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Ideas / Events / January
Things to do in the UK in January 2010

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January sales
Introduction
January is the start of the second term (Easter term) at schools and universities. It is usually one of the coldest months of the year and the days are short. This is a time when people make New Year's resolutions. You can also buy some things cheaply in the January sales, as shops try to sell the goods which remain after Christmas. If you are in Scotland, be sure to enjoy the Hogmanay celebrations at the start of January, and then Burns Night later in the month. You should apply now if you would like a chance of getting a seat to watch the Queen's Birthday Parade or the Garter Day parade in June, or if you want to buy tickets to go to Royal Ascot.

Fri 1 Jan -
Sat 2 Jan 2010
Hogmanay
New year celebrations in Scotland. The celebrations in Edinburgh are especially famous; for full details, see: http://www.edinburghshogmanay.org.
* Photos of Hogmanay in Edinburgh: Ideas/Album/Hogmanay
* For details of tours from London to Edinburgh for Hogmanay see: Travel/Tours/Dates/December
Fri 1 Jan 2010 New Year's Day Parade
There is a free street parade in London. There are more than 10,000 performers (including marching bands, cheerleaders, historic vehicles, clowns, jugglers and acrobats), and giant balloons. The parade starts at Piccadilly (at the junction with Berkeley Street, close to Green Park underground station) at about noon, then travels along Lower Regent Street, Waterloo Place, Pall Mall, Cockspur Street, Trafalgar Square, Whitehall and Parliament Street. It ends at Parliament Square (near Westminster underground station, next to the Houses of Parliament) at about 3pm.
Collectors along the route will be raising money for charity. For more details, including a map of the route of the parade, see: http://www.londonparade.co.uk.
* Photos from this event: Ideas/Album/NewYearsDayParade
Fri 1 Jan 2010 New Year's Day holiday
A public holiday in the UK. Public transport is often similar to a Sunday service: check with transport providers for details. For details of the Transport for London services on New Year's Day, see: http://www.tfl.gov.uk.


Big Ben: the start of the year

Hogmanay celebrations in Edinburgh

Fireworks at the London Eye

Fri 1 Jan -
Fri 12 Feb 2010
Get Into London Theatre, London
Some specially priced tickets are available for a range of plays, musicals and dance performances in London's West End. This promotion is organised by the Society of London Theatre. Booking opens on Tue 8 Dec 2009. For details, see: Life/Entertainment/Theatre/Tickets
Sun 3 Jan 2010 The Lion's Part: Twelfth Night, London
The Lion's Part put on a free celebration of seasonal English traditions. See the Holly Man, find out what mumming and wassailing are, and have a chance of becoming King Bean or Queen Pea! The event starts outside the Globe Theatre (nearest Tube stations: Southwark or London Bridge; map). To check details, see: http://www.thelionspart.co.uk/twelfthnight.
* Photos of this event: Ideas/Album/TwelfthNight.
Wed 6 Jan 2010 Twelfth Night (Epiphany), all of the UK
Christmas decorations are taken down on 6th January (Twelfth Night), which is 12 days after Christmas Day.
Wed 6 Jan 2010 Farewell to Christmas, London
There is a service to mark Twelfth Night at the Geffrye Museum. This is located on Kingsland Road in London (nearest Tube: Liverpool Street, then take bus 149 or 242 north from Bishopsgate; map). There is music and carol singing, holly and ivy decorations are burnt, and mulled wine and cake are provided (it is traditional to hide a bean and a pea in two bits of the cake: the people who get these are made King and Queen for the day). The event is held outside in the garden, so you should dress warmly. The event starts at 4pm and lasts for one hour. See: http://www.geffrye-museum.org.uk/whatson/christmas-past-2009.


