From the North London Derby to a legendary Manchester rave institution taking over East London's biggest warehouse, here's your essential guide to the best events happening in London this weekend.
It's a weekend that reminds you why London does everything at maximum volume. Friday brings alternative rock royalty to The O2 and dance music's favourite party starter to Alexandra Palace. Saturday is for sport—Six Nations rugby thunder at Twickenham, Chelsea hosting at the Bridge, and a warehouse rave so stacked with house legends it feels like time travel. Then Sunday serves up the main course: the North London Derby followed by London's biggest Chinese New Year parade. Whether you're after pyrotechnics (musical or athletic), it's all here.
AllEvents is tracking all the weekend happenings across the capital, from arena headliners to neighbourhood gems. Here's our curated selection of what's genuinely worth your time and money this weekend.
How this list works: We've filtered through hundreds of London events to bring you the genuinely exciting stuff happening February 20–22, 2026. Expect a mix of blockbuster draws and some smaller events that deserve more attention. We prioritise timeliness, variety, and actual quality over paid placements.
What it is: California's heaviest art-rock band brings their Private Music tour to London's biggest arena, supported by Denzel Curry and Drug Church.
Why go: Deftones have spent three decades proving that heavy music can be beautiful, atmospheric, and utterly crushing—often in the same song. Chino Moreno's voice remains one of rock's most distinctive instruments, capable of whispered intimacy and primal screaming within a single breath. The O2's sound system will do justice to the band's wall-of-sound dynamics, from the dreamy shimmer of "Digital Bath" to the crushing weight of "My Own Summer." Denzel Curry's aggressive, boundary-pushing hip-hop makes perfect sense as support, and punk outfit Drug Church will warm things up nicely for anyone arriving early.
Who it's for: Alt-metal devotees, shoegaze fans who like it loud, and anyone who understands that "heavy" and "emotional" aren't mutually exclusive.
When: Friday, February 20, doors 6:30pm
What it is: Norman Cook celebrates 40 years of making people dance with a two-night residence at Ally Pally.
Why go: Fatboy Slim at his peak was—and arguably still is—the most joyful DJ on the planet. The Acid Ballroom tour marks four decades since Norman Cook first started DJing, and he's treating it like a proper celebration rather than a nostalgia trip. Alexandra Palace's Great Hall provides the cathedral-scale setting these shows deserve, with enough room for 10,000 people to lose their minds to "Praise You" and "Right Here, Right Now." The venue's Victorian grandeur makes for surreal contrast with the euphoric chaos happening on the floor. If you've ever seen Cook play, you know nobody works harder up there—he's going to earn every drop of sweat in that room.
Who it's for: Anyone who believes the big beat era was dance music's peak, plus younger fans discovering why your parents loved this man.
When: Friday, February 20 & Saturday, February 21, doors 7pm
What it is: The third round of the 2026 Six Nations Championship brings the defending champions to English soil.
Why go: When Ireland visits Twickenham, the atmosphere reaches levels that make the hairs stand up on the back of your neck. The Irish travelling support transforms any venue into a sea of green, and this year they arrive as reigning champions looking to defend their crown. England will be desperate to prove they can match Irish physicality and tactical sophistication. The 82,000-capacity stadium creates a cauldron of noise that you feel in your chest. Rugby at this level is chess played at 100mph—watch for the tactical kicking battles and the absolutely bone-rattling collisions at the breakdown. Get there early enough to soak in both national anthems.
Who it's for: Rugby fans who understand that Six Nations weekends are essentially a religion, plus anyone who appreciates elite athleticism and controlled chaos.
When: Saturday, February 21, kick-off 2:10pm
What it is: Manchester's legendary nightclub brand takes over London's biggest warehouse venue for an all-day celebration of house music's golden era.
