The Urban Edit: Your Definitive Festive Guide to North & East London
What’s on in & around Islington 15–21 December.
Brought to you by Islington Local Guide.
Ultimately, this week of 15–21 December, the festive season reaches its cultural peak across Islington, Hackney, Finsbury Park, Dalston, Stoke Newington, Clerkenwell, Farringdon, and King’s Cross.
With world-class theatre, packed live music venues, artisan markets, neighbourhood food pop-ups. Also London’s most exciting nightlife all converging at once, this is the moment to lean in, book early, and curate a week that blends spectacle with discovery.
As a result, the Islington Local Guide brings you the best things to see, eat, explore, and book across North & East London. From luxe date nights to dog-friendly markets, and from LGBTQ+ nights out to Sunday roast gold standards.
So Let’s get into the definitive rundown.
🌟 Why This Week Matters
The highest-intensity cultural week before Christmas.
Expect:
Major theatre productions at full capacity.
King’s Cross markets, pop-ups & light installations.
Four consecutive nights of live music at O2 Academy Islington.
Panto season in full swing.
Queer nightlife, indie club culture & alternative scenes.
High-demand dining (including seasonal residencies).
Family-friendly experiences & community events.
S0 Whether you’re a planner or a wanderer, this week rewards both.
📅 MONDAY 15 DECEMBER — Clerkenwell Warm-Up & Islington Ease-In
🍺 Community & Pubs
The Fence Quiz Night – Clerkenwell (6:30 PM).
Start the week with one of London’s best-organised pub quizzes:
Silly games, themed rounds, big energy
£50 bar tab for winners
Cash rollover starts at £100
Teams capped at 6 — perfect for after-work meets
🍽️ Daytime Food & Markets
Kings Cross Real Food Market – Daily until 22 Dec
Cheeseboards, toasted marshmallows, artisanal gifts & gourmet snacks right on the station square. A brilliant lunchtime or gifting stop.
🎭 Festive Theatre
Hackney Empire – Cinderella (family panto favourite)
King’s Head Theatre – Jack and the Beanstalk (family & adults-only versions)
😂 Comedy Pick (Fully Worth the Travel)
Adam Riches as Sean Bean – “The 12 Beans of Christmas”, Soho Theatre
Hilarious, festive, clever comedy with North London–friendly travel links.
📅 TUESDAY 16 DECEMBER — Islington Takes the Spotlight
🎭 THE cultural event of the week
Matthew Bourne’s The Red Shoes – Sadler’s Wells (7:30 PM)
Tickets from £50. Limited availability (20%). Indeed, this production stands as the artistic centrepiece of the entire week.
❤️ Date Night Pairing
Bellanger — Islington
Chic brasserie dining → perfect pre-theatre menu → impeccable cocktails.
A classic Islington date done right.
🧀 Natural Wine After Hours
Stable Wines — New opening (Dec 1)
Intimate downstairs bar serving natural wine, small plates & cheese toasties.
Ideal post-show wind-down.
🍺 Local Pub Vibes
The Old Queen’s Head Quiz Night — Angel
The lively Tuesday tradition continues on Upper Street.
📅 WEDNESDAY 17 DECEMBER — Live Music Surge
🎸 Live Music
Antarctic Monkeys – O2 Academy Islington.
Iconic tribute act. Expect a packed, sing-along atmosphere.
🎧 Club Culture (Midweek Edition)
The Cross London — commercial house & student nights.
Elektrowerkz — alternative/EBM/industrial vibes.
🎟️ Theatre for Everyone
The Red Shoes continues.
The Snowman (Peacock Theatre)
Ebony Scrooge – ZooNation (Sadler’s Wells East)
Fun, family-friendly options ahead of school holidays.
📅 THURSDAY 18 DECEMBER — Niche Nights & Culinary Gems
🤘 Live Music
Swallow The Sun – O2 Academy Islington
Atmospheric Finnish gothic/doom metal — niche, but a cult favourite.
🏳️🌈 LGBTQ+ Festive Energy
Queermas 2025 – Bonkers Bar Dalston (8 PM)
Tickets from £13.17
Expect camp, glitter, DJs & chosen-family vibes.
🍽️ The Week’s Most Interesting Dining Experience
Tasca at Giacco’s — Finsbury Park
However, there is Limited residency until 31 Jan. Exceptional Iberian small plates:
Whipped goat’s curd on focaccia
Spicy rojão sandwich
Natural wines
Book early — this is becoming the insider London dining tip.
🎭 Theatre
Matinee + evening shows of The Red Shoes at Sadler’s Wells.
📅 FRIDAY 19 DECEMBER — King’s Cross After Dark
🎧 Nightlife
fabric London – Farringdon
Peak-season Friday = guaranteed international headliner.
