When
19 June 2009 -
19 July 2009
11:00-19:00
Where
West India Quay
Cost
Free
Age Restrictions
N/A
This year's West India Quay Festival is
celebrating everything that's great about Great
Britain. Wimbledon, British produce, street
parties, carnival, live music and contemporary
art - A British Big Splash celebrates it all in
a month packed with free entertainment and
culture on the quay.
Quay Culture: Throughout the month
As part of the West India Quay Festival 2009,
internationally acclaimed artist Edgar Mueller
has been commissioned to create a 3D street art
installation right on the quayside. It's
enormous and will be in place throughout the
month-long event. Elsewhere, art-lovers can get
their cultural fix from the ART trail. It starts
at the Museum of London and winds its way along
the quay, in and out of the bar and restaurants.
It's a feast for the eyes, with work from both
London and national artists and photographers
including The Wonderland Collective.
Wimbledon Screenings: 22nd June - 5th July
After stretching your mind with all that
culture, the second week of the West India Quay
Festival gave you the chance to flex your
muscles. There was a mix of 'come and try'
activities and demonstrations including daily
classes on the quayside with team from LA
Fitness. Classes included aerobics, step, street dance and spin. Cyclists could grab a souvenir photo of the
Ducati Superbike which sat glimmering in
the sun on the quay. And, to celebrate
Wimbledon, the finals were shown on small
screens dotted around quayside and there were
strawberries and cream and plenty of ice-cold
Pimms in true British style.
Mini Festival: 6th July - 12th July
Music week saw the West India quay turned into
a mini festival site. There was an acoustic
stage with performances from Gio, Rob Cowen and
the Dissidents, Lucky Elephant, The Langley
Sisters, The Laurel Collective, The Turncoat,
Toy, Molotovs, Rogues and Jay Jay Pistolet. Bars
and restaurants also hosted live music,
DJS, summer soul evenings including jazz and
dance nights and, for the brave, there was karaoke throughout the week. And to ensure you know
what's hot and what's not for the summer season
there was a fashion show on the
quayside.
Street Party: 13th July - 19th July
Even if you missed out on all the bits and bobs above, the final week looks set to be a suitably grand finale. Events end with a bang for the final week of the West India Quay Festival as the quay is turned
into a street carnival with entertainment from
jugglers and stilt walkers. You'll be able to
buy the best of British too at the farmers'
market which will include the freshest seasonal
organic produce. Global Village Dance are also
hosting a programme of interactive activities
giving you the chance to get involved. There's
DJs, workshops, and dance demonstrations from
all cultures. And to celebrate the fact that
we're a nation of animal lovers, there's The
Best of British Dog Show featuring British
breeds from the Kennel Club. You're welcome to
bring along your pet pooch and show them off in
the have-a-go ring.
Street Week listings
Monday 13th July:
Docklands street tour (3pm)
Wednesday 15th July:
Appearance from the Queen. Well, a lookalