The Spice Girls are back, Cindy Sherman's portraits are in the frame and Secret Cinema unveils the world of 007 in June 2019, LondonTown has all these and the must-see events for the month.
Borders and fences, walls and city limits are all boundaries and it's this demarkation which is the theme for the 2019 London Festival of Architecture. From picket fences to personal space, boundaries is a fitting theme for LFA 2019, the year that the UK is due to leave the EU. Peter Murray, founder of the London Festival of Architecture, highlights the Thames as the greatest boundary in the capital. As part of the festival Dulwich Picture Gallery hosts the Dulwich Pavilion, a temporary outdoor structure called 'The Colour Palace' - a fusion of European and African cultural traditions designed by Pricegore and Yinka Ilori. It's one of more than 600 events to choose from, ranging from walking tours to debates, exhibitions to family events.
Iraqi-American artist Michael Rakowitz, whose winged bull that once guarded the gates of Nineveh in Iraq currently sits on Trafalgar Square's Fourth Plinth, has his first major European survey. Drawing on architecture, cultural artefacts and cuisine, the installations within the Whitechapel Gallery tell stories of social ritual, conflict and loss. Rakowitz's casts of players and objects reveal the legacy of colonisation, modernism and globalism. His giant Fourth Plinth winged bull, made from date syrup cans, is part of an attempt to recreate all 7,000 objects looted from Iraq's museums, a project which is represented in the exhibition.
Reuniting the creative team who presented Julius Caesar at the Bridge in 2018, an immersive production of A Midsummer Night's Dream comes to the Tower Bridge theatre in summer 2019. Nicholas Hytner directs Shakespeare's comedy which plunges its audience into the heart of an enchanted forest, a place of change and infinite possibility. In the Bridge's immersive production, you sit close up to the action, or follow it on foot into a dream world of feuding fairies and uncontrollable desire. With designs by Bunny Christie, costumes by Christina Cunningham, lighting by Bruno Poet, sound by Paul Arditti and music by Grant Olding.
The annual Opera Holland Park, a highlight of summer in London, returns with 35 performances and five new productions. Held in West London's picturesque Holland Park, a temporary structure, Holland Park Theatre, is erected creating a magical atmosphere as the operatic arias soar over the tree tops. The 2019 season brings a double bill of Il segreto di Susanna by Wolf-Ferrari and Tchaikovsky's Iolanta, a special performance of Purcell's Dido and Aeneas by Juilliard415, on tour from New York, and Puccini's Manon Lescaut, directed and designed by joint winners of the 10th European Opera Directing Prize, Karolina Sofulak and George Leigh. Cilea's L'arlesiana and Verdi's Un ballo in maschera complete the opera programme while The Royal Ballet School returns for four shows. The orchestra for all productions is the City of London Sinfonia, joined by OHP's critically acclaimed chorus.
Take a trip to Africa via Covent Garden this summer with the Summer Safari at Mr Fogg's Society of Exploration. Just as the weather starts to, hopefully, get a little warmer, the theatrical cocktail bar is also raising the temperature by transforming into a setting reminiscent of the African Sahara. Created in partnership with Whitley Neil gin, the immersive experience will see the venue decked out in vines, plants and traps while staff will be appropriately dressed in full safari khakis and pith helmets. After being issued a tourist visa upon arrival, adventurers will then need to ensure all the correct vaccinations, which on this occasion come in the form of tasty liquid libations, have been administrated before being free to sample the tastes of Africa. The Big Five cocktail menu features African-inspired botanicals while a food menu features dishes such as biltong, curried tempura grasshoppers and cricket powder brownies. During the safari, adventurers will also be encouraged to try and spot The Big Five animals, which will be dotted around the venue in miniature form.
This spring and summer, Secret Cinema goes undercover to channel Bond, James Bond when it presents a fully immersive show of the critically-acclaimed 007 film Casino Royale. Taking the 2006 version, directed by Martin Campbell and starring Daniel Craig as James Bond, the show transforms a secret London location into the glamorous and action-packed world of the iconic British spy. Blurring the lines between fiction and reality, the experience recreates scenes and locations from the film. You, the audience, will be required to get into character and you'll be assigned to either Q Branch or M Branch. Prior to your mission, you will receive an alias, dress code and training suggestions to help you prepare for a night of high stakes, sophistication and deception. If previous Secret Cinema productions are anything to go by, you'll feel like you're on the set of the film... and what a fantastic film to be dropped into.
Ivo van Hove's staging of Janacek's song cycle which tells the story of a boy who falls in love with a gypsy girl and decides to leave his family and village for her. The Tony-Award winning Belgian director works in collaboration with Flemish opera company, Muziektheater Transparant, to brings Janecek's masterpiece, sung in Czech with English surtitles, to the Royal Opera House's Linbury Theatre. Van Hove's contemporary reimagining puts the focus on identity, infatuation and alienation.
The Jacksons, Tears For Fears and Kylie Minogue are just three of the big name acts lined up for this year's Hampton Court Palace Festival. Pop royalty The Jacksons perform as 2019 marks 50 years since I Want You Back was released. New-wave legends Tears For Fears, one of the biggest acts of the '80s, play hits from their formidable collection, including Everybody Wants To Rule The World, Shout, and Mad World. Kylie Minogue also plays two nights at the summer music festival, set against the beautiful backdrop of Henry VIII's magnificent Tudor Hampton Court Palace. Now in its 27th year, the festival encourages a spot of picnicking, a VIP experience and the chance to hear some well known musicians in an intimate 3,000-seat open-air auditorium.
