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May 2010
May 2010
The Chelsea Flower Show is the traditional way to spend summer in London, admiring the blooms with a glass of Pimm's in hand. But May has plenty of other ways to enjoy the longer, lighter evenings. You can celebrate the Bengali New Year at the marvellous Baishakhi Mela in Brick Lane, or enjoy a magical night at the Open Air Theatre in Regent's Park. The E4 Udderbelly season also gets underway on the Southbank, where you can watch some hilarious comedy shows in a large purple upside-down inflatable cow - or maybe head down to Greenwich to drink beer and listen to some jazz.
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Camden Crawl 2010
KOKO, London, NW1 7JE1st & 2nd May 2010
Saturday: Autokratz, Calvin Harris, Cornershop, I Blame Coco, Ms Dynamite, Pulled Apart By Horses, Sugababes, Teenage Fanclub and many more...
Notting Hill MayFest
St John's Church Notting Hill, London, W11 2NN1st - 23rd May 2010
Vaisakhi on the Square 2010
Trafalgar Square, WC2N 5DS2nd May 2010
Head down to Trafalgar Square on the Sunday of the first May bank holiday to experience the colourful, culinary and exotic sounding delights of the Sikh New Year Festival. The official date for Vaisakhi is 13th April, but the 2010 Vaisakhi festival in Trafalgar Square will be held on 2nd May. Commemorating 300 years of the consecration of Dri Guru Granth Sahib as the eternal Guru, the Vaisakhi includes performances of traditional music such as Shabad Kirtin (religious hymns), as well as modern Asian music and dance and DJs. Vegetarian food prepared by the Sikh community will be offered during the afternoon. For more information about this free event go to www.london.gov.uk/mayor/vaisakhi.
Covent Garden May Fayre and Puppetry Festival
St Paul's Church Garden, WC2E 9EDSunday 9th May 2010
He may be nearing his 350th birthday but Mr Punch is showing no signs of slowing down. This annual Covent Garden May Fayre and Puppetry Festival celebrates the red nosed stick-wielding puppet, bringing together dozens of puppeteers in a colourful, highly entertaining afternoon. The Covent Garden location is appropriately close to the spot where Samuel Pepys first sighted Mr Punch on 9th May 1662 and recorded the fact in his diary - which is why the birthday celebrations fall on or near to 9th May. Puppeteers from all over the country are accompanied by folk music, dancers, clowns and jugglers. The day's events start with a toast to Mr Punch, and a brass band led Grand Procession starting at Church Garden, a beautiful little oasis in the city centre. There follows a special church service at St Paul's Church, with a sermon administered by Rev Mark Oakley and Mr Punch himself. An integral part of British heritage, the puppet with attitude is a wonderful, anarchic figure and this is a top traditional family day out.
Spirit of Summer Fair
Olympia, London, W14 8UX13th - 16th May 2010
Hosted by House and Garden magazine the Spirit of Christmas Fair at Olympia is the summer season version of their hugely popular annual Spirit of Christmas Fair. After making a successful first appearance last year it's back in 2010 with lots of ideas for enjoying the summertime in style. There are over 200 stalls to browse around you can get your summer shopping done, from improvements to your home to stocking up on beachwear, all under one roof. Most of the exhibitors offer special finds and unique goods you won't get in the high street shops. Coupled with all that choice are workshops on homely things like flower arranging as well as useful tips on putting together the perfect picnic. It's a fun day out with friends, and an efficient way to get everything you need for the long, hot summer months.
E4 Udderbelly at Southbank Centre
Southbank Centre, London, SE1 8XX13th May 2010 - 18th July 2010
The huge inflatable upside down purple cow of the E4 Udderbelly returns for a second year to graze on the banks of the Thames this summer. Last year's inaugural event at the Southbank was a runaway success as thousands flocked to see a range of intriguing acts performing in the temporary 410-capacity venue nestled between the London Eye and Royal Festival Hall. Headlining this year is Brazil! Brazil!, a worldwide sensation featuring Capoeira, street football, acrobatics and live music. There's also a host of talks from people as varied as Alexie Sayle and Ben Fogle, beat-boxing from Beardyman and Shlomo, circus fun from Controlled Falling Project, cabaret from Frisky & Mannish, pop-up poetry, an alternative Eurovision song contest and a range of children's events. But the main flavour of the festival, which runs for ten weeks, is, of course, comedy. Stand-out performers include US actor-cum-comedians Rob Schneider (making his London debut) and Michael Winslow (Sergeant "Motor Mouth" Jones from the Police Academy franchise). There are also sets from Irish comic Ardal O'Hanlon, pun merchant Milton Jones, political satirist Andy Zaltzman and posh youngster Jack Whitehall. Almost all tickets for the bovine bash are under £20 and an outdoor bar supplying summer favourites such as Pimm's means the E4 Udderbelly is set to pull in the crowds yet again this year.
Baishakhi Mela
Brick Lane, London, E1 6PU23rd May 2010
Famous for its curry houses, Brick Lane is the obvious choice of venue to celebrate Baishakhi Mela, the Bengali New Year. In London, you can ring in the changes with a colourful parade, traditional costumes, elephants, tigers and rituals. The festivities for this year's event will take place in Weavers Fields, Allen Gardens and Brick Lane and begin with a parade led by the Tiger Out East, musicians, dancers and local children in dazzling traditional dress. A Bengali tiger, peacock boat, bridal ride, and street entertainers all mingle together, and stages in Allen Gardens, Weavers Fields and along Brick Lane feature literally hundreds of musicians and dancers. You can also sample the famous spicy baltis, birianis and vindaloos from the numerous restaurants and stalls which put Brick Lane on the map.