House, techno, D&B — the holy trinity.
🎤 Live Music Alternative
The Cureheads + Siouxsie & The Budgiees — O2 Academy 2
A must for 80s goth, post-punk and alt lovers.
🌃 Christmas Lights Walking Tour — King’s Cross
Explore Granary Square, festive installations, Canopy Market & Coal Drops Yard.
One of the area’s most atmospheric winter evenings.
🎶 Local Indie Staples
The Lexington — indie DJ nights
The Garage Highbury — rock, alt, big weekend energy
📅 SATURDAY 20 DECEMBER — Markets, Dogs & Dance Floors
🎄 Daytime: Islington Square Festive Market (Dog-Friendly!)
Final day! Expect:
Live music
Face painting
Local makers & artisans
A dog caricaturist (!)
Furthermore, WagWorks will be on-site with festive dog treats.
🏳️🌈 LGBTQ+ Nightlife Highlight
Queer House Party — Hackney Bridge (9 PM–3 AM)
Fully accessible venue. Tickets £12.50–£17.50.
This is one of the most community-driven queer events in the UK.
🎧 Clubbing Peak
Egg London — huge house/techno booking
Scala — themed club night, high volume
Elektrowerkz — alternative all-nighter
The Cross — mainstream, high-production clubbing
🎤 Live Music
InPop – O2 Academy 2 Islington
A dependable Saturday choice.
🎭 Theatre
Multiple showings of The Red Shoes.
📅 SUNDAY 21 DECEMBER — Roasts, Brunch & Restorative Community.
🔥 The Best Sunday Roast
Brunch, Roasts, Date Night & Hidden Gems
- Brunch (Islington / Angel / King’s Cross): Caravan (Islington & King’s Cross), Sunday, Brother Marcus, Megan’s at the Sorting Office, Granary Square Brasserie, Dishoom, Morty & Bob’s.
- Sunday Roasts: The Old Queen’s Head, Humble Grape Islington, The Castle Islington, Cat & Mutton (Hackney).
- Date Night Restaurants (Islington & nearby): Salut!, Oui Madame, Terra Rossa Angel, Bellanger, OMNOM, plus Granary Square Brasserie & Caravan King’s Cross.
The Pig & Butcher — Islington/Clerkenwell
On-site butchery.
Exceptional sourcing
Sunday bookings essential
A warm, festive roast done incredibly well.
Alternative: The Duke of Cambridge — organic, local, cosy.
🥞 Brunch Favourites
Ester’s – Stoke Newington
Inventive, seasonal brunch. Specialty Hasbean coffee.
The Vincent – Hackney
Bright, friendly, excellent veggie & vegan options.
💜 LGBTQ+ Community & Wellness
At the London LGBTQ+ Community Centre:
Meditation (12:00–1:00 PM)
Queer Platonic Coparenting Meetup (1:30–4:30 PM)
Intergenerational Social — Mind the Gap (4:30–6:30 PM)
A beautiful way to end an intense cultural week.
🎭 Theatre & Panto: What to Book Now
Sadler’s Wells – Matthew Bourne’s The Red Shoes
Runs: 11 Dec–18 Jan
Matinees: Thurs, Sat, Sun
EVENINGS: Tues–Sat
Book ASAP — many shows already at 20–40% remaining.
Hackney Empire – Cinderella
Full-family panto magic.
Recommended for children 4+.
King’s Head Theatre – Jack & the Beanstalk
Family version + “Scandalous Adults Only” edition.
Little Angel Theatre – Islington
The home of world-class puppetry — check for family shows.
🎶 Live Music & Nightlife Overview
O2 Academy Complex — 4 Nights of Live Music
Monkies, metal, nostalgia & indie — a huge week.
King’s Cross / Farringdon Nightlife Powerhouses
fabric + Egg + Scala = London’s biggest pre-Christmas clubbing block.
Elektrowerkz
Industrial, goth, alternative — unique, beloved.
Union Chapel (Islington Landmark)
Even without a confirmed gig, its architecture + acoustics + community charity mission make it an essential festive check-in.
💡 How to Make the Most of This Week
- Book theatre early
Especially The Red Shoes — it will sell out.
- Use King’s Cross as your cultural HQ
Easy transport, markets, lights, dining + clubs.
- Don’t sleep on limited culinary residencies
Tasca at Giacco’s will be one of January’s most talked-about pop-ups.
- Balance intensity with community
Offset the nightlife with family markets, brunches, meditation or local socials.
✨ Final Word – What’s on in & around Islington 15–21 December
Finally, This period stands out as one of the most exciting cultural weeks of the year for Islington and the surrounding boroughs. Hence everything from world-stage productions to intimate neighbourhood gems, you can shape your perfect festive week — whether that’s culture-first, food-focused, or nightlife-driven.
