Welcome

What the Finchley Now?! It's like buses - none for ages and then two wins from two community groups. After the Regents Park Road Bus Lane success, this week North Finchley Campaigners saved the Lido at Great North Leisure Park.

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This week we've got great local choirs and a reinvigorated Hampstead Theatre.

🎤 9 Finchley Choirs for fearless fortissimo

Exploring your New Year’s resolutions? Seeking a feel-good change: join one of these 9 local choirs and sing your way into 2026.

1 Rock Choir

Rock Choir is a national group of local, contemporary choirs. No auditions, no musical knowledge, just fun. Hampstead (actually Golders Green) is your local. Meets Wednesdays 1930 at Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Michael, NW11.

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2 Finchley Chamber Choir

A friendly but hard-working locally based group of about 30 singers. Usually giving five concerts each season in Trinity Church, Nether Street N12. Occasional BBC broadcasts. Regular rehearsal night Tuesdays 1945 - 2200 in N12.

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3 Memory Lane

Barnet Civic Award winners for Outstanding Service to the Community. Singing in a friendly and supportive environment. They entertain in the community, especially at residential homes, day care centres and charity events. Meets Friday 1130 - 1330 at St Mary at Finchley Church Hall N3.​

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4 North London Chorus

A friendly local choir singing a varied and exciting repertoire of sacred and secular music. They give concerts three times a year, mostly in St James’s Church in Muswell Hill. Rehearsals on Thursday evenings at Martin Primary School N2.

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5 HB Choral Society

​Henrietta Barnett Choral Society invites students, staff, parents, members and friends of all the institutions set up locally by Dame Henrietta Barnett to join together. Each year they perform a large-scale choral work, accompanied by the school orchestra. Contact for more info.

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6 Alyth Choral Society

A mixed ability choir welcoming all - no audition requirement. Offer a diverse range of choral works while still performing repertoire that reflects their Jewish heritage. Three public concerts a year, at Alyth Synagogue NW11.

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7 St Mary-at-Finchley Parish Church Choir

Adult and youth choirs - paper-based singing 4-part harmony. Rehearsals Thursday evenings 2000 to 2130 and Sunday mornings 0915 singing the Eucharist service.

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8 Golders Queens

a non-audition LGBTQ+ community choir, organised on a "pay what you can" basis. Always open to new members. Meet at Golders Green Unitarians. Email golders.queens@gmail.com

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9 Finchley Children’s Music Group

​London’s Children’s choir. Choose from Beginner Choir, Intermediate Choir, Senior Choir or Chamber Choir. Rehearsals on Sunday afternoons during term time, at Brookland School in NW11.

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So step up, sing out, and find your Finchley harmony crew — 2026 is ready for your solo. 🎤

Events

ARTS

Tuesday 16th December

Christmas Decoration Making Workshop | Tue, Dec. 16 | 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm | Ann Owens Centre, Oak Lane, N2 8LT | £7 | Get into the festive mood with AgeUKs festive craft session. Using pine cones, cinnamon sticks and other natural materials, you’ll design charming handmade decorations, perfect for your tree or home. To book, email or call Louise on 07379 331 807

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MUSIC

Sunday 21st December

​St Mary's Church Christmas Carol Party | Sun, Dec. 21 | 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm | St Mary's Church Hall, N3 1TR | Free | You are invited to a free Christmas Carol Party of fun, food & singing. Celebrating Christmas festivities with our local community with carol singing, dancing, festive food, raffle draw and much more.

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COMMUNITY

Wednesday 10th December

​North Finchley Community Grocery Christmas Party | Wed, Dec. 10 | 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm | 913 High Road N12 8QJ | Free | Join for the first ever Community Grocery Christmas Party on Wednesday 10th December.

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Monday 15th December

​Finchley Community Menorah Lighting | Mon, Dec. 15 | 5:00 pm to 6:15 pm | Victoria Park, Ballards Lane Entrance, N3 1LY | Free | Get ready for an unforgettable evening as Finchley’s community comes together to light a spectacular Grand Ice Menorah — carved LIVE before your eyes. Enjoy a dazzling fire show, music that warms the winter air, and all your favourite Chanukah treats — doughnuts, latkas, crafts, and swag for the whole family.

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SHOPPING

Saturday 13th December

Japanese Christmas market | Sat, Dec. 13 | 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm | Hornsey Parish Church , Cranley Gardens, N10 3AH | Free | Handmade Japanese craft and gifts from jewellery and Japanese food.

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​Christmas Designer Market | Sat, Dec. 13 | 10:00 am to 5:00 pm | St Jude's Church, Central Square, NW11 7AH | £2 - children go free | Featuring 60 plus stalls of beautiful artisan and designer goods for the gift-buying season, and this year will feature a wonderful Santa's Grotto.