Open Air Theatre
Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park, London, NW1 4NR24th May - 11th September 2010
This is the 78th season for the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre, and seeing a play here is really an essential part of spending summer in London. The season kicks off with Arthur Miller's classic witch hunt, The Crucible, based on the Salem witchcraft trials in Massachusetts during the 1690s. Shakespeare's plays are always a feature of the Open Air Theatre and, on 24th June, the Bard's Comedy of Errors makes a welcome return to the outdoor stage after a 14 year absence. In July, we have the second installment from Shakespeare with Macbeth, directed by Steve Marmion who recently transferred Rupert Goold's production of the play to Broadway. August and September are devoted to a retelling of the Brothers Grimm, Into The Woods, as Red Riding Hood, Jack of the Beanstalk, Cinderella and Rapunzel are interwoven with the Baker and his Wife, desperate to have children. Comedy by Jack Dee and The Comedy Store Players, with live music from Stacey Kent on 13th June add to a summer of outdoor fun. But no matter how fabulous the performances the biggest draw is the magical setting. The players emerge from the green leafy wings, under a darkening summer sky (you may need to take waterproofs but mainly the show goes on whatever the weather) and twinkling fairy lights, all surrounded by English parkland.
RHS Chelsea Flower Show
Royal Hospital Chelsea, London, SW3 4SR25th May 2010 - 29th May 2010
Founded in 1913, the Chelsea Flower Show is an extraordinary event - famous around the world. Eight hundred of the greatest exponents of imaginative garden design spend nearly a month creating a horticultural wonderland over an 11-acre site in Chelsea's Royal Hospital gardens. Most of London society, including the Queen, regards the Chelsea Flower Show as a highpoint of the London summer season, so if you get bored of the blooms you can have a great time celeb-spotting. The 20,000 glasses of Pimm's consumed over the five days confirm it as a very sociable, very British event. This beautiful and inspiring show is a real treat, even for non-gardeners. If you are aiming to visit, please note that the first two days on Tuesday 25th and Wednesday 26th May 2010 are exclusive RHS members-only preview days.
Greenwich Beer and Jazz Festival 2010
Old Royal Naval College, London, SE10 9LW27th - 31st May 2010
The Greenwich Beer and Jazz Festival returns to the Old Royal Naval College for five days of riverside jazzy music and ale-based entertainment. Now in its third year, the CAMRA-approved pint-sized early summer festival promises a selection of 200 real ales, ciders and beers from the best British breweries, as well as a range of summer cocktails and a special food area - all with a top musical backdrop. The line-up this year includes the Fun Lovin' Criminals, Hayseed Dixie, Spandau Ballet's Tony Hadley with his Swing Band, the Brand New Heavies, Incognito supported by Omar, and the British keys-led funk masters James Taylor Quartet, who will be joined by Snowboy and the Latin Section. With the main stage flanked by the Real Ale Garden, the Cider Orchard, Bar Carnival and a Festival Soul Foods Area open from midday until 10pm each day, there should be more than enough to help you while away the afternoon and evening in one of Greenwich's most historical and beautiful settings. So, hop on the Thames Clipper boat and head down the river to Greenwich, keeping your fingers crossed that the fine early summer weather holds! For more information on tickets and performance times go to www.greenwichbeerandjazz.com. A second beer and jazz festival takes place at Hampton Court Palace over the August bank holiday weekend.
Foodies Festival at Hampton Court Palace
Hampton Court Palace, London, KT8 9AU29th - 31st May 2010
Meet Michelin star chefs, see live demonstrations and sample food from London's top restaurants at Hampton Court Palace at the Foodies Festival when tasting tents are set up in the gardens of Henry VIII's historic home. Himself a well documented fan of feasting, the King would no doubt have approved of this spread. Cooking is made to look easy thanks to demos from top chefs including Jason Atherton of Maze, winner of Celebrity MasterChef Nadia Sawalha, 'Economy Gastronomy' star, chef and co-owner of The Victoria Paul Merrett, Atule Kochhar of Benares as well as Michelin star chefs Shay Cooper of The Bingham and Stephen Drake of Drakes Restaurant in Surrey. If the mere thought of all that makes you hungry head to the restaurant tents where you can sample signature dishes from well known restaurants. Wash it all down with posh fizz from Veuve Clicquot and you can guarantee an atmosphere of bon viveur. Around 25,000 people are expected to attend which just goes to show the popularity of London's restaurants. Much like Taste of London, these 'Foodies' events - which also take place in Brighton, Glasgow and Edinburgh (coinciding with the Festival) - offer a winning combination of sampling, slurping and learning, all in the open air. A foodie's treat.
London Festivals & Fairs
June 2010
In June Hyde Park reverberates to the sound of Pearl Jam, Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney in Hard Rock Calling, the Lon...
June 2010
July 2010
In July, Hyde Park hosts three massive Wireless gigs while further East, Victoria Park boasts the Lovebox Weekender, the new heavy...
July 2010
August 2010
London's answer to the Edinburgh Festival arrives this August with the first ever London Festival Fringe which runs alongside the ...
August 2010
September & October 2010
London festivals continue into autumn with Mayor Boris's official Thames Festival and the Open House Weekend standing out in Septe...
September & October 2010
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