Winter Lights Festival at Canary Wharf: A complete guide

If the winter blues have set in by the end of January, then you must visit the Winter lights Festival at Canary Wharf. It is a really fun evening, walking around all the light installations – best of all, it is free!

Floating light orbs in water at Canary Wharf — Floating Orbs

The annual Winter Lights Festival is held in the last week of January. It is one of London’s most spectacular free light displays with beautiful installations dotted around the whole of the Canary Wharf area. Helpers are on hand at each installation to hand out maps and direct you to the next display. It is a great event to walk around with friends or family.

Things to Do at Canary Wharf

I arrived mid afternoon, before the lights were at their best, so took some time to have a drink at the Crossrail Place Roof Garden. It is a beautiful, peaceful rooftop garden that is open to the elements in places. It’s a great place to have a wander around, especially as there will likely be a light installation up there.

path and bench with trees and plants either side at the Crossrail Place Roof Garden at Canary Wharf — Crossrail Place Roof Garden

Light display of human shapes lit up from within. — Crossrail Place Roof Garden

If you have time, then I would also recommend a visit to the London Docklands Museum. A fascinating insight into what the area was like when used as a port. Extra bonus – it will keep you warm!

View of Canary Wharf from Mudchute Farm with sheep — Mudchute farm

If you are visiting with children, then I would recommend visiting Mudchute Park and Farm in the afternoon. This city farm is only a couple of stops away on the DLR so you could visit here first then arrive at Canary Wharf as it is getting dark. You would avoid most of the crowds being this early too.

Winter Lights Festival Map and Guidebook

I picked up a free map and guide outside Crossrail Place. If you walk through Adams’s Plaza Bridge and walk down the stairs, you will normally find a guide there. If not, then walk around to Cabot Square and you will find plenty of people handing them out.

Colourful block artwork decorating Adams Plaza foot bridge. — Adams Plaza Bridge

If you like to plan ahead, then you’ll find a downloadable map on the website to look at beforehand. These maps are available from December onwards.

Winter Light Displays

The light installations are displayed all the way up to Westferry Circus by the Uber boat dock on the Thames. Some of the light displays work on a one way system as it can get busy, but there are plenty of signs and guides to help you.

River Thames with buildings lining the side with the high rise buildings of central London in the distance

From Westferry Circus you get a fabulous view of the London skyline in the distance.

Display of fake christmas trees lit up with yellow lights all in a row — Christmas Tree Display

Hoops of light along the handrail by the River Thames — Christmas Tree Display

It will take a couple of hours to walk around all the displays, especially if you are stopping to admire each one. You can follow the guided route around the whole area, or you can just have a look around and see them in any order. There are plenty of places to stop and appreciate the ambiance and displays. Just next to Canary Wharf station, you will find rows of seating to rest but be warned, it is all outside, open to the elements.

Rows of outdoor seating at Canary Wharf — Outdoor Seating

Getting to Canary Wharf

Canary Wharf is a tube and DLR station, right in the heart of all the action. You can also use Heron Quays and West India Quay DLR stops depending on what you want to see first. West India Quay is on the north side of the docks closest to the London Museum Docklands with a lovely walk over the footbridge to where the light displays start.

Alternatively, you could arrive by Uber boat on the Thames from central London which brings you to Westferry Circus. You could start the guided walk from there and do a loop back around to the boat, or get the DLR or tube back to the centre.

Opening Hours

The Light installations are on display for the last 10 days or so in January each year. They are lit up from 5pm to 10pm but are available to see (unlit) all day long.

Toilets

Public toilets are available in the shopping centres around the area as well as in the centre of Westferry Circus.

Eat and Drink

There are so many restaurants and cafes around Canary Wharf. I have previously enjoyed meals at The Big Easy and Franco Manco pizza at Crossrail Place. There are also restaurants inside Canary Wharf shopping centre.

A row of restaurants with outdoor seating under cover. They are based on the ground floor of a row of original warehouse buildings in Canary Wharf — Restaurants at West India Quay

The entrance to Big Easy, an american restaurant that specialises in lobsters — Restaurants at West India Quay

If you fancy a drink more than a meal, then there is a lovely bar at the top of Crossrail Place. For something a little different, you could spend some time at Fairgame, an indoor amusement park with traditional fairground games. This is an 18+ venue however.

A range of Fairground games — Fairground Games

Accessibility

All the light installations are in outdoor areas that are flat but it can get very crowded. If you have a pushchair or wheelchair then I would recommend arriving early or on a weekday when it is quieter. There are plenty of benches and places to rest around the whole area.

Top Tips for visiting the Winter Lights Festival

Arrive late afternoon just before it gets dark to take advantage of smaller crowds
Take time to visit the Crossrail Place roof garden if the crowds get a bit much
Download the map from the website (available from December)
Dress warmly as it is January and is all outdoors without any shelter
Bring a camera as you can get some beautiful shots
Arrive by uber boat from central London to get a magnificent view of the area