Tower Hamlets has a vibrant arts scene, and a host of family and community activities. We hope you find something to enjoy.
For more events taking place in Tower Hamlets this month, visit our What’s on Guide for arts and entertainment listings.
Festive Events in Victoria Park
 Visit Vicky Park for their annual family festival at The Hub Community Space on Saturday 16 December. Meet Santa and his elves 11am - 2 pm. Listen to live music, eat some mince pies, do some festive arts and crafts and kiddie rides for the little ones. Suitable for all ages. All children must be accompanied by an adult. No need to book, just turn up.
On Wednesday 20 December residents over the age of 50 are invited to the Winter Tea Dance from 12noon – 3pm. There will be food, drink, live music, and games including a raffle, bingo, and a quiz. Spaces are limited, so booking is essential. To book please contact us on 020 7364 6505 / 020 7364 4504 or email victoriapark@towerhamlets.gov.uk (no group bookings)
 Tower Hamlets’ residents age 50 and over are invited to don their dancing shoes and quick-step into the spirit of the season with live music, dancing and refreshments. This year’s tea dance will take place on Thursday 14 December at The Art Pavilion in Mile End Park.
Top London jazz and swing band The Sunshine Kings are back to provide live music and festive cheer with New Orleans, Dixieland, 20s, traditional and vintage style sounds with Tony Lane leading the dancing.
The choir of St Paul’s Way Secondary School will perform before the band starts. Light refreshments will be served.
Free but advance booking is essential. Booking opens on Thursday 30 November.
 This year’s Festival of Print celebrates the 25th anniversary of East London Printmakers, the not-for-profit, artist-run studio based in Mile End.
The studio which provides professional and affordable printmaking facilities for artists and designers, will be exhibiting the work of its artist members at The Art Pavilion in Mile End Park from 1 to 10 December 2023.
Work by more than 90 printmakers will be on show together with an exhibition of this year's Box Set displaying 50 original works. The exhibition showcases a wide range of printmaking techniques including woodblock, screen print, etching and relief, some are presented as monoprint and others as limited editions. Prints and cards will be for sale.
 Back by popular demand, Noor Aromas are bringing together local small online businesses at The Ecology Pavilion, Mile End Park for two markets in December.
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Bakers and Abayas Market on Sunday 3 December. This market will bring together modest clothing brands and bakers.
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The Winter Market on Saturday 16 December brings together over thirty businesses. From candles to an array of food and bakes, stationery, clothing, jewellery and much more - this market will have something for everyone. Grab a hot tea and peruse the market and support our small businesses. FREE ENTRY for all just register for the event. Family friendly.
 Urban Makers return to The Ecology Pavilion, Mile End Park for the second weekend of their annual Festive Makers’ Markets on 9 – 10 December.
Every day will see 50 different designers selling everything from Christmas gifts and decorations, to homewares, jewellery, art, candles, clothing and accessories. All sustainable and ethical. Free entry. Urban Makers Feast will be back with a great selection of festive food and drink including delicious cakes, warming savoury food, artisan coffee, cocktails and more.
 This is Us is a new exhibition opening on Thursday 7 December at The Brady Arts Centre. The exhibition showcases the amazing work produced by the Social Care Art Groups at the Bromley by Bow Centre. Students used a variety of media to create a character and a story. These have been depicted using paintings, collage, ceramics, textiles, mosaics and sculpture.
 Aldgate in Winter Festival returns for its seventh year!
A jam-packed evening of music, dance, light, and celebration will take place on Friday 8 December.
This year will see the return of everyone’s favourites including the lantern parade, live performances on The Aldgate Stage, The Community Feast, creative workshops and more. Check out the full festival programme. The Aldgate in Winter Festival is an event made for and by the community. Get involved in the festival fun and keep up to date on the latest activities through the Instagram and Twitter channels #AldgateinWinter
 Poplar Union are hosting a Winter Festival – a day of events to celebrate Christmas on Saturday 2 December. To celebrate the winter season there are activities for all ages including a treasure trail tea party, family yoga, storytelling and juggling workshops, festive card and wrapping paper making, a cockney singalong, a klezmer jam and more!
There will also be food, drink and music playing throughout the day and evening.
Free but donations welcomed. Advance booking recommended.
 Get into the festive spirit at Museum of London Docklands!
Unwrap the joy of Christmas through a wide range of free, family-fun activities. Boogie to festive favourites at theirsilent disco, sing and clap along to soul and Motown hits in their baby-friendly concert and experience the magic of frost fairs in their immersive play area.
