2020: A Year Full of Amazing Experiences in London and Europe

This is our guide to help you make the most of your year and have a year of amazing experiences in London and exploring Europe.

We have developed a calendar of cornerstone London events we think are well worth experiencing and some of the most interesting UK and European events and festivals worth leaving London for.

January 2020

Highlights in London during January include the New Year's Day Parade, Burns Night and Chinese New Year Celebrations.

UK Highlights include Haxey Hood (a medieval rugby like game played between pubs), Whittlesea Strawbear Festival (Probably the best straw bear festival in the world if that means anything) and the awe-inspiring Up Helly AA  (A viking like fire festival in the remote Shetland Islands, Scotland that has to be seen to be believed)

European Highlights include Hotschrennan (A piglet race in the snow) and Della Befana (A witch runs around the medieval village of Urbania, Italy delivering gifts to children in a unique Christmas celebration)

 

JANUARY 2020

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

London New Year's Day Parade

Switzerland: Hotschrennen Piglet Race

 

2

 

 

 

 

 

3

 

 

 

 

 

4

 

Festa Nationale Della Befana (Urbania, Italy)

 

5

Festa Nationale Della Befana (Urbania, Italy)

 

 

 

6

Haxey Hood, Lincolnshire

Festa Nationale Della Befana (Urbania, Italy)

7

 

 

 

 

 

8

 

 

 

 

 

9

 

 

 

 

 

10

 

 

 

 

 

11

 

 

 

 

 

12

 

 

13

 

 

14

 

 

15

 

 

16

 

 

17

Whittlesea Strawbear Festival, Peterborough

18

Whittlesea Strawbear Festival, Peterborough

19

Whittlesea Strawbear Festival, Peterborough

20

 

 

21

 

 

22

 

 

23

 

 

24

 

 

25

Burns Night @The Boisdale

 

26

Chinese New Year London

Australia Day @TheChurch

 

 

 

 

27

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

28

Up Helly AA, Shetland Islands, Scotland

 

 

 

 

29

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

30

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

31

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

February 2020

February should be known as Fun February as there is a lot of unique and quirky things to do.

London Highlights include the Clowns Church Service in honour of Grimaldi, and watching the Superbowl in the a Pub, dressing as a sheep and joining the world's friendliest people Kiwi's on the their annual circle line pub crawl to celebrate Waitangi Day, Shrove Tuesday is celebrated across London with pancake races and the month finishes with in style with the world's most underrated sport of "Wife Carrying" which is well worth the trip to Dorking, Surrey and mixed in with a walk up to the Viewpoint of Box Hill to see the panoramic Views and finished off with some wine tasting at Denbies Winery

UK Highlights include the Jorvik Viking Festival in York and the Royal Shrovetide Football in Ashbourne Derbshire a tradition since the 12th century.

European Highlights include Carnival which has a lot of amazing traditions across Europe the two we have mentioned below are Ivrea carnival based in Italy also known as Battle of the Oranges (Easily the best orange fight in the world) and Cologne Carnival (The world's biggest fancy dress party) and mixed in with a  torch lit Ghost parade in the medieval village of Blankenheim on the Saturday. Click here for information on other European carnival events such as Vencie, Nice, Barcelona etc.

FEBRUARY 2020

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

2

Clown Church Service

Superbowl Final

3

 

 

 

4

 

 

 

5

 

 

 

6

 

 

 

7

 

 

 

8

Waitangi Day Pub Crawl

 

 

9

 

 

 

10

 

 

 

11

 

 

 

12

 

 

 

13

 

 

 

14

Valentine's Day

London Fashion Week Starts

15

Jorvik Viking Festival, York starts

 

16

 

 

 

 

17

 

 

 

 

18

London Fashion Week Ends

 

 

19

 

 

 

 

20

Cologne Carnival

 

 

 

21

Cologne Carnival

 

 

 

22

Ghost Parade:

Catch train  Cologne to Blankenheim

Ivrea Carnival, Ivrea Italy

23

Ivrea Carnival, Ivrea, Italy

Jorvik Viking Festival, York Ends

 

 

 

 

 

24

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

25

Shrove Tuesday Pancake Races

Royal Shrovetide, Ashbourne, Derbyshire

 

 

 

 

26

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

27

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

28

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

29

UK Wife Carrying

Followed by hike up Box Hill and wine tasting at Denbies Winery

 

 

 

 

 

March 2020

London Highlights include the London Comic Con, celebrating St Patrick's Day in Trafalgar Square on Sunday 15th (celebrate it again on the 17th in one of London's many Irish pubs) and then make a choice between watching the Cambridge vs Oxford Goat Race (book well in advance) or Cambridge vs Oxford Boat Race on the same day.

