Traditional date
Ceremony & pageantry · England
Grimaldi Clowns’ Service
Haggerston, London
Clowns in full costume attend a church service in Hackney honouring Joseph Grimaldi.
7 February 2027
ROUND-UP GUIDE · 10 EVENTS
Odd day trips from London.
London keeps its own odd calendar: clowns at a church service, puppets in Covent Garden, Pearlies at harvest and the nightly locking of the Tower. Beyond the capital, Maldon’s mud race, Dorking’s carrying race and Hungerford’s Hocktide all make a good case for a day trip.
Near London is a starting point, not a promised journey time. Compare your actual route, the event's start and finish and the last sensible service home. The Keys needs a reservation, public ceremonies have their own access arrangements and a town-centre event can change the usual station or road access. Use each guide to judge whether a day return really works.
At a glance
- Grimaldi Clowns’ Service 7 February 2027 · Haggerston, London Stay nearby ↗
- UK Wife Carrying Race 14 March 2027 · Dorking, Surrey Stay nearby ↗
- Hungerford Hocktide (Tutti Day) 6 April 2027 · Hungerford, Berkshire Stay nearby ↗
- Covent Garden May Fayre and Puppet Festival 9 May 2027 · Covent Garden, London Stay nearby ↗
- Maldon Mud Race 30 May 2027 · Promenade Park, Maldon, Essex Stay nearby ↗
- Pearly Kings and Queens Harvest Festival A Sunday in late September (2026: Sunday 20 September) · City of London, London Stay nearby ↗
- Ceremony of the Keys Every night of the year at 9.30pm (free tickets, released in batches and snapped up fast) · Tower of London, London Stay nearby ↗
- Oranges and Lemons Service Around the third Thursday in March · St Clement Danes, Strand, London Stay nearby ↗
- Doggett’s Coat and Badge Race Once a year in late summer, timed to the tide; recently early September (2026: Wednesday 2 September) · River Thames, London Stay nearby ↗
- Swan Upping Five days, Monday to Friday, in mid-July (2026: 13-17 July) · River Thames, Sunbury to Abingdon Stay nearby ↗
STAY OVER
Base yourself in London
Rooms near the big nights go early. Compare places to stay and check cancellation terms.
Find a place to stay on Booking.com ↗
Date announced
Unusual race · England
UK Wife Carrying Race
Dorking, Surrey
Pairs tackle a course with one adult carrying another.
14 March 2027
Traditional date
Ceremony & pageantry · England
Hungerford Hocktide (Tutti Day)
Hungerford, Berkshire
Tutti Men with flower poles collect kisses and hand out oranges as Hungerford holds its court.
6 April 2027
Traditional date
Folk tradition · England
Covent Garden May Fayre and Puppet Festival
Covent Garden, London
Punch and Judy puppeteers parade, attend church and perform for Mr Punch's birthday.
9 May 2027
Date announced
Unusual race · England
Maldon Mud Race
Promenade Park, Maldon, Essex
Competitors race across the muddy riverbed.
30 May 2027
Usually September
Folk tradition · England
Pearly Kings and Queens Harvest Festival
City of London, London
London's button-covered Pearlies parade from Guildhall Yard to St Mary-le-Bow for harvest.
A Sunday in late September (2026: Sunday 20 September)
Usually TBC
Ceremony & pageantry · England
Ceremony of the Keys
Tower of London, London
The Tower of London is locked up for the night in a short ceremony held every evening.
Every night of the year at 9.30pm (free tickets, released in batches and snapped up fast)
Usually March
Ceremony & pageantry · England
Oranges and Lemons Service
St Clement Danes, Strand, London
Schoolchildren receive an orange and a lemon as the church bells ring out the nursery rhyme.
Around the third Thursday in March
Usually September
Unusual race · England
Doggett’s Coat and Badge Race
River Thames, London
Apprentice watermen scull from London Bridge to Chelsea in the world's oldest rowing race.
Once a year in late summer, timed to the tide; recently early September (2026: Wednesday 2 September)
Usually July
Ceremony & pageantry · England
Swan Upping
River Thames, Sunbury to Abingdon
The King's Swan Uppers row up the Thames for five days counting and checking cygnets.
Five days, Monday to Friday, in mid-July (2026: 13-17 July)
“Stay nearby” links go to Booking.com, and each event guide also has train links. These are affiliate links — what that means.