Should old acquaintance be forgot… ring out the last days of 2011 and welcome the New Year at our pick of family-friendly events around London.
Fri-Sun: Lost Letters to Santa at Rich Mix, Bethnal Green Rd, E1 (Shoreditch High St overground)
A sweet and poignant exhibition in the Cafe Gallery showcasing real letters that have been written to Father Christmas and squirrelled away by well-meaning relatives over the years. 10am-close, FREE (until Jan 3)
Sat: Music for London Gala Concert at Cadogan Hall, 5 Sloane Terrace, SW1 (Sloane Sq tube)
A special performance for families with the Rider High School Wind Ensemble, Stayton High School Choir and the Harker School Orchestra, part of the Festival Concerts series running in association with the New Year’s 2012 parade. 1pm, adult £10/under 16s free (Dec 31)
Sun: New Year’s Day Parade (top pic), parade route Piccadilly, Piccadilly Circus, Lower Regent Street, Waterloo Place, Pall Mall, Cockspur Street, Trafalgar Square, Whitehall and Parliament Street (Westminster, Piccadilly Circus and Charing Cross tube)
If you’re not too hungover, wake the kiddies up to watch the world’s largest New Year’s Day parade, also the first event to mark the 2012 Olympics and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. More than 10,000 masked dancers, acrobats, clowns and other performers strut their stuff before half a million spectators. 11.45am-3pm, FREE (Jan 1)
Local Pick
Sat: Rio at Screen on the Green, Upper St, N1 (Angel tube)
Escape to warmer climes as Blu, a domesticated macaw goes on a madcap adventure to Brazil where he finds love and his desire to fly. 11am, £5 (Dec 31)