One of the first new productions to be created after English National Ballet's move to its new home at London City Island is Cinderella performed in-the-round at the Royal Albert Hall in June 2019. Choreographer Christopher Wheeldon presents an inventive production featuring over 90 dancers and with magnificent sets and costumes, theatrical surprises, set to Prokofiev's sublime score, performed by English National Ballet Philharmonic. The award-winning choreographer originally created Cinderella for Dutch National Ballet and San Francisco Ballet, now he and his collaborators have adapted it for English National Ballet and the circular space of the Royal Albert Hall.
Money. Sex. Power. You only need one of them according to Bitter Wheat, David Mamet's new play about a depraved Hollywood mogul. John Malkovich returns to the West End stage, appearing at the Garrick Theatre, after nearly 30 years to play Barney Fein, a top producer and bloated monster - a studio head, who, like his predecessor, the minotaur, devours the young he has lured to his cave. Yes, Harvey Weinstein was the "starting point" for the play. Billed as a comedy - "funnier than The Iceman Cometh, more chaos than Richard III" and written by David Mamet "in a good mood" - the play stars Doon Mackichan (as Sondra) and newcomer Ioanna Kimbook who plays Yung Kim Li along with Malkovich, who recently played Hercule Poirot in the BBC's Agatha Christie adaptation.
Jorja Smith and Skepta headline this year's Field Day as the festival, which resided in Victoria Park for 10 years, moves to Meridian Water in Enfield, North London. The new venue opens up London's largest warehouse party with Printworks overseeing the 7,500 capacity space. It also means the festival can host their its onsite after party, staying open until 3am. The strong line-up includes a DJ set by Bonobo, performances from Earl Sweatshirt, Pusha-T, Sinkane, Diplo, Jungle, Octavian, The Black Madonna and many more. Death Grips regale us with their riotous, punk-infused hip-hop, indie pop favourite Homeshake will please the crowd while Femi Kuti ups the funk, Afrobeat and soul sounds. Nocturnal Sunshine, George FitzGerald, Modeselektor, Mella Dee and more lead the heavyweight late night line-up, providing dancefloor pounding DJ sets.
A Leonardo da Vinci notebook, the Codex Leicester, goes on display in Britain for the first time since it was bought by Bill Gates in 1994. It's just one of several notebooks brought together for Leonardo da Vinci: A Mind in Motion at the British Library to show the dynamic mindset of the Italian scientist and artist who was able to make connections between multiple disciplines. Studies range from water flow to geometry, mechanics, astronomy and the human body in motion, evidence of his exceptional ability as a draughtsman. Notes and drawings from the Codex Arundel, owned by the British Library, the Codex Forster, owned by the V&A, and the Codex Leicester, owned by Bill Gates, are displayed together in the UK for the first time. It's a unique opportunity to see these manuscripts side by side.
Now in its eleventh year, Polo in the Park has become one of London's great summer outdoors events. Aimed at bringing polo to the people, the three-day World Series event showcases a more accessible version of the sport, mirroring the effect Twenty20 has had on cricket. Teams of three a side from cities around the world take part, with an England International match on the Friday night. There's usually also a steady flow of celebrities (Jodie Kidd) and royalty (Princess Beatrice), Mahiki and Polo Bars for classic cocktails, PIMM's Bus and an array of shops and food stalls. Saturday is Ladies Day and Sunday is family time with Sharky & George's Little Hooves Kids Club and a pitch invasion to keep the kids entertained.
Dance music festival Junction 2 returns to Boston Manor Park for a fourth year, expanding to two days, on Friday 7th and Saturday 8th June 2019. On Friday, Gilles Peterson and Daphni play while fabric marks its 20 year anniversary with minimal kingpin Ricardo Villalobos and long-standing resident Craig Richards playing the first of his two sets at the festival. Richards, who has gained worldwide acclaim for his fabric residency, plays both days while Tale Of Us, Loco Dice and Amelie Lens - one of Belgium's most exciting talents and host of her Exhale parties - are on the bill on Saturday. With five arenas of music, from the industrial Bridge to the leafy Woods, and DJ Magazine, Drumcode, Phonica Records as well as fabric all taking part, there's an excess of electronic music to get on down to.
If you're a party 'animal' head to the London Zoo for its after-hours entertainment, which is laid on every Friday night in June and July. Successfully running for several summers, in 2019 Zoo Nights introduces Wild Workshops where you can learn about emus, insects and meerkats before creating a mini masterpiece to take home. At the adults-only event, Birds and the Bees Uncut helps you unravel the mysteries of sex in the animal kingdom. Street food, from Indian nibbles to Mexican snacks and delicious desserts, is on offer and, when the sun goes down, you can listen to live music and enjoy entertainment from the acrobatics. If you want to extend your stay, upgrade and book into one of nine colourful cabins within roaring distance of the lions. So, unleash your wild side and book tickets to Friday night summer Zoo Lates! now.
From the iron-fenced residential parks of west London to the landscaped churchyards of the City, hundreds of garden squares play a vital part in maintaining London's status as one of Europe's greenest cities. The wonderful Open Garden Squares Weekend is the one time of the year when these gardens open their gates to everyone. More than 230 gardens take part - some of them private spaces which are not usually accessible to the public. If you have youngsters in tow, many gardens stage activities for families too and tickets allow entry to all participating gardens.
