Highgate's lights go on 26 November and Crouch End's tree on 5 December, then carols from 9 December. Dated listings for Crouch End, Highgate and Muswell Hill.

Highgate’s Christmas lights go on in Pond Square on Thursday 26 November, Crouch End’s tree is lit on the Green at 6pm on Saturday 5 December, and the carols start on 9 December. Before that: opera and children’s shows at Jacksons Lane, a run of sold-out gigs at the Palace, comedy under the King’s Head and a busy month of concerts at Lauderdale House.

Every listing below was read from the organiser’s own page on 11 November 2026 and links back to it. A price appears only where the organiser publishes one. Dates can change, so use the link before you set off. For places that are open whatever the month, see our guide to things to do in Crouch End.

Updated 11 November: past events removed and the weeks rolled on. New: the Highgate switch-on (26 November), Jacksons Jingles (2 December), the Friends of Waterlow Park wreath sale, eight Lauderdale House concerts and workshops to 15 December, the Palace’s carol performances and the Crouch End Festival Chorus concert. Courteeners, Blossoms and Gorgon City are now waiting list only, and the Huskies game on 14 November is sold out.

This week

Wednesday 11 to Sunday 15 November.

  • Highgate Watercolour Group Exhibition. Until Monday 16 November, Lauderdale House, N6 5HG. The group’s annual show: 21 artists and more than 250 works on paper, from plein air painting in Highgate, Hampstead and Alexandra Palace to still lifes and abstracts. Free, no booking; check the house’s gallery hours before you go. (Lauderdale House)
  • Harington: Where We Grow. Until Thursday 3 December, in the Courtyard at Lauderdale House, N6 5HG. Artwork by students of Harington, the Highgate charity for young people with learning differences, each inspired by a favourite plant, flower or tree. Free, no booking, during gallery hours. (Lauderdale House)
  • Upside Down London. Until Tuesday 17 November, 9am to 7pm daily, East Court, Alexandra Palace, N22 7AY. Pinhole London’s pop-up camera obscura: step inside and the park, skyline and passers-by appear upside down. Free. (Alexandra Palace)
  • La Sonnambula. Until Sunday 15 November, Jacksons Lane, N6 5AA. A new production of Bellini’s opera, directed by John Wilkie and conducted by Stefano Boccacci. Evenings at 7pm, Sunday at 4pm. Tickets £31 to £49, from £10 on 11 and 12 November. (Jacksons Lane)
  • Lauderdale House Social Walk. Thursday 12 November, 10.45am, from Lauderdale House, N6 5HG. The monthly community walk, run with Holly Lodge Community Centre and the Highgate Society, for light exercise and conversation. Free, no booking. (Lauderdale House)
  • Introduction to Opera, Highgate Opera Society. Thursday 12 November, 5pm, Jacksons Lane, N6 5AA. A relaxed introduction to opera, looking at La Sonnambula before that evening’s performance. Tickets £5. (Jacksons Lane)
  • Christmas at Summit. Fridays to Sundays from Friday 13 November to Sunday 6 December, 10am to 6pm, meet in the East Court, Alexandra Palace, N22 7AY. Tours over the Palace roof, with 12% off, a hot chocolate and a mince pie. Ages 8 and over. (Alexandra Palace)
  • Uren and Upwards: Hornsey Town Hall and its history. Saturday 14 November, 2pm to 3.30pm, Hornsey Town Hall, The Broadway, N8 9JJ. Oonagh Gay’s tour of how the town hall was built and its music and political history. Book on the organiser’s Eventbrite page. (Eventbrite)
  • Haringey Huskies v Oxford Stars. Saturday 14 November, doors 5pm, Alexandra Palace Ice Rink, N22 7AY. Ice hockey, with an ice disco bookable after the game. Sold out on the Palace’s page on 11 November. (Alexandra Palace)
  • Bill Ryder-Jones and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Saturday 14 November, doors 6.30pm, Alexandra Palace Theatre, N22 7AY. The former Coral guitarist plays his debut album If… in full with the orchestra, plus new material. Ages 16 and over. (Alexandra Palace)
  • Courteeners. Saturday 14 November, doors 6.30pm, The Great Hall, Alexandra Palace, N22 7AY. The God Bless The Band 20th anniversary tour, with The Lathums and The Guestlist. Ages 16 and over. Waiting list only on the Palace listing on 11 November. (Alexandra Palace)
  • Flotsam, OperaUpClose. Sunday 15 November, 11am and 2pm, Jacksons Lane, N6 5AA. A 30 minute opera for ages 2 to 5, adapted from David Wiesner’s picture book. Tickets £12.50. (Jacksons Lane)
  • Sunday Fun-Day Family Workshops. Sunday 15 November, 11am to 3pm, Lauderdale House, N6 5HG. Artist-led drop-in craft workshops on the house’s history. Free, no booking; children must come with an adult. The next one is Sunday 13 December. (Lauderdale House)
  • Music for a While, Linnet Baroque. Sunday 15 November, 6pm, doors 5.30pm, Lauderdale House, N6 5HG. An hour of English Restoration music, including Henry and Daniel Purcell, with soprano, bass viol and harpsichord. Standard £15, students and under-18s £7, each plus a £1.50 booking fee. (Lauderdale House)

