March 2009

Perfectly timed for a spring clean, the month of March brings the Ideal Home Show and the Country Living Spring Fair to town. This is also a great time of year to get out-and-about in London with the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race pitching the country's most historic universities against one another on the river and the St Patrick's Day Parade providing a fun, free family day out.

X Factor Live Tour

Wembley Arena, London, HA9 0DH
1st March 2009

We got unfeasibly overexcited about this year's 'X-Factor'. There was a terrifyingly cherubic child-monster, a recovering addict, a sultry Spaniard, broken-hearted crooner and four acts who could really, really, seriously sing. And all of them appear at Wembley Arena (alongside the less successful competitors i.e. the terrible girl-band, the Butlins bluecoat and that boy who cried all the time). By the time March comes round, we'll know which of them has gone insane from all the attention (please let it be Eougheaaein who does a Britney), which have flopped miserably and whether this year's show really will produce some genuine stars.

More info: X Factor Live Tour Map, Prices, Opening Times and Nearest Tube

Tina Turner

The O2, London, SE10 0AX
3rd, 4th, 7th, 8th & 11th March 2009

From cool, soul double-act to raw-voiced solo legend, Tina Turner has been lighting up stages and breaking rules for five decades. When she fled from hubbie Ike in 1979, nobody could have predicted that the R'n'B star would go on to be the biggest woman in rock - and the oldest woman to hit the Number 1 spot in the US, with 1984's 'What's Love Got To Do With It'. At 69 years old, she's still got the big voice, big hair and big personality to create five spectacular shows at The O2.

More info: Tina Turner Map, Prices, Opening Times and Nearest Tube

Priscilla, Queen of the Desert - the Musical

Palace Theatre, W1D 5AY
10th March 2009 - 26th September 2009

Jason Donovan, Tony Sheldon and Oliver Thornton play two transvestites and a transsexual, heading deep into Australian redneck territory in a bus called Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. The original movie was ripe for an uber-camp stage version - in Sydney cinemas it played in 'dragarama', with a glitterball and dancing in the aisles - and by all accounts this production doesn't disappoint. It's been Australia's most successful musical of all time, with two years of packed houses and audiences on their feet for disco numbers including 'Downtown', 'Venus', 'Go West', 'I Will Survive', 'Girls Just Wanna Have Fun', 'Hot Stuff' and 'We Belong'. The dialogue is even ruder than in the movie, the costumes more extravagant, and Priscilla herself a 6-tonne prop covered in almost a thousand LED lights. Cambridge Circus's imposing Palace Theatre should be an ideal venue for this glittering party, especially during raucous Friday evening performances.

More info: Priscilla, Queen of the Desert - the Musical Map, Prices, Opening Times and Nearest Tube

Country Living Spring Fair

Business Design Centre, London, N1 0QH
11th March 2009 - 15th March 2009

Organised by the team behind Country Living magazine, this twice-yearly show is firmly pitched at Londoners who dream of having a country cottage with roses around the door. The closest you'll come is leaving here with rose-covered cushions or possibly some rose bushes to put in your window box. There are plenty of ideas for interiors, gardens and bespoke gifts as well as 101 ways to chintz-ify your house. Independent designers and craftspeople sell their wares in a celebration of all that is traditionally English. There are also sections on outdoor living, craft lessons, and an impressive area showcasing regional and organic food. This is the place to go if you want to turn your sleek urban flat into a comfy, country home or if you're just searching for a nice birthday present for your grandmother.

More info: Country Living Spring Fair Map, Prices, Opening Times and Nearest Tube

The Affordable Art Fair

The Marquee, London, SW11 4NJ
12th March 2009 - 15th March 2009

The Affordable Art Fair is a well-loved institution in Battersea Park, an event that strips away the pretension of the art world and gives buyers a chance to pick up some really great art at fair prices, ranging from £50 to £3,000. Previous years have seen some works sold for hundreds of pounds by artists who nowadays would not get out of bed for that kind of change. It's a fun, family event which is accessible to both connoisseurs and the merely curious. There's a free creche, printmaking workshops and a specialist exhibition showcasing work by new artists.

More info: The Affordable Art Fair Map, Prices, Opening Times and Nearest Tube

Donmar West End: Madame de Sade

Wyndhams Theatre, WC2H 0DA
13th March 2009 - 23rd May 2009

With the Marquis de Sade in the Bastille awaiting a possible death sentence for his many blood-soaked perversions, his devoted wife Renee awaits his fate along with five other women who have played key parts in his life. Five years after writing 'Madame de Sade', Yukio Mishima committed public, ritualised suicide, in an attempt to reawaken the Japanese Samurai sprit. The sense of impending doom and a lost nation is all-pervading in this tale of aristocratic France rushing towards revolution and catastrophe. Dame Judi Dench stars in this ambitious production from Michael Grandage's award-winning Donmar Warehouse team, performed at the Wyndhams Theatre.

