Galentines in London Are Basically Olympic Events For Friendship
If celebrating Galentine’s Day in London sounds like prep for Love Island: Borough Edition, that’s because it totally is. Originally dreamt up on Parks and Recreation by Leslie Knope — whose love of waffles, binders and female friendship knows no bounds — Galentine’s Day has now transcended TV and metastasized into a full-on city-wide frenzy of activities, brunches, quizzes and tarot readings.
In short, it’s Valentine’s Day’s socially acceptable cousin who shows up to the party with a big “Who needs romance when we’ve got personality?” vibe. 💋
Here’s what London is offering this year … and why your friendship-themed itinerary might just look like the Olympics of platonic celebration. Because nothing says “I love London” quite like drinking champagne with your best mates while a drag queen calls bingo numbers.
Manifest Your Destiny … With Crystals, Cocktails, and the Psychic Sisters
Who says you need love when you have crystal alignment and mezze boards? At The Nest at Treehouse, attendees can join a moon manifestation workshop that promises to align chakras and perhaps your entire love life — or at least your Instagram aesthetic.
One astrologer (whose credentials are definitely written in glitter) insists this activity “boosts platonic magnetic resonance” — which either means your friendship is stronger, or you’ll both buy matching tarot cards afterward. Because apparently the cards never lie, but they do occasionally judge your choice in footwear. 🃏✨
Why Moon Phases Matter More Than Your Ex’s Apology Text
The workshop also includes discussions on lunar cycles, which attendees claim are “way more reliable than Tinder algorithms” and “significantly less disappointing than most of 2024.”
Rooftop Romantic Movie Screening … But For Mates
If Bridget Jones and Dirty Dancing make you cry happy tears rather than “where’s the boyfriend,” then head to JOIA’s rooftop screening series. Dinner, popcorn and The Notebook with your besties is a 2026 tradition proving friendships occasionally come with Kleenex and crunchy pizza.
We checked with an eyewitness from last year: “We came for the cinema, stayed for the chirp-chirp hugs,” she said, dabbing her eyes. “Also, Ryan Gosling doesn’t age and neither does our friendship, apparently.” 🍿🎥
Cocktails & Chaos at Amazing Grace
Every year on Friday the 13th — because fear plates are for amateurs — Amazing Grace hosts Cocktails & Confessions, a night that mixes alcohol, dance and the primal urge to scream out leftover feelings from 2019.
One bartender, speaking under condition of anonymity (and a rather fetching apron), said “By the time Gin Fizz #4 hits, everyone’s bestie becomes their soulmate — at least until brunch.” Scientific studies from the University of Questionable Life Choices confirm this phenomenon occurs roughly 73% of the time, with a margin of error of “whatever, we’re having fun.”
Dart With Your Heart Out
At Flight Club’s Galentine’s Brunch, craft cocktails collide with social darts. Here, “BFFs over Boyfriends” isn’t just a slogan — it’s an ethos engraved on every dartboard and possibly tattooed on at least three attendees.
A recent poll of brunch-goers (57.3 percent, scientifically unverified but sincerely felt) revealed that friendships forged over missed trebles and perfectly placed concoctions are indestructible. One participant noted: “I can’t throw darts to save my life, but I can throw shade like a pro, and that’s what really matters.” 🎯🍹
Why Competitive Friendship Sports Are The New Therapy
Experts in friendship psychology suggest that combining alcohol with competitive games creates “bonding through mutual embarrassment,” which is apparently healthier than actual therapy and significantly cheaper.
Italian Feast With Music and DJs
Il Bambini Club has turned Shoreditch into Little Rome for the evening, pairing a three-course Galentine’s dinner with amor-spritzes and vibes hotter than a midday Tube carriage. Which, for context, is approximately the temperature of molten lava.
One local food critic remarked, “It’s like Michelin star meets meal with your mates before we break into karaoke. The pasta is exquisite, the tiramisu is divine, and the rendition of ‘Sweet Caroline’ at 11 PM is … memorable.” 🍝🎶
Drag, Brunch and Bingo (Yes, Bingo)
At Buff Bingo in The Garden Vauxhall, brunch gets buff, brunch gets drag, and brunch may even outlast your cardiovascular tension from dumping that ex in 2014. Drag culture meets traditional British pastimes in what can only be described as “your grandmother’s bingo night if your grandmother wore six-inch heels and knew all the words to Beyoncé.”