UK Highlights Include Crufts Dog Show in Birmingham (a day trip to Birmingham for a day is a must for dog lovers) and the Cheltenham Racing Festival.

European Highlights are the annual Las Fallas Festival in Valencia and St Patrick's Day in Dublin.

 

MARCH 2020

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

1

London Comic Con

 

2

 

3

 

4

 

5

Crufts Dog Show

Birmingham

6

Crufts Dog Show

Birmingham

7

Crufts Dog Show

Birmingham

8

Crufts Dog Show

Birmingham

9

 

10

Cheltenham Racing Festival

11

Cheltenham Racing Festival

12

Cheltenham Racing Festival

13

Cheltenham Racing Festival

14

 

15

St Patrick's Day : Trafalgar Square

Las Fallas, Valencia

 

 

 

16

Las Fallas, Valencia

 

 

 

 

 

 

17

Las Fallas, Valencia

St Patrick's Day: Dublin

 

 

 

 

18

Las Fallas, Valencia

 

 

 

 

 

19

Las Fallas, Valencia

 

 

 

 

 

20

 

 

 

 

 

 

21

 

 

 

 

 

 

22

 

23

 

24

 

25

 

26

 

27

 

28

 

29

Oxford vs Cambridge

Boat Race 

Goat Race

 

30

 

 

 

 

 

31

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

April 2020

London Highlights are a day of wine tasting at the Vintage Wine Tasting Festival (Tickets need to be booked well in advance) as well as the London Marathon (which is more fun than it sounds with a carnival like atmosphere at the finishing line)

UK Highlights are the Grand National the UK's most famous horse race.

European Highlights are Snowbombing (A music festival in the snow in Austria) and Kings Day in Amsterdam (The Netherlands party in a sea of orange), Walpurgis Night in Helsinki and Seville Fair (A good excuse to see one of Spain's must visit cities)

*** Book your holidays in Advance for the 4 day Easter break

APRIL 2020

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

2

 

 

 

3

Budapest Spring Festival Starts

 

4

Grand National, Liverpool

 

5

 

6

 

7

 

8

 

9

 

10

Good Friday

11

 

12

Easter Sunday

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

13

Easter Monday Holiday

Snowbombing, Austria Starts

 

 

 

 

 

14

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

15

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

16

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

17

 

Vintage Wine Festival

 

 

 

 

 

 

18

Vintage Wine Festival

Snowbombing, Austria Ends

 

 

 

 

 

19

Budapest Spring Festival Ends

20

 

 

21

 

 

22

 

 

23

 

 

24

 

 

25

 

 

26

London Marathon

 

 

 

27

Amsterdam,

Kings Day 

 

 

 

28

Seville Fair, Spain Starts

 

 

 

29

 

 

 

 

 

30

Walpurgis Night, Helsinki

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

May 2020

London Highlights include the Chelsea Flower Show, Midnight Madness and the London Sevens

UK Highlights are the unique and frightening Cheese Rolling in Cooper's Hill Gloucestershire (Well worth mixing in with a day/weekend exploring the nearby Cotswolds)

European Highlights include the Seville Fair, Rhine in Flames Festival in Bonn, Germany and the Monaco Grand Prix.

For Information on UK Music Festivals (including London) and European Music Festivals click on the links here.

**** There are two long weekends in May so to take advantage book your trips away well in advance.

MAY 2020

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

Walpurgis Day Helsinki

 

2

Rhine in Flames Festival, Bonn Germany

3

Seville Fair, Spain ends

4

 

 

5

Cheltenham Jazz Festival Starts

 

6

 

 

7

Prague Spring Festival Starts

 

8

Bank Holiday

 

9

 

 

10

Cheltenham Jazz Festival Ends

11

 

12

 

13

 

14

 

15

 

16

Midnight Madness

17

 

18

 

19

Chelsea Flower Show starts

20

 

21

 

22

 

23

London Sevens

Chelsea Flower Show Ends

24

Monaco Grand Prix

25

Bank Holiday

Cooper's Hill, Gloucester

Cheese Rolling

26

 

27

 

28

 

29

 

30

World Custard Pie Throwing Championship

Camden Rocks

31

Camden Rocks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 2020

London has many Highlights some of these being Polo in the Park, Access to the Open Squares Gardens, Trooping the Colour, Pride in London (A huge fun celebration in the city) and Wimbledon.

UK Highlights include the Royal Ascot Racing Carnival Stonehenge Summer Solstice and Glastonbury.

European Highlights include the Calcio Storico in Florence, Italy

For Information on UK Music Festivals (including London) and European Music Festivals click on the links here.

