It’s the London Mela Festival today, Sunday August 8th so get along to Gunnersbury Park for some great music, dance and culture from the Asian sub continent
The London Mela Festival 2010 takes place at Gunnersbury Park, West London from 1pm – 8.30pm, Sunday 8th August 2010. The festival is free to attend. Nearest tube: Acton Town.
via London Mela 2010 – London Mela at Gunnersbury Park, Mela 2010.
the London Mela Festival
With the highest concentration of artist studios in the world, Hackney Wick and Fish Island once again will throw open their doors to welcome the world to a three day celebration of creativity. In its third year, there will be more than 500 artists partic
ipating in the festival with a series of new exhibitions, gigs and art installations in and around the Wick. Open studios and galleries including Space Studios Eastway, Elevator Gallery, Bridget Reilly, Britannia Works, the Peanut Factory, Schwartz Gallery, Mother Studios, Forman’s Smokehouse Gallery and Stour Space.
Friday 30th July – Sunday 1st Aug
HACKNEY WICKED ART FESTIVAL RETURNS THIS JULY! NOW IN ITS THIRD YEAR HACKNEY WICKED 2010 WILL BE BIGGER AND BETTER THAN EVER. THREE DAYS OF GALLERIES, OPEN STUDIOS, LIVE ART EVENTS, FLEA MARKETS, OPEN AIR FILM SCREENINGS, EXHIBITIONS, 4 LIVE MUSIC STAGES, THE WORLD FAMOUS CORACLE REGATTA AND MORE…
“The most vital art event of the summer” NY Arts Magazine
The London Festival of dragon boat racing 2010 had over 40 dragon boat teams competing and an entertainment programme to keep all onshore viewers entertained throughout the day. There was support from a number of corporate teams from financial sector and commercial retails sector which added to the competition action. Included in the programme were staged live entertainment and full children’s play area, Chinese cultural and curiosity stalls as well as stalls serving food and beverages throughout the day.
Dragon boat races are traditionally held as part of the annual Duanwu Festival observance in China. 19th century European observers of the racing ritual, not understanding the significance of Duan Wu, referred to the spectacle as a “dragon boat festival”. This is the term that has become known in the West.
Dragonboat festival racing, like Duanwu, is observed and celebrated in many areas of east Asia with significant populations of ethnic Chinese living there e.g. Singapore, Malaysia, and Greater China and now also in London as part of the London festival scene.
GRAVITY
OPENING NIGHT SPECTACLE AND FIREWORKS
Presented in association with Greenwich Dance
Thursday 24 June, 10pm (Gates open 9.30pm) FREE
National Maritime Museum, Greenwich
This dance extravaganza will have you rubbing your eyes in disbelief as Catalan choreographer Toni Mira creates gravity-defying magic in the grounds of the National Maritime Museum.
For one night only, Greenwich’s iconic Queen’s House will be transformed into a giant play house for 10 local dancers, accompanied by original music from composer Jules Maxwell, exquisite imagery from film maker Roswitha Chesher and fireworks. Previously only seen in Spain, Toni Mira’s innovative concept receives its UK premiere at GDIF, in a brand new production created specially for the Festival’s opening night.
I just found this in my draft posts but I think it’s worth mentioning the Winter Wonderland Festival at London’s Hyde Park for next year.
November 2010 to January 2011, Hyde Park London
http://www.hydeparkwinterwonderland.com/information.html
They have a very good FAQ and here are some of the most important questions about the Winter Wonderland in my opinion:
No! Winter Wonderland has no admission fee – you simply turn up and pay to go on what ever takes your fancy.
At Winter Wonderland we class a child as 12 and under. Please note, some rides & attractions have height and weight restrictions. Children aged 2 and under will not need a ticket for the Circus or Wheel if they do not occupy a seat (ie will sit on an adults lap – just like on a plane!). Should your little one prefer a seat – this will need to be purchased at the child price.