It all began in Butlins in Bognor Regis then Mighty Hoopla rolled into the city and after a successful London debut in 2017, the feel good festival returns, arriving in Brockwell Park in early June. The "Queen of Funk" Chaka Khan headlines this year's event, playing old favourites and new material from Hello Happiness, her first new studio album in 12 years. The best-selling American artist leads a line up that includes All Saints, Bananarama, Jamelia, Liberty X, Samantha Mumba and Tove Lo Confidence Man among others. Alternative club nights and performance troupes Sink The Pink, Guilty Pleasures, The Glory, The Grand, Glitterbox and more transform a peaceful park in south London into a summer playground and pop studded party. Expect drag queens, dressing up and glitterbombs a-plenty.
For one night only in June, The Royal Ballet pays tribute to its Prima Ballerina Assoluta, Dame Margot Fonteyn, with a special programme of works celebrating the centenary of her birth. Margot Fonteyn: A Celebration includes a performance of The Firebird, one of her signature ballets, alongside other works closely associated with the accomplished performer, one of the most revered dancers of the 20th Century and an icon of British ballet. She joined the Company in 1935 and became muse to Frederick Ashton, founder choreographer of The Royal Ballet, who created many roles for her including Ondine, Sylvia and Chloe in Daphnis and Chloe. The celebration also includes a free exhibition and a series of talks celebrating her legacy.
A vibrant display of ceremony and military history, Trooping the Colour, also known as The Queen's Birthday Parade, marks the second of the Queen's two birthdays (this is the official one, her actual birthday is on 21st April). It's a spectacular piece of pageantry but also a reminder of the role of the armed forces who are - in theory, at least - under the Queen's control. Hundreds of well-disciplined soldiers in full dress uniform march past at the Horse Guards Parade, and a different Battalion gives the Royal Salute each year, all accompanied by stirring military music from the massed bands. On the same day, a 41-Gun Royal Salute takes place in Green Park at 12.52pm and there's a 62-Gun salute at the Tower Of London at 1pm. But if you want to avoid the crush at the Mall, you can see the Horse Guards practicing for the grand parade at two smaller rehearsals in the days leading up to the grand event - namely the Major General's Review on the Saturday before and the Colonel's Review on the Saturday two weeks before the Trooping of the Colour. TICKETS: The Ballot for tickets for seated stands around Horse Guards Parade opens in January and closes in February. Applications should be made in writing, during January and February only, enclosing a stamped self-addressed envelope to: Brigade Major, HQ Household Division, Horse Guards, Whitehall, London SW1A 2AX.
There's a good reason why professional cyclists wear Lycra: to hold their privates in the right place so as to avoid unnecessary (not to mention painful) chaffing (or entrapment) with the saddle. For naturists and exhibitionists who are prepared to risk getting all tangled up when pedalling on two wheels, the World Naked Bike Ride is just the job. Held in June, each year more than 1,000 people take off their clothes and ride around the capital nude to raise awareness of the need for more tolerance of bicycles on the roads of the city. Part of a unified world event, the London Naked Bike Ride does make exemptions for those a bit too shy to reveal all, with a "go as bare as you dare" policy implemented above a stringent cry for nakedness. The actual ride is easy and relaxed, with participants often decorating their torsos with body paint and bikes with environmental protests against oil dependency and car culture. There are seven events to choose from, each with an individual start point, and all routes eventually merge together at the end. Similar rides in the UK take place in Brighton, Bristol, Cardiff, Manchester, York and Southampton.
The National Maritime Museum is doing its bit to raise awareness of the planet's oceans this World Oceans Day with a special one-day family festival. Aiming to inspire people across the world to protect and restore our oceans, the day-long festival will feature a line-up of family friendly workshops and talks from artists and academics along with art installations and performances. Thought-provoking highlights include designer and creator Anna Kompaniets creating three headpieces out rubbish collected at the National Maritime Museum in order to highlight consumer waste issues; a pioneering new work by Evan Roth displayed alongside accompanying objects from NMM collections; and a No Time to Waste performance from Hector Dyer which takes the audience on a slow-moving journey of a turtle. There will also be kayak paddling training machines, a parade and engaging art workshops for all ages.
A highlight of this year's Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy is an animal-themed 'menagerie' in the Central Hall, with works by Banksy and Mat Collishaw. Staged annually since 1769, the beauty of this show is that anyone can submit their work which gives it a wonderful element of surprise. Approximately 12,000 pieces are sifted through to come up with the 1,500 displayed, created by relative unknowns as well as famous artists and members of the RA. The fun part for visitors is choosing a favourite and, with the majority of works on sale at varying price ranges, you can even buy one if you really fall in love with it. The largest regular contemporary art exhibition in the world, it's an impressive show that gives an excellent cross-section of contemporary art every summer. This year Thomas Houseago has taken over the RA's courtyard with a group of large-scale sculptural works, and the exhibition spills out into nearby Bond Street with a colourful installation of flags featuring work by Michael Craig-Martin RA.
Put your best foot forward and hot step it to the Wallace Collection where luxury shoe designer Manolo Blahnik gives us an insight into An Enquiring Mind, a display he has co-curated himself. A neat tie-up with the much loved Manchester Square gallery, the free exhibition places 160 pairs of Blahnik's show-stopping shoes next to the paintings, sculpture and furniture that inspired them - the gallery has been a point of reference for Blahnik since his early days in London. The shoes he designed for Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette can be seen alongside Fragonard's Swing and his jewel encrusted shoes reflect the decorative boxes and delicately painted miniatures of the Boudoir Cabinet.
