Festive events
Meet Santa, enjoy crafts and sing carols: 19 November–24 December
Festive events and lights switch-ons in town centres
This year, Islington Council is putting on three festive events in Archway (26 November), Whitecross Street (28 November) and Cally (9 December).
Enjoy live music, festive carols, wreath making, facepainting and stalls from local businesses. Santa will also be paying a special visit, handing out complimentary mince pies and toys!
Keep an eye on this page for more details coming soon.
Christmas fair with carols
Saturday 19 November, 11am–4pm
St Mary’s Church, Upper Street, N1 2TX
Start the season with festive cheer at St Mary’s annual Christmas fair. Expect stalls, seasonal treats, and live carol singing throughout the day – the perfect way to get into the holiday spirit.
Big family carols
Sunday 7 December, 11am
St Mary’s Church, Upper Street, N1 2TX
A lively, family-friendly carol service designed for all ages. Bring the whole family for a morning of festive music and fun.
Carols by candlelight
Sunday 14 December, 4.30pm and 7pm
St Mary’s Church, Upper Street, N1 2TX
Enjoy the beauty of Christmas in a candlelit setting, accompanied by traditional carols – and maybe a mulled wine or mince pie or two.
Carols on the steps
Tuesday 16 December, 6pm
St Mary’s Church, Upper Street, N1 2TX
Join the community outside St Mary’s for an uplifting evening of carols under the winter sky. Mulled wine will be available to keep you warm!
Candlelit carols
Sunday 21 December, 5pm
St Mary’s Church, Upper Street, N1 2TX
A peaceful and reflective service filled with music and candlelight – a chance to pause and soak in the season’s meaning.
Christmas Eve services
Wednesday 24 December, 4pm and 11pm
St Mary’s Church, Upper Street, N1 2TX
St Mary’s will be hosting two services on Christmas Eve: a children’s service, with a joyful retelling of the nativity story, perfect for young children and families starting at 4pm. At 11pm there will be a traditional midnight service to welcome Christmas Day with reverence and hope.
More Things to do
- Islington Assembly Hall
- Volunteering in Islington
- Playground equipment for disabled children
- Four accessible activities in Islington parks
- Community gardening in Cally Park
- Five things to do in parks
- Islington Borough Ladies FC football sessions
- Islington walking and running routes
- Five ways to explore Islington on foot
- Tufnell Park Market
- Whitecross Street Market
- Camden Passage
- Stroud Green Market
- Exmouth Market
- Archway Market
- Islington Farmers’ Market
- Chapel Market
- Nag’s Head indoor market
- Nag’s Head open-air weekend market
- Free accessible sports
- Over-55s men’s club
- Free fitness classes with Healthy Generations
- Park cuppa
- Best parks for… water fun
- Islington Square Market
- Free health and history walks
- Three ways to… keep kids active
- Finsbury Park Singers and Finsbury A Capella
- Free Friday lunchtime recitals
- Junior parkrun
- Family narrowboat trips
- Ladies’ football training
- Museum of Homelessness
- Summer cultural events
- Summer Reading Challenge
- Free cycling lessons
- Age UK Islington get-togethers
- Olden Community Garden volunteering sessions
- Celebrating ten years of Islington Bereavement Service
- Apple Day 2025
- Half term fun in libraries
- Black History Month 2025
- Volunteer gardening with The Garden Classroom
- Residents Get Involved Fair
- Festive events
- St Mary’s Festival
- Recovery Street Film Festival
- Autumn cultural things to do: September
- Autumn cultural things to do: October
- Autumn cultural things to do: November / December
- Free repair and reuse events this autumn
- Wellbeing walks with The Garden Classroom
- Barnard Park community celebration
- Harvest festival
