Jen picks her Top 10 Free May Events in London
article by Jen Barnes @JenBarnes207
Summer must be here because June is full of amazing outdoor events! So put on your shorts and dresses and get outside to listen to music, watch live theatre and see artists at work. Let’s hope it actually stops raining for once!
1. Theatre in the Square: Lyric Hammersmith – 28 May-19 June
Stop by Lyric Square in Hammersmith for free performances by Splash! by Pin the Tale, Push by Tangled Feet, Scoop by Pins and Needles and the Frenzy by RashDash.
2. Pop-Up Opera’s La Serva Padrona & Rita: St. Mary’s Upper Street – 3 June, 7:30
This performance is free until it’s full so get there early! “Two one-act operas take place on the same stage, their scenes and stories intertwined. One mute servant appears in both, tying the two tales together.”
3. More London Free Fringe Festival: The Scoop – 5-28 June
Opera, live-theatre, street-dancing, drumming and tribal singing, the More London Free Fringe Festival has it all. Check out their website for a schedule of events.
image: Londontown.com
4. Spitalfields Summer Festival 2013: Bishops Square – 7-22 June
The weekly series “Lunchtime in the Market” presents you with free lunchtime concerts in Bishops Square from 12:30pm to 13:45 each day. Ticketed events range in price starting as low as £5.
5. BP Big Screens, The Royal Opera House: Trafalgar Square/Victoria Park, MacMillan’s Mayerling – 13 June, 7:30
Not sure how you feel about ballet? Bring a few friends and watch a screening of Macmillan’s Mayerling in your choice of two London locations: Trafalgar Square and Victoria Park. The Royal Ballet calls it a “dark drama of political intrigue, twisted romance and morbid obsession…”
6. Sky Arts National Portrait Festival: Trafalgar Square – 16 June, 10:00-19:00
Watch the London heat of the Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year competition! Watch the artists at work or check out the Family Marquee for kid-friendly activities and the Masterclass Marquee to pick up a sketchpad and get to work!
7. Greenwich and Docklands International Festival: Various Locations in Greenwich & Tower Hamlets – 21-29 June
Eye-popping spectaculars, innovative outdoor theatre, outdoor art installations and the country’s biggest programme of outdoor dance, the Greenwich and Docklands International Festival is primed to be one of the biggest and best arts events of the summer!
8. West End LIVE: Trafalgar Square – 22-23 June, 11:00-18:00/12:00-18:00
Can’t afford West End theatre tickets? No worries, London is bringing the theatre and music to you in Trafalgar Square for one weekend only! Don’t miss it!
9. City of London Festival: Various Locations in the City – 23 June-26 July
View an online version of the program on their website. There are free choir, organ, piano and string quartet performances throughout the City of London in June and continuing into July.
10. Blue Trees: Steps of St. Pauls – 25-27 June
Australian artist Konstantin Dimopoulos has created his Blue Trees in cities across the world to raise awareness about the value of our trees to our environment. They are coming to the City of London this summer!
A bit about Jen..
Jen Barnes is a Texas girl who has found a new home in London. A self-admitted culture junkie, she fills all her free time with shows, gallery visits and lectures at the RSA. You can also find her at the rock gym on Friday nights. She loves Estonian rock bands, coconut gelato, and pressing “snooze” on the weekends.
