Find out what events are on in London, including art fairs, St Patrick’s Day celebrations and the Ideal Home Show.

Spring is on its way… apparently! Although we know that March tends to be a pretty cold month, with snow often making a fleeting appearance, so maybe it’s not quite time to start planning your summer wardrobe.

This month there’s a huge choice of art fairs to suit all tastes and budgets if you’ve got a spare wall at home that needs jazzing up. There’s also the annual St Patrick’s Day Festival in Trafalgar Square and the return of dance-fest Move It with some of the biggest movers and shakers showing their stuff.

Find out the best events, exhibitions and festivals on in London this March.

Look out for the 🐻 for family-friendly activities.

• 3 – 5 March 2023 : Collect 2023

One of the world’s most influential contemporary craft and design festival comes to London, featuring work from over 400 artists. Open 11am-6pm. Tickets: General admission £25. Somerset House, Strand, Westminster, WC2R 1LA. Nearest station: Temple. For more information and booking, visit the Somerset House website.

• 4 – 5 March 2023 : London Comic Con Spring

Film and Comic Con returns, giving you the opportunity for autograph sessions, photoshoots, and panels. Names include Joseph Quinn (Stranger Things), Vinnie Jones, Elizabeth Henstridge, Christina Chong, Mandip Gill, Brian Blessed, Sam Jones, Moosa Mostafa, Christopher Lambert and more. Open Sat-Sun: 9am-6pm. Tickets: Adults Sat £25, Sun £23, Children Sat £22, Sun £20. Olympia National, Hammersmith Road, Kensington, W14 8UX. Nearest station: Kensington Olympia. For more information and tickets, visit the London Comic Con website. 

• Now until 5 March 2023 : Battersea Power Station Light Festival

A series of light installations bring colour and neon to the newly reopened complex. Open 8am-11pm (best viewed after dark). Free entry. Battersea Power Station, Circus Road West, Battersea, SW8 5BN. Nearest stations: Battersea Power Station, Battersea Park or Queenstown Road Battersea. For more information, visit the Battersea Power Station website. 🐻

• Now until 5 March 2023 : Orchid Festival @ Kew Gardens

An orchid display is coming to the Princess of Wales Conservatory for four weeks, with this year being inspired by Cameroon. General entrance tickets to Kew Gardens includes orchid exhibition: Adults £16.50, Children (4-15yr) £5.50. Kew Gardens, Brentford Gate, Kew, TW9 3AB. Nearest station: Kew Gardens. For more information, visit the Kew Gardens website. 🐻

• Now until 5 March 2023 : When Flowers Dream

An exhibition from artist Tanya Schultz (Pip & Pop) featuring installations made from sugar, candy and assorted craft materials. Opening times vary depending on season. Tickets included with gardens entrance. Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art, Kew Gardens, Brentford Gate, Kew, TW9 3AB. Nearest station: Kew Gardens. For more information, visit the Kew Gardens website. 🐻

• Now until 5 March 2023 : Kurios – Cabinet of Curiosities by Cirque du Soleil

Cirque du Soleil bring their show Kurios to London. The show tells the story of an ambitious inventor. Times vary. Tickets start from £51. Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Gore, SW7 2AP. Nearest stations: South Kensington, Knightsbridge or High Street Kensington. For more information and booking, visit the Cirque Du Soleil website. 🐻

• 9 – 12 March 2023 : Affordable Art Fair – Battersea Spring

A chance for people to buy a unique piece of art or photography for their homes at an affordable price. There are over 100 galleries, with pieces for sale ranging from £50 to £7,500. Open Thu-Fri 11am-5pm, Sat-Sun 11am-6pm. Tickets: £11-£22. Battersea Evolution, Battersea Park, SW11 4NJ. Nearest station: Battersea Park or short bus ride from Sloane Square tube. For more information, visit the Affordable Art Fair website.

The Affordable Art Fair returns to Battersea

• 9 – 12 March 2023 : The Other Art Fair

Chance to see and buy art from 140 unrepresented artists in an unpretentious art fair for everyone. Also features immersive installations, performances, DJs and bar. Open Thurs 5pm-10pm, Fri 1pm-9pm, Sat 11am-7pm, Sun 11am-6pm. Tickets: £12 (advance), Children under 12 yrs free. The Old Truman Brewery, 91 Brick Lane, Spitalfields, E1 6QR. Nearest station: Shoreditch High Street or Old Street. For more information, visit the Other Art Fair website.

• 10 – 11 March 2023 : The Cognac Show

Explore the world of Cognac and try from a choice of 200 cognacs from large and small producers of the tipple, with tastings, cocktails, masterclasses and more. Open Fri 5.30pm-9.30pm, Sat 12pm-6pm. Tickets from £50 (includes tasting glass and two cocktails). Glaziers Hall, 9 Montague Close, London Bridge, SE1 9DD. Nearest station: London Bridge. For more information and tickets, visit the Cognac Show website.