Winter Warmer Workshop at St Margaret's House
 Visit St Margaret's House in Bethnal Green after school on 12 December for their Winter Warmer Workshop
Starting with a ‘Festive Family Workshop’ with Talitha Arts! Children, bring along your adults for a unique and engaging creative arts session for all the family this festive season and explore games, movement, singing, and crafts - all designed to spark festive feelings of hope and connection through fun and engaging arts activities.’
After the Talitha Arts workshop join us for some Christmas crafts suitable for all the family! Artist in Residence, Sophie Lincoln, will be teaching you how to create beautiful textile-based ornaments and there will be delicious treats to enjoy while you work together on your festive pieces. Book tickets online: Adults: £3, Children: Free
Christmas Markets and Festive Fairs
 Whether you’re looking for some festive food and cheer, locally made Christmas gifts or just want to soak up the atmosphere we’ve got Christmas and Winter Markets to suit all tastes taking place across the borough this December.
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Bow Road Winter Market takes place on Saturday 10 December in Bow Arts Courtyard. Browse and buy unique gifts and artworks from this community of artists, makers and designers. On sale will be ceramics, hand-stitched gifts, and original prints as well as homeware, accessories, and more. There will also be a free, drop-in festive art workshop for local families and children to get creative.
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Stepney Christmas Fair on Saturday 10 December. Shop local for Christmas, with 35 stalls offering delicious seasonal produce and festive crafts; and soak up the atmosphere with some mulled wine, and a brass band performing sets across the day. The farm’s resident artists will be opening their studios for the day, and you’ll be able to enjoy lunch with wide offerings from both street food vendors and at the café.
- Whether you're a food aficionado, a family searching for weekend Christmas fun, or the perfect street food lunch, Wapping Docklands Market market has it all. Bringing together a vibrant community of local and international food vendors, showcasing the richness of London's culinary culture. Open 2,9 and 16 December.
- Imagine a vibrant fusion of Caribbean and African flavors, all in one place. Get ready to tantalize your taste buds and immerse yourself in a cultural feast like no other. Introducing Afribeanafest, the ultimate market and mini food festival that celebrates the best of Caribbean and African businesses. Head down to Roman Road Square Market also known as Globe Town Square on Saturday 9`December for an unforgettable experience at their Christmas Market.
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Victoria Park Market is open on Sundays 3,10 and 17 December. There will be delicious foodie treats along with Christmas music and for every hot meal sold they will donate a school lunch to a child in Africa through the charity One Feeds Two.
 Photograph © Paul Trevor of an anti-racist protest in Brick Lane, 1978
The new exhibition at Tower Hamlets Local History Library & Archives reveals the dramatic events in 1978, sparked by the racist murder of Altab Ali, a 24-year-old Bengali leather garments worker, and pays tribute to the activists who mobilised around the rallying cry of justice that followed.
Local photographer Paul Trevor documented how members of the local Bengali community endured racial abuse as a constant factor of everyday life, and the moment at which they mobilised against racist violence and institutional police racism. The exhibition brings together 70 of Trevor’s photographs as well as original archival materials and first person testimony.
The exhibition will be on show from Saturday 2 December and will be accompanied by a programme of events starting with East End History Club: Activism & Resistance on the first day of the exhibition.
Explore the collections on activism and resistance in the East End, this time with a creative twist... Using copies of material in the collections, make your very own unique statement badge! This is a free drop-in session, open to all ages but children must be supervised by an adult. No booking required - just turn up.
 Image: Exterior of the Half Moon theatre, with posters for the touring exhibition Factory Photographs by Nick Hedges, 1977 © Nick Hedges
Discover how trailblazing photography exhibitions toured 1970s Britain with the help of a humble laminating machine.
Four Corners’ latest exhibition tells the remarkable story of the Half Moon touring shows, revealing a little-known moment in British photographic history.
In 1976, photographers at East London’s Half Moon Gallery developed an innovative approach to exhibiting. With little money, a leaky roof and a DIY attitude, they arranged their work on card panels and ran them through a laminator, creating unpretentious exhibitions-in-a-box that travelled the country via British Rail.
Photography on the Move offers a unique opportunity to see some of the surviving original panels, alongside archival material that tells the story of their production. With the support of the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Four Corners has digitised many of the touring shows, a selection of which visitors can view in their entirety.
If you are organising arts or cultural events, either online or at your venue in Tower Hamlets, please submit listings to our What’s On pages.
Use #TowerHamletsTogether to highlight your event and enter wider conversations about activities and support available to the local community.
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