DECEMBER DIARY
December Diary
Fabulous festive fun for the month ahead
Carriages in the park
One of the most magical ways to see Richmond Park is with a horse-drawn carriage ride. They run from the 5 December until 3 January, seat six and proceeds from the horse drawn rides will help fund sustainable conservation initiatives with the working Shire horses in The Royal Parks.
Power up for the festive season
The Winter Village at Battersea Power Station is lighting up with over 100 Christmas trees, outdoor pergola seating, pop up food huts, festive menus, Christmas film screenings and a virtual reality mission to save Santa. 4 Dec to 3 Jan. Plus, from 5 December – 2 January, the windows of 24 local businesses and community organisations will be illuminated and decorated by local artists following the theme of ‘Light in the Darkness’.
www.batterseapowerstation.co.uk
Polka Theatre Online Charity Quiz and Auction
Help raise vital funds so that the popular children’s theatre can complete its redevelopment and reopen in 2021. The quiz night promises an evening of creativity and surprises in the comfort of your living room. Enjoy rounds with special guest comedians Omid Djalili, Katherine Ryan, Ed Gamble and friends.
Tuesday 22 December, 8pm
Free – suggested donation £25 per team. Register to join and donate: givergy.uk/polkatheatreauction
An evening at the theatre
The Rose has several shows to suit all this festive season, including Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s much-loved Stick Man for the kids (10 Dec to 3 Jan) and Sh!t Actually (3 – 5 Dec) for the adults – a two-woman remake of the festive shlockbuster Love Actually.
Find Santa and his reindeer
Find Father Christmas’ reindeer dotted through Wimbledon and be transported to a virtual Winter Wonderland through your mobile device with immersive technology.
Fun Nights In
Chimney Bells Events is bringing some fabulous events to our living rooms this winter. In December, there is a jazz and soul dinner with Lily Dior and her guitarist; jazz with Viviana Zarbo and Robin Benerjee, and a James Bond themed virtual party. Choose from just jazz, a gin box, charcuterie or dinner
by Masters Catering.
Grand Night Out
The Clapham Grand has lined up some great events for December, including the show from the award-winning podcast Drunk Women Solving Crime, plus Myra DuBois Saves Christmas.
Santa’s Christmas Countdown
For the first time, Santa is presenting his hugely popular show online.
Enjoy Epsom Playhouse’s livestream of the show, meet Father Christmas & friends virtually afterwards and send your Christmas messages for Cosmo the Elf to share. 20 December.
Music at The Landmark
Teddington’s Landmark Arts Centre is hosting two fundraising events in December with Katey Brooks, who blends folk, soul, blues and country, (12 Dec) and Christmas Baroque (19 Dec)
Art Online
Richmond Art Society will be hosting its Winter 2020 Exhibition online, showcasing the work of its talented members. It will run until January.
See the lights in Kingston
Sadly, Kingston’s Christmas market won’t go ahead this year but the town centre is filled with Christmas lights.
Follow them on Instagram and share the best Christmas lights you’ve seen.
Get some goodies in Wimbledon
Love Wimbledon’s markets are perfect for picking up some festive treats and great gifts. Head to the piazza and enjoy the festive atmosphere.
lovewimbledon.org/new-markets-2020
Catch a panto
Oh yes you can. Many have been cancelled this year but Merton Abbey Mills’ Colour House Theatre will be hosting Cinderella, with a socially distanced audience. 19 Dec to 3 Jan.
A smutty panto for grown-ups!
The Turbine Theatre in Battersea reopens its doors with its first ever adult pantomime, Cinderella: The Socially Distanced Ball. 3 – 23 Dec.
www.theturbinetheatre.com/whatson
Foodies at the Palace
The first weekend of the Hampton Court Palace Festive Fayre has been cancelled but is set to go ahead 11-13 Dec with all kinds of artisan food and drink, live music, and pop-up bars. There’s skating at the palace too from 5 Dec to 17 Jan for your complete festive fix.
Christmas Tales with Axel Scheffler
Environment charity Habitats & Heritage is hosting an online show with Axel Scheffler, illustrator of The Gruffalo.
On Saturday 5th December at 11am, kick start the festive season and join Axel from the comfort of your home as he reads some of the much-loved books he created with Julia Donaldson – ‘The Gruffalo’s Child’ and ‘Stick Man’! This one-off online events lasts approximately 30 minutes and will be followed by a live Q&A
Write to Horace!
Inspired by the prolific writings of Horace Walpole, Strawberry Hill House invited people to ‘Write to Horace’ about how their community has come together to make a difference during the pandemic. See the letters as part of an art installation until 5 Jan at the incredible gothic castle. The house will also host some virtual events this month too such as a wreath workshop (12 Dec).
www.strawberryhillhouse.org.uk
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- The Winter Village at Battersea Power Station
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- The Rat Pack at Cadogan Hall
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- Strawberry Hill House
See the Rat Pack
A socially distanced performance of the highly anticipated live event, The Rat Pack at Christmas LIVE will take place at Cadogan Hall featuring vocals from original West End cast members Stephen Triffitt, Mark Adams and George Daniel Long & Dear Evan Hansen starlet Hannah Lindsey. 12 December at 5pm and 8pm. cadoganhall.com/whats-on/
Festive films
Christmas wouldn’t be the same without a Christmas movie.
Backyard Cinema returns from December 2, complete with its curiosity shop and winter wonderland entrance.
Head to One Aldwych for screenings of Christmas classics in the hotel’s luxe cinema, along with a glass of Champagne. A very civilised way to do the movies.
Cinema In The Snow takes places 2-20 December with films such as Gremlins and Elf at Peckham’s Bussey Building and Copeland Park. Grab a mulled wine and enjoy a snowy wonderland!
Syon Park, meanwhile, will be hosting The Parking Lot Social, a drive-in Christmas special (2-6 Dec), with movies and panto that you can enjoy from the comfort of your own car.
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