performances from Paul Weller himself, Primal Scream, Maverick Sabre, and Inhaler, alongside guest speakers and short film screenings. Every penny raised from the event will be donated to Medical Aid for Palestinians and Gaza Forever, two organisations that are providing essential support on the ground during the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Fri 17th October 2025
Troxy, 490 Commercial Rd, London E1 0HX
troxy.co.uk
5. Look Back Over the Career of Gilbert & George
Gilbert & George are some of the most iconic artists working today. Having spent the last five decades being ‘living sculptures’, their work acts as a record of our changing society – by incorporating text and images from everyday life in their pieces, their art opens a dialogue about social norms and taboos, things that the pair aren’t afraid to challenge. Gilbert & George: 21ST CENTURY PICTURES, opening at the Hayward Gallery in October, will look back over the past 25 years of their careers and explore the impact that technology and digital distortion has had on their reflections of today’s society. The exhibition will feature over 60 floor-to-ceiling installations; works from key series like NEW HORNY PICTURES, THE LONDON PICTURES, THE BEARD PICTURES, and CORPSING PICTURES; and two works from their new 2025 series THE SCREW PICTURES, featuring everyday objects sourced from around their home.
From Tues 7th October 2025
Hayward Gallery, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX
southbankcentre.co.uk
6. Volunteer as Tribute to See The Hunger Games on Stage
Irish playwright and five-time Tony nominee Conor McPherson is adapting the work – both Suzanne Collins’ 2008 novel and the Jennifer Lawrence movie – which is set in the dystopian world of Panem, where Katniss Everdeen must fight to the death in an annual televised competition for the stage. Collins is endorsing the play, which is being directed by Matthew Dunster (of 2:22 A Ghost Story fame). The show will be opening in October at the brand new Troubadour Canary Wharf Theatre, which has been purpose built to host the world premiere of this show. Mia Carragher will be playing Katniss Everdeen, with Euan Garrett as Peeta Mellark, Joshua Lacey as Haymitch Abernathy, Tristan Waterson as Gale Hawthorne, Tamsin Carroll as Effie Trinket, and Stavros Demetraki as Caesar Flickerman. May the odds be ever in your favour.
From Mon 20th October 2025
Wood Wharf, London, E14
thehungergamesonstage.com
7. Eat Crisp Pizza in Central London
Crisp Pizza, the insanely popular NYC-style pizza joint run by Carl McCluskey, is opening in Mayfair with a helping hand from the Devonshire team. Carl will be re-opening The Marlborough pub in Mayfair, which has been empty since 2020. The interiors have been reimagined, with lots of added mahogany, to give it the same traditional feel as the Devonshire. The Soho pub’s famous Guinness installation has also been replicated at The Marlborough, so you’ll be able to get great (and speedy) pints of the black stuff alongside a curated selection of lagers and real ales. As well as getting top beer and classic pub vibes at The Marlborough, you’ll able to tuck into the award-winning Crisp pizzas in a dedicated speakeasy-style pizzeria space downstairs.
October 2025
24 N Audley St, London W1K 6WD
@crisppizzaw6
8. Join Punchdrunk’s New Live-Action Video Game Experience
Immersive theatre group Punchdrunk are once again breaking new ground with LANDER 23, a new live-action video game experience. Blurring the line between theatre and gaming, LANDER 23 will transform audiences into players in a multi-player stealth mission, promising participants “genuine agency” and “true video game mechanics” throughout the experience. The story drops players into the ‘Lander Division‘ of the ‘Centre for Astrobiology’, the galaxy’s most intrepid explorers. A week prior, the crew of LANDER 23 vanished while harvesting a rare energy source on Hisarlik 426. It’s now up to you to find out what happened. You’ll be divided into two squads: Command (Drivers) and Ground Team (Fields). While the Fields navigate a hostile alien terrain, their only lifeline is the voice and the instructions of their Drivers, directing the mission from aboard the ship.
October 2025
One Cartridge Place, Woolwich, London SE18 6ZR
lander23.com
9. Go Inside the Club That Shaped the 80s
With the Blitz: the club that shaped the 80s exhibition, the Design Museum is revisiting the iconic Blitz club, which was a launchpad for the careers of its ‘Blitz Kids’, who included Boy George, Spandau Ballet, Sade and Princess Julia, among others. The club has become famous for its impact on 80s music, fashion and design, and the exhibition will explore that influence through garments, drawings, photographs, flyers, magazines, records, instruments and film (curated in collaboration with some of the leading Blitz Kids) – much of which has never been on public display before.
October 2025
224 – 238 Kensington High Street, Kensington, London W8 6AG
designmuseum.org
10. Shop from Independent Black Makers at This Market
The Black Culture Market is back this October with an edition for Black History Month, giving Londoners the chance to support emerging entrepreneurs and businesses of African and Caribbean descent. The market will be returning to its usual venue at Brixton‘s Department Store, stacked with stalls selling unique prints, jewellery, male grooming kits, skincare, gifts & cards, clothes, accessories and more – all from independent Black makers.
Sat 4th & Sun 5th October 2025, 11am – 5pm
Downstairs at The Department Store, 248 Ferndale Road, Brixton, London SW9 8FR
blackculturemarket.co.uk
