January Events: Happy New Year from the UK & Australia

New Year’s Eve is around the corner! Insist on attending the gigantic annual fireworks display over the London Eye or at one of the Australian sparkly fireworks celebrations. London’s last year’s majestic display showed customized fireworks with the songs playing that sent happiness-goose-bumps to the audience. London also exposed her respect for diversity through uttering ‘Welcome to London’ in different tongues. No one would want to miss the sparkly fireworks all over the Big Ben with its bongs and the London Eye from within and all around. Five viewing areas are available: Blue area, Red area, White area, Green area, and Pink area. Be sure to book the same viewing area as your friends because you can't move between them.

In Sydney, Australia, the Sydney Harbour Bridge fireworks display is the greatest. There are two fireworks displays: one that takes place at 9 pm and the other at midnight AEDT. Another smaller display in Sydney is in Darling Harbour. New Year’s Eve fireworks in Melbourne are shown in Treasury Gardens, Docklands, Flagstaff Gardens and Kings Domain at midnight too. Melbourne CBD’s fireworks are impossible to miss or forget if you’re in the city. In Brisbane, the vast fireworks celebration happens at South Bank and in Adelaide’s heart, Elder Park hosts the fireworks celebration. The Darwin waterfront and Canberra’s City Hill will have fireworks displays as well.

Back to London, the festive Nordic themes, fun pop-ups, shows, and performances of the Southbank Centre Winter Festival is back along with a rooftop Finnish sauna on the Queen Elizabeth Roof Gardens and the annual Wintertime Christmas market. It starts at 10 am and closes at 11 pm and it is for free. The nearest tube is Waterloo and it will be on until the end of December and ends on the first of January.

You can still witness the sparkly Winter Lights at Canary Wharf. Additional installations from international artists have been added so it brighter than usual throughout January. The lights will be on from Tuesday, the 16th of January till Saturday the 27th of the same month at 5 pm. The nearest tube is Canary Wharf and it is for free. Also, Christmas by the River at London Bridge, Oxford Street Christmas Light, Covent Garden Christmas, Carnaby Christmas Lights, Regent Street Christmas Lights and St Katharine Docks’ Christmas Lights will all be on till the beginning of January, so don’t let the chance slip away!

Ice skating at Somerset House is still on until the end of December and ends on Sunday, January the 14th. It starts at £7.50 plus the booking fee. It is considered as one the capital’s most festive outings.

The Three Crick Crack Club storytellers will be soundtracked by the Sitar player Sheema Mukherjee and they will go through the tales of creating our planet. When Time Began will take place in Kings Place on Saturday, January the 6th at 11 am. The nearest tube is King’s Cross for £8.50.

More than 50 vintage stalls will be waiting for you in The Big London Flea taking place in EPIC Dalston Market where traders will be selling clothes, kitchenware, oddities and accessories to clear out their attic. Look for comics too, you will find plenty. It starts at 11 am on Sunday, January the 7th.

How To Be Confident workshop will be held at The School of Life in Bloomsbury on Friday, January the 12th till the beginning of February. The workshop should discuss and help the attendees to defeat impostor syndrome and outgrow the childhood timidity phase and be more confident and increase your positive self-talk. There is a £55 fee and the nearest tube station is Russell Sq. Check their event website here: https://www.theschooloflife.com

London Art Antiques and Interiors Fair in ExCel  London will be filled with Art Deco, Art Nouveau and 20th Century art and design. The nearest tube is Canning Town and Custom House DLR rail. The fair is held for three consecutive days: January 12, 13, & 14 at 10 am for £12 adv/£16 otd. London Boat Show will also be held from 10 January to 14 January. The annual boat show brings together experts, traders and celebrities belonging to the world of boating and watersports to showcase the latest trends and upcoming developments.

From the 17th of January till the 21st of the same month the London Art Fair 2018 at Business Design Centre will bring the art world to London and will bring together more than 100 galleries to showcase contemporary artworks, sculptures, paintings, photographs, ceramics and more. You can visit to just watch the artwork or to enlarge your collection by buying some. Ticket prices start from £14 and the nearest tube station Angel (Northern line).

In its 15th year, the London Short Film Festival 2018 (LSFF2018) will showcase the best UK’s independent films with some other international submissions. The film screenings range from dramas to comedies to documentaries and even animations. There will also be workshops and talks that you can attend with filmmakers, directors and actors. It will be from the 12th of January until the 21st of the same month.