It’s Midsummer! This weekend kicks off with the longest day of the year so there are no excuses. You live in the best city in the world and you’re blessed with the gift of time.
1. HEAD TO the city within the city for the City of London Festival – Each summer the City of London Festival brings the City’s unique buildings and outdoor spaces to life with an extensive artistic programme of music, visual arts, film, walks and talks, much of it free to the public. Inaugurated in 1962 to revitalise the cultural life of the City, it has established itself as one of the UK’s leading arts events. More information here.
2. EAT as the Brazilians do – Newly opened Galeto at 33 Dean Street, Soho serves up Portugese/Brasilian street food in their brightly street art-decorated restaurant. Portugese immigrants brought the delicious Galeto or ‘Little Chicken’ in the 1960s. By the 70s it had become a staple throughout the city and has now arrived in London.
3. DONATE blood – There isn’t much to be said about this except DO IT! It takes no time and is one of the easiest ways to get that feel-good high (or is that your blood-sugar levels plummeting?). Take an hour out of your day to visit one of the many London drop-in centres. You can check where and when you can visit at their website.
4. LISTEN to the very best of the West End at this year’s West End Live – From the madness of Stomp to the dulcet tones of the Jersey Boys there’s something for everyone at this year’s event in Trafalgar Square. And best of all, it’s free! Check it out here.
5. MUCK IN at the Spitalfields City Farm – The farm was set up in 1978 and still relies on donations and volunteers to help maintain the farm and gardens, look after the animals and assist them in delivering projects. How often do you get to milk a goat or help shear a sheep in the big city? Get stuck in, we say! Get in touch with them here.
6. TREAT yourself to the summer’s last vintage fashion fair before autumn – The Clerkenwell Vintage Fair event is only 3 years old but with what they have managed to deliver in the past few years it’s become a staple fixture on London’s vintage calendar. Whether a fancy printed silk scarf or a decadent 20s beaded flapper dress there is no other place to be this weekend.