7 minute read
What’s On
Christmas What's On
listings for all the family Compiled by Anna Blackshaw
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To promote your local event, coffee morning, nearly new sale, parenting courses or community group in the next What’s On listing. Email Listings@FamiliesNWLondon.co.uk.
Listings in this section are FREE for most non-commercial ventures. Please check details of the events before setting off in case anything has changed since going to print.
www.FamiliesOnline.co.uk for all our local weekly regular events.
it's updated every day!
Many activities and events require advance booking. Please check the website in the listing to confirm terms and conditions for attending before heading out. November
Throughout Nov & Dec - Letter to Santa
(HA7) Have you written your letter to Santa yet? Christmas is fast approaching and it won’t be long before the jolly man in the red suit with all his reindeer pays us a magical visit on Christmas Eve! He is busy sorting out all the presents, but he always makes time to read all the children’s letters. Download the ‘Letter to Santa’ template here, print it and complete with all that you are wishing for this Christmas. Make sure to let Santa know if you’ve been good! You can post your letter in a letterbox located in any Squires Garden Centres (there is one located in Stanmore) and we will be sure to get it to Santa in time. https://www.squiresgardencentres.co.uk/shop/ customer-events/group/Letter%20to%20Santa/ day/4/month/11/year/2020.html
Throughout Nov & Dec – HAC From Home (online) Harrow Arts Centre has commissioned work from 18 creative companies and individual artists as part of a brand-new season of work. The #HACFromHome season includes a range of exciting artistic and participation projects either online via Zoom or using creative ways to maintain social distancing. The #HACFromHome aims to offer creative and engaging events for all of Harrow’s diverse community from families to young adults to the retired. What’s more, HAC has decided to offer all of the season’s events on a Pay What You Can basis. www.harrowarts.com
Every Sat & Sun - Solar System Discovery:
Virtual Planetarium Show (online) Join us for Solar System Discovery, a live online planetarium show presented by an astronomer from the Royal Observatory Greenwich. The Universe is a vast and intriguing place, and this show explores our own little corner of it: the Solar System. Starting from our home planet, the Earth, we’ll travel through our celestial neighbourhood, visiting objects like planets, moons and asteroids, and ending with a fly-out to view our galaxy, the Milky Way. Ages 7+. 11am, 12 noon, 1pm, 2pm. www. rmg.co.uk/whats-on/solar-system-discoveryvirtual-planetarium-show
Mon 16 – Sun 22 Nov - Climate Crisis Film
Festival (online) The Climate Crisis Film Festival returns for its second edition, showcasing a stunning and diverse collection of eye-opening cinema exploring the climate crisis from every angle. The 2020 programme brings together breathtaking cinema, exciting imaginings of a climate positive future, and inspirational masterclasses on how we can take direct action to fight for the future we need. https://climatecrisishub.co.uk
Queens House Ice Rink
Wed 18 Nov - The Great Exhibition Road
Festival: Family Quiz (online) Join the Natural History Museum for some out-of-this-world entertainment, from drawing dinosaurs to exploring the solar system with The Great Exhibition Road Festival’s Family Quiz. The quiz brings together scientists from the Museum and Imperial College London for fun-filled rounds focused on space, dinosaurs and much more. You can also ask the experts questions too. This quiz is aimed at children aged 5-11. www.nhm.ac.uk/events/great-exhibition-roadfestival-family-quiz.html
Sat 21 Nov - Doodle Art Workshop (Online) Doodle Art is based on a universal reality that we all have an artist within us. Yet, in the process of growing up, most of us lose touch with the artist within us. Doodle art re-awakens that artist and helps us explore aspects of ourselves through simple and representational icons. This workshop hosed by Harrow Arts Centre will lead children through the art of doodling. For Families with children aged 8-14. Parents, carers and guardians are encouraged to take part! https://harrowarts. com/whats-on/event/hacfromhome-doodle-artworkshop
Sat 21 Nov - LGBTQ+ Family Network (online) A safe space for local LGBTQ+ families to meet one another, get involved in creative activities for all ages and explore the stories within the collection at the National Maritime Museum. This session will be via Zoom from 10-11am, and include a game of Ocean Bingo and then moving our bodies with some easy-to-follow instructions - suitable for baby sharks and grown-up sharks too! Please RSVP via kcassels@rmg.co.uk. www.rmg. co.uk/see-do/exhibitions-events/lgbtq-familynetwork Sat 21 Nov - The World of War Horse (online) Step into the world of Michael Morpurgo’s ‘War Horse’ in this special online event. The celebrated author will be joined by illustrator Tom Clohosy Cole who has brought Joey’s story to life in this brand-new illustrated edition. Hear from Michael as he reveals what ‘War Horse’ means to him and reads a favourite extract from the book. Discover the bravery and courage displayed by animals during wartime and pick up some drawing tips from Tom in this family friendly event, hosted by the National Army Museum. www.nam.ac.uk/whats-on/world-war-horse
