There are countless festivals and events in London. It all kicks off with the New Year's Eve fireworks and street party in Trafalgar Square (cancelled in 2000), followed by the New Year's Day Parade. On Shrove Tuesday pancake races are held in Covent Garden, and in early May more serious racers take part in the London Marathon. All London gets its colours on for the FA Cup Final in mid-May. There's even more colour at the Chelsea Flower Show, held on the last week of May.
Trooping the Colour, the Queen's birthday parade, is held in June; Wimbledon runs for two weeks in the same month and London Pride, Europe's biggest gay and lesbian festival, also hits the streets. In July the world's biggest military tattoo, the Royal Tournament, is held in Earl's Court, and the raucous Notting Hill Carnival takes over the streets in August. Horsey folks can't resist late-September's Horseman's Sunday in Hyde Park, with more than 100 horses receiving the blessing from a vicar on horseback, followed by horse jumping in Kensington Gardens.
Things wind down as the weather gets colder, though there's plenty of bonfires on Guy Fawkes Night, on the 5th of November. The Lord Mayor's Show is held in late November, complete with floats, bands and fireworks. Trafalgar Square lights up in December with the Lighting of the Christmas Tree.