Next week

Monday 16 to Sunday 22 November. The Christmas fairs start: Handmade In Highgate is at the Highgate Literary and Scientific Institution from Friday 20 to Sunday 22 November, and Muswell Hill Creatives hold a Winter Makers Fair in St James Square on Saturday 21 November, 10.30am to 4pm. Both are on our Christmas markets page.

  • Simile, Highly Sprung. Tuesday 17 November, 2pm and 6pm, Jacksons Lane, N6 5AA. Three friends revise for a GCSE poetry exam the night before; for ages 13 and over, 60 minutes. Tickets £10 to £20. (Jacksons Lane)
  • THIRTEEN. Wednesday 18 November to Monday 21 December, Lauderdale House, N6 5HG. The award-winning photography collective’s thirteenth anniversary exhibition. Free, no booking. (Lauderdale House)
  • Andrea Dawson: Subtle Vibrations. Wednesday 18 November to Monday 21 December, Lauderdale House, N6 5HG. Woven textiles on the vibrations and energies of the natural world. Free, no booking. (Lauderdale House)
  • What Are You Looking At? Wednesday 18 and Thursday 19 November, 7.30pm, Creativity Pavilion, Alexandra Palace, N22 7AY. Two new pieces about media and memory from the Palace’s Young Actors Company and the Ally Pally Ensemble, part of BBC TV 90. (Alexandra Palace)
  • Baba Yaga: Fairytales for Grown-Ups. Thursday 19 November, 7pm, Jacksons Lane, N6 5AA. A Crick Crack Club storytelling night with Ben Haggarty, Sarah Liisa Wilkinson and Steph Brittain. Ages 18 and over. Tickets £10 to £25. (Jacksons Lane)
  • Jazz in the House: Deirdre Cartwright’s Picnic. Thursday 19 November, 8pm, doors 7.30pm, Lauderdale House, N6 5HG. The guitarist with Annie Whitehead, Alison Rayner and Winston Clifford. Standard £16.50, unwaged £13.50, under-35s £9, each plus a £1.50 booking fee. (Lauderdale House)
  • The Sleep Show. Friday 20 November, 4.30pm, then 11am and 2pm on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22, Jacksons Lane, N6 5AA. Dance and storytelling about trying to fall asleep, for ages 3 and over. Tickets £10 to £20. (Jacksons Lane)
  • Enter Shikari. Friday 20 and Saturday 21 November, doors 6.30pm, The Great Hall, Alexandra Palace, N22 7AY. The Lose Your Self tour. Ages 16 and over. (Alexandra Palace)
  • Some Monk and Some Moon: Tina Carr Quintet. Friday 20 November, 8pm, Lauderdale House, N6 5HG. Thelonious Monk and songs from Moon Over Mildmay. £20 plus a £1.50 booking fee. (Lauderdale House)
  • Haringey Huskies v Cardiff Canucks. Saturday 21 November, doors 5pm, Alexandra Palace Ice Rink, N22 7AY. Ice hockey, with an ice disco bookable after. (Alexandra Palace)

