Christmas at Leadenhall Market

Leadenhall Market is getting its Christmas lights back on Thursday 19 November, with the Lord Mayor of London doing the honours. The switch-on kicks off at 5.15pm, and the lights themselves come on at 6pm, so there's a bit of a lead-in if you want to be there for the actual moment. It's not just a flick of a switch, either: there'll be live music and a flurry of artificial snow to mark the start of the season.

Leadenhall is one of the City's historic sheltered shopping destinations, and it carries a faintly Christmassy air year round thanks to its Victorian architecture. It comes into its own when the festive season arrives and the twinkling lights and trees return to the arcade. The display is built around a towering 26ft tree with decorations that seem to dangle from the heavens, and the 2026 edition adds a festive light tunnel through Beehive Passage, illuminated with Victorian-style lights.

Beyond the lights, the market's big draw is the SoLo Craft Fair, which brings handmade goods from over a hundred independent designers and makers to the arcade on two Saturdays: Saturday 14 November and Saturday 12 December, both from noon to 5pm. If you're in the mood to make something yourself, there are also free creative workshops in Beehive Passage, including candle decorating and embroidery.

Entry is free, so you can wander through the lights and the fair without spending a penny. The Christmas display runs throughout the season, so if you miss the switch-on on the 19th, you can still catch the tree and the light tunnel whenever you're passing through the City.