Five of Britain's top florists create beautiful installations tied in with the theme of 'memories' - the watchword for this year's British Flowers Week, a countrywide celebration of Britain's best blooms. Using flowers from New Covent Garden Market Ruth Davis from All for Love London, Terri Chandler and Katie Smyth from Worm, Graeme Corbett from Bloom & Burn, Rowan Lewis of Rowan Blossom and Carly Rogers of Carly Rogers Flowers showcase their creations at the Garden Museum in response to the various spaces within the Museum. Special events run alongside the exhibition including a late night opening on Friday 14 June with after-work drinks among the flowers. Over the weekend there are workshops where you can learn how to grow, cut and arrange seasonal flowers to enjoy at home.
In summer 2019 the Hayward Gallery celebrates how artists, many of whom treat the body as a sculpture, are challenging traditional gender definitions through their practice. Group exhibition Kiss My Genders celebrates over 30 international artists whose work explores and engages with gender fluidity. Art works from the late 1960s and early 1970s through to the present moment show how these artists draw on their own experiences to create content and forms that challenge accepted or stable definitions of gender. Working across painting, immersive installations, sculpture, text, photography and film and in doing so open up new possibilities for gender, beauty and representations of the human form.
This summer, Battersea Power Station will once again play host to the London Seafood Festival when it returns for its second year. Running for one week in June, the festival boasts a packed line-up of chef collaborations, pop-ups and activities, all taking place along the bank of the River Thames. Vivek Singh of Cinnamon Kitchen and Asma Khan of Darjeeling Express and Netflix's Chef's Table are both on the line-up along with a whole host of culinary special guests. There will be street food, live music, cooking demonstrations, limited edition ticketed dinners and more.
A group of around 100 interdisciplinary artists come together at Somerset House to celebrate the past 50 years of black creativity in Britain and beyond. Get Up, Stand Up Now is curated by Zak Ove whose father, Horace, was the creator of the first feature film by a Black British director. He has invited the artists selected to exhibit for their groundbreaking work. It begins with the radical film maker Horace Ove and his circle of Windrush generation peers and extends to contemporary artists like A Guy Called Gerald and Sir David Adjaye. The result is a multi-sensory experience spanning art, film, photography and music with Trinidadian DJ Jillionaire creating an original soundtrack for the exhibition.
Twenty three years after the Spice Girls smashed their way into the charts the best-selling female group is back together - with one notable exception - on tour, playing six stadium concerts. Emma, Mel B, Melanie C and Geri come to Wembley in June 2019 to perform their chart-topping hits including Wannabe, Viva Forever, Spice Up Your Life and 2 Become 1. It's the first time they've reunited on stage since the London 2012 Olympics so it's no surprise that these tickets sold out quickly. People of the world: in the words of Baby Spice, "It's time to spice things up all over again".
Toto and Gipsy Kings play at the Royal Hospital Chelsea, the home of the Chelsea Pensioners as part of Live At Chelsea, a long weekend of open air concerts at the historic home of the red uniformed Chelsea Pensioners. Well known for their hit songs like Africa and Rosanna, Grammy award winning band Toto is celebrating 40 years since the release of their debut album. Mixing Latin and flamenco style music with Western pop, Gipsy Kings is fronted by songwriters and producers Nicolas Reyes and Tonino Baliardo who've been in the band for over 30 years. Expect more announcements as the concert series returns for a fifth year in 2019, culminating in an extravagant firework display.
The popular BP Portrait Award returns for a 40th year at the National Portrait Gallery. The highly successful annual open competition, which regularly attracts over 2,500 entries, is one of the most prestigious prizes in the world for portrait painting. The shortlisted portraits are shown alongside around 50 or so selected works in a free exhibition which returns to the National Portrait Gallery for four months this summer. Prizes include the BP Travel Award, BP Young Artist Award, open to 18 to 30 year-olds, and the £35,000 first prize. But this competition is not just about money, it's also about prestige; many previous winners have gone on to gain important commissions. Craig Wylie, for example, who won the award in 2008, was commissioned by the National Portrait Gallery to create a portrait of Dame Kelly Holmes.
With a new lick of paint and fresh tropical plants Pop Brixton gets a seasonal makeover in time for its 4th birthday and celebrates with a four-day party featuring music, workshops, discussions and food. The party kicks off with a Friday Sisters of Reggae residency with the female DJ Collective playing the sweet sounds of ska, roots and revival reggae. Saturday sees a special edition of Near Mint's monthly record fair where independent labels, record shops and record dealers sell everything from Latin house to country. South London based musician Sly Fox hosts a Sunny Day Session on Sunday, playing rare grooves, jazz-funk and soulful music, plus you can learn how to make a macrame bag by joining the afternoon workshop.
Michael Palin, Billy Bragg and Cressida Cowell open up at this year's Greenwich Book Festival which takes place at Greenwich University's historic Old Royal Naval College. Former Children's Laureate Malorie Blackman, gender equality campaigner Caroline Criado Perez and Diana Evans, shortlisted for this year's Women's Prize for Fiction, are also at the four-day event which runs from Thursday 13th to Sunday 16th June. There are literary events for all ages. Children can meet the multi-million-selling author of How To Train Your Dragon, The Gruffalo illustrator Axel Scheffler who gives a live-drawing session themed around kindness and Robin Stevens who celebrates Murder Most Unladylike's fifth anniversary. The festival extends beyond Greenwich University's historic Old Royal Naval College campus to include a nature walk with Bob Gilbert and a free rooftop tour of the green roofs of Greenwich.