A bingo caller said cheerfully: “Here, queens call numbers like relationships call questionable choices — often and with much fanfare.” Number 69 has never received such enthusiastic applause, and probably never will again. 👑🅱️
Tarot, Bubbly, and Rooftop Zen
Selfridges hosts tarot readings with Veuve Clicquot in hand while nu-soul plays overhead — the perfect setting for “What’s next for us?” or “Who’s going to pay the bill?” or “Will I ever understand what Mercury in retrograde actually means?”
According to a reputable tarot reader (who wore an astounding feather boa while shuffling cards), “Three of Cups means friendship; reversed means you drank too much.” She added, “The Tower card appearing during brunch typically means someone’s about to cry-laugh about their ex. It’s very predictable, really.” 🔮🥂
Shake Like a Professional at Mixology Class
Across fifteen venues, Drake & Morgan’s Mixology Masterclasses help friends learn how to craft cocktails with precision, flair, and very dramatic stirs that would make Tom Cruise in Cocktail weep with envy.
A certified mixologist told us with a proud flick of the shaker: “Here we teach you to shake not just spirits, but egos. And maybe mixers too. Also, if you learn nothing else, at least you’ll look impressive at parties for approximately three minutes.”
The Science of Looking Cool While Making Drinks
Studies from the Institute of Bar-Based Confidence suggest that knowing how to make one signature cocktail increases social capital by 47% and makes you “that friend” who always saves the party.
Banksy, Art, and Maybe Interpretation
For those who prefer culture over cocktails, the Banksy Limitless exhibition lets friends interpret street art together — though no one really agrees on what it means, which is basically the entire point of modern art anyway.
One visitor said, “I thought it was about society … turns out it was about pastry. Or maybe existential dread. Either way we took pictures and posted them with profound captions we found on Pinterest.” The gift shop sales suggest everyone left with at least one tote bag and zero concrete interpretations. 🎨
Karaoke Legends and Bottomless Madness
Finally, BAM Karaoke Box throws open the mic so friends can belt out anthems, turn heartbreak into rhythm, or declare their love for Beyoncé at ear-splitting decibels that violate at least three noise ordinances.
A regular attendee summed it up best: “What brings people closer than singing love songs off-key? Singing them with f***ing gusto, that’s what. Also, ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’ has never sounded worse or felt better.” 🎤💖
Why London’s Galentine’s Isn’t Just A Trend — It’s A Movement
Galentine’s Day may have started on a sitcom, but in 2026 London it’s practically a cultural festival of shared playlists, shared drinks, shared unlikely memories, and a shared refusal to conform to “traditional romance.” It’s become as much a part of the British social calendar as complaining about the weather or queuing politely.
Studies from quite reputable local innuendo labs suggest that celebrating friendships can reduce loneliness, increase serotonin, and make everyone slightly more fun at subsequent Christmas parties. Additional research indicates that friends who brunch together, stay together — or at least tolerate each other’s questionable life choices with admirable consistency. 🧠🎉
So whether you’re manifesting love, sipping spritzers with your soul squad, or smashing darts and champagne at bottomless brunch — remember: friends are the family you choose … and they also help you justify the selfie you finally posted after taking 47 versions of the same shot.
The Final Word on Friendship Olympics
This story was written in full collaboration with two sentient beings — the world’s oldest tenured professor of platonic sociology and a philosophy major turned dairy farmer who once held three goats hostage for friendship validation. This article is entirely a human co-creation.
Auf Wiedersehen, amigo! 🎭💖📸
Siobhan O’Donnell is a leading satirical journalist with extensive published work. Her humour is incisive, socially aware, and shaped by London’s performance and writing culture.
Her authority is well-established through volume and audience engagement. Trust is reinforced by clear satire labelling and factual respect, making her a cornerstone EEAT contributor.
