Getting down to lighting up

The nights are drawing in, the glow of bonfire embers and fireworks fill the air, and blazing Christmas lights switch-ons seem to be happening with an alarming early November promptness all around.

But the seasonal darkness also allows us to shine a welcome light on how we best illuminate our public spaces.

This week, there’s a consultation, two walks and a workshop looking at ways to improve how the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park is lit after dark.

London Legacy Development Corporation have appointed Tapestry and Light Follows Behaviour to prepare an updated lighting strategy on where and how the Park is illuminated for the safety and convenience of its thousands of users, and also its wildlife.

If you feel happy or uncomfortable walking or cycling through the Park at night, find it easy or tricky to navigate after dark, or have any comments on how it’s currently lit, they’d love to hear from you.

There’s a short survey and a chance to add pins to a map with your comments. The walks tonight and Friday, plus Friday’s workshop are currently fully booked, but keep an eye on the site for any last minute availability.

Take the survey, more info and news of events here.

🛋️ Hackney Wick’s tempting treasure trove of Nordic mid-Century second hand furniture and accessories, Ælfred, is having a birthday celebration yard sale this Sat 8th Nov, where the promise epic deals on some fantastic pieces.

👠 Then Bottle Factory Flea are bringing over 50 traders for a one day East London vintage fashion, furniture and homeware takeover to Hackney Bridge this Sun 9th Nov.

📚 An exciting book shop pop-up launches tomorrow at pizza and art space Unlock, as the restaurant’s forthcoming neighbours, Fish Island Books bring a selection of great reads, plus a programme of bookish events such as author talks and a supper club, with its first edition on Thurs 13th Nov. Open Thurs-Sun for the coming weeks while the permanent shop continues to be built.

👃🏼Visions Programme 1, led by artist Rosie Gibbens, draws on her interest in the absurd, seeing Bow Arts Nunnery Gallery become be a smorgasbord of recorded performing bodies. See them pushing against their limits, becoming technologically augmented, morphing into the more-than-human or embracing the bizarre, until Nov 9th.

🪨 Felsenmeer is a multi-disciplinary new exhibition at Hypha Studios Sugar House Island that explores the landscape of a slate quarry in North Wales through sculpture, photography, performance and sound recordings. Runs to 15th Nov.

🏢 Head to Newington Green’s Atom Gallery for the launch of Places & Spaces, a new two‑person exhibition by Hackney-based artists Jo Peel and Maxine Gregson, with a private view on Fri 7th Nov. The show brings recent and selected works from both artists into conversation, pairing Peel’s hand-drawn cityscapes with Gregson’s surreal, nostalgic‑futurist scenes. Runs to 29th Nov.

🍿 More local film nights for you, as The Cave in the basement at Algha Works screening a series of short films on Wed 19th Nov, with submissions also now open for your own 3-20 min films to be considered for this month’s line-up.

⚽ The fast-paced, six-a-side Baller League is shaking up traditional football and has returned for a second season of at the Copper Box Arena every Monday until 29th Dec. Managers include Gary Lineker, John Terry and Tobi from Sidemen, now joined by new teams led by Idris Elba and Chloe Kelly. Each intense game lasts just 30 minutes, so are packed with intensity, especially in the final three minutes where the rules go wild.

🎤 Fast-rising singer-songwriter Clara La San performs alongside guests on two consecutive nights at Colour Factory this weekend, Sat 8th & Sun 9th Nov, bringing her ethereal alt rap vocals, as previously showcased by collaborators Bicep.

🏳️‍🌈 It’s the return of Queer Edge Late to Block C this Fri 7th Nov, with Certified Rider, Harry Gay and UOKHUN at the controls for a night that aims to fill the social gap between bar and rave for the friendly local queer community.

🪩 Intimate, high-energy, always roaming party, Mosaic, touches down in Hackney Wick for a new chapter, in the raw, canalside loft space at Vittoria Wharf Studio on Fri 7th Nov. Octive b2b Karim Bitar and Tovsky b2b Cornichon will drop minimal and deep house, funk-infused grooves, UK garage and bass-heavy rollers.

🤣 Comedy night Don’t Tell Dave is back at LVLS tomorrow, Thurs 6th Nov, with top stand-up Finlay Christie headlining.

🥊 Lively nights out at the pub in the coming days should include the Game of Thrones pub quiz down at The Lord Napier Star on Thurs 13th Nov and then the big Connor Benn v Chris Eubank Jr rematch over at the Leyton Star on Sat 15th Nov. 

🔥Meanwhile, Star pub honcho and HWFI local, Rob Star, is about to launch his first food venture, the live fire-roasted, bold flavour-led Firestarter Grill over in Liverpool St, where you can pick up things like crab doughnuts with cowboy butter, espresso-tamarind ribs or gochujang wings. There’s a 450g Iberico pork chop if you’re supersizing, or fire-roasted cauliflower with black garlic if you’re not eating meat. Opens Thurs 13th Nov.

🍯 Trace Ceramics is a new pottery studio based at Omega Works offering a range of workshops and classes, specialising in a diverse range of Asian ceramic techniques for people of all abilities. Look out for special family-friendly Christmas decorations workshops in the current line-up.

🪡 Learn how the unique slow art of paper stitching and make your festive season cards in the process at the Paper Tex & Stitch holiday card-making workshop, being held by local hands-on practitioner, Katy Homes, at FibreLab on Monier Rd on Thurs 13th Nov.

🧑🏼‍🏭 The Mayor of London's Good Work Standard is running Business Growth Breakfast for a group of like-minded East London employers at London City Hall for a morning of networking and learning for employers of all sizes and in all sectors tomorrow, Thurs 6th Nov.

🏦 The final Hackney Wick Town Hall meetup of the year takes place on Mon 10th Nov at Trowbridge Gardens with a focus on practical collaboration and delivering some of the new ideas emerging from previous Town Halls with an eye on making plans for 2026.

🎁 The Trampery Fish Island Village has opened Christmas event space hire for teams end of year planning sessions or celebrations - including free tea and coffee and festive workshops, such as wreath-making, candle-making, or card crafting - in their tech-equipped, bright and spacious rooms of various sizes.

🎥 Local social innovators BADU are looking for a Creative Media Producer working on photography, videography, editing, graphics, and short-form social media content across sport, health, education, and innovation, alongside their team and partner brands. Cultural competence, respect for lived experiences, and the ability to tell authentic stories are key. Apply by 20th Nov.

🛥️ The award-winning 2 AA Rosette restaurant aboard a historic Dutch barge and towpath garden, Barge East, is seeking an experienced General Manager with strong kitchen operations knowledge. The ideal candidate will bring proven leadership in food-led or AA Rosette-standard venues, exceptional organisational and financial skills, and a genuine passion for hospitality, people, and produce. Full time, £52k–£60k + performance bonus. Find out more & apply [email protected] by 12th Nov.

Step back in time to the neighbourhood’s lawless, carefree squat party era, long before the Olympics was even a twinkly in Seb Coe’s eye, with the footage of a daytime rave in an abandoned Hackney Wick warehouse. No noise complaints, just punchy breakbeats from the bottle-swigging DJ and well-spun ravers.

Pre-order your copies of thewickbook.com for more on the area’s nightlife, warehouse and festival history, including loads of photos from the last 15 years.