Later in November

Monday 23 to Monday 30 November. Sherlock Holmes and the 12 Days of Christmas opens at the Alexandra Palace Theatre on Tuesday 24 November and runs to 17 January; Handmade In Highgate’s second fair is from 27 to 29 November. Our Christmas shows page has the Sherlock dates.

  • Bones in the Desert, Half Moon. Tuesday 24 November, 2pm and 6pm, Jacksons Lane, N6 5AA. Joe Nerssessian’s play about a Syrian refugee in Berlin, ages 13 and over, with a Q&A. Tickets £12.50. (Jacksons Lane)
  • Chapter & Verse. Tuesday 24 November, 7pm, Lauderdale House, N6 5HG. A fundraiser for DWRM’s prison education work, with music from Jordan Thomas and a silent auction. General admission £25, plus a £1.50 booking fee. (Lauderdale House)
  • Highgate Christmas lights switch-on. Thursday 26 November, Pond Square, N6. Santa’s Grotto at The Crown 3pm to 4pm, the Highgate Brass Ensemble 4pm, and the switch-on at 4.30pm with Dame Meera Syal and Sanjeev Bhaskar, hosted by Alex Zane. Free. Our Highgate lights page has more. (Highgate Society)
  • Nia Archives. Thursday 26 November, doors 6.30pm, The Great Hall, Alexandra Palace, N22 7AY. The jungle artist’s Emotional World Tour. Ages 16 and over. (Alexandra Palace)
  • Blossoms. Friday 27 November, doors 6.30pm, The Great Hall, Alexandra Palace, N22 7AY. The Stockport band’s tour for Songs From The Wedding Cake. Ages 16 and over. Waiting list only on 11 November. (Alexandra Palace)
  • Botanical Lino Printing with Laura Sowerby. Saturday 28 November, 9.30am to 4.30pm, Lauderdale House, N6 5HG. A full-day lino printing course. £120. (Lauderdale House)
  • Sunshine Place Live: Small Wonders. Saturday 28 November, 11am and 12.15pm, Jacksons Lane, N6 5AA. A family stage show from the children’s YouTube sitcom. Tickets £8.50. (Jacksons Lane)
  • EJMC: Haringey Huskies v Chelmsford Warriors. Saturday 28 November, doors 5pm, Alexandra Palace Ice Rink, N22 7AY. An Eddie Joseph Memorial Cup game, with an ice disco after. (Alexandra Palace)
  • Gorgon City. Saturday 28 November, doors 6.30pm, The Great Hall, Alexandra Palace, N22 7AY. The house duo’s new live show. Ages 18 and over. Waiting list only on 11 November. (Alexandra Palace)
  • Festive Card Making and Collage Workshop. Sunday 29 November, 11am to 1pm, Creativity Pavilion, Alexandra Palace, N22 7AY. With the artist Virginia Sutton; materials provided, all ages, under-16s with an adult. (Alexandra Palace)
  • Dreams and Fantaisies. Sunday 29 November, 5pm, doors 4.30pm, Lauderdale House, N6 5HG. The French pianist Arthur Noël plays French Impressionist and German Romantic music. Standard £12, concession £6, each plus a £1.50 booking fee. (Lauderdale House)

December

To Tuesday 22 December.

