Art & Culture
After Dark Festival 2025
UEL: After Dark returns Thursday 27 February 2025 5pm - 8pm, with the theme of Fire & Circus. Hosted at our Docklands campus, wellness, culture and connection will be taking centre stage.
Prepare to be captivated by fire displays, dazzling acrobatic performances and hands-on workshops to spark your creativity. Join us at 5.30pm on an illuminated community parade through the campus to SportsDock, which will be transformed for one night only into a Big Top! After Circus Pzazz’s show from 6:15-7pm you can try out your own juggling and monocycle skills at our drop-in workshops. Other mesmerising acts will include:
- Air Giants with Luma
- Worldbeaters Spark!
- Lightfires’ music and fire installations
- The dazzling Show Globes, all four together for the very first time
- Circo Rum Baba’s Light Gliders
- Murmuration Arts’ four Lullaby installations, a perfect performance to captivate younger families
UEL: After Dark is free of charge and open to everyone, with a range of local street food on offer to warm up your winter evening. Visit uel.ac.uk/after-dark-festival to book your place for a chance to come together, try something new and celebrate the energy and diversity of our East London community.
For your visit
Food & Drink
China Palace
Dim sum, karaoke, and tradition Chinese cuisine next to the ExCeL centre.
Outdoors
Royal Victoria Gardens
These 19th-century pleasure gardens are still a delightful place to watch the river go by.
New Arrival
Food & Drink
The Royal Standard
The Royal Standard has re-opened under new management as a family-run pub that welcomes everybody, including children until 6pm.