City News |
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» O2 Wireless Music Festival 2006
Date: jun 22 2006
From 22 June to 25 June the famous London Hyde Park will house the second O2 Wireless Music Festival. Wireless Festival was founded in 2005 as a series of four one-day events in London’s Hyde Park. This year after London shows the festival will move to Leeds for two days. Each of four days of London Festival the show will start from 1 or 2 pm and continue up to 10.30 pm. Approximately 30000 visitors are expected every day. The list of performancers includes Damian Marley, David Gray, Depeche Mode, Dirty Pretty Things, DJ Shadow, Eels, Flaming Lips, Freestylers, Gang Of Four, Goldfrapp, James Blunt, Killa Kela, KT Tunstall, Massive Attack, Mystery Jets, Nile Rodgers & Chic, Nite Versions, Pharrell, Super Furry Animals, The Raconteurs, The Strokes, Zero 7. James Blunt and Depeche Mode are surely the headliners and the most of those who will come to Hyde Park these days will be there to listen to them. There are planned three arenas, a lot market stalls and numerous chill out areas. |
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» Trafalgar Square Festival 2006
Date: aug 3 2006
From 3rd August three weeks of spectacular outdoor performance will begin in London. A diverse variety of shows and performances from all over the world will take place during the Trafalgar Square Festival 2006, transforming the area into an international stage of world culture. Performance art, acrobatics and dance – to name just a few. The 2006 Trafalgar Square Festival will take place every Thursday to Sunday, from 3 to 20 August. Performances will start at 6pm on Thursdays, 8pm on Fridays and 3pm on Saturdays and Sundays. All events are free. Many shows are premieres and you may see rehearsals on other days. Among the most interesting performances are Mass Carib by Nitro, Elevate by Irven Lewis Dance Theatre, Song of the Sirens by Mecanique Vivante (France), Evo by Cie BK (Germany), Whose Hair Dares! by Osadia (Spain), Saurus by Close Act (Netherlands), Spheres by Strange Fruit (Australia), I Want to Live in a City Where by Martin Firrell, Lizzie’s Beat by Avant Garde, Cultural Collision by Chi 2, London Jewish Male Choir, Tmesis by Momentum, The Shmatteh Bride and her Amazing Charm Bracelet by Marisa Carnesky. |
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» Proms in the Park
Date: sep 10 2006
For over ten years now, the BBC has been offering the festivities out to thousands more people than can fit in the Royal Albert Hall by holding an al fresco party in Hyde Park second Sunday of every September. This year it will be 9th September. The concept is simple: each outdoor venue has one of the BBC orchestras to play the first half of the concert live and then the famous second-half shindig, including all the traditional sing-a-long favourites, is beamed onto a massive screen direct from the Royal Albert Hall. There is also a shouted greeting from inside the Royal Albert Hall to each of the outdoor concerts. If you watch the event from the outside you get fireworks, which, surely are not allowed in Royal Albert Hall. During Proms in the Park visitors can enjoy the BBC Concert Orchestra, the Royal Choral Society and conductor Carl Davis, brilliant young British trumpeter Alison Balsom and Romanian diva Angela Gheorghiu. |
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» National Honey Show
Date: oct 19 2006
Whether a professional or just a viewer, you should definitely visit National Honey Show, which takes place in London October 19-21, 2006. First held in 1923 at Crystal Palace, it soon became a significant event for the English beekeepers, where they can show their knowledge, skills and products in order to win the title of the best beekeeper in Britain. However, The Honey Show does not only include contests and award ceremony, but also an exhibition of different honey sorts and other hive products, including waxes, candles, crafts and honey confectionery. Also, you can walk along the trade stands or visit educational events and lectures, to find out more information. The event will be opened with a pre-show, during which you will have a chance to see the Irish Honey Queen. The show is also a good occasion to buy something connected with this thematic, and the choice is a good one: from fumigators to beeswax polish, mead and Honey Madeira Cakes and more. National Honey Show takes place at the RAF Museum
Nearest hotels:
Holiday Inn Brent Cross
Crown Moran Hotel
Corus Hotel Elstree |
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» David Hockney portraits
Date: dec 19 2006
Another current exhibition offered by the National Portrait Gallery is the exhibition of David Hockney portraits, which is on display till January 21. Organized with the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and in close collaboration with the artist himself, this is the first exposition that shows Hockney’s works that were created during fifty years. Since he was a teenager, the artist created lots of masterpieces that included self-portraits, portraits of his family, lovers and friends – all in all, those people and subjects that surrounded him during his life. It is a kind of Hockney’s visual diary representing about 150 paintings, from his famous early double portraits to the most recent works created specially for the exhibition. By visiting the exhibition, you will have a chance to trace the artist’s way towards self-improvement and follow his concerns on different stages of his life. The exhibition takes place at the Wolfson and Ground Floor Galleries.
