Singles’ Day falls on Wednesday 11 November 2026. The date was picked for its four ones, 11.11, and it started as a joke celebration for single students in China before turning into the world’s biggest online shopping day. In London it lands on a surprisingly busy midweek evening: two free Christmas light switch-ons, the opening day of the Somerset House ice rink, more than a dozen singles nights and cheap comedy all over town. Here’s how to spend it, whether you want a quiet evening on your own terms or a room full of new people.
11am: remember it’s Armistice Day first
In the UK, 11 November is Armistice Day, and that comes before any shopping or party. At 11am the country stops for a two-minute silence, marking the moment the First World War guns fell silent in 1918. In London there is a short ceremony at the Cenotaph on Whitehall and a service open to all at noon at the Guards’ Chapel on Birdcage Walk. The free Field of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey, with thousands of small crosses, is open until 15 November.
Times and what to expect are in our Remembrance in London guide.
Free things to do on 11 November
Marylebone’s Christmas switch-on. The free A Very Merry Marylebone Christmas party runs from 3pm to 8pm on Devonshire Street, with live performances, festive food and drink stalls and a Ferris wheel. A celebrity guest switches the lights on at 6pm. It’s a short walk north of Oxford Street, so you can carry on to the Regent Street and Carnaby lights, which are already on. Our London Christmas lights guide has a free walking route. Marylebone switch-on details.
Spitalfields lights and a Wednesday makers’ market. Old Spitalfields Market’s giant wreaths and Christmas lights go up from 11 November, and Wednesday is Urban Makers day, with independent makers selling handmade and sustainable products from 11am to 5pm. Free to wander. Urban Makers Wednesdays.
The first Christmas markets. The Southbank Centre Winter Market (from 11am) and Winter by the River are both open and free to enter. Use the Christmas markets map to see everything open on the day.
A free museum. The national museums are free every day, and midweek is usually calmer than the weekend. The free museum finder shows what’s near you.
Opening day at Somerset House ice rink
Skate at Somerset House opens on 11 November, in the courtyard with a 40ft Christmas tree. Sessions run from 9.30am to 9.30pm. Adults pay £15 to £28.50 depending on peak or off-peak, so an off-peak daytime slot is the cheapest way in. Nearest station: Temple.
Compare every rink and its cheapest sessions in our London ice skating guide.
Meet people: speed dating and social nights
Wednesday 11 November is a busy night for singles events. These were listed when we checked on 3 November. Prices are the lowest listed, including booking fees, and the cheapest tickets go first.
| Time | Event | Where | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6pm | Common Ground candlelit singles evening, ages 30 to 70 | Arts Theatre Club, Soho | £22.38 |
| 6.30pm | The Dating Edit: Why Are We Still Single? | Hotel Indigo K West, Shepherd’s Bush | £11.55 |
| 7pm | Blind Double Date: you bring a friend, they bring a friend | Meets at Trafalgar Square | £10.22 |
| 7.30pm | 11/11 Singles Mixer with icebreakers, tarot and a DJ, 18+ | BRIX LDN, Bankside | £15 |
| 7.30pm | Speed dating on a rooftop, ages 30 to 45 | CÉ LA VI, Paddington | £11.55 |
| 7.30pm | Speed dating, ages 30 to 55 | The White Horse, Wembley | £11.55 |
| 7.30pm | Speed dating in Soho, ages 30 to 45 | All Bar One, Tottenham Court Road | £16.96 |
| 7.30pm | Vegan and vegetarian speed dating, ages 30 to 45 | 3 Locks Brewery, Camden | £18 |
| 7.30pm | Matched speed dating by CitySwoon, ages 25 to 37 | Drake & Morgan, King’s Cross | £22.38 |
Money tips: several of the speed dating nights in Paddington and Wembley showed a 2-for-1 deal on Eventbrite, so going with a single friend halves the cost. Most speed dating sells tickets separately by gender and age band, and one side often sells out first: at the Camden night, men’s places had already gone when we checked. Booking pages state the refund policy, which matters if your plans change.
A comedy night, alone or not. Comedy is one of the easiest nights out on your own, because everyone faces the stage. Angel Comedy at the Camden Head is free every night (arrive early, entry isn’t guaranteed), and JK Comedy Club has midweek Soho shows from £7 with no booking fee. For something interactive, Extreme Improv plays Camden Comedy Club on 11 November at 7.30pm, from £9.50. More options in our cheap comedy clubs guide, and the details of Extreme Improv on 11 November.
