Looking for things to do in Britain this month? It might be the start of the year, but January is anything but quiet. Kick off 2026 as you mean to go with a wellbeing festival, or perhaps the arts are more your thing? From a traditional New Year’s Day parade in the south to Burns Night celebrations in the north, get set for an action-packed time with what’s on in Britain this January.
Ever wondered what it was like to be a Viking? Wonder no more as you get stuck into Shetland’s famous annual Viking fire festival, Up Helly Aa. Marking the end of the festive Yule season, wrap up warm and soak up the atmosphere as locals parade through the streets in full ancient Norsemen regalia.
New Year’s day has officially kicked off with fireworks over the River Thames, now head off to the London’s New Year’s Day Parade has evolved into one of the capital’s great traditions. Starting at 12pm, the procession along the city’s West End will fill the streets with marching bands, cheerleaders, acrobats, kites and more.
Head to North London’s Alexandra Palace to see the world’s best players battling it out to be the 2026 World Darts Champion.
An unmissable opportunity to see the monumental paintings of indigenous Australian artist Emily Kam Kngwarray at Tate Modern, London. With a story as fascinating as the work itself, Kam Kngwarray didn’t start painting until her late 70s, when she began creating a piece almost every day. Her huge paintings embody her wisdom, culture and community.
For world-class figure skating, head to the Utilita Arena Sheffield for the ISU Figure Skating European Championships 2026. Taking place over 6 days, watch the best of the best battle it out in programmes including Pairs Free Skating, Ice Dance Free Skating and Women’s Short Program.
Merging the past with the present, the Luminiscence Immersive Convert at Manchester Cathedral promises to be a spectacular celebration of sound and colour. Making its UK debut at the cathedral, the concert will include a live choir, colourful visuals projected all around the space, and narration of the story by the actor Christopher Eccleston.
Glasgow’s annual folk, roots, and world music festival celebrates Celtic music and its connections to cultures across the globe. It’s the largest annual winter music festival of its kind and Britain’s premier celebration of Celtic music; usually featuring concerts, ceilidhs, talks, art exhibitions, and workshops.
Harold Offeh: The Mothership Collective 2.0 is a multi-sensory exhibition for all ages, get curious, use your imagination and play at this interactive space. On show at the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, Gateshead, each zone uses different materials and art forms, inspired by sci-fi, the future and fantasy.
With live cinema screenings and film awards, The Bay International Film Festival will return to Morecambe, Lancashire in January. Championing local talent from the north-west of England, there’s also a celebration of thought-provoking international talent, too.
Every January Scotland celebrates the birthday of Robert Burns – the national poet of Scotland – traditionally marked with food, drams, dancing and verse. An array of Burns Night events take place across Scotland to mark the occasion. Don’t forget to address the haggis…
This day is in honour of Wales’s patron saint of lovers, St Dwynwen, and is the Welsh version of St Valentine’s Day. It exists due to St Dwynwen’s own experiences with lost love and her later commitment to becoming a nun. Why not visit the church dedicated to St Dwynwen on Ynys Llanddwyn, Anglesey, on her special day?
See Shetland’s capital ablaze with torchlight for 24 hours of festivities to mark the end of the Yule season. Although it ‘only’ dates back to the 19th century, Up Helly Aa is inspired by Shetland’s Norse past and culminates in the spectacular burning of a galley, or replica Viking longship. Watch the ‘squad’ in the torchlit procession and join the party.
In need of a giggle? Head to the southern edge of the Black Mountains in south-east Wales for the Black Mountains Comedy Festival. Deep in the heart of the Brecon Beacons, not only is this a beautiful part of Wales to explore but the comedy on offer will keep you coming back for more.
Start 2026 as you mean to go on at ReBalance Bath – Festival of Wellbeing, taking place from late January to mid-February. Enjoy three weeks of feel-good activities which aim to boost your physical and mental wellbeing; from yoga to mindfulness, creative writing breath work and more.
Classical concerts, virtuoso recitals and dance shows – with cash prizes for the stand-out performers. The Oxford Music Festival takes place from the last weekend of January and the first weekend of February.
Get set for some spectacular scenes across the sky as nature puts on her own light show. Did you know you can see the Northern Lights in Britain? Also known as Aurora Borealis, the natural phenomenon shine at their brightest and most spectacular during the winter months (October to March). One of the best places to see the Northern Lights in Britain is on the Isle of Skye.
2026 is set to be a big year for the Royal Scottish Academy (RSA) as it celebrates its 200th anniversary. Dip into more than 70 museums, galleries, universities and community spaces across Scotland for exhibitions, performances, talks and events.
Sing along to your favourite musicals, or learn some new lines at a fresh show, at one of Britain’s many stage shows up and down the country.
With home-grown fashion giants including Vivienne Westwood, Stella McCartney, Victoria Beckham and Alexander McQueen, hit the shops for the January sales. Look out for iconic shopping spots, luxury shopping, London’s markets, out-of-town malls and boutique gems with books, pottery, vintage, vinal and more.