Why go: This is FAC51 The Haçienda's biggest indoor show ever, and the lineup reads like a house music hall of fame. Groove Armada headlines, Haçienda Classical brings orchestral arrangements of club anthems, and the rest is a who's who of electronic royalty: Deep Dish, Roger Sanchez, Danny Tenaglia, Todd Terry, Inner City, CeCe Rogers, Alison Limerick, Robert Owens, DJ Paulette. The Drumsheds' three-room setup means you can bounce between different flavours of house across ten hours of programming. The venue's industrial aesthetic channels the spirit of the original Haçienda—exposed brick, concrete, and very little pretension between you and the music. This is the kind of event people fly in for.
Who it's for: House music devotees, anyone who missed the Haçienda the first time round, and dancers with serious stamina.
When: Saturday, February 21, 1pm–11pm
What it is: The Blues host newly promoted Burnley in Saturday's Premier League action.
Why go: Stamford Bridge remains one of football's most atmospheric grounds, with the Matthew Harding Stand providing the vocal backbone that makes visiting teams feel properly unwelcome. Burnley's return to the top flight has been characterised by their refusal to abandon their direct, physical style—they might be outspent by everyone, but they won't be outworked. Chelsea's star-studded squad will need to match that intensity. The Fulham Road pre-match buzz, the pubs spilling onto the street, the walk through the residential streets to the ground—it's a properly authentic English football experience that the newer stadiums can't replicate.
Who it's for: Football fans who want an atmospheric Premier League experience without remortgaging for North London prices.
When: Saturday, February 21, kick-off 3pm
What it is: The biggest local rivalry in English football at Spurs' state-of-the-art stadium.
Why go: This is the fixture for both clubs. Bragging rights that last until the return leg, chants you'll hear echoing around both halves of North London for months, and the kind of hostile atmosphere that makes neutral observers uncomfortable and participants absolutely thrive. Tottenham's stadium is a genuine architectural marvel—the single-tier South Stand creates a wall of noise that rivals anything in European football. The sightlines are immaculate, the acoustics are specifically designed to keep crowd noise in, and the rivalry provides intensity that money can't manufacture. Arsenal will bring a red and white invasion that tests those acoustics to their limits.
Who it's for: Football obsessives who understand that derbies operate on different emotional frequencies than regular matches.
When: Sunday, February 22, kick-off 4:30pm
What it is: The Italian house trio brings their euphoric production to Greenwich Peninsula's stunning warehouse venue.
Why go: MEDUZA have spent the past few years crafting the kind of piano-driven house that's impossible not to dance to—"Piece of Your Heart" and "Lose Control" became genuine crossover hits without sacrificing any dancefloor credibility. Magazine London's combination of industrial architecture and riverside views makes it one of the city's most atmospheric venues, especially as the sun sets over the Thames. Support from Layla Benitez and 8Kays means the musical journey from 5pm onwards will be expertly curated. The 6-hour runtime gives you space to pace yourself and actually enjoy the ride.
Who it's for: House music fans who like their beats emotional, melodic, and absolutely banging.
When: Saturday, February 21, 5pm–11pm
What it is: London's biggest celebration of Lunar New Year, marking the Year of the Horse with parades, performances, and festivities across the West End.
Why go: This is one of London's most spectacular free events. The parade starts at Trafalgar Square and winds through Chinatown, featuring elaborate floats, lion dances, martial arts demonstrations, and dragon teams that take extraordinary skill to operate. The Year of the Horse promises particularly energetic celebrations—horses represent freedom, power, and speed in Chinese culture. Chinatown's restaurants will be heaving with celebratory feasts, firecrackers will punctuate the afternoon, and the decorations transform central London into something genuinely magical. Arrive early to stake out a good viewing spot along the parade route.
Who it's for: Everyone who appreciates free cultural spectacle and doesn't mind navigating crowds for the right cause.
When: Sunday, February 22, parade starts 10am, celebrations throughout the day
What it is: The South London comedian's brand new tour reaches the West End's most prestigious comedy venue.