• 10 – 12 March 2023 : MOVE IT

The world’s biggest dance event featuring performances, classes, workshops, shopping, and talks by experts from all genres, including Tasha Ghouri, Ricky Jinks, Tap Attack, Josie Lee, Cherelle Jay & Heels and Feels, Joshua Base Pilmore, Layton Williams, Dark Angels, and more. Open from 10am. Day tickets: Adults from £21, Children from £18.50 (show and class tickets also available). ExCel, Royal Victoria Dock, 1 Western Gateway, Docklands, E16 1XL. Nearest stations: Custom House or Prince Regent. For more information, visit the Move It website. 

• 10 – 12 March 2023 : WOW – Women of the World

A festival of talks, debates, music, film and comedy celebrating women, girls and non-binary people. Featuring appearances from Jane Garvey, Fi Glover, Tola Okogwu, Oloni, Emma Carroll, Lauren Child, and Roxane Gay among the featured names. Events range from free to £38. Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, South Bank, SE1 8XX. Nearest station: Waterloo or Waterloo East. For more information and booking, visit the Southbank Centre website.

• 11 – 12 March 2023 : Crafterama

Weekend of crafting events and shopping including art stamps, mixed media, art journalling, die cutting, decopatch and more. Open Sat 9.30am-5pm, Sun 9.30am-4pm. Tickets: Adults one day £5.50, two day £8.80. Alexandra Palace, Alexandra Palace Way, N22 7AY. Nearest station: Alexandra Palace or Wood Green. For more information, visit the Alexandra Palace website. 

• 11 March – 9 April 2023 : State-less 無國界

New visual arts exhibition bringing together photographic and digital work by 10 internationally acclaimed East and Southeast Asian artists exploring the tangible borders and invisible boundaries that define their identities. Open Tues, Thu-Sat 11am-6pm, Wed 11am-9pm, Sun 11am-4.30pm. Free entry. Two Temple Place, 2 Temple Place, Temple, WC2R 3BD. Nearest station: Temple. For more information, visit the Two Temple Place website.

• 12 March 2023 : St Patrick’s Festival

Celebrate the patron saint of Ireland with Irish culture, performers, arts, dance, food and drink. 12pm-6pm. Free. Trafalgar Square, Westminster, WC2N. Nearest stations: Charing Cross, Embankment, Leicester Square or Piccadilly Circus. For more information, visit the London.gov.uk website.

• 13 – 17 March 2023 : London Design Week

Interior design festival featuring over 120 showrooms and 30 pop-up house guests, including talks, demonstrations, launches, installations, food and drink. Open 9.30am-5.30pm. Free entry, but register in advance. Design Centre, Lots Road, Chelsea Harbour, SW10 0XE. Nearest station: Imperial Wharf. For more information, visit the London Design Week website. 

• 15 – 26 March 2023 : BFI Flare

Celebration of queer cinema returns to the BFI. Featuring feature film screenings, short films, Filmmaker intros and Q&As, discussions, DJ nights, Big Gay Film Quiz and immersive art exhibition. Tickets vary depending on weekday, weekends and evenings. BFI Southbank, Belvedere Road, South Bank, SE1 8XT. Nearest station: Waterloo. For more information and booking, visit the BFI website. 

• 17 March 2023 : St Patrick’s Day @ Skylight Peckham

Enjoy a St Patrick’s Day party with sunset views from rooftop destination Skylight. Featuring signature Jameson’s cocktails, dancing and a live Irish band. Over 18s only. Entry times vary. Tickets from £10/£20 (packages include drinks or drinks and food). Skylight Peckham, 120 Peckham Hill Street Theatre Walk (in between Peckham Library and Mountview College), Peckham, SE15 5JT. Nearest station: Peckham Rye. For booking, visit DesignMyNight.

• 17 March 2023 : Jameson Black Barrel Masterclass

Try out your whisky mixology skills with a cocktail masterclass at a secret speakeasy location, before moving on to East London rooftop destination for a St Patrick’s Day celebration. Ove 18s only. Times vary. Tickets from £32.99. Secret speakeasy location TBR, followed by Skylight Tobacco Dock (Pennington Street entrance), Wapping, E1CW 2SF. Nearest station: Shadwell or Wapping. For booking, visit DesignMyNight.

• 17 March – 2 April 2023 : Ideal Home Show

A place of inspiration for homeowners including interiors, fittings and gardens. Includes plenty of opportunities to buy things both big and small for the house and food. Celebrity guests and experts include Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, Phil Spencer, Martin Lewis, Gregg Wallace, John Torode, Lisa Faulkner, Olly Smith, Rosemary Shrager, Kate Hardcastle, Danni Menzies, Paul A Young and many more. Open Mon-Fri 10am-5pm, Sat-Sun 10am-6pm. Advance tickets (more on the door): Weekday £14 or Weekend £16, Children 15 yrs and younger free (Tickets also include free access to the Eat & Drink Festival). Olympia, Hammersmith Road, Kensington, W14 8UX. Nearest station: Kensington Olympia. For more tickets, visit the Ideal Home Show website.