Nearest hotels:
St Martins Lane
Mayfair Radisson Edwardian
Citadines London Trafalgar Square Aparth |
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» Chinese New Year
Date: feb 18 2007
London is the multicultural city, that is why traditional world
holidays are celebrated here along with English ones. Sunday, 18th of
February is the time for traditional Chinese New Year celebrations which gather
about 200.000 visitors every year. The Year of Pig will be met no less grandly
than the previous years. Among the events there is a magnificent parade with
beautifully dressed performers making its way from the Strand and further
through Charing Cross and Shaftesbury Avenue. At noon, observe the vivid
Thanksgiving to the Gods ceremony with lions and dragons dancing at the
Trafalgar Square. Breathtaking acrobatics, including the performance by the
Shaolin monks can be seen at the Celebration of Performing Arts. Gourmands will
definitely like the Celebration for food with lots of stalls offering
traditional Chinese sweet and savoury snacks while focal point of the day is the
grand firework at the Leicester Square. And don’t forget that an encounter with
the Money God will be your good luck, as you’ll probably be presented with a New
Year Lucky Red Pocket.
Nearest
hotels:
Strand Palace Hotel
The Trafalgar
Radisson Pastoria Hotel
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» 100 Years of Fashion Illustration
Date: apr 13 2007
If you are fond both of arts and fashion, you simply have to visit an exhibition at the Fashion Illustration Gallery, which coincides with the publication of a book “100 Years of Fashion Illustration” by Cally Blackman. Opened April 13th – May 26th, the exhibition is a brief and illustrated review of what has been trendy during the last century. The exhibition offers pictures by Cecil Beaton and Rene Bouche, Tanya Ling, Grayson Perry, David Downtown and some others – depicting something you could see on Vogue pages just recently or some years ago. But, if you didn’t have an opportunity to buy trendy clothes, you can now at least acquire beautiful pictures, or a splendid book by Cally Blackman with 400 stunning images in it, which will probably be a better investment for you. The exhibition is opened Thursday – Saturday 11 am – 6 pm.
Nearest hotels:
Reem Hotel
Portobello Hotel
Somerset Bayswater Hotel |
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» In Transit
Date: jun 9 2007
The best way to observe the city of London is to take a stroll along its wooden and riverside areas, especially in summer. But wandering without an aim might sometimes be too tiresome. To diversify your walks, you can take part in a special summer programme – In Transit, available through 9 June – 29 July 2007. Guided by artists, participants will make themed tours over Kensington and Chelsea and observe the city from different sides. The first of them is the Sonic Walk (Sat 9th June), at which walkers will be given MP3 players and a sonic map to walk around the area and collect sounds: from performance by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra to the improvised concert at the Muse Gallery. Fond of horror stories? Then take someone to hold hands with and go for a Haunted park walk to hear ghost stories and get an adrenaline-rising audio/visual experience. There are 13 types of walks offered, but mind that pre-booking is necessary.
Nearest hotels:
Draycott Hotel
Beaufort Hotel
Millennium Hotel Knightsbridge |
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» Lovebox Weekender festival
Date: jul 21 2007
Probably one of the best London summer events is the Lovebox Weekender festival, which is held July 21st – 22nd at Victoria Park. The venue is perfect for a festival like this, as the park is spacious and there can be lots of stages installed to host music performances of various styles. Plus to this, the council is sympathetic and allows to turn the music really loud. The first day of the festival is suitable for older public, with such headliners as Blondie, Patrick Wolf and the Super Furry Animals (on the main stage) together with Groove Armada and other stars of the 1990s’ at the dance stage. The next day will be a bit more energetic and rave-style, with such stars as The Rapture, Hot Chip and Groove Armada (again on the main stage), and Felix Da Housecat, Layo and Bushwacka, Digitalism and Paul Arnold playing their electro and tech-house hits on the dance stage.
Nearest hotels:
Imperial Hotel
Cadogan Hotel
Annandale House Hotel |
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» 100% Design
Date: sep 20 2007
Taking place September 20th – 23rd at the
Earls Court Exhibition Centre, 100% Design is a high-rate interior show which
brings more than 150 international exhibitors and over 35,000 visitors together.
Even though it is a trade-only fair (which means you aren’t likely to buy the
items exhibited), it is a good chance at least to get acquainted with new design
trends and get new ideas on how to decorate your home. On Sunday, September
23rd the event is opened for everyone. There are both non-profit
agencies and world-recognised names represented, Hitch Mylius, Tom Dixon and
Hidden Art among them. All the exhibitors are vetted by a group of experts, so
100% quality is guaranteed. Meanwhile, there are two sister exhibitions
organised: 100% Detail dedicated to new materials and innovative building
methods, and 100% Light. To visit the event for free, register in advance before
14 September.
Nearest
hotels:
Mayflower Hotel Apartements
Rushmore Hotel
Maranton House Hotel
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» Autumn Olympia Antique fair
Date: nov 13 2007
The Autumn Olympia Antique fair is an annual event which welcomes everyone looking for something authentic and artistic. For 6 days, 12-18 November, around 235 fine art and antique dealers meet you at the Olympic to offer their furniture, ceramics, jewellery, mirrors, clocks, sculpture, textiles, decorative objects, Asian art, lighting, Art Deco, books and much more, ranging from Ancient to Post War Periods. To ensure the goods are authentic and correctly labeled, each of them is checked by a group of 150 art and antiques experts. Whenever you are looking for something to add to your collection or simply to decorate your home with, the fair has a lot to offer. And if you are not sure about what to buy, independent advisers will provide you with helpful advice. But mind that in this case you will have to arrange an appointment in advance.
Nearest hotels:
Hilton London Olympia
Avonmore Road - Kensington
Holland Court |
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