Special Events

Explore London’s Bridges After Dark
Saturday 12 September, 6.45pm

Open House Festival is a London-wide festival that opens up and celebrates the city’s buildings and other sites across all 33 London boroughs open to the public, so that Londoners can explore them for free.

Join Award-winning guide Katie Wignall from Look Up London on a riverside walk from Westminster to Bankside searching out hidden details and surprising stories along the way. Learn how the bridges shape the city through time and how they are London's original influencers.

Pre-booking is essential, booking opens 19th August 2026 via Open House Festival's website

An Everyday History of London’s Bridges
Saturday 19 September, 6.45pm

As part of Heritage Open Days and this year's Everyday Histories theme, join Katie Wignall for a fascinating journey through the lives of the people who have crossed, built and been inspired by London's bridges.

This riverside guided walk reveals little-known facts and surprising tales, you’ll gain insight into how these historic crossings have evolved over time and the role they still play in the life of the city today.

Pre-booking is essential, booking opens 12th August 2026 via Heritage Open Day's website

17th & 19th September

As part of Thames Festival this September, experience Turning the Tide, a powerful site-specific film installation by Turner Prize-nominated artist Catherine Yass, through a series of special guided tours along the Thames

Projected onto the striking red columns of the disused Blackfriars Railway Bridge, the installation brings new life to the bridge's historic "ghost" pillars, the remnants of the original railway crossing. Against the backdrop of the river after dark, Yass's work transforms this landmark into a moving celebration of visibility, identity and belonging.

Created in partnership with disabled-led theatre company Graeae and Thames Festival Trust, the installation celebrates and makes visible D/deaf and disabled people who are often marginalised in public space.

Turning the Tide Walking Tours
Thursday 17 September and Saturday 19 September, 8pm

Hosted by an official City of London Guide, these special evening walks offer a unique opportunity to experience the installation at its most atmospheric. Along the route, you'll also encounter several of the bridges that form part of the Illuminated River artwork, revealing how light, architecture and the Thames come together after sunset.

Turning the Tide Boat Tour
Saturday 19 September, 9.30pm

For a different perspective, join a boat tour along the Thames and experience Turning the Tide from the river itself with Uber Boat by Thames Clippers. Passing by Blackfriars Railway Bridge, you'll enjoy a unique view of Yass's projections illuminating the bridge's majestic columns, while taking in the wider Illuminated River artwork from the water. The journey offers a memorable opportunity to see London's riverside landmarks transformed after dark.