• 17 March – 2 April 2023 : Eat & Drink Festival

Indoor food festival returns, featuring cooking masterclasses and workshops, drinks experts, celebrity chefs, shopping, Artisan Producers’ market, and more. Celebrity guests and experts include Nikita Pathakji, Asimakis Chianotis, Helen Graham, Lola Milne, Theodore Chana, Nathan Davies, Charlie Jeffreys, Carole Edwards, Skinny Jean Gardner, Kevin Flynn and more. Open Mon-Fri 10am-5pm, Sat-Sun 10am-6pm. Advance tickets (more on the door): Weekday £14 or Weekend £16, Children 15 yrs and younger free (Tickets also includes free access to Ideal Home Show). Olympia, Hammersmith Road, Kensington, W14 8UX. Nearest station: Kensington Olympia. For more information, visit the Eat & Drink Festival website.

• 18 March 2023 : Head of the River Race

Four hundred crews from around the world take their boats to race 4.25 miles from Mortlake to Putney. The race starts at 1pm. Free. Nearest stations to spectator points: Mortlake, Barnes Bridge, Hammersmith or Putney Bridge. For more information, visit the Head Of The River Race website. 

• 18 March – 2 April 2023 : Telegraph Hill Festival

Arts and entertainment festival in South East London, including music, open studios, art shows, interactive exhibits, classes, workshops, talks, literary events, plays, performance art and music events. Lots of events are free, but some will cost. At various venues across New Cross, Nunhead, Hatcham, Brockley and Honor Oak. For more information, visit the Telegraph Hill festival website. 

• Now until 18 March 2023 : London Handel Festival 2023

Six weeks of concerts, talks and walks celebrating Fredrick Handel, with this year’s theme being “Forces of Nature”. Venues includes Handel’s parish church St Georges in Mayfair, as well as the Foundling Museum, Stone Nest, Village Underground, St Vedast, Fidelio Cafe, The Charterhouse, Shoreditch Treehouse, and St Lawrence Church Little Stanmore. Ticket prices range from £10 to £65 depending on event. For more information and booking, visit the London Handel Festival website.

The Vault Festival returns to Waterloo

• Now until 19 March 2023 : Vault Festival

Eight week fringe arts festival returns to Waterloo for the 11th year. Head to the tunnels beneath Waterloo. Entertainment includes live music, theatre, film, dance, comedy, immersive experiences and late-night parties. Ticket prices vary. The Vaults, 10 Leake Street, Waterloo, SE1 7NN. Nearest stations: Waterloo and Lambeth North. For booking, visit the Vault Festival website.

• 23 – 26 March 2022 : The Stitch Festival

Haberdashery festival featuring hundreds of workshops, demonstrations, interactive features, expert Q&As and exhibitors selling specialist craft supplies. Open Thu-Sat 10am-5.30pm, Sun 10am-3pm. Tickets: Adults £16.50, Children £7.50. Business Design Centre, 52 Upper Street, Islington, N1 0QH. Nearest station: Angel. For more information, visit the Stitch Festival website.

• 26 March 2023 : Oxbridge Boat Race

Watch the historic annual boat race between the Cambridge and Oxford University crews. Thousands will line the banks between Putney Bridge and Mortlake to watch the action. Women’s boat race @ 4pm and Men’s boat race @ 5pm. Free. Nearest stations: Putney Bridge, Hammersmith, Ravenscourt Park, Stamford Brook, East Putney, Chiswick or Barnes Bridge. For more information, visit the Boat Race website. 

• Now until 26 March 2023 : Crystal Palace International Film Festival

The CPIFF returns, featuring shorts and feature-length screenings, animation night, premieres, horror/sci-fi night, and documentary night. Ticket prices vary. Venues TBC. Nearest stations: Crystal Palace and West Norwood. For more information, visit the CPIFF website.

• 29 March – 1 April 2023 : Wandsworth Common Spring Beer & Cider Festival

South London’s largest attended independent beer festival, featuring 100 beers and 25 ciders to sample. Also featuring live entertainment. Open Wed 6pm-11pm, Thu 1pm-11pm, Fri-Sat 1pm-11pm. Tickets: £12-£40. Le Gothique, John Archer Way, Wandsworth, SW18 3SX. Nearest station: Clapham Junction, Wandsworth Town or Wandsworth Common. For tickets, visit Eventbrite.