Returning to Kenwood House, the Heritage Live Concerts are back at the English Heritage owned stately home on Hampstead Heath for one weekend only in June 2019. Hailing from Utah in the US, The Piano Guys, who have amassed a staggering 3 billion audio and video streams worldwide, are playing on Friday 14th June. They became an internet sensation by making music videos in some of the most magnificent locations in the world including The Great Wall of China, Chichen Itza and Iguazu Falls. On Sunday legendary tenor Jose Carreras stops off to say goodbye to London as part of his farewell tour. Staged next to the lake and with a captivating view of the magnificent house, the concerts are a welcome addition to the capital's summer music festivals.
After the success of The Turn of the Screw last year, the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre continues its collaboration with English National Opera in 2019 with a staging of Engelbert Humperdinck's operatic adaptation of Hansel and Gretel. Telling the story of two children who get lost in an enchanted forest, the atmospheric outdoor theatre will be the perfect setting for the production. Audiences will be fully immersed in the dark fairy tale, watching on as the children stumble upon a house made of cake, unable to resist taking a bite. Timothy Sheader directs the production, which will be re-told and sung in English.
Novo Amor headlines Bushstock Festival, back for its ninth year in 2019. APRE, MarthaGunn, Olivia, and Winnie Raeder are just three of the other acts at the festival which take places at venues in and around 'The Bush' on Saturday 15th June. They're a small proportion of more than forty bands you can catch at the annual event which is the brainchild of Communion record company. It's the perfect chance to enjoy something a little less mainstream, somewhat folksy and a little bit raw.
The late Sue Townsend's best-selling comedy novel about a misunderstood, hapless teenager experiencing teen angst becomes a musical. Set in 1980s Leicester, this critically acclaimed stage production brings the story of Adrian Mole to life. The hapless, hilarious, spotty teenager who captured the zeitgeist of 1980s Britain comes to the fore for a new generation through this musical with lyrics by Jake Brunger and Pippa Cleary. Already staged at Leicester's Curve theatre and at the Menier Chocolate Factory in 2017, the quirky, joyous, turbo-charged, home-grown musical now gets a glitzy West End run.
Andi Oliver and Neneh Cherry host a culinary, creative and musical weekend as part of Get Up, Stand Up Now, transforming the Somerset House courtyard into an old school sound system street party. Cooking and playing tracks, the pair will be giving the party sustenance with food, music and laughter. Andi hosts a two-day pop-up of her Wadadli Kitchen, serving Caribbean dishes like BBQ chicken and salt fish fritters as well as her 10 hour slow cooked chocolate curry goat rotis. An all-female DJ line-up features sets from NTS Radio's Ruby Savage, Freeky Reeky and Alex Rita as well as Neneh and Andi while the Mangrove Steel Band adds a carnival vibe to the weekend.
Returning for a sixteenth year, the popular Marylebone Summer Festival brings all the traditions, trappings and trimmings of an English country village fete to the heart of London. Organised by The Howard de Walden Estate, the festival kicks off with film night on Saturday, with Luna Cinema screening Billy Elliot, followed by a street party on the Sunday when Marylebone High Street and surrounding roads are pedestrianised for the day. Food, drink and crafts are set up across 140 stalls, 25 bands and musical performers play live on the main stage in Paddington Street Gardens and there's a host of children's activities, a farmers' market, tombola plus lashings of community spirit. The whole of the close-knit and well-heeled neighbourhood is closed to traffic meaning revellers can really get into the spirit and appreciate the delightful surroundings of one of London's most central "villages".
Centring around a 'Wild in the City' theme this year, Taste of London delivers five days of top flight food, drink and entertainment to Regent's Park. A wonderful al fresco summer festival of all things food, it's the perfect excuse to indulge in some delicious gluttony as you work your way through sample sized dishes from 49 top London restaurants. Rovi, Brigadiers, Mei Ume and Kym's are just four, for starters. Top chefs like Yotam Ottolenghi, Tom Aikens and Dominique Ansel attend and give demos to show off their culinary handiwork. Festival favourites include At The Fire Pit - where everything is cooked with fire and smoke - and the chance to try out so many of London's most talked about restaurants in one place. In the middle of it all are stalls selling food and drinks, often a live band. You can go on craft beer trail and meet world class bartenders with brands like Zacapa rum, Ketel One Vodka and Johnnie Walker whisky serving special cocktails and hosting hands-on master classes. At the Tanqueray pop-up bar brand ambassador Jack Sotti will help you explore your senses with scented vials and brainwave analysis to give you a personalised report.
A new summer festival for London, the four-day House & Garden Festival brings together three events: the Spirit of Summer, HOUSE & GROW London and the Arts & Antiques Fair Olympia (19th to 28th June), creating a one-stop-shop for stylish living. Full of interior, gardening and lifestyle inspiration, there are over 500 to explore and shop, all hand-selected by an expert team, including the editorial team at House & Garden magazine. Stylists have selected their favourite pieces from the huge array of products available at the festival to create inspirational spaces alongside beautiful feature gardens so you can magpie ideas for your own garden.
A popular fixture in the London arts calendar since 1972, the Olympia International Art & Antiques Fair has become part of the House & Garden Festival, offering three fairs under one roof. The art fair, which comes to Olympia every June and November, features 160 dealers from Britain and abroad who showcase their collections of antiques, jewellery, paintings, ceramics and contemporary designs. The fair typically attracts over 30,000 people and includes items as varied as Pre-Raphaelite paintings, 3,000 year old Bronze Age helmets, contemporary art and furniture which can fetch up to £20,000. Among the highest prices achieved in recent years was a toilet service set which sold for a staggering £1.5 million. The exhibition takes place at London's Olympia. If you're looking for accommodation near Olympia, be sure to check out our London Hotels page.