Something you already enjoy. The least awkward way to meet people is to do a thing with them: a run club, a pub quiz team, a climbing wall, a choir. Our London group activities guide has 150 ideas with prices, and the “meet people” section of our one week solo in London guide covers supper clubs and shared tables.
Singles’ week: what’s on from 12 to 15 November
If Wednesday doesn’t work, the rest of the week is just as full, and much of it is free.
Thursday 12 November
- Free: the Covent Garden lights and tree, and the Bond Street switch-on from 6pm. Kingston Christmas Market opens, free to enter.
- Singles: a rooftop singles mixer at CLAP London, a Christian singles social in Clapham and a chocolate tasting for single foodies aged 40+ in Richmond.
Friday 13 November
- Paid but special: Christmas at Kew opens, with off-peak adult tickets at £29.50.
- Singles: a Friday night singles party for 100 people at ITZEL Mayfair from 9pm, a big singles social at Home House Studio and speed dating for ages 25 to 38 at The Otherist.
Saturday 14 November
- Free: the Lord Mayor’s Show procession through the City from 11am (where to stand), the Crafty Fox Christmas Market at the British Library (also Sunday), and the Urban Elephant Festival in Elephant and Castle.
- Singles: a Lock & Key singles party for ages 30 to 50 at Drake & Morgan King’s Cross, and an Indian Diwali singles event at The Refinery.
Sunday 15 November
- Singles: daytime coffee speed dating, for anyone who’d rather meet people sober and before dark.
Everything free that month, from markets to switch-ons, is in free things to do in London in November.
A good evening on your own
Singles’ Day doesn’t have to be about finding someone. It’s also a decent excuse to plan the kind of evening you’d actually choose.
- A cheap film. A single seat is often easier to book than two together, even for popular screenings. Our cheap cinema tickets guide has £4 BFI tickets for 16 to 25s and the cheapest cinemas without a membership.
- A Christmas lights walk. Marylebone at 6pm, then Regent Street and Carnaby, all free and all walkable. Bring a hot drink and set your own pace.
- A good dinner for one. Counter seats at ramen bars and dim sum spots are made for solo diners. For something cheaper, see our cheap eats apps and discounts.
- A night in a hotel. If you’re visiting, see our London hotels for solo travellers.
If you’re celebrating as a couple instead, our cheap date ideas in London work just as well on a Wednesday.
Shopping the 11.11 sales without overspending
11.11 is mostly an online shopping event, and some UK beauty, tech and fashion retailers run short 11.11 offers. It is two weeks before Black Friday on 27 November, so a few things are worth knowing:
- Check the price before the sale. Some “11.11 prices” are the same as the October price. A screenshot today makes the comparison easy.
- Count delivery time. If it’s a Christmas gift, check the estimated delivery date before you pay, especially from sellers shipping from abroad.
- Don’t buy twice. Many retailers repeat or beat their 11.11 offer on Black Friday. If it isn’t urgent, wait and compare.
- Know what you’re buying for. Our gift finder filters ideas by person and budget, so you shop a list instead of a sale.
Current discount codes we’ve checked are on our discounts page.
Three plans for 11 November
The free evening: 11am silence wherever you are. After work, Marylebone’s switch-on at 6pm with a look at the Ferris wheel, then walk south to the Regent Street and Carnaby lights. Total: £0.
The social evening: The 11/11 Singles Mixer in Bankside or a 2-for-1 speed dating night with a single friend, or Angel Comedy at the Camden Head if you’d rather just laugh. Total: £0 to £15, plus drinks.
The treat-yourself evening: An off-peak skate at Somerset House on opening day, then a walk along the river to the Southbank Centre Winter Market. Total: from £15.
Common questions
When is Singles' Day 2026?
Is Singles' Day celebrated in London?
What is free to do in London on 11 November 2026?
Are there singles events in London on 11 November?
Is the 11.11 sale better than Black Friday?
Sources, checked 3 November 2026: Eventbrite singles listings for 11 to 15 November, Original Dating speed dating listing on Skiddle, Marylebone Village: A Very Merry Marylebone Christmas, and our own Christmas markets, ice rinks, lights, comedy and Remembrance guides.