Festivals and Events

Islington hosts a number of exciting and colourful events and festivals throughout the year. A wide programme of events is organised with the intention to meet the desires of the diverse community and entice visitors to the borough. 

You will find details of forthcoming events listed below.

Love Your Trees

29 November
Highbury Fields

Love Your Trees is a new event to Islington to be held during National Tree Week, on Saturday 29 November on Highbury Fields from 11am-5pm. There will be a number of activities including an Aerial Adventure for children, as well as tree walks, giveaways, craft activities and talks.

For more information, see the Outdoor Islington link on the right.

Carers Rights Day

5 December 2008
Central Library

Carers Rights Day is an annual event promoted by Carers UK. This year, the theme is 'Making the Most of your Money'. Islington Council, Islington Carers Centre and Centre 404 have designed a programme of events for the day around this theme.

There will be two sessions on the day, 10am-2pm and 6pm-8.30pm. Both sessions will have the same content so you won't miss out on any information.

For more information or to book a place, please call the Islington Carers Centre on 020 7263 9080, or Centre 404 on 020 7697 1325. Further details are also available by clicking the Events for Carers link on the right-hand side of this page.

Christmas Lights Switch-Ons

Islington will be full of Christmas cheer and festive fun this year, with lights being switched on across the borough.

Nag’s Head: Friday 28 November (5-6.30pm). Arsenal legend Bob Wilson will be doing the honours at 5.30pm. There’ll be lots of free entertainment, including live music, face painting, a French Market (open from 27 – 29 November), a lantern procession and free mulled wine and mince pies. All the fun is taking place at the Nag’s Head shopping centre on Holloway Road.

Angel: Saturday 29 November. This year actress Jaime Winstone will be switching on the lights at 4.30pm in Camden Passage. There will be Christmas music, children's entertainment and refreshments.

Essex Road: Tuesday 2 December (5-6pm). Cllr Lucy Watt is switching on the lights on the corner of Essex Road and Englefield Road. Local children and young people will be singing carols and there will be free mulled wine and mince pies.

Essex Road: Wednesday 3 December, 4pm. The Leader of Islington Council Councillor James Kempton and Councillor Emily Fieran-Read will be joined by children from St Mary's Primary School to switch on the lights outside South Library.

Whitecross Street: A Christmas Festival is taking place on 4 and 5 December along Whitecross Street. There’ll be a special Christmas Market, street entertainers, music, carol singing and Children’s rides. Father Christmas is making a special appearance this year to switch on the lights at 5pm on Thursday, 4 December.

Archway: Friday 5 December (3.30-5pm). Lots of free entertainment this year at Archway, including a spectacular dance performance by Scarabeus Theatre Company at 4.30pm, as well as live music from George Brade and the Whittington Steel Band, festive food, carols, a lantern procession and a visit from Santa Claus. Charlie Higson, star of BBC TV's The Fast Show and writer of the Young Bond books, will switch the lights on at 4.50pm. Everything’s happening at Archway Mall on Junction Road, next to the Post Office 

Highbury Barn: Saturday 6 December (6-8pm). Best-selling author and local boy, Nick Hornby, is switching on the lights this year. There’ll also be carol singing.

Make a Green Christmas Cracker

Saturday 13 December, 11-12pm and 3-4pm

Come and join in our free workshop. Have fun exploring the history of crackers and making your very own Christmas Cracker out of recycled things. Great fun and great for the environment!

Age range: 6-12 years. Free, but booking essential. See the poster at the bottom of this page for more details.