Thu 26 Nov – Sun 17 Jan – Winterfest (HA9) For the second year running, the family-friendly light festival will illuminate Wembley Park with brand-new light installations and immersive commissions, making your festive period just that little bit brighter. This year’s theme is ‘United in Light’, bringing visitors hope and joy this festive period, giving you, your family and friends a series of uplifting moments and a chance to come together and explore a dazzling trail of outdoor lights, with plenty of space. https://wembleypark.com/winterfest
Until Sun 29 Nov - Diwali: A Celebration of
Culture & Food in Harrow (online) An online exhibition celebrating Diwali and South Asian Food featuring stories from residents in Harrow. Discover the story of Diwali and explore our display of newly acquired objects and oral histories from the community. This exhibition is kindly funded by the London Museum Development Diversity Matters Programme. https://headstonemanor.org/events/diwali-acelebration-of-culture-food-in-harrow/
Thu 3 Dec - Virtual Christmas Carol Service
(online) At 6.30pm, KIDS will host a beautiful Carol Service from St Paul’s Church, Knightsbridge to reflect on 2020 and recognise our achievements in this challenging year. With celebrity readers Bill Nighy, Cressida Bonas and Robert Powell, stunning choir performances and popular singa-long carols, it’s an event not to be missed this festive season. www.kids.org.uk/Event/carols
Fri 4 Dec – Sun 17 Jan – Christmas at
Kew (TW9) Returning for its eighth year, the enchanting winter trail takes a new route, leading you for the first time through the beautifully illuminated Rose Garden. Montezuma’s, the extraordinary chocolate company, is delighted to announce their partnership with the Royal Botanic Gardens this year. Discover a glittering tunnel of bells, giant illuminated seed heads and majestic trees wrapped in light on your way to the dazzling treetop waterfall, where beams of light interplay in a breath-taking aerial dance. Have yourself a merry little Christmas with festive drinks and hot chocolate under the stars. www.kew.org/kew-gardens/whats-on/christmas
Sat 5 Dec – Sun 31 Jan - Behind Closed Doors
(online) Behind Closed Doors is an interactive outdoor storytelling experience taking place in the streets around Harrow Arts Centre. Inspired by choose-your-own-adventure books, the show will take audiences through a labyrinth of stories accessible via mobile phones: clues will lead to different locations where audiences will hear tales inspired by the lives of a community. From comic to tragic, poetic to absurd, these stories will explore themes of intimacy, how neighbourhoods connect and how strangers’ perceptions define us. https://harrowarts.com/whats-on/event/ behind-closed-doors
Sat 19 – Thu 24 Dec - The Night Before
Christmas (HA5) Sprinkle some magic back into 2020 and join Mrs Claus on her quest to save Christmas! It’s Christmas Eve and Santa has set off to deliver presents to the children of the world. The elves of the North Pole are enjoying a well-deserved rest after all their hard work when disaster strikes! Mrs Claus, the elves and YOU, the audience, must join forces to save the day! This immersive Christmas experience will take place across the historic Harrow Art Centre site and features a cast of professional performers,
Christmas at Kew Gardens
popular musical theatre, Christmas songs and electrifying choreography. https://harrowarts. com/whats-on/event/the-night-before-christmas
Until Thu 31 Dec - Uptown Talks (online) Discover London’s weird and wonderful secrets in this series of videos with Blue Badge Guide Julie Chandler, hosted by the Museum of London. From telephone boxes and tombs, to Cockney cashpoints, Julie will reveal the secrets of the city in this series of videos. www.museumoflondon. org.uk/museumlondon/whatson/uptowntalks?id=267008
SAILBOAT KITES Turn a windy day into the best family fun imaginable!
Cherish every step of the journey
Sailing boat kites hand made in Bali. Enchanting in the skies or hanging in a child’s bedroom. In three colour schemes. Size 60cms L x 70 H x 56 W. Delivered in flat pack form and easily assembled. Wooden handle with twine included. Price £25 incl. P&P, or £20 each for three or more. T Tel. 07931 550506. skysails23@gmail.com.
AIMED AT TODDLERS AND PRE-SCHOOLERS, OUR READY-TO-USE AND REUSABLE PRODUCTS ENABLE BUSY PARENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THEIR CHILD'S LEARNING JOURNEY USING PLAY-BASED, SCREEN-FREE ACTIVITIES AND GAMES FILLED WITH FUN!