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NATURE

Saturday 13th December

​Hedge Planting Drop-In | Sat, Dec. 13 | 1:30 pm to 3:00 pm | The Hive, Hampstead Heath Nassington Road NW3 2TY | Free | Join the family-friendly drop-in volunteering sessions. We’ll be gardening and taking part in light conservation tasks around the Hive area. This week we’ll be planting hedgerow trees.

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KIDS

Tuesday 9th December

​Balloon Soft Play Cafe | Tue, Dec. 09 | | 593 High Road, North Finchley, N12 0DY | £8 | The café is a great place to head if you need to work with your children in tow - free WiFi is available and play sessions are for 2 hours.

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Saturday 13th December

​Christmas Wreath Workshop | Sat, Dec. 13 | 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm | The Windsor Castle, N2 | £55.00 | Join for a festive afternoon on Saturday 13th December at the cosy Windsor Castle in East Finchley, where you’ll create your very own Christmas wreath to hang proudly on your front door.

Events - Book Ahead

Wednesday 31st December

​Camden Rocks New Year's Eve Bonanza at The Underworld - London | Wed, Dec. 31 | 9:00 pm to 4:00 am | The Underworld 174 Camden High Street NW1 9DL | £22 | The annual, sell-out rockin' New Year's event hosted by Camden Town's biggest weekly indie/rock night, Camden Rocks Club.

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Sunday 4th January

​The Regent's Park 10K Winter Series by The Mornington Chasers | Sun, Jan. 04 | 9:00 am to 11:30 am | The Regent's Park, NW1 4NR | £24 | ​​​​​​​Join everyone for London's most popular 10K in a park setting, brought to you through the winter months by local running club, The Mornington Chasers.

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Saturday 10th January

​Snow White and the Seven ??????? | Sat, Jan. 10 | 7:30 pm | The Bull Theatre, Barnet, EN5 5SJ | From £10 | When Snow White finds a Prince, her jealous, wicked stepmother casts her into the forest where she meets seven lovely strangers who help her...and a rabbit. There are sing-a-long songs and plenty of laughs.

Local Lowdown

Playing

• Small kids, big smiles. North Finchley’s new Ballooon Soft Play has only just opened, but it’s already a hit. Run by Yeşim and her husband, the bright café-soft play combo has great brunches, free WiFi, and a trampoline tots adore. Party room coming soon at 593 High Road, N12 0DY.

Woodland threatening

• Chipping Barnet Woodland on Christchurch Lane is a 100-year-old wildlife haven. It has protected trees, bats, badgers, and deer. Now, Barnet Council might sell it for development. A planning application is expected soon. Local volunteers are urging residents to sign a petition and get ready to oppose the plans.

Restoring

• Feathered comeback. A new project, Wings on Water, is restoring habitats at the Welsh Harp. It’s supported by Barnet Council, the Canal and River Trust, and Kusuma Trust UK. Specialists will clear blocked channels, plant reed beds, and remove invasive species.

Triumphing

• Lido lifeline secured. North Finchley campaigners cheered as Barnet’s Strategic Planning Committee turned down Regal’s plans for the Great North Leisure Park. The vote was 0 in favour, 8 against, and 1 abstained after a 2.5-hour debate, sparked by a petition with 7,500 signatures. Now the push begins for lower-rise homes, real affordability and saved leisure.

Working

• Desk revolution. West Hampstead’s new Liddell Place workspaces are now open. This development offers up to 500 job opportunities. Managed by International Workplace Group, the offices house 11 companies. They offer desks at half price for start-ups. A major boost for local jobs, skills, and community life.

The Finchleyite: Hampstead Theatre

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​Hampstead Theatre in Swiss Cottage (jump on the no 13 bus) is doubling down on big-name talent and ambitious new work as it bounces back from losing its Arts Council funding. Don’t forget the patronage of the late, great Tom Stoppard.

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Its newly announced 2026 season brings major international stories to NW3: Stanley Tucci will make his London stage directing debut at Hampstead with Springwood in the summer, while Tony-winning Broadway hit Kimberly Akimbo gets its European premiere right on Swiss Cottage’s doorstep.

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Alongside these global heavy-hitters, the theatre is championing new writing and emerging voices in its intimate Downstairs space, with premieres from UK and US playwrights.

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For local theatregoers, it means a packed year of world and European premieres without leaving the neighbourhood - and a reminder that one of London’s most important new-writing theatres is very much still in the game.

Editors' Note - From Tessa

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This week I've been hanging in New York with an old friend. Temp is -8 degrees. It's chilly. But friendship warms the heart.

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Also, let us know about local events or local news. We curate our content to keep it a 5-minute read, so can't include everything we're sent.

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You can now get a guaranteed (paid) listing for local events or local lowdown/news items.

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​And email us with any projects or ideas you'd like us to write about.

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Tessa Davis Sasha Frieze