There’s so much happening in London all year round – London’s events calendar is always busy! Start the New Year in London off and discover the amazing array of special events in London, including festivals, cultural celebrations and unmissable sports events. This coming February cram your diary full of the capital’s biggest and best events to inspire you for the rest of London in 2016.

1. Pancake Day in London

Pancake Day in London
Get your frying pans at the ready, Pancake Day in London falls on Tuesday February 9 2016 and this year’s pancake action need not be confined to the kitchen. Pancake Day activities will see restaurants serve up some of London’s best pancakes and everyone from hipsters to MPs toss towards the finish line in races across the city – this is one of the London events in February that you don’t want to miss.

Date: 9 February  2016
Free

2. Chinese New Year 2016 in London

Chinese New Year 2016 in London
London’s Chinese New Year celebrations are the largest outside Asia. Every year, hundreds of thousands of people descend on the West End to wish each other “Xin Nian Kuai Le” (Happy New Year in Mandarin) or “San Nin Faai Lok” (in Cantonese). Chinese New Year 2016, the Year of the Monkey, falls on 8 February.

Chinese New Year festivities in Central London take place in Trafalgar Square, Chinatown and Shaftesbury Avenue on 14 February. There are plenty of activities and celebrations to get involved in. Why not pay a visit to London’s Chinatown which is famous for its abundance of Chinese restaurants.

Date: 14 February 2016

3. Orchid Festival

Orchid Festival
Let the winter blues melt away as you step inside the tropical paradise of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew’s Princess of Wales Conservatory and admire it’s transformation into a celebration of Brazil’s magnificent plant life and fascinating habitats.

This year will see orchids and other tropical plants adorning the remarkable architecture of this steamy glasshouse, creating a sensory journey through the striking flora of Brazil during Carnival season.

Date: Saturday February 6 2016 – Sunday March 6 2016

4. Craft Beer Rising

Craft Beer Rising
Taking place from 26-27 February at The Old Truman Brewery in London’s Brick Lane, the fourth annual festival will see increased capacity and a dedicated area called ‘Lost in Cyder Space’ which will showcase a range of drinks.

Daniel Rowntree, director and founder of CBR London 2016, told Event: “The whole CBR London 2016 experience will be even more immersive this time round, with a Neon Orchard taking centre stage in Lost in Cyder Space, learn how to become a beer tester with the experts [experience] and VIP Bar.

The event forms part of London Beer Week (22-28 February). The London Beer Week Hub will also be based at The Old Truman Brewery, and will feature pop-up beer bars and immersive beer experiences for those with a London Beer Week wristband.

Date: 26-27 February 2016

5. London Fashion Weekend SS16 at Saatchi Gallery

London Fashion Weekend SS16 at Saatchi Gallery
Cutting edge glamour arrives in the capital as the London Fashion Weekend gets underway at the Saatchi Gallery.

For four days, this art gallery is transformed into a fashion paradise as big names from the beauty and style industries show off their creative work.

The ultimate fashion and designer shopping experience, the show is bursting with catwalk shows, pop-up shops, hair and beauty products and even educational panels from leading fashion experts. Style savvy glamour fans can get their winter wardrobe sorted for the year as more than 100 of the nation’s best loved designer brands (including AIX Armani Echange, J JS Lee, Paper London and Linda Farrow) dazzle with their designs.

Date: 25-28 February 2016

6. Cirque du Soleil’s Amaluna at Royal Albert Hall

Cirque du Soleil's Amaluna at Royal Albert Hall
Cirque du Soleil returns to the Hall with one of its newest touring shows, Amaluna.

Amaluna has never before been seen in the UK and will mark Cirque du Soleil’s 20th year at the stunning, world-famous venue.

Written and directed by Tony Award-winning director Diane Paulus, Cirque du Soleil’s 33rd production is a celebration of love and a tribute to the work and voice of women, with female performers making up the majority of the cast, and all eight members of the band also women.

Date: From 16 January 2016 to 6 March 2016

7. The London Bike Show

The London Bike Show
Performance training, spin sessions, a test track, a pop-up velodrome, stunt demos a fastest wrench competition and more than 200 exhibitor stands will be just some of the attractions at this mecca for cycling enthusiasts. All bike types are catered for, so look forward to pimping your road bike, fixie, BMX, mountain bike or other leg-powered transport option thanks to an endless spread of the finest equipment, clothing and accessories. Meet top cyclists and coaches, get your skills assessed, take advice on how to use your bike better, and maybe even shop for a new ride at this day out for bicycle fans of all ages.

Children under 8 get in for free but still require a ticket, group and advance discounts are available. Tickets also allow access to The Telegraph Outdoor Adventure and Travel Show and The Triathlon Show, which take place on the same weekend.

Date: 11-14 February 2016

8. Imagine Children’s Festival

Imagine Children's Festival
Visit a site bursting with half-term fun. Run by kids, for kids.

Every day from 10.30am to 4pm, enjoy the best children’s theatre, literature and music, with plenty of workshops and free activities for children up to 12 years old.

Come one, come all to events celebrating the centenary of Roald Dahl’s birth, whether exploring The Wondercrump World of Roald Dahl or watching Dahl’s last epic story The Minpins with live orchestral accompaniment.

Lift your nose out of your books and meet their authors and illustrators, such as Judith Kerr, Laura Dockrill and Candy Gourlay and Holly Smale. They’ll talk about the characters that fuel little ones’ imaginations, including the titular big cat in Judith Kerr’s Tiger Who Came to Tea.

And that’s not all: they have plenty of free events and workshops to keep you entertained, including Bedtime Stories with famous faces, jazz for your little ones at Groove Baby, gamelan gongs at Dragon Babies and much more.

Date: 10-21 February 2016

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