King Bean and Queen Pea at the
Lion's Part's Twelfth Night event

Christmas decorations
burnt, Geffrye Museum

Carol service at the Geffrye
Museum on Twelfth Night

Fri 8 Jan -
Sun 17 Jan 2010
London International Boat Show, London
Boat show at ExCeL in Docklands (nearest station: Custom House on the DLR; map). See: http://www.londonboatshow.com
Wed 13 Jan -
Sun 31 Jan 2010
International Mime Festival, London
A season of mime events at various venues in London. See: http://www.mimefest.co.uk
Fri 15 Jan -
Sat 16 Jan 2010
London Ice Sculpting Festival, London
Free ice sculpture event next to the ice rink in Canada Square Park (nearest Tube or DLR station: Canary Wharf)
See: http://www.londonicesculptingfestival.co.uk
Sat 16 Jan 2010 HotCourses International Student Fair, London
An event in London for international students who are interested in taking a course at a UK college or university. It takes place from 11am-5pm at the New Connaught Rooms in Great Queen Street (nearest Tube stations: Holborn, Covent Garden or Aldwych; map). For more information about the event and how to register, see: http://www.hotcourses.com/fair
* Finding courses at a British college or university: Course/University
Wed 20 Jan 2010 Postgraduate Study and Training Fair (ULCS), London
Fair providing information for people who want to do postgraduate study. The event is held at the Business Design Centre in London (near Angel underground station; map). For details about the fair, see http://www.careers.lon.ac.uk/postgrad.
* Finding a postgraduate course in the UK: Course/Postgrad
Wed 20 Jan 2010 MBA Fair (ULCS/Association of MBAs), London
Fair providing information for people who want to take an MBA course at a business school. The event is held at the Business Design Centre in London (near Angel underground station; map).
For details about the fair, see: http://www.careers.lon.ac.uk/mba.
* Finding an MBA course in the UK: Course/MBA
Mon 25 Jan 2010 Burns Night, Scotland
Burns Suppers are traditional celebrations of the birth of the most famous Scottish poet (Robert Burns) on 25th January 1759. They take place throughout Scotland. Poetry readings (including "To a Haggis"), a meal of chicken and leek soup ("cock-a-leekie" soup) followed by haggis, turnips ("neeps") and potatoes ("tatties") and sherry trifle ("tyspy laird"), finishing with the joining of hands and singing of "Auld Lang Syne". There may also be a Scottish ceilidh (traditional evening of music and dance). For details of events, see: http://www.scotland.org/burns-night.
* Scottish dancing: Life/Entertainment/Dance


Scottish music ...

... dancing ...

... and food

Tue 26 Jan 2010 Australia Day, all of the UK
Australians celebrate their national day on the anniversary of Foundation Day (26 January 1788).
Popular locations for celebrations in the UK are the Walkabout bars: http://www.walkabout.eu.com
* Useful links for Australians coming to the UK: Links/Australia


Australia Day celebrations: out on the streets ...

... and in the Walkabout bars

Sat 30 Jan -
Sun 31 Jan 2010
Winter Wanders, London
A series of free short walks across London. For details see: http://www.walklondon.org.uk/our_events_forthcoming.asp
Sun 31 Jan 2010 Australian Open Tennis Men's Final, Melbourne (Australia)
Andy Murray plays Roger Federer in the men's final of the Australian Open tennis competition.
The match is shown live on BBC2 television in a programme starting at 8:30am.

Applying for tickets to Trooping the Colour and rehearsals (in June):
Dates and approximate costs for seats at Trooping the Colour and rehearsals are:
- The Major General's Review (Sat 29 May 2010): Free
- The Colonel's Review (Sat 5 June 2010): about £10
- The Queen's Birthday Parade: Trooping the Colour (Sat 12 June 2010): about £20
You can apply for tickets between 1 January and the end of February by sending a letter (including a stamped self-addressed envelope) to:
Brigade Major, HQ Household Division, Horse Guards, Whitehall, London SWlA 2AX
A ballot is held in mid-March and successful applicants are notified and asked for payment (cheques must be paid from a British bank).
For further information, see: http://www.royal.gov.uk/RoyalEventsandCeremonies/TroopingtheColour/TroopingtheColour.aspx
* Pictures of Trooping the Colour: Ideas/Album/TroopingTheColour

Applying for tickets to Garter Day event in Windsor Castle (in June):
The next Garter service will take place on Mon 14 June 2010. A limited number of tickets is available for members of the public to stand inside the precincts of Windsor Castle and watch the procession to St. George's Chapel. Apply by sending a letter (including a stamped self-addressed envelope) between 1 January and 1 March to: The Superintendent, Windsor Castle, Windsor, Berkshire SL4 1NJ. A ballot is held and successful applicants are notified.
For further information, see: http://www.royal.gov.uk/RoyalEventsandCeremonies/Garter%20and%20Thistle%20Services/GarterDay.aspx
* Pictures of Garter Day: Ideas/Album/GarterDay

Applying for tickets to Royal Ascot (in June):
Bookings for Royal Ascot usually start in early January. The official opening will be on Tuesday 15 June 2010, and Ladies Day will be on Thursday 17 June 2010. To buy tickets, see: http://www.royalascot.co.uk.
* Pictures of Royal Ascot: Ideas/Album/RoyalAscot

Preparing for Valentine's Day (in February):
This month is a good time to prepare for Valentine's Day (14 February). For some ideas of possible presents of treats, see: Ideas/Gifts/Valentine

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LINKS


New Year's Day Parade photos: Ideas/Album/NewYearsDayParade
Edinburgh Hogmanay: Ideas/Album/Hogmanay
Twelfth Night celebrations: Ideas/Album/TwelfthNight
Events in February: Ideas/Events/February
Print a free calendar: Ideas/Calendar
London Theatre: Life/Entertainment/Theatre

Home page: Home

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