Why go: Rob Beckett has quietly become one of Britain's most reliably funny stand-ups—he can work a room with the kind of energy that makes two thousand people feel like they're in a pub. The Palladium setting adds proper grandeur to proceedings, with its gilded ceilings and red velvet providing amusing contrast to Beckett's deliberately unpretentious humour. Expect observations about family life, working-class absurdity, and the general ridiculousness of existence, delivered with machine-gun timing and genuine warmth. His podcast success and panel show appearances have expanded his audience, but the live show is where the magic happens.
Who it's for: Comedy fans who appreciate observational humour delivered at high energy with zero pretension.
When: Friday, February 20 & Saturday, February 21, 8pm
What it is: The beloved Canadian circus company transforms the Royal Albert Hall with their insect-inspired spectacle.
Why go: OVO ("egg" in Portuguese) creates a teeming ecosystem of acrobats dressed as crickets, butterflies, spiders, and beetles, performing feats that consistently defy physics and common sense. The Royal Albert Hall's circular architecture enhances the immersive experience—performers seem to emerge from all directions, and the Victorian grandeur provides surreal contrast with the hyper-colourful bug world unfolding on stage. The show's been touring for fifteen years precisely because it delivers genuine wonder with every performance. Kids will be mesmerised; adults will catch themselves holding their breath during the aerial sequences.
Who it's for: Families seeking genuine spectacle, circus arts devotees, and anyone who needs reminding that humans can do impossible things.
When: Multiple performances Friday–Sunday, check specific showtimes
What it is: Lin-Manuel Miranda's genre-defining musical about America's scrappiest founding father, in its long-running West End home.
Why go: Nine years after its London premiere, Hamilton remains essential theatre—the hip-hop-infused retelling of Alexander Hamilton's life manages to be simultaneously historically dense, emotionally devastating, and irresistibly catchy. The staging is elegant, the performances remain consistently excellent despite cast changes, and the emotional gut-punches in Act Two still land with full force. If you somehow haven't seen it yet, now's the time to rectify that. If you have seen it, you already know it rewards repeat viewings—there's too much happening in every number to catch it all once.
Who it's for: Musical theatre fans, history buffs, hip-hop devotees, and literally anyone with a pulse and theatre tickets.
When: Multiple performances Friday–Sunday, including Saturday and Sunday matinees
What it is: The groundbreaking concert experience featuring digital avatars of ABBA backed by a live band, in their purpose-built arena at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
Why go: Yes, you're technically watching holograms. No, it doesn't matter once the show starts. The technology is genuinely mind-bending—the "ABBAtars" move with an authenticity that your brain accepts within minutes, and suddenly you're watching a 1970s-era ABBA perform with an energy they probably couldn't sustain in their actual seventies. The setlist is comprehensive (two hours of non-stop classics), the arena was literally built for this show, and the audience participation reaches levels that would make most contemporary artists jealous. "Dancing Queen" with thousands of people losing their minds around you? Still transcendent.
Who it's for: ABBA fans finally getting the concert they never thought possible, technology enthusiasts, and anyone who's ever sung along to "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!" at unreasonable volume.
When: Multiple performances Friday–Sunday
What it is: The first exhibition ever dedicated to the seascapes of Neo-Impressionist master Georges Seurat.
Why go: The Courtauld has assembled 26 works from Seurat's five summers spent on France's northern coast, revealing a side of the pointillist pioneer that even art history nerds might not know well. Seurat's obsessive technique—building images from thousands of individual dots of colour—finds its perfect subject in water, capturing light's movement across waves with almost scientific precision while maintaining genuine emotional resonance. The gallery's intimate scale means you can actually get close to these paintings, seeing the individual brushstrokes that somehow coalesce into shimmering seascapes from proper viewing distance. The exhibition opened last week, so crowds should still be manageable.
Who it's for: Art lovers, Impressionism enthusiasts, and anyone seeking a contemplative counterpoint to the weekend's louder offerings.
When: Open Friday–Sunday, 10am–6pm (Fri until 9pm)
What it is: The Hammers host the Cherries in Saturday evening's late Premier League fixture.
Why go: The London Stadium has its critics, but filling 60,000 seats creates an atmosphere that the old Upton Park couldn't quite match. The Saturday evening slot (5:30pm) means the floodlights are on, the crowd's had time for a proper pre-match session, and the stadium's former Olympic infrastructure looks genuinely impressive. Bournemouth have proven they can punch above their weight since promotion—they won't arrive looking for a point. West Ham's east London faithful remain among the most vocally creative supporters in the league. Plus, it's significantly easier to get tickets than the derby across town the next day.
Who it's for: Football fans wanting Premier League action at reasonable prices with good availability.
When: Saturday, February 21, kick-off 5:30pm
What it is: The beloved Broadway musical reimagining the witches of Oz, now in its 20th year in the West End.
Why go: Following the blockbuster 2025 film adaptation, returning to the stage version reveals how much theatrical magic was lost in translation. The flying sequences, the massive dragon that hovers above the stage, and the transformation scenes still deliver gasps that no amount of CGI can replicate. "Defying Gravity" with a performer actually rising above the stage remains one of musical theatre's most iconic moments. The cast delivers vocals that the film stars spent months training for, and they do it eight times a week. If the film made you curious, the stage show will make you understand why this has been running for two decades.
Who it's for: Musical theatre fans, families with children old enough for 2.5 hours of sitting, and anyone the film converted.
When: Multiple performances Friday–Sunday, including matinees
Nigel Kennedy String Trio at Ronnie Scott's (Friday, SOLD OUT): The virtuoso violinist's final night of a three-night jazz club residency. If you can find resale tickets, this intimate setting for one of Britain's most distinctive musicians is worth pursuing.
Les Misérables at Sondheim Theatre (Multiple shows): The world's longest-running musical continues delivering French revolutionary misery and soaring vocals. "One Day More" still raises arm hair.
The Lion King at Lyceum Theatre (Multiple shows): Julie Taymor's puppet-driven vision remains one of the West End's most visually stunning productions.
The Phantom of the Opera at His Majesty's Theatre (Multiple shows): The chandelier drops, the music swells, and Christine sings. Now back at its original home after refurbishment.
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at Palace Theatre (Multiple shows): Two parts, one story, genuinely impressive stage magic. Book both parts for the full experience.
The Book of Mormon at Prince of Wales Theatre (Multiple shows): Still the rudest, funniest musical in the West End. Not for your easily offended relatives.
What's the biggest event in London this weekend? Depends on your definition—the Chinese New Year Parade draws hundreds of thousands of spectators, the North London Derby will have the most intense atmosphere, and The Haçienda at Drumsheds might be the most talked-about event for dance music fans. All three are genuinely unmissable in their respective categories.
What's happening for Chinese New Year in London 2026? The main parade is Sunday, February 22, starting from Trafalgar Square around 10am and winding through Chinatown. It's the Year of the Horse. Festivities including performances, food stalls, and lion dances continue throughout the day across the West End. It's free and spectacular.
Are there any free events in London this weekend? The Chinese New Year Parade is completely free and genuinely worth attending. Several galleries and museums offer free entry (though exhibitions like Seurat at The Courtauld charge separately).
What's the best football match to watch in London this weekend? The North London Derby (Tottenham vs Arsenal, Sunday 4:30pm) is the premium fixture—it's one of football's great rivalries in Tottenham's spectacular stadium. If you can't get tickets there, Chelsea vs Burnley (Saturday 3pm) offers accessible Premier League action at an iconic ground.
Is ABBA Voyage worth it? Yes. The technology is genuinely impressive, the setlist is comprehensive, and the atmosphere is joyous. Skeptics tend to become converts within the first few songs.
What's the best concert this weekend? For arena-scale rock, Deftones at The O2 on Friday. For dance music, either Fatboy Slim at Ally Pally or The Haçienda at Drumsheds on Saturday. For house music specifically, MEDUZA at Magazine London.
Where can I find more London events this weekend?AllEvents has comprehensive listings for everything happening across the capital—filter by date, location, and category to find exactly what you're looking for.
London never stops serving options, and this weekend might be one of February's finest. Whatever you choose, you're choosing well.