More info: Donmar West End: Madame de Sade Map, Prices, Opening Times and Nearest Tube

St Patrick's Day Parade

Trafalgar Square, WC2N 5DS
15th March 2009

London's Irish community have always celebrated St Patrick's Day in the traditional manner, with church services, music, dancing and plenty of Guinness and whisky. In recent years, the capital has also hosted a major weekend celebration - the UK equivalent of parades in New York and Chicago. London's parade has floats from every Irish county, with hundreds of stalls along the route. There's also a stage in Trafalgar Square with live performances, and a big ceilidh in Leicester Square where everyone can join in with the arms-by-the-sides dancing. Of course, the best places to celebrate are the pubs and Catholic churches throughout London, with their mix of religion, music and good cheer. Keep an eye on where the real London Irish go after the parade and you could be in for a memorable evening.

More info: St Patrick's Day Parade Map, Prices, Opening Times and Nearest Tube

Ideal Home Show

Earls Court Exhibition Centre, London, SW5 9TA
20th March 2009 - 13th April 2009

Make yourself at home at the Earls Court Exhibition Centre, celebrating its 101st year in 2009. The Ideal Home Show is the world's largest of its kind and never fails to surprise and inspire. Filling up the centre, this gargantuan exhibition includes everything essential to know about refitting your home in 2009 - and a whole lot more besides. The eco issue is a hot topic - so get ready to learn how to go green in style, with all the best tips on recycling and making use of household waste. With over 800 exhibitors there are ideas galore and products to suit all styles and tastes. There are whole sections dedicated to kitchens and gardens, and even a gadget zone to streamline your living spaces. March is traditionally the time for a spring clean - so why not spruce up your home while you're at it? Visit the show after 5pm and tickets (available on the door only) are just £5.

More info: Ideal Home Show Map, Prices, Opening Times and Nearest Tube

Paul Weller

The O2, London, SE10 0PE
21st March 2009

Modfather Paul Weller plays the O2, accompanied by patchily brilliant scouse psychedelics The Coral. First in the Jam, then as the Style Council, and latterly as a solo artist, Weller has been illuminating Britain's music scene for generations, working with diverse artists and often appearing uncredited on new albums. His distinctive style is one of the most imitated in pop and Weller is acknowledged as an influence all over the world. He loves to play live and still retains the energy to play three brilliant shows in a row.

More info: Paul Weller Map, Prices, Opening Times and Nearest Tube

Utagawa Kuniyoshi

Royal Academy of Arts, W1J 0BD
21st March 2009 - 7th June 2009

Japanese artist Utagawa Kuniyoshi started out learning his skill at the age of 14 at the Utagawa School. It was there that he got his name - a tradition of art schools at the time. In 1827, aged 29, he made his first commercial breakthrough with six illustrations for the story of the 108 heroes, commissioned by the publisher Kagaya Kichibei. This exhibition at the Royal Academy features over 150 works by this influential artist who, along with Katsushika Hokusai and Utagawa Hiroshige, dominated 19th-century printmaking in Japan. His subject matter varied from historic Japanese heroes to animal portraits as well as less conventional landscape prints popular in the West.

More info: Utagawa Kuniyoshi Map, Prices, Opening Times and Nearest Tube

The Vitality Show

Earls Court Exhibition Centre, London, SW5 9TA
26th March 2009 - 29th March 2009

This year, the Vitality Show moves from Olympia to Earls Court Exhibition Centre, so now you can easily combine the show with a visit to the Ideal Home Show next door. This huge exhibition of health, new age and relaxation products is pitched at anyone who wants to get healthy. Now in its 10th year and with 35,000 visitors in 2008, this is pampering on a grand scale. There are plenty of comfy lounges where you can put your feet up and have a gossip, but there's also a free beauty advice stand, a holistic therapy oasis, organic beauty treatments, yoga classes, foot massages, and lectures on topics from anti-ageing to de-stressing. Best of all, once you've had your insomnia cured, your psychic powers analysed and your life makeover initiated, there's a champagne bar to finish off. A lot of this is free, but for those in need of retail therapy, there are plenty of things to splurge on as well.

More info: The Vitality Show Map, Prices, Opening Times and Nearest Tube

Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race 2009

River Thames, London, W6 9TD
29th March 2009

England's most historic universities square off in this rowing race which inaugurates the summer season in London. This is the 155th annual Boat Race and Cambridge currently lead by 79-74 (there was a controversial dead heat in 1877), though Oxford won comfortably in 2008. While the result means little to most Londoners, it's a spectacular display of strength and teamwork, and around a quarter of a million fans line the banks of the river to roar their encouragement. There's a great view - and some great pubs - on the north side of the Thames before Hammersmith Bridge. South Londoners might like to watch from or near Putney Bridge, where the big screen on the opposite bank allows spectators to monitor the race as it heads its way around the bend. Alternatively, head through Bishop's Park and behind the South Stand of Fulham football ground you'll find food stalls, attractions and a 500-capacity beer tent (to be confirmed).

More info: Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race 2009 Map, Prices, Opening Times and Nearest Tube