Richard Jones's production of Musorgsky's magnificent opera staring Bryn Terfel as the tormented Tsar Boris comes to the Royal Opera House this summer. Based on Pushkin's 1831 play, Boris Godunov tells the story of a 16th century ruler who loves his children and his people, but whose thirst for power has led him to commit a terrible crime. Musorgsky traces the Tsar's downfall, from the nobility of his Coronation to his tragic end in one of opera's most affecting death scenes. With one of the most dramatically rewarding bass-baritone roles, the opera is sung in Russian with English surtitles.
It started as a seedling in Hampstead then GROW London upped sticks and moved west to Olympia where it has set down roots as part of the House & Garden Festival which brings you three events under one roof over four days in June. In 2019, the show expands to become HOUSE & GROW London, a relaxed, friendly contemporary fair where you can find decorative pieces for your house and garden. Meet leading interior designers and learn from the experts how to get the most from your space, indoor and out, from wall coverings to living walls. While at the House & Garden Festival you can also visit the Spirit of Summer Fair and The Art & Antiques Fair Olympia, all included in the ticket price.
If you're not already familiar with their work Sh!tfaced-Shakespeare takes a cast of professionally trained, Shakespearian actors and every night one of them performs while completely ratted. This time they're turning their attention to Hamlet. "The story of a whiny lad who goes a bit loopy and does some stabbings", as they put it. Expect foul language, outrageous behaviour and terrible singing as the sober cast attempt to steer our drunken hero through a 70 minute adapted script. With the original text reduced, every night is a high-energy race to the finish through an ever changing series of drunken detours.
Hosted by House & Garden magazine, the Spirit of Summer Fair is part of the House & Garden Festival, which combines three events under one roof at Olympia. Along with HOUSE & GROW London and The Art & Antiques Fair Olympia (19th to 28th June), Spirit of Summer Fair presents lots of ideas for enjoying the summertime in style. There are 200 stalls to browse around where you can get your summer shopping done, from improvements to your home to stocking up on beachwear. 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 and 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 summer months.
With continuous development of new technology, the concept of a robot-driven society is getting closer and closer. But just how new are these technological advancements? In its new exhibition, Driverless: Who is in control?, the Science Museum explores how this seemingly futuristic technology already exists and, in fact, extends far beyond the concept of driverless cars. From autonomous flying drones to smart underwater vehicles, the exhibition questions how much control this technology could have, or rather, how much we're willing to hand over to it. Through the exploration three zones - Land, Air and Water - visitors will discover what happens when we let algorithms make decisions for us.
Sherlock baddie Andrew Scott, currently better known as 'the hot priest' thanks to his starring role in Fleabag series two, leads an all-star cast in the Old Vic's staging of Noel Coward's comedy, Present Laughter. The cast also includes Luke Thallon, Sophie Thompson, Suzie Toase and Indira Varma who plays Luther's wife in the BBC detective drama. Before opening night director, Matthew Warchus, said: "Originally titled Sweet Sorrow, Noel Coward's most autobiographical work is a giddy and passionate observation of narcissism, hero worship and loneliness."
The whole of Greenwich comes alive for the Greenwich and Docklands International Festival, a two-week festival featuring more than 130 performances and dancing in the streets. Transe Express open and close the festival in spectacular style with their Cristal Palace featuring acrobats and a giant chandelier 40 metres off the ground. Get immersed in an architectural installation by Alan Parkinson, set sail for Italian company Teatro dei Venti's retelling of Moby Dick and grab your space for a comic car parking show about how conflict escalates. On the family-friendly Greenwich Fair weekend, from Friday 21st June, you can be part of a giant 17th-century painting. Ride on a laugh out loud, low-tech rollercoaster, enjoy the street theatre where performers weave through a forest of poles or watch an uproarious French street show involving a mountain of buckets. The festival comes to a close at the new RAD London business district at the Royal Albert Dock with high flying acrobatics and a fireworks finale.
Returning to the canal side steps in King's Cross for a second year, Everyman Cinema presents its free open air Summer Love Film Festival bringing blockbusters, family favourites and cult classics to the big screen next to Granary Square. Boyhood, Black Panther, Romeo Juliet and Before Sunrise are just four of the films being screened and there's a special LGBTQ programme during Pride as well as live Royal Opera House screenings. Carmen and the Marriage of Figaro are streamed live from Covent Garden on 2nd and 9th July respectively. Films run throughout the day and every evening from the canal side steps in Granary Square, breaking for the Wimbledon matches. If it rains, the screenings will move to the Everyman Cinema on Handyside Street and while the bookable tickets have sold out there are some walk-ins available on the day but you're advised to get there early.
Every year Free Range, the UK's largest graduate art show, provides a platform for emerging artists and brings a new generation of cutting-edge creative talent to public view. Taking place at the Truman Brewery, this year's fair is solely focused on photography and fine art, bringing the work of around 800 students from 50 leading universities to east London over the course of a three-week summer run. For students, it's an opportunity to showcase their work on an international level. For the public, it's a (free) chance to spot the latest trends and newest talents with Kamila Lozinska and Ruby Constance among the young artists to look out for.
Like a giant armadillo, the Serpentine Pavilion for 2019, by Japanese architect Junya Ishigami, sits on the gallery's front lawn, with its back hunched up. But if it appears at first sight to be a solid structure, that impression is soon dispelled by a sideways look at its cross section. This angle reveals a slim, almost paper thin profile, which gives the 61 tonnes of Cumbrian slate a feather light appearance. That is very much the intention of the architecture who likes to play with our perspective of the built environment. He advises visitors to the pavilion to see the stones as if they're coming out of the ground and let their imagination take flight. Inside Ishigami's structure there's a cave like feel. It's here that special events like the COS x Serpentine Park Nights and Family Weekends take place during the summer. Or simply stop by for a coffee (served on site) and contemplation.