JUNE 2020

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

 

 

1

 

2

 

3

 

4

Prague Spring Festival Ends

5

Polo in the Park

World Crazy Golf Championship

 

 

6

Polo in the Park

Open Squares Gardens

World Crazy Golf Championship

7

Open Squares Gardens

WorldCrazy Golf  Championship

 

8

 

 

 

9

 

 

 

10

 

 

 

11

 

 

 

12

Isle of Wight Festival Starts

Love Box Music Festival Starts

 

13

Trooping the Colour: Queen's Birthday Parade

World Naked Bike Ride

14

Isle of Wight Festival Ends

Love Box Music Festival Ends

15

 

16

Royal Ascot

Horse Racing Starts

17

 

18

 

19

Pinkpop Festival Netherlands Starts

 

 

20

Royal Ascot

Horse Racing Ends

 

21

Stonehenge Summer Solstice

Pinkpop Festval Netherlands ends

22

 

23

 

24

Calcio Storico, Florence, Italy

Glastonbury Festival Starts

25

 

26

 

27

Pride in London

28

Glastonbury Festival Ends

29

Wimbledon starts

 

30

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

july 2020

London Highlights include Wimbledon, Hampton Court Flower Show, Euro 2020 Finals played at Wembley Stadium, Wimbledon, Hyper Japan, Lambeth Country Show and for fans of the movie Dirty Dancing Secret Cinema.

UK Highlights include Henley Regatta and British Grand Prix.

European Highlights include Pamplona (Running of the Bulls), Fiesta of Near Death Experiences and Galway Racing Festival.

For Information on UK Music Festivals (Including London) and European Music Festivals click on the links here.

 

JULY 2020

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

Canada Day

 

2

Cricket: T20: Middlesex vs Surrey @Lords

Palio Di Siena, Siena Italy

Rock Werchter, Belgium Starts

3

Wireless Festival Starts

4

Henley Regatta

5

Wimbledon finishes

Wireless Festival Ends

Rock Werchter, Belgium Ends

 

6

Pamplona: Running of the Bulls Starts

7

Hampton Court Flower Show Starts

Euro 2020 Semi Final @Wembley

 

8

Euro 2020 Semi Final @ Wembley

 

9

Novi Sad Festival Serbia Starts

10

 

11

Hyper Japan

 

12

Hampton Court Flower Show Ends

Euro 2020 Final@Wembley

Novi Sad Festival Serbia Ends

13

 

14

Pamplona: Running of the Bulls Ends

 

15

 

16

 

17

BBC Proms Starts until Sept 12

Tomorrowland, Belgium Starts 

18

Lambeth Country Show

19

Lambeth Country Show

British Grand Prix

Tomorrowland, Belgium Ends

20

 

21

 

22

Secret Cinema Starts: Dirty Dancing

23

 

24

 

25

 

26

 

27

Galway Racing Festival

28

Galway Racing Festival

29

Fiesta Near Death Experience, As Neves Spain

Galway Racing Festival

30

Galway Racing Festival

Bestival Starts

31

Galway Racing Festival

 

 

 

august 2020

London Highlights include London Craft Beer Festival, Ride London, South West Four and Notting Hill Carnival.

UK Highlights include the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and Edinburgh International Festival.

European Highlights include Galway Racing Festival, Palio Di Siena, Rose of Tralee, Tomatina, Cipotegato

For Information on UK Music Festivals (including London) and European Music Festivals click on the links here.

*** Book well in advance to save money and take advantage of the August Bank Holiday

AUGUST 2020

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

Galway Racing Festival

2

Galway Racing Festival

Bestival Ends

3

 

4

 

5

Sziget Festival Budapest Starts

6

 

7

Edinburgh Fringe & Edinburgh International Festival Starts

8

London Craft Beer Festival

9

London Craft Beer Festival

10

 

11

Sziget Festival Budapest Ends

12

 

13

 

14

 

15

Ride London

16

Ride London

Palio Di Siena, Siena Italy

17

 

18

 

19

 

20

Pukklepop, Belgium Festival Starts

21

Rose of Tralee, Irleand

 

22

Rose of Tralee, Irleand

23

Rose of Tralee, Irleand

Pukklepop, Belgium Festival ends

 

24

Rose of Tralee, Irleand

 

 

 

25

Rose of Tralee, Irleand

 

 

 

26

La Tomatina, Bunol Spain

 

 

 

27

Cipotegato Festival Starts, Tarazona Spain

 

 

28

Reading Festival Starts

Leeds Festival Starts

 

29

Southwest Four

 

 

 

30

Southwest Four

Notting Hill Carnival

Reading Festival Ends

Leeds Festival Ends

 

31

Bank Holiday Monday

Notting Hill Carnival

Cipotegato Festival Ends, Tarazona Spain

Edinburgh Fringe & Edinburgh International Festival Ends

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

septembet 2020

London Highlights include the Open House London Weekend

UK Highlights include Braemar Highland games (Scotland) and Egremont Crab Fair and Gurning World Championship.

