London welcomed nearly 18million international visitors in the last 12 months, and this number is expected to increase.  Many visitors come to see the artwork and cultural artifacts at major museums like the British Museum, National Gallery and Natural History Museum.  Others are interested in exploring major attractions like the Tower of London, Palace of Westminster, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace and Hampton Court Palace.  However, an increasing number are visiting London for international sporting and culture events. Whether it is mass participation events like the Virgin London Marathon or spectator sporting events like the NFL International Series.   Beyond sports, major parades like the St Patrick’s Day Festival & Parade, Notting Hill Carnival and Lord Mayor Show are helping to attract more visitors to London; also food events like Taste of London and the London Restaurant Festival.  Further still, events related to the British Royal Family like Trooping The Colours are also a major draw.  With that in mind, highlighted below are 63 major events in London – all reasons to visit the world’s most popular tourist destination in 2016.

JANUARY

1: New Year’s Day Parade, Central London

14: NBA Global Games London 2016 – Orlando Magic v Toronto Raptors, The O2 Arena

14-17: Lumiere London – Light Festival, West End and Kings Cross

31: Cancer Research UK London Winter Run – 10K, Embankment

Lumiere London – Lighting Festival. Photo: © Visit London.

FEBRUARY

14: Chinese New Year Celebrations, Trafalgar Square & Chinatown

19-23: London Fashion Week, city-wide

27: RBS 6 Nations, England v Ireland Rugby Match, Twickenham Stadium

28: Capital One Cup Final, Football Match, Wembley Stadium

Chinese Dragon in London for New Year. Photo: ©Flickr/Paul.

MARCH

2-6: UCI Track Cycling World Championships 2016, Lee Valley Velopark

7 – 12: Maslenitsa Russian Festival, Trafalgar Square

12: RBS 6 Nations, England v Wales Rugby Match, Twickenham Stadium

13: St Patrick’s Day Festival & Parade, Trafalgar Square

27: BNY Mellon (Oxford & Cambridge) Boat Races, River Thames – Putney to Mortlake

29: England v Holland Football Match, Wembley Stadium

St Patrick’s Day Parade. Photo: ©Flickr/GarryKnight.

APRIL

7-17: Menuhin Competition, International Violinists, Southbank Centre

16: Saracens v Harlequins Rugby Match, Wembley Stadium

TBC: Feast of St George, Trafalgar Square

24: Virgin Money London Marathon, Central London

Runners along the Embankment going towards Big Ben during London Marathon. Photo: ©Visit London. 

MAY

9-22: LEN European Aquatics Championships, London Aquatics Centre at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

11 – 14: Museums at Night, city-wide

14: SSE Women’s FA Cup Final, Football Match, Wembley Stadium

19-22: Photo London – Photography Fair, Somerset House

20-22:  London’s Global Art Fair – Art16, Olympia

21: FA Cup Final 2016, Football Match, Wembley Stadium

23 – 29: London Wine Week, city-wide

24-28: RHS Chelsea Flower Show, Royal Hospital SW3

25-29: LEN European Masters Championships, London Aquatics Centre at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

Visitors viewing the Cancer Research UK Garden at The Royal Horticultural Society Chelsea Flower Show 2006.  Photo: © Visit Britain.

JUNE

4-5: Nightrider – 100km Bike Ride, Lee Valley VeloPark

11: Trooping the Colour, Horse Guards Parade

14-18: Royal Ascot – Horse Racing, Ascot Racecourse

TBC: Taste of London Festival, Regent’s Park

18 – 19: Open Garden Squares Weekend, city-wide

20 – 8 July: City of London Festival, city-wide

18-26: Pride in London, Soho & Trafalgar Square

24 – 3 July: Greenwich+Docklands International Festival, Greenwich & Docklands

27-10 July: Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships, Wimbledon

Trooping The Colour. Photo: © Angela Morgan.

JULY

2-3: Formula E, FIA single-seater championship/electric racing series, London

8 & 9: Barclaycard presents British Summer Time – Music Festival, Hyde Park

5-10: Hampton Court Palace Flower Show, Hampton Court Palace

15-10 Sept: BBC Proms – Classical Music Festival, Royal Albert Hall

30-31: Prudential RideLondon – Cycling Festival, city-wide

Bikers during Prudential RideLondon near Buckingham Palace. Photo: © Visit London.

AUGUST 

27: Challenge Cup Final, Football Match, Wembley Stadium

28-29: Notting Hill Carnival, Notting Hill

Notting Hill Carnival participant wearing a spectacular red and gold feathered costume. Photo: © Visit Londo/John Spaull.  

SEPTEMBER 

1-30: Totally Thames Festival, city-wide

4 – 11: Tour of Britain – Road Cycling Race, city-wide

16-20:  London Fashion Week,  city-wide

17 – 25: London Design Festival, city-wide

Totally Thames: Tall Ships At The Thames Barrier. Photo: ©Jaani Riordan.

OCTOBER

1 – 31: London Restaurant Festival, city-wide

2: NFL International Series Game, Indianapolis Colts v Jacksonville Jaguars, Wembley Stadium

22 – 23:  UK Rum Festival, London ILEC Conference Centre, Earl’s Court

23: NFL International Series Game, NFC East Team v St Louise Rams, Twickenham Stadium

28 – 29:  Museums at Night, city-wide

30: NFL International Series Game, Washington Redskins v Cincinnati Bengals, Wembley Stadium

TBC:  Southbank Centre Winter Festival, Southbank

TBC: BFI London Film Festival, city-wide

NFL International Series at Wembley Stadium.  Photo:  ©Bald Boris. 

NOVEMBER

12:   The Lord Mayor Show, Mansion House and beyond

13: Remembrance Sunday, city-wide

15 – 22: Barclays ATP (Association of Tennis Players) World Tour Finals, The O2 Arena

TBC:  London Jazz Festival, city-wide

Lord Mayor Show procession. Photo: ©The Lord Mayor’s Show. 

DECEMBER

TBC – January:  Winter Wonderland, Hyde Park

TBC – January, Christmas at Kew Gardens,  Kew Gardens

TBC: NEC Wheelchair Tennis Masters, Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

31: New Year’s Eve Fireworks, Central London

London New Year’s Eve Fireworks at London Eye. Photo: ©Visit London/Kois Miah.