  • Jacksons Jingles. Wednesday 2 December, 7pm, Studio 1, Jacksons Lane, N6 5AA. A free festive singalong led by the choir leader Laurence Morgan, collecting for Jacksons Lane’s Community Christmas Day for isolated older people. Free; book a place. (Jacksons Lane)
  • Insieme Free Lunchtime Concert. Thursday 3 December, 1.15pm, doors 1pm, Long Gallery, Lauderdale House, N6 5HG. The chamber opera ensemble in residence. Free. (Lauderdale House)
  • Jazz in the House: Ian Shaw’s Early Xmas Caper. Thursday 3 December, 8pm, Lauderdale House, N6 5HG. The singer and pianist’s festive show closes the Jazz in the House season. Sold out. (Lauderdale House)
  • Rewild Wreath Making Workshop. Friday 4 December, 7pm to 9pm, Lauderdale House, N6 5HG. Florist Helen Lakeland’s two-hour workshop with fizz and nibbles; all materials provided. £70, booked by email through the house’s page. The Tuesday 1 December session is sold out. (Lauderdale House)
  • Friends of Waterlow Park Wreath Sale. Saturday 5 December, 10.30am to 3.30pm, Lauderdale House, N6 5HG. Handmade wreaths and table decorations made from flowers, foliage and cones gathered in Waterlow Park, plus lavender bags from the park; money raised goes back into the park. Free entry. (Lauderdale House)
  • Crouch End Christmas tree lighting. Saturday 5 December, 6pm, on the Green outside Hornsey Town Hall, N8 9JJ, run by Crouch End Festival, after Muswell Hill Creatives’ Winter Makers Market in the town hall (11.30am to 5pm). Our Crouch End lights page has the details. (Crouch End Festival)
  • Yoruba, Konkani, and Columbian Christmas: The Inner Vision Trio. Sunday 6 December, 7.30pm, Lauderdale House, N6 5HG. Christmas music from around the world from three members of the Inner Vision Orchestra of blind musicians. Standard £15, concession £5, plus a £1.50 booking fee. (Lauderdale House)
  • Nell Gwynn and the Puritan Poet. Tuesday 8 December, 7.30pm, Lauderdale House, N6 5HG. Roger Elliott’s staged reading, set in the house Nell Gwynn lived in, with period music from Saraband. Standard £15, students £8, plus a £1.50 booking fee. (Lauderdale House)
  • Carols in Pond Square. Wednesday 9 December, 6.30pm, Pond Square, Highgate, N6. The Highgate Society’s carols with the Channing and Highgate school brass and choirs; collection for the Whittington’s neonatal unit. Our carols page has every carol date so far. (Highgate Society)
  • Tales from the Nutcracker, Trio Taliesin. Saturday 12 December, 3.30pm, Lauderdale House, N6 5HG. A children’s concert of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker music, stories and games; last year’s sold out. £7.50 plus a £1.50 booking fee. (Lauderdale House)
  • Winter Magic, Trio Taliesin. Saturday 12 December, 6pm, Lauderdale House, N6 5HG. Saint-Saëns, Tchaikovsky and festive favourites for piano trio. Standard £16, concession £11, under-18s £7.50, plus a £1.50 booking fee. (Lauderdale House)
  • Adult Creative Painting Workshop, Christmas Edition. Saturday 12 December, 7pm to 9pm, doors 6.45pm, Creativity Pavilion, Alexandra Palace, N22 7AY. A guided painting evening with the artist Virginia Sutton; easel, canvas and paints provided. Ages 12 and over, under-18s with an adult. (Alexandra Palace)
  • Stephen Hose Free Lunchtime Concert. Tuesday 15 December, 1.15pm, doors 1pm, Long Gallery, Lauderdale House, N6 5HG. Forty-five minutes of classical piano from the house’s resident pianist. Free, but book. (Lauderdale House)
  • Christmas Cinema and Favourite Christmas Carols. Tuesday 15 December, 7.15pm, doors 6.45pm, Lauderdale House, N6 5HG. Music from Christmas films, from Love Actually to Elf, and carols in new arrangements for piano and string quartet. Standard £18, students, under-18s and over-65s £10, plus a £1.50 booking fee. (Lauderdale House)
  • Sing Christmas! with Crouch End Festival Chorus. Saturday 19 December, 4pm and 7.30pm, St Michael’s Church, South Grove, N6 6BJ. The chorus’s annual Christmas concert of carols and festive music, conducted by David Temple. Tickets through the chorus’s site. (Crouch End Festival Chorus)
  • Lauderdale House Christmas Singalong. Tuesday 22 December, 6pm, doors 5.30pm, Lower Gallery, Lauderdale House, N6 5HG. Free, with professional singers and the resident pianist. Sold out; waiting list on 020 8348 8716. (Lauderdale House)