European Highlights include Oktoberfest, Stuttgart Beer Festival and Galway International Oyster Festival.

For Information on UK Music Festivals (Including London) and European Music Festivals click on the links here.

SEPTEMBER 2020

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

 

 

 

 

1

 

2

 

3

 

4

Electric Picnic Festival Ireland Starts

5

Braemar Highland Games, Scotland

6

Electric Picnic Festival Ireland Ends

 

7

 

8

 

9

 

10

 

11

 

12

BBC Proms Ends

13

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

14

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

15

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

16

Reeperbahn Festival Hamburg Germany Starts

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

17

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

18

Egremont Crab Fair and Gurning Championships, Cumbria

London Fashion Week Starts

 

 

 

 

 

 

19

Munich Oktoberfest Starts

Open House London

Egremont Crab Fair and Gurning Championships, Cumbria

Reeperbahn Festival Ends

 

 

20

Munich Oktoberfest

Opening weekend

Open House London

 

 

21

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

22

 

 

London Fashion Week Ends

 

 

 

23

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

24

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

25

Stuttgart Beer Festival Starts

Galway International Oyster Festival

 

 

 

26

Galway International Oyster Festival

 

 

 

 

 

27

Galway International Oyster Festival

28

 

 

29

 

 

30

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

London Highlights include Discover Dogs and Regents Street Motor Show

UK Highlights include the World Conker Championships

European Highlights include Oktoberfest, Stuttgart Beer Festival and on the same weekend in Paris Nuit Blanche and the prestigious Prix de L'Arc de Tromphe Horse Race

OCTOBER 2020

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

2

 

 

3

Nuit Blanche, Paris

4

Prix de L'Arc de Tromphe, Paris

 

Oktoberfest Ends

5

 

6

 

7

 

8

 

9

 

10

 

11

Stuttgart Beer Festival Ends

World Conker Championships, southwick

12

 

13

 

14

 

15

 

16

 

17

Discover Dogs

18

Discover Dogs

 

19

 

20

Wexford Opera Festival, Ireland Starts

21

 

22

 

23

 

24

 

25

 

26

 

27

 

28

 

29

 

30

 

31

Halloween

Regent Street Motor Show

 

November 2020

London Highlights include Guy Fawkes Bonfire Night and the start of Winter Wonderland and the Christmas at Kew Gardens exhibition.

UK Highlights include Lewes Bonfire Night and Tar Barrels in Devon 

European Highlights include Rabechilbi in Richterswil, Switzerland (A turnip lantern parade that is better than it sounds) and the Santa Claus World Championships also in Switzerland.

NOVEMBER 2020

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

1

Wexford Opera Festival, Ireland Ends

 

 

 

 

2

 

 

 

 

 

3

 

 

 

 

 

4

 

 

 

 

 

5

Lewes

Bonfire Night

Tar Barrels, Otter St Mary, Devon

 

6

 

 

 

 

 

7

 

 

 

 

 

8

 

 

 

 

 

9

 

 

 

 

 

10

 

 

 

 

 

11

 

 

 

 

 

12

 

 

 

 

 

13

 

 

 

 

 

14

Zurich: Rabechilbi Turnip Lantern Parade

 

 

15

Zurich

 

 

 

16

 

 

 

 

17

 

 

 

18

 

 

 

19

Christmas @ Kew Gardens begins (dates TBC likely to Jan 3)

20

Winter Wonderland likely begins 

 

21

 

 

 

22

 

23

 

24

 

25

 

26

Thanksgiving Day

27

 

28

Santa Claus World Championships, Switzerland

29

 

30

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

December 2020

London Highlights include Winter Wonderland, Xmas @ Kew Gardens, Peter Pan Cup, Boxing Day Sales, Miss World 2020World Dart Championships, numerous Pantomimes and much more.

UK Highlights include Hogmanay in Edinburgh (Arguably the best New Years Celebration in the world)

European Highlights include Xmas Markets (various locations across Europe), St Nicholas Eve (Prague) and Escalade in Geneva, Switzerland

DECEMBER 2020

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

 

 

 

 

1

 

2

 

3

 

4

 

5

St Nicholas Eve, Prague

6

 

 

 

 

7

 

 

 

 

8

 

 

 

 

9

 

 

 

 

10

 

 

 

 

11

Escalade, Geneva

World Dart Championhips Starts 

12

Miss World

Escalade, Geneva

 

13

Escalade, Geneva

14

 

15

 

16

 

17

 

18

 

19

 

20

 

21

 

22

 

23

 

24

 

25

Christmas

Peter Pan Cup

26

Boxing Day Sales

 

27

 

28

 

29

 

30

 

31

Hogmanay, Edinburgh

 

 

 

 

 

 

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