Pray for sunshine and party on the Thames (© Dave Swindells)
May is the bank holiday bonanza month. Technically, the weather should be better this weekend than it was over the May Day holiday but either way, there's loads to do
Pray for sunshine and party on the Thames (© Dave Swindells)
Come rain
Bank holidays bring out the kid in everyone, even kids. If it looks a bit unpromising out, why not cheer up with a cup of quality hot chocolate, before trotting off to see 'Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull'.
See more Film listings.
If you prefer properly researched world culture to the cartoonish variety, more highbrow fun is to be had at the Mosaiques festival of world cinema,
art and literature. Alternatively, be amazed by the Chinese
State Circus, a mixture of the contemporary and the traditional.
See more Around Town listings.
Similarly, The Art
of Ardman celebrates the company's unique mix of the cosy and the cutting-edge, and should appeal to kids
of all ages.
See more Kids listings.
Feature continues
In a kind of late spring clean, some of the biggest art shows in the capital are finishing this weekend. First up it's the eerie photographic works of Gregory Crewdson, while more conventional subject matter is to be found at the NPG's 'Vanity Fair Portraits' show. Elsewhere 'Renoir at the Theatre' at Somerset House and Tate Modern's 'Duchamp, Man Ray and Picabia' both wrap up.
See more Art listings.
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| Rising star Edward Aczel |
Among the current theatre crop of canonical big-hitters are two recent(ish) looks at more intimate relationships. 'Familyman' is at Stratford East, whilst Neil LaBute's nasty take on body fascism 'Fat Pig' is at Trafalgar Studios.
See more Theatre listings.
If comedy's more your bag, may we suggest rising
magical talent, Pete Firman, who previews his Edinburgh show, or, for the truly rarefied, sublime obliqueness from Edward
Aczel.
See more Comedy listings.
A nice rainy weekend should be a suitable preamble to the festival season, as should the Bestival
Tour, conveniently undercover in Camden. A man probably not keen on camping in either sense, hip hop bad boy Busta Rhymes blast
out tracks from his latest album at Indigo.
See more Music listings.
If you don't know what time of day it is, you're unlikely to care what the weather's up to. Read our recommendations for the best bank holiday clubbing, check out Fabric's Kompakt
records special, or keep the chill out at the Palm Springs Summer Opening Party in the groovy disco basement that is
Dalston’s Passion.
See more Clubs listings.
Come rain | Come shine
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| See 'Sensazione' at this year's Paradise Gardens |
Come shine
Get some ice cream! Then...
It's the last
few days of the Chelsea Flower Show, but if you prefer something a little less demanding, head for Paradise Gardens festival, a lovely
family-friendly event that drew a fair crowd last year, despite the heavens
opening on both days. There's more flora of a private nature at the National Gardens Scheme.
See more museums and attractions.
If you fancy something a bit more far flung, why not investigate the Africa
Day celebration in Trafalgar Square, or go on an Art
Safari.
There's more bank holiday art and family fun at Tate Modern, with their Long Weekend, which has games and activities as well as some ticketed events. It's running alongside Tate's Street Art show on the exterior walls of the gallery. If you're really on it, stay for fantastic music from Konono No 1 (Fri) and Patrick Wolf (Sat).
Out of town, there's more alfresco culture of the operatic variety at Glyndebourne.
See more Classical Music listings.
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| Join in the celebrations at Africa Day, Trafalgar Square |
Very much like Glyndebourne, Cargo's yard and newly relaunched restaurant is a culturally informed bucolic idyll. Go!Zilla
Third Birthday is there on Saturday. On Sunday, nip down to Clapham for the Sunday
Social at The White House. An early evening gig in the sun on a roof
terrace, there's comedy, live music, bingo and board games until late. If it rains it'll be indoors.
If you fancy stretching your sea legs, why not be there as landlubber Norman Jay plays his first boat party in ten years, as the Embarc
Boat Party takes to the water. Alternatively, if it's a bit choppy, have your cake and eat it as the Vertigo
Boat Party hugs the bank with a line-up
to get the regular cosmopolitan/Britalian glam party crowd hot under their
D&G collars. HMS President doesn't
cruise the river, so there's no danger of missing the boat! See more boat parties.
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1 comment
24-hour London - where is it?
Having attended a show at the Royal Festival Hall this bank holiday Monday, we planned to eat at one of the many restaurants there afterwards - but were turned away from them all at around 10.45 (as were a stream of other audience members) because "Oh, we operate Sunday hours on bank holiday Monday" . This was all the more frustrating as we had checked several of their websites for MONDAY opening hours before setting off, none of which mentioned the holiday exception. Surely these restaurants (of all places) should be aware of the programmes of the local venues and arrange their staff and hours accordingly? If even one of them had been open an extra hour, they would have done extremely good business for a wet Monday...
Disgruntled of W4