The London Bloomsbury Festival in London this 2010
Those lucky enough to be in London this October are in for a treat as the London Bloomsbury Festival, a music and art festival, will be taking place between the 22nd and 24th of October in the British capital and comprises a jam-packed weekend and culture hubbub of events and things to do suitable for adults and children alike, British style!
The Bloomsbury Festival has returned this year with more than 100 events on offer over the two days that it will be taking place, and will be kicking off on Friday with a lantern-lit procession starting at Russell Square from 6 til 8 pm with music, lanterns, mulled wine, or samba. The choice is yours!
The aim of this fabulous festival is to celebrate the area’s rich history and bring together those who live, work or study there, and of course for those who would just like enjoy an extraordinary colourful weekend which is reflected in the tip top programme of this exciting event. They believe that the area’s culture reflects its nature, interests and beliefs, and that places are at their most exciting and best when their culture is free and shared by all- if only for one weekend a year!
So, who’s going? Everyone! There is something for art lovers, music fans, shopaholics, literature buffs, young people, and families thus in addition to the opening ceremony there will be dance snippets by The Place round the festival site, music in the area’s parks and gardens, a guided walk on the history of St George’s Gardens (Sat 12 noon), a tour of the secret spaces in Charles Holden’s Art Deco Senate House (Sat 10.30am), a South Asian festival with a food market, henna hand painting, dance and music at SOAS (Sat 11am-4pm), a street party on Lamb’s Conduit Street with music, and entertainment and food under canvas (Sun 4-9pm).
In addition, there will be open days at local museums including the Dickens, Foundling Museum and Cartoon Museum, tango and contemporary dance, arts, architect, opera, a football tournament, literature, Tai Chi, and the festival will finally conclude with a grand dance finale, with the promise that the fountain in Russell Square will be filled with over 40 dancers on Sunday afternoon, plus as the icing on the cultural cake most of the events are free. Happy days!
Amongst the fabulous events and things to do on offer we would particularly like to recommend the Senate House Library, which is definitely worth a visit. It has rich collections in the arts, humanities and social sciences, with documents from medieval times to the present day and this weekend’s unique display in the Crush Hall from the Library’s collections features works on the performing arts, to inspire and to capture the imagination.
Moreover, the guided walk on Saturday morning is a rare opportunity to discover hidden parts of the building with the help of the guide. The number of places is limited so we suggest that you book in advance. Finally, the Secret Bloomsbury Walks will uncover the secrets of the area, its spies, sorcerers and scientists in the heart of London. There will be tickets available for purchase for this event in Russell Square at the information stall on the day that it takes place.
Because we British know how to celebrate in style! However we also like to share so if you’re in London this October, check out their website to see what’s on offer and make sure you don’t miss out on what promises to be a really exciting, varied and fun festival suitable for all tastes!
