What’s On in London: February 2026 | A Guide for International Students

British winter might be dark and drizzly, but things are finally looking up. It’s soon acceptable to eat pancakes for dinner (check out our simple Shrove Tuesday recipe), love is in the air, and London celebrates China’s biggest and brightest festival.

So, when you’re not studying English next to a stack of maple-y goodness, here’s what you can do this February in London as an international student:

🐎CULTURAL SPOTLIGHT: Chinese New Year in London

Failed your 2026 goals already? Consider February 17th your second chance. This month marks the Chinese New Year (also known as the Lunar New Year across Asia), a 15-day festival beginning with the new moon, with each year linked to a different Chinese Zodiac animal. This year welcomes the Year of the Horse, symbolising energy, confidence, and movement.

London’s Chinatown hosts the largest Chinese New Year celebrations outside of Asia, with live performances, street food, and the famous new year parade featuring traditional lion and dragon dances.

Get Involved:

1. Join the crowds at the Chinatown parade (February 22nd)
2. Learn Chinese calligraphy at Camden Market (February 21st)
3. Eat lucky foods at London’s best Chinese eateries
4. Listen to traditional and modern Chinese music at SOAS (March 3rd)

...and more ✨

🏙️HIGHLIGHTS

• Kew Orchard Festival, Feb 7th to March 8th – Orchids take over Kew Gardens’ glasshouses this year in a special event celebrating China’s flora, heritage, and design, with evening sessions featuring live music, food, and dance.
• Barnes Common Winter Wassail, February 7th – Embrace ancient British tradition with storytelling, crafts, and singing at this wholesome event in one of London’s prettiest villages.
• UCL Illuminated, February 11th to 13th – You don’t have to be a student to see UCL’s iconic Wilkins Building lit up with 3D projections for its 200th anniversary. Tickets are just £5 — or free if you email their access team.
• London Bookshop Crawl, February 13th to 15th – Need an excuse to add to your TBR pile? Here it is. Join a guided tour of some of London’s best indie bookshops and enjoy special discounts or join The Big Bookish Pub Quiz for a literary twist on the classic British pastime.
• Climb Alexandra Palace – Channel your inner adventurer and scale one of London’s most iconic buildings — with ropes, of course. The experience opens for the first time this February.
• London Winter Run, February 15th – Raise money for Cancer Research by tackling a 10k run through central London. Expect live performances, winter mascots, and some... eye-catching costumes.
• LQBTQ+ History Month Events – February is LGBTQ+ History Month! Attend a free tour and talk of The National Gallery through a ‘queer lens’, explore queer maritime history at Greenwich’s National Maritime Museum, attend a queer comedy night at Laugh-Able, and much more.

🖼️ART & CULTURE

• Tracey Emin: A Second Life at Tate Modern, Feb 27th to Aug 31st – Best known for her most controversial work, My Bed, Tracey Emin continues to push the boundaries of what art can be.
• Art After Dark, February 3rd to 10th – London’s free art and culture festival returns with spectacular public artworks and live music across the West End. Plus, an exclusive late-night party at the National Gallery.
• Seurat and the Sea at the Courtauld, Feb 13th to May 17th – Discover Georges Seurat’s dotted landscapes in the first exhibition dedicated to his seascape paintings.
• Beatriz Gonsález at the Barbican, Feb 25th to May 10th – Witness the UK’s first exhibition of this groundbreaking Colombian artist.
• Rose Wylie at the Royal Academy, Feb 28th to April 19th – Explore Wylie’s bold, idiosyncratic artworks.
• Samurai at the British Museum, Feb 3rd to May 4th – Fascinated by Samurai culture? Explore the real objects behind the legends. 

🎭LONDON THEATRE

• Dracula at Noel Coward Theatre, Feb 7th to May 30th – Wicked star Cynthia Erivo plays all 23 roles in this modern adaptation of the classic vampire tale.
• Our Town at the Rose Theatre, Feb 26th to March 28th – Beloved Welsh actor Michael Sheen stars in this tender play about the little big moments of everyday life.
• Broken Glass at the Young Vic, Feb 20th to April 18th – Arthur Miller’s psychological drama about rising antisemitism in 1930s America.
• Shadowlands at Aldwych Theatre, Feb 5th to May 9th – The moving true story of The Chronicles of Narnia author C.S Lewis as he navigates love and loss.

🚀Study and Explore in London with an English Course Abroad

Want to improve your English this year? Study with Twin in London’s Royal Borough. With flexible, tailored English tuition, a focus on real communication, and a packed social programme, you’ll make rapid progress while immersing yourself in British culture.

Study English in London, Eastbourne, or Dublin — and turn your 2026 into the ultimate adventure.