Art Night, the late night free contemporary art festival which runs from 6pm into the early hours of Sunday, invites you to explore two London locations in 2019: Walthamstow and King's Cross. The fourth edition of the festival centres on the first London Borough of Culture - Waltham Forest. Under the guidance of new artistic director, Helen Nisbet, who'll remain in the role for both the 2019 and 2020 editions, this year's festival explores the distinct identity, culture and architecture of Waltham Forest - from the music of local 90's band East 17 to the area's market culture. New commissions along and around Walthamstow High Street will highlight Europe's longest outdoor market as well as other local landmarks. You can also join the Art Night trail via the 24-hour Night Tube on the Victoria Line and explore the transport and culture hub in and around King's Cross.
Monty Python star and much-loved travel TV presenter Michael Palin brings to life the story of HMS Erebus, the little ship that took on the Antarctic and the Arctic in the 1840s - and the subject of his latest bestselling book. In the second half of the show, Michael tells his own life story, talking about everything from Monty Python to Ripping Yarns and the many television travel series that have taken him all around the world, from the North Pole to North Korea. He'll also reveal how his three favourite subjects at school (Geography, History and Comedy) have shaped his life and how comedy and adventure have intertwined.
Award-winning Australian director Barrie Kosky provides a refreshing staging of Bizet's most renowned opera about the seductive Carmen and Don Jose, the army corporal who falls under her spell with drastic consequences. Australian director Barrie Kosky - "a maverick whose successes include a radical staging of Handel's oratorio Saul at Glyndebourne" (Telegraph) - presents a daring new production which is "set to shock" those who prefer a more traditional interpretation. It's staged with "winning" choreography by Otto Pichler who "runs the gamut of dance styles" (Culture Whisperer). Kosky's all-singing all-dancing production returns to The Royal Opera for its second revival following its UK premiere in February 2018.
Thousands of people gather in Trafalgar Square to enjoy performances from top West End shows for free. A firm favourite for over 10 years, West End Liveshowcases the best of London's headline theatre shows for two days of fun, al fresco entertainment. Featuring live performances by the casts of top West End shows. It's a popular event so arrive early, about an hour before the gates open (at 10.15am on Saturday and 11.15am on Sunday at the North West corner, 15 minutes later at the North East corner) and be prepared to queue but don't worry, it will be worth it. This year's line-up includes performances from Aladdin, Wicked, The Lion King, Everybody's Talking About Jamie, Waitress, 9 to 5, Magic Mike, Jesus Christ Superstar and many more. A glorious piece of free summer fun showcasing the amazing variety on the capital's West End stage.
This June, athletic apparel brand Lululemon bring back their Sweatlife festival. Taking place at Tobacco Dock, the two-day festival invites all fitness fans, yoga devotees and anyone who loves getting sweaty to embark on classes and workshops led by top teachers from across the globe. The festival will feature some of London's favourite studios such as Third Space, Ko:Box, Frame, Crossfit London, Barry's Bootcamp and Psycle. There will also be a speaker-based series, encouraging discussion around key topics like diversity, body positivity, community and work/life balance. Speakers include Dr Dani Gordon, Tyson Joseph, Lumi and Lulu Levay. Food and drink will come from the likes of The Vurger Co and Neat Nutrition.
Jason Donovan and Sheridan Smith star as the Pharaoh and The Narrator while 21-year-old newcomer Jac Yarrow takes the lead role in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat as the new production comes to the London Palladium this summer. Jac makes his professional stage debut as Joseph - a plum role that's previously been played by Jason Donovan, Phillip Schofield, Lee Mead, Joe McElderry and Donny Osmond. So Jac, who got the role while still at drama school, has big shoes as well as a colourful coat to fill. Told entirely through song with the help of the Narrator, Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's biblical musical features catchy songs like Any Dream Will Do, Close Every Door To Me and Jacob and Sons. It follows the story of Jacob's favourite son Joseph who is sold into slavery by his brothers. He finds favour with Egyptian noble Potiphar but ends up in jail after refusing the advances of Potiphar's wife. While imprisoned, Joseph discovers his ability to interpret dreams, and he soon finds himself in front of the mighty Pharaoh.
James McArdle, star of Platonov and Angels in America, takes the title role in David Hare epic new production of Peter Gynt, styled after Henrik Ibsen's 1867 poetic fantasy Peer Gynt. While Ibsen's version follows the journey of its hero from his mountain home to other lands in a story which spans decades, Hare's reworking takes the main character and, "runs away with him into the 21st century". Firmly placed in the present day, he's "propelled into a free-wheeling world of music, dance, poetry, weddings, coronations, trolls and two-headed children". After playing at the National's Olivier Theatre from July, Peter Gynt, a co-production with Edinburgh International Festival and directed by Jonathan Kent, transfers to Edinburgh for the festival in August 2019.
Dedicated to finding the best in art and design, Masterpiece London, held on the South Grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea, is a high-end exhibition for serious art collectors. This year, in its eighteenth successive year, Masterpiece London returns with museum-quality works from over 150 leading galleries worldwide and a strong roster of exhibitors including Katie Jones, a London based specialist in Japanese Art. As well as presenting important historic paintings, exquisite jewels, European Old Master sculpture,works by well known artists like Henry Moore and museum quality pieces, there are free-to-attend talks giving visitors an opportunity to learn about important exhibits, their makers and influences.
Well known American photographer Cindy Sherman famously made her name in the 1990s using herself as her subject. This exhibition at National Portrait Gallery explores the development of her work from the mid-1970s to the present day. Featuring around 150 works from international public and private collections, as well as new work never before displayed in a public gallery, the display focuses on the artist's manipulation of her own appearance and her use of material taken from different cultural sources, including film, advertising and fashion. Including the ground-breaking series, Untitled Film Stills, 1977-80, this major new exhibition delves into the gap between image and identity.
Thank you for the days, Giffords Circus! For its 2019 show Nell Gifford's old school travelling circus takes us back to midsummer in the mid '70s as the troupe makes a welcome return to Chiswick House. Nell, Tweedy the Clown and accompanying acrobats and their band become hippies, hipsters, wild women and nomads for Xanadu, the show fuelled by flower power. Tweedy (always a highlight) adopts the character of a kitchen helper but he still has time to take his pet iron, Keith, for a walk. We're led through the tumbling and daring acrobat acts by a ringmaster in a sequin suit, Michael Fletcher - his Liverpudlian accent adding a touch of Beatlemania. Lil Rice, niece of Nell and daughter of Emma Bridgewater, adds a new act with her graceful cyr wheel and also has a lovely singing voice. All the acts, from the swinging trapeze to the daring Donerts, performing a pas de deux and vaulting act on horseback, are woven together by a storyline involving a policeman and someone who could well be John Lennon. They turn out to be the acrobatic balancing act, the Curatola Brothers. It's all wonderfully eccentric fun which makes you want run away with the circus - and you're invited to join them in the ring at the end for a frenetic, uplifting dance finale. You'll leave with a smile on your face and the faint whiff of patchouli over the candy floss - or did you just imagine that?
Get fully immersed in Shakespeare's mythical forest this summer with A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre - the perfect al fresco setting for the tale of desire, confusion, jealousy and growing up. Audiences will be able to journey into the woods and enjoy an evening of live music, playful adventure and physical invention in this new production directed by Dominic Hill. Amber James, Kieran Hill, Myra McFadyen, Gabrielle Brooks and Susan Wokoma are among the cast members.
Returning for its sixth year, the Mayfair Art Weekend is a festival that brings together a whole host of internationally acclaimed galleries, institutions and artists for a weekend of art events, exhibitions, tours and talks. The Gallery Hop! offers a curated tour of the best exhibitions while new galleries for 2019 include Waddington Custot, Galerie Max Hetzler, Contini Contemporary and Unit London. To celebrate the 200th anniversary of Burlington Arcade there's a sculpture by British artist Philip Colbert installed in the entrance of the iconic Edwardian venue and Bond Street will once against host a fortnight of activities under umbrella event Art in the Heart of Mayfair.
St Martins Lane Hotel celebrates Pride in London 2019 with a special line-up of parties, monologues, installations and cocktails. The series kicks off on the day of London Pride itself (Saturday 6th July) with Costa del Soho hosted by leading Spanish gay night, Gayzpacho. Designed by drag legend Jonny Woo and Gayzpacho founders Angel Perez and David Roy, the event is themed around a Mediterranean cruise boat, inviting guests to hop aboard a fictional floating paradise complete will Euro-pop disco, live flamenco performances, drag shows and Tomatina tomato wrestling. Further events include the Coming Out Monologues on Friday 28th June and two colourful new installations: a specially designed rainbow-coloured catwalk and a giant butterfly vinyl in the hotel lobby. The St Martins Lane Kitchen Bar, meanwhile, serves the special Jubilee Passion cocktail from 24th June to 7th July.
David McVicar's production of Mozart's comic opera of intrigue, misunderstanding and forgiveness starring Christian Gerhaher and Simon Keenlyside. Sung in Italian with English surtitles.
In 2019, the London Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival celebrates its 24th year, returning to the London Regatta Centre at the later date of Sunday 30th June. This year's edition sees 40 teams given a turn in the dragon boats - human-powered paddled watercraft, typically manned by 17 people, 16 of which are equipped with small paddles and the 17th beating a drum - as they battle it out for one of six cups. Out of the water, there's traditional Chinese lion dancing, live music, martial arts displays, and a South East Asia food festival making this a free, family-friendly, fun day out for both participants and spectators.
Indie rock band The Kooks headline this one-day music festival, which started out as a roaming event, spread around 11 venues in Hoxton and Shoreditch a couple of years back. Now Community Festival returns to Finsbury Park for a second summer with special guests Blossoms, Don Broco with frontman Rob Damiani, The Hunna, Kate Nash, Gerry Cinnamon, Sound Of nominees Sea Girls, US punk outfit SMWRS, The Amazons, Blaenavon, The Night Cafe and many more in the east London park. Pitched as the "ultimate summer celebration of modern guitar music and indie fun", Community is the perfect festival for fans for rock, punk and indie music.
Modern craft fair The Bazaar brings 35 makers, small brands and traders from all over the world under one roof for one day at Cecil Sharp House. Curated by Muna Arzouni and Florence Dixon who have an eye forquality products that have a timeless appeal - these are items made to be treasured forever. At the June 2019 edition you'll meet Maya Njie whose quality, genderless perfumes are inspired by Maya's Swedish and west African heritage, MR studio London - an artist / designer duo formed by Mike Pollard and Rika Yamasaki - and Palorosa, a brand by Italian-Guatemalan landscape architect Cecilia Pirani. Discover botanical prints, baskets made from recycled plastic and heirloom garments designed to be worn for many years to come.