This October, Covent Garden will host a sensational programme of events, new openings and family moments as autumn arrives on the estate.
The central London hub of shopping, dining and discovering new experiences will welcome some of the most exciting global brands including new openings from Rose Inc., UGG, and Shackleton alongside London Cocktail Week pop ups on the Piazza, a Halloween Pumpkin Market, family half term activities and the capital’s biggest selection of heated al fresco dining terraces.
Beauty fans will be spoilt for choice this autumn as some of the most exciting global brands will be landing in the heart of London’s beauty district. Rose Inc, will then open at 7 James Street from 21st to 30th of October with a multisensory pop-up experience. Shoppers will be immersed in a world of modern, science-backed colour and skincare while exploring the new Rose Inc Eye Collection. Lisa Eldridge’simmersive ‘Carnival of Colour’ pop-up will also remain in the Market Building until the end of the year, with the store offering beauty fanatics the chance to shop the entire Lisa Eldridge product collection, including new shades of Liquid Lurex Eyeshadow and Luxuriously Lucent Lip colours.
Additionally, a new UGG store will open in October at 2-3 James Street, bringing its iconic shearling-lined products and brand-new apparel to the whole family. Performance outerwear brand Shackleton will open at 2 Russell Street retailing its high-performance down jackets and knitwear. These join the recently opened Vuori on Long Acre showcasing activewear collections for men and women and the Parisian womenswear store Maje on King Street. For watch lovers, TUDOR, in partnership with leading watch and jewellery retailer Bucherer, will open a new mono-brand boutique in Covent Garden’s Royal Opera House Arcade in November.
For fashion lovers, London Fashion Week’s City Wide celebration will also be taking place across the capital from the 6th until the 13th of October with a number of Covent Garden tenants taking part. Penhaligon’s will be hosting masterclasses at their scent sommelier bar, Joseph Cheaney & Sons are showing customers the care process for their shoes and Hackett will offer a two-day personal tailoring experience for visitors, with 20% off in-store on personal tailoring, suiting and morning wear. As part of the celebration, there are also discounts and gifts in store at Strathberry, Lacoste, Monica Vinader, For Art’s Sake, The Alkemistry, Radley London, NARS and many more.
London Cocktail Week will return from the 13th until the 23rd of October, with Covent Garden as one of the celebration’s Little Cocktail Villages – with immersive bars popping up in the heart of the Piazza, from Bumbu Rum, Stoli Vodka, Rooster Rojo Tequila and Puerto de Indias Strawberry Gin. Retailed at the pop-up Village will also be limited edition Stoli bottles created in exclusive collaboration with Jason Naylor and brand new additions to the Rooster Rojo Tequila range too. Bars and restaurants across the estate including Henrietta Hotel, La Goccia, Mrs Riot, SUSHISAMBA and Eve Bar will also be involved in serving £7 signature cocktails as part of the celebration. Covent Garden’s London Transport Museum will host a Museum Late to coincide with the festival on 21st October with a celebration of the Elizabeth Line through an evening of vintage games, pub-style quizzes and expert talks – plus purple cocktails, inspired by the Elizabeth line, of blueberry and Parma violet Margaritas.
As Halloween arrives on the estate, Covent Garden’s much-loved Pumpkin Market will have a new home on the West Piazza from the 29th – the 31st of October. Bigger than ever before, the market will offer over two hundred pumpkins, squashes and gourds in various shapes and sizes to purchase, alongside a stunning autumnal floral display designed and created by the Covent Garden Horticultural team to get shoppers excited about the spooky celebration. From 25th – 31st October, visitors can also treat themselves to food offerings on the East Piazza from international street food suppliers including Mexican, Indian and French offerings, plus cocktails too. They can also visit Mrs Riot for Bailey’s pop up including a spooky Halloween cocktail menu and ‘eye-popping’ pizzas, as well as Ave Mario, Frenchie, Chez Antoinette, RedFarm, Whittard and Blondies for Pumpkin recipes and Halloween-inspired dishes.
For families looking for half-term entertainment, Covent Garden has everything for an entertaining day out. The Harry Potter Photographic Exhibition will continue to enthral fans young and old as it offers visitors a journey through filmmaking magic in a display of behind-the-scenes imagery and hundreds of iconic photographs. As well as a look behind the lens, visitors can also enjoy areas inspired by the Ministry of Magic and Platform 9 ¾ as well as photo opportunities for the entire family to enjoy. Covent Garden’s iconic Royal Opera House will also be starting Family Sundays from 2nd October until 20th November offering families the opportunity to explore its artists and the world of opera and ballet, there are also opportunities to sing in the Royal Opera House chorus at events running until 28th October. Covent Garden’s location at the heart of the West End and theatre district ensure there are plenty of things for the whole family to do from Frozen the Musical at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane to the London Transport Museum hosting a special ‘Secrets of the City’ programme including workshops and a trail all inspired by the weird and wonderful jobs on the transport network, and much more.
Bars and restaurants across the estate will continue to offer new and exciting autumnal menus, with new dishes and drinks added this October. Sunda Bar & Kitchen is now open on James Street, serving South East Asian large and small plates in a brand new concept from The Begging Bowl’s chef Jamie Younger. New for the season, Balthazar has transformed its iconic entrance with russet orange and golden yellow foliage that invites guests to indulge in a selection of seasonal iconic dishes and drinks, from the must-try gateau opera dessert with a layered coffee-soaked sponge, to their ‘Sweet Manhattan’ seasonal cocktail with whisky, vermouth, angostura bitters & maraschino cherry. SUSHISAMBA will host a brand new tasting menu, the Taste of Samba, at its Piazza location, while for the first time the Piazza at the Royal Opera House will open as a bar and restaurant for everyone, not just ticket holders. La Goccia and The Petersham will have 20% off both restaurants from 6-13th October on their brand new Autumn menu and Frenchie will also launch a new Autumn set lunch and pre-theatre menu. 3 Henrietta’s Hawaiian-inspired street food restaurant El Takoy will offer a new happy hour with two-for-one cocktails on offer every Monday to Thursday from 5.30-6.30 pm, while British bar and bistro Pivot will also offer a two-for-one offer on beers, house wines and spirits each Monday to Thursday from 6-8 pm. Lilly’s Bar and Kitchen will also serve a Golden Hour offer with two glasses of Moët Brut champagne for the price of one, plus 25% off food running until 30th September.
Covent Garden’s restaurants will continue to offer the ultimate al-fresco dining options across London throughout the autumn. The estate hosts over 1,000 outdoor dining seats across 55 restaurants with the added benefit of umbrellas, windbreak screens and heaters to ensure dining can continue whatever the weather. Global and independent restaurants offering both outdoor and indoor drinking and dining options include The Oystermen, La Goccia, Frenchie, Cora Pearl, 3 Henrietta, Balthazar, Ave Mario and more.
For further information on new openings, experiences, shopping and dining visit Coventgarden.london