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What's On in W1 This Season: Events, Exhibitions and Dates for Autumn 2026
What's on in central London this autumn changes faster than usual in W1, because the biggest event is not a festival at all: Oxford Street is due to close to traffic from 26 October 2026. Around it, October brings the London Film Festival and Frieze week, the Royal Academy and the Wallace Collection have major shows on, and the Christmas lights start going up in early November. This page lists what is confirmed for the season in Mayfair, Soho, Marylebone and Fitzrovia, with dates checked against each organiser in early October 2026.
7 to 18 October: BFI London Film Festival, with screenings at Curzon Soho.
15 to 18 October: Frieze London and Frieze Masters open to the public in Regent's Park, just north of W1.
26 October: Oxford Street goes traffic-free between Orchard Street and Great Portland Street.
4 November: Carnaby Street Christmas lights switch on, the first confirmed W1 date.
The season at a glance
| Dates | What | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Until 25 October 2026 | Richard Dadd exhibition | Royal Academy, Piccadilly |
| 2 October 2026 to 31 January 2027 | Painting the French Riviera | Royal Academy, Piccadilly |
| 7 to 18 October 2026 | BFI London Film Festival | Curzon Soho, plus venues outside W1 |
| 15 to 18 October 2026 | Frieze London and Frieze Masters (public days) | Regent's Park, NW1 |
| From 26 October 2026 | Oxford Street traffic-free | Orchard Street to Great Portland Street |
| Until 29 November 2026 | Winston Churchill: The Painter | Wallace Collection, Manchester Square |
| 4 November 2026 | Carnaby Street Christmas lights | Carnaby, Soho |
| 21 November 2026 to 14 March 2027 | Peggy Guggenheim in London | Royal Academy, Piccadilly |
Oxford Street goes traffic-free
The Mayor of London has confirmed that the first phase of Oxford Street's pedestrianisation starts on 26 October 2026. Just over half a mile of the street, between Orchard Street near Selfridges and Great Portland Street, east of Oxford Circus, will be closed to buses, taxis, bicycles and other vehicles, in time for Christmas shopping.
For visitors this means easier walking between the department stores, but bus routes that used to run along the street will be diverted onto surrounding roads. Westminster City Council has raised concerns about traffic pushed onto side streets and says businesses and residents still have "a long list of unanswered questions" about access, cleaning and safety, so expect some teething problems in the first weeks. Our Oxford Street shopping guide covers the stores, and getting around W1 covers the Tube and bus options.
October: film and art
BFI London Film Festival, 7 to 18 October
The 70th London Film Festival runs from 7 to 18 October 2026, according to the BFI. Most galas are at the Royal Festival Hall and BFI Southbank across the river, but inside W1 the festival's partner venue is Curzon Soho on Shaftesbury Avenue. Tickets are on sale through the BFI, with returns released through the festival; it is worth checking the morning of a screening you missed. The BFI's own headquarters are in Fitzrovia, on Stephen Street.
Frieze London and Frieze Masters, 14 to 18 October
Frieze London and Frieze Masters take over Regent's Park from 14 to 18 October 2026. The 14th is an invitation-only preview, and the fairs open to the public from 15 to 18 October, according to the organisers. The tents sit in Regent's Park, postcode NW1, just north of the W1 boundary, and Regent's Park station is the closest. The week matters to W1 because Mayfair's commercial galleries around Cork Street, Dover Street and Bond Street time their big autumn openings to it; our guide to the best art galleries in Mayfair is the place to start.
Exhibitions on all season
Royal Academy of Arts, Piccadilly
The Royal Academy has three exhibitions across the season. Richard Dadd closes on 25 October 2026. Painting the French Riviera opened on 2 October and runs until 31 January 2027, telling the story of how the Riviera shaped European painting from the 1870s to the 1960s through more than 160 works, with names including Monet, Matisse, Bonnard and Picasso. Peggy Guggenheim in London opens on 21 November 2026 and runs to 14 March 2027. The RA also has free displays, including Nicole Eisenman, running until 5 February 2027. Main exhibitions are ticketed; book weekend slots ahead.
Wallace Collection, Manchester Square
In Marylebone, the Wallace Collection's Winston Churchill: The Painter runs until 29 November 2026. It is a retrospective of Churchill's paintings in the exhibition galleries; there is an admission charge, and members go free. The permanent collection, with its armour and Old Masters, is free to visit, and the courtyard restaurant makes it an easy half day. Our Marylebone guide covers the streets around it.
November: the Christmas lights begin
Carnaby Street has confirmed that its lights switch on on Wednesday 4 November 2026, with a 1990s theme. Oxford Street, Regent Street, Bond Street and Marylebone usually announce in October; in 2025 they switched on between 3 and 12 November. With Oxford Street traffic-free for the first time this Christmas, its lights may draw bigger crowds than usual. Our W1 Christmas lights guide has the full table, last year's designs and a walking route.
Tips for planning a W1 visit this season
- Avoid the first weekend after 26 October if you want a quiet Oxford Street; the novelty will draw crowds.
- Book exhibitions online. The RA and the Wallace both sell timed tickets, and Saturdays sell out first.
- Go late. Galleries around Mayfair hold evening openings during Frieze week, and the lights look best on a weekday evening after the switch-on.
- Have a wet-weather plan. Our list of things to do in W1 in the rain covers museums, cinemas and arcades.
For free options, see free things to do in W1, or start from The W1 London homepage.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's on in central London this October?
In W1, the BFI London Film Festival runs from 7 to 18 October 2026 with screenings at Curzon Soho, Frieze London and Frieze Masters open to the public in Regent's Park from 15 to 18 October, the Royal Academy opens Painting the French Riviera, and Oxford Street goes traffic-free from 26 October.
When does Oxford Street become traffic-free?
From 26 October 2026, according to the Mayor of London. The first phase covers just over half a mile between Orchard Street and Great Portland Street, with buses, taxis, bicycles and other vehicles kept out of that section.
When are the Christmas lights switched on in W1 in 2026?
Carnaby Street is confirmed for Wednesday 4 November 2026. Oxford Street, Regent Street, Bond Street and Marylebone had not announced their 2026 dates when we checked; in 2025 they switched on between 3 and 12 November.
What exhibitions are on at the Royal Academy this autumn?
Richard Dadd runs until 25 October 2026, Painting the French Riviera runs from 2 October 2026 to 31 January 2027, and Peggy Guggenheim in London opens on 21 November 2026 and runs to 14 March 2027. Free displays run alongside them.
Is Frieze London in W1?
Not quite. Frieze London and Frieze Masters are in Regent's Park, postcode NW1, just north of the W1 boundary at Marylebone. Many Mayfair galleries time their autumn openings to Frieze week, so the art crowd spills into W1 all week.