October in London brings a sharp change in the weather, but there is still plenty happening outdoors. In this 2018 episode, I stop at Gaby’s Deli for a salt beef bagel, join Africa on the Square and return to Trafalgar Square for Diwali. Between the crowds and performances, a coffee beneath St Martin-in-the-Fields offers a welcome chance to warm up.
This full October film was re-uploaded on 15 December 2018. It brings the two festival visits together with the walks, food and small breaks in between. The scenes below belong to that autumn, when I was still hoping the sudden cold would give way to a little more mild weather.
A final bagel stop at Gaby’s Deli
First, I head along Charing Cross Road towards Gaby’s Deli. I have read that it is due to close at the end of the month, and I want to get back before that happens. It is one of my favourite places for a good-value bite in this part of London. The possibility of losing it makes an ordinary lunch stop feel rather more significant.
My choice is a salt beef bagel. I mention the falafel and hummus as alternatives, but today I am here for the beef. After collecting it, I walk over to the steps of St Martin-in-the-Fields. Music from Trafalgar Square carries across the road while I unwrap lunch.
The bagel gives me exactly what I came for: a generous filling of salt beef with pickles and mustard. The sharpness cuts through the meat beautifully. As a result, I am enjoying lunch and feeling sad about the news at the same time. The film holds onto a small, familiar London pleasure before a favourite shop disappears from my routine.
October in London at Africa on the Square
Next, I cross into Trafalgar Square for Africa on the Square. The main stage is busy, and the programme brings music, dance and a lively crowd into the centre of town. However, the action is not confined to the stage. People gather around dancers in the open square, leaving space for the performers while watching from every side.
I wander between the stage, the marquees and the groups performing outside the National Gallery. Colourful costumes and quick movements give the camera plenty to follow. Meanwhile, the familiar buildings and fountains remain in view behind the temporary festival stalls. You can see how much of the square the event has taken over without losing your bearings.
These sequences are mostly about watching and listening. I let the performances run rather than talking over every moment. For the separate film of this visit, see Africa on the Square and the final days of Gaby’s Deli. This longer episode keeps that afternoon alongside the later Diwali visit.
Coffee in the Crypt at St Martin-in-the-Fields
Eventually, the cold sends me back across the road. I head downstairs to Café in the Crypt for a hot drink. The main vaulted room is busy, with people sitting beneath the brick arches. After all the movement in the square, it feels good to step indoors for a while.
I find a quieter room at the back and settle down with a coffee. It is a simple pause: somewhere warm, a seat and a little peace before going outside again. Then I return to Trafalgar Square, where the entertainment is still going. These short journeys between the church and the festival are part of the rhythm of the afternoon.
Diwali lights up Trafalgar Square
The final part of the episode returns to the square for Diwali. This time I arrive as the sun is setting, hoping to see the lights come into their own. The change from daylight to darkness gives the visit a different atmosphere from Africa on the Square. Soon, the stage becomes the brightest part of the scene.
I watch from beside the performance area before taking in the wider view across a fountain. Coloured lights reflect in the water, while the crowd gathers beyond it. Elsewhere, a large pink lotus glows against the darkness. The film moves between these illuminated details and the dancers on stage.
By the end, I am thoroughly cold and ready to leave, although the celebrations are still going. It has been a colourful finish to October in London. You can also watch the dedicated Diwali in Trafalgar Square 2018 film for the separate evening visit.
Watch the full October in London episode
The full video below follows the visits in order, from Charing Cross Road and lunch to the afternoon performances, coffee and Diwali after dark. It preserves both the big public events and the everyday stops that connected them.