Christmas at Ally Pally. Cinderella On Ice is on the ice rink from 3 to 6 December, Santa’s Grotto is in the East Court from 4 to 23 December (£14), the Festive Skate runs from 9 December to 4 January, seven school and community carol performances fill the East Court from 9 to 12 December, and children can make and race a wooden toy car from 20 to 22 December (£11). All are on our Christmas at Ally Pally page. The World Darts Championship starts on 11 December; our darts page explains the ballot.

Christmas shows at Jacksons Lane. The Elf Factory (1 to 6 December), The Three Little Pigs (8 to 13 December), A Christmas Wish and Pinocchio (both 15 to 20 December) and There’s a Monster in Your (Christmas) Show (from 22 December), every one from £10. Our Christmas shows page has ages and times.

Christmas markets. Muswell Hill Creatives’ Winter Makers Market at Hornsey Town Hall on Saturday 5 December, Jacksons Lane’s first Christmas market on Sunday 6 December, and the Duck Pond Market at Lauderdale House on 12 and 13 December, 11am to 5pm. Lauderdale House’s own Santa’s grotto on 5 and 6 December is sold out; our Santa’s grotto page has the alternatives.

Regular events

  • Ally Pally parkrun. Every Saturday, 9am, Alexandra Park. A free, timed 5k of three loops, starting by the Petanque Terrain on Lower Road. Walkers and buggies welcome. Check the event page for cancellations, which it posts at the top. (Ally Pally parkrun)
  • Alexandra Palace Farmers’ Market. Every Sunday, 10am to 3pm, but it moves between two sites. In Alexandra Palace Park, Muswell Hill entrance, N10 3TG, on 15 and 22 November. At Campsbourne School, Nightingale Lane, N8 7AF, on 29 November and 6, 13 and 20 December. (City and Country Farmers’ Markets)
  • The Legendary Comedy Try Out Night. Every Thursday, doors 8pm, show 8.30pm, Downstairs at the King’s Head, N8 8AA. A dozen or more new and established acts on each bill; Otiz Cannelloni comperes on 12 November, Paul Thorne on 19 November and Jenny Collier on 26 November. £6 in advance, £8 on the door. (Downstairs at the King’s Head)
  • Comedy Cabaret at Downstairs at the King’s Head. Every Saturday, doors 8pm, show 8.30pm, N8 8AA. 14 November: Alistair Barrie, Hannah Lloyd-Davies, Don Biswas and Sean Meo, MC Matt Green. 21 November: Tony Law, Kevin Precious, Graeme Collard and Sol Bernstein, MC Michael Legge. 5 December: Robin Ince, Mark Moloney, Darran Griffiths and Andrew O’Neill. £16 in advance, £19 on the door. (Downstairs at the King’s Head)
  • Crouch End Jazz. Sunday afternoons, listed every week to 20 December, Downstairs at the King’s Head, N8 8AA. Free on the door; the club lists no start time. (Downstairs at the King’s Head)

The free BBC TV 90 display in the Palace’s East Court runs until 30 November. Our BBC TV 90 page has more.

Getting there

The W3 bus runs to the door of the Palace ice rink, and the King’s Head club points visitors to the W7 from Finsbury Park. Check our roadworks and travel page before a weekend trip, and our parking page if you are driving.

Send us your event

Running something in Crouch End, Hornsey, Muswell Hill, Highgate or Stroud Green? Email hello@crouchendnews.co.uk with the date, time, venue, price and a photo. Listings are free of charge, and yours goes on this page and in the diary on our front page and What’s On section.

Sources