The 6 best free things to do in London this weekend [January 30-February 1 2026]

We’ve made it, guys! January is basically over, and that means the greyest, grimmest bit of the year is receding from view. Gone are the bleak days where only the Traitors was worth getting excited about. In a few short weeks, we’ll be enjoying lighter evenings, the first spring flowers, and al fresco pints when warmer weather rolls in. But first, it’s time to give the year’s darkest month a good send off. And fortunately, that doesn’t have to mean putting pressure on your beleaguered bank balance.

This weekend, there’s a warming array of free things to do that’ll provide the perfect way to dispel any lingering January gloom. Sip a free hot chocolate, marvel at open-air light installations, or see movies without shelling out for tickets – and give February’s longer days the warm welcome they deserve. 

The best free things on in London this weekend, January 30-February 1 2026

1. Feast your eyes on the bright colours of Winter Lights

There was a time when Canary Wharf was the exclusive preserve of the finance types beavering away in its glass-walled towerblocks. But it’s made considerable efforts to broaden its appeal in recent years, and its annual Winter Lights festival must be one of the most successful. Every January, hordes of thrill-seekers and amateur photographers flock to Canary Wharf to see an eccentric array of light-based spectacles once the sun sets. This year’s highlights include Sol, which is a collection of glowing planet-like orbs on Crossrail Place Roofgarden, and Amplitudes, which projects trippy colours onto water spray at Eden Dock. There’ll be food stalls to pick up snacks en route: just make sure to head down the moment sun sets, to beat the considerable crowds.

Various Canary Wharf locations. Until Sat Jan 31. Free.

2. Embrace the wintry chill at Bankside’s Frost Fair

Long ago, the Thames used to freeze over every winter, so that Tudor Londoners could skate and party on its icy surface. Global warming has largely put paid to such frivolities. But that’s changing this weekend, with Bankside’s Frost Fair. It’ll take place next to (rather than on) the river, offering a history-inspired line-up of free fun events. There’ll be outdoor games, performances, family-friendly craft sessions, and stalls to browse. Hang around til 7pm and you’ll find free folk music sessions at neighbouring pubs.

Bankside, Pavilion A, SE1 9FU. Sat Jan 31. Free.

3. See Julia Phillips’ uncanny installations at Barbican Curve

Surreal, fleshy forms recalling shop dummies or androids are combined with graceful arrangements of metal in US sculptor Julia Phillips’ work. She’ll be taking up residence in Barbican Curve this weekend, as part of the venue’s celebrations of 20 years of commissioning artists. Go to marvel at her intriguing minimalist installations, which are designed to embody intangible concepts from psychological states to biological processes.

Barbican Centre, EC2Y 8AE. Fri Jan 30-Apr 19. Free.

3. Watch a bold global line-up of movies at PictureEast Film Festival

This community-focused film festival is the polar opposite to the sanitised, pricy, predictable experience of seeing a blockbuster at your nearest multiplex. PictureEast takes over unexpected spaces across Newham and Barking & Dagenham, for totally free pop-up screenings of underappreciated international films and new works from local talent. This year, the fest winds up with a free screening of uplifting documentary Palestine Comedy Club, alongside live spots from professional funny people. 

Various east London locations. Until Sun Feb 1. Free. 

5. Give your brain a workout at a pair of Friday lates

The final Friday of the month spells after-hours fun at some of London’s buzziest galleries. Step into King’s College London’s Science Gallery after dark and you’ll find a quantum-themed late featuring installations, talks and performances that’ll introduce you to this mind-bending set of theories. These include a showcase of short sci-fi films, an interactive laser sculpture, and a found poetry workshop using quotes about quantum physics. And just down the road at Tate Modern, there’s a late themed around the gallery’s current exhibition, ‘Theatre Picasso,’ where London-based musician kwes. will be premiering his new ambient album in a multi-sensory performance created with CGI artist Ryan Vautier, alongside movement and creative writing workshops hosted by Peckham-based yoga instructor Letty Mitchell and Camden’s Pigeon Publishing House.

Science Gallery, SE1 9GU; Tate Modern, SE1 9TG. Fri Jan 30. Free.

6. Sip a free hot chocolate at Battersea Power Station

Bid a delicious goodbye to January with a free cup of hot chocolate at Battersea Power Station. Ethical Caribbean cocoa-makers Islands Chocolate are marking National Hot Chocolate Day with a great big giveaway. They’re setting up a tropical-themed stall outside Battersea Power Station Underground, which’ll dispense 1,000 free chocolates made from single-origin Caribbean cocoa. Can’t make it to Battersea? There’s more chocolatey goodness on offer across the capital, with bakeries including Crosstown Doughnuts, Caravan, Mission Coffee Works, and North Star Coffee all giving out 100 free hot chocolates on Saturday too.

Battersea Power Station, SW8 4NN. Sat Jan 31. Free.

Get excited for February with our guide to the best things to do in London next month.

And plan for the year ahead with Time Out’s roundup of the 26 best things to do in 2026. 

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