• 29 March – 9 April 2023 : London Game Festival 2023

In-person and online festival to promote gaming and interactive entertainment, including a Trafalgar Square exhibition, LGF World Stage, Games Finance Market, the Now Play This exhibition, BAFTA Games Awards, industry talks, and more. For more information, visit the Games London website. 

• 30 March 2023 : Radical Home – Love @ Museum of the Home

Late night opening of the Museum of the Home explores if love is a radical act with a study on self-care and resilience. Featuring talks, exclusive tours, a bar and DJ. Over 21s only. 6pm-9.30pm. Tickets: £5-£10. Museum of the Home, 136 Kingsland Road, Shoreditch, E2 8EA. Nearest station: Hoxton. For more information, visit the Museum of the Home website.

• 30 March – 2 April 2023 : Original Print Fair

View and buy original prints from old and modern masters. Open Thur-Fri 11am-8pm, Sat-Sun 10am-6pm. Tickets from £15. Somerset House, Strand, Westminster, WC2R 1LA. Nearest station: Temple. For more information and booking, visit the Original Print Fair website.

• 31 March – 10 September 2023 : Berthe Morisot – Shaping Impressionism @ Dulwich Picture Gallery

The first UK exhibition since 1950 of one of Impressionism’s founding artists Berthe Morisot. Open Tues-Sun 10am-5pm. Tickets: Adults £15/£16.50. Dulwich Picture Gallery, Gallery Road, Dulwich, SE21 7AD. Nearest stations: West Dulwich or North Dulwich. For booking, visit the Dulwich Picture Gallery website.

• Now until Spring 2023 : Sculpture in the City 2022/2023

Free public art exhibition, bringing 19 contemporary pieces to the streets and spaces of the City of London. Free. At various sites around the Square Mile. Nearest stations: Fenchurch Street, Monument or Liverpool Street. For more information and a map of the artworks, visit the Sculpture in the City website. Check out Metro Girl’s blog post on the exhibition.🐻

• Now until 8 May 2023 : Ukraine – Photographs from the Frontline

Harrowing exhibition of images taken by photojournalist Anastasia Taylor-Lind in Ukraine in the run up to and during the current conflict with Russia. Open daily 10am-6pm. Free entry. Imperial War Museum London, Lambeth Road, Lambeth, SE1 6HZ. Nearest station: Lambeth North. For more information, visit the IWM website.

• Now until 9 May 2023 : Beyond the Streets London

New exhibition showcases graffiti and street art, curated by Roger Gastman and featuring over 100 artists. Open daily 10am-6pm. Tickets: Standard £25, 6-16 yrs £10. Saatchi Gallery, King’s Road, Chelsea, SW3 4RY. Nearest station: Sloane Square. For tickets, visit the Saatchi Gallery website. 🐻

• Now until TBC May 2023 : Frameless

Explore a new way to engage with art in an immersive, multi-sensory experience. Visitors can travel through four galleries, coming up close to masterpieces from the likes of Cezanne, Kandinsky, Monet, Dalí, Van Gogh, Canaletto, Rembrandt and Klimt, among others. Opening hours vary. Tickets from £15, Kids under 5 yrs free. 6 Marble Arch Place, Marylebone, W1H 7AP. Nearest station: Marble Arch. For tickets, visit the Frameless website.

• Now until 4 June 2023 : David Hockney – Bigger and Closer

Experience the world through Hockney’s eyes in an immersive, digital art exhibition. Open daily, hours vary. Tickets from £25. Lightroom, 12 Lewis Cubitt Square, King’s Cross, N1C 4DY. Nearest station: King’s Cross St Pancras. For more information, visit the Lightroom website.

• Now until 30 June 2023 : Jeff Wayne’s The War of the Worlds – The Immersive Experience

An immersive experience inspired by the classic story. Travel back in time to Victorian London and the Martian invasion of 1898. Experience immersive theatre, virtual reality, augmented reality, holograms and other cutting-edge technology. Overs 12 only. Times vary. Tickets: £40-£130. The Old Metal Exchange, 56 Leadenhall Street, City of London, EC3A 2BJ. Nearest station: Aldgate or Fenchurch Street. For booking, visit the War of the World’s website. Check out Metro Girl’s review of the show. 

• Now until July 2023 : Scenes in the Square

Check out bronze sculptures of iconic film characters around Leicester Square. Eight interactive characters, such as Laurel & Hardy to Wonder Woman will be placed in the square for four months. Free. Leicester Square, Westminster, WC2H 7DE. Nearest stations: Leicester Square or Piccadilly Circus. For more information, visit the Leicester Square website. Check out Metro Girl’s gallery of the exhibition. 🐻

Find out what else is on

Scenes in the Square: Meet icons of cinema on Leicester Square’s art trail

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Sculpture in the City 2022/2023 | Art trail returns to the Square Mile

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Guide to what’s on in London in April 2023

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