You can buy tickets in advance for the Ice Rink, Zippos Christmas Circus and the Palace of Illusion show, to ensure you get the time & date you want – they sell out fast. But please remember tickets are not changeable.
If you buy the Ice Rink, Big Top shows & Giant Wheel tickets together as a Combination Ticket fantastic savings can be made, particularly for family tickets. But book in advance as Combination Tickets aren’t available on the day.
A family at Winter Wonderland constitutes 2 adults & 2 children or 1 adult & 3 children.
Concessions for the Ice Rink & Circus are available to those with a valid NUS card or who are registered disabled – proof of both must be presented at the event.
Everything at Winter Wonderland is open 10am to 10pm (every day except Christmas Day) right up to 3rd January 2010 – rain or shine! The only exception is Father Christmas who resides in Santa Land from 12 noon to 6pm every day, but on Christmas Eve he leaves Hyde Park at 4pm as he has to deliver presents to children all over the world.
Most of Winter Wonderland is flat and level for buggies, with only gentle inclines – we have even built a level crossing at the Santa Express! There is baby changing at the disabled toilets near the Christmas Roller Coaster and opposite Santa Land.
The London Festival of Theatre takes place in July each year, so if the London Festival Fringe idea goes ahead for August, then there will have to be some accommodation with the dates I would have thought.
LIFT, the London international Festival of Theatre, is one of Europe’s most adventurous and influential producers of international contemporary theatre, creating extraordinary festivals and programmes of work that transform London into a stage and inspire everyone to participate in the stories of the world.
LIFT’s rich and varied programming of international work in London has had a major influence on the development of British theatre – challenging its conventions, introducing new forms of theatrical expression and bringing fresh perspectives on audience, communities and spaces throughout the city. In anticipating our future we are excited to take LIFT’s legacy forward, connecting the world’s boldest and brightest theatre makers with the people of one of the world’s great capital cities.
The Greenwich and Docklands London Festival (Greenwich+Docklands International Festival) takes place each summer in the two locations. Last year, 2009 it was from June 24th to the fourth of July.
Docklands London Festival
Looking ahead to 2010, plans are now being developed for exciting new commissions, breathtaking London premieres from international companies and a host of spectacular treats for GDIF’s growing and enthusiastic audiences. Following the 2009 Festival’s focus on the theme of Water, next year our featured element will be Earth, with events and performances exploring the environment, together with Greenwich and East London’s global connections. The full programme will be announced in April 2010.
Major London Arts Festival coming in 2010
More than 13 West End theatres – some big, some small – are meeting today (Tuesday 24 November) to discuss taking part in London’s first city-wide fringe arts festival. The London Festival Fringe is set to explode onto the capital’s cultural scene from 6 – 30 August 2010.
Representatives from the venues will meet with the organisers to discuss taking part in the Festival, a month-long event that will celebrate fringe performing arts. The Festival will showcase a wide range of fringe arts from all over the world; from music, theatre and film, to comedy, poetry and more. In an exciting addition to London’s summer events programme, the Festival will bring together a host of performances to captivate, entertain and maybe even surprise festival-goers.
London Fringe Club
The London Fringe Club gives artists and performers the opportunity to get involved with the Festival right now. It has been organised to offer a social networking forum where people can meet with one another and discuss ideas to make their show or event happen. It is open to all, free, and no membership is required. All are welcome and details of forthcoming events are available at www.londonfestivalfringe.com
Director Greg Tallent said, “London is the world’s greatest art centre, drawing performers from around the globe. We want to bring together fringe artists to give audiences innovative acts in one place at one time – in every sphere, from comedy and drama to music, film and street theatre.
“In July 2009 we organised the London Bridge Festival, which was a great success. It’s now time to bring together London’s fringe scene and give it the international recognition it deserves.”
The London Festival Fringe is being held in August to offer art and entertainment to Londoners and the large number of tourists who visit the city in the summer. In particular, London Festival Fringe allows artists and promoters living and working in London to put on shows and events to audiences on their doorsteps, at a price they can afford without earnings being eaten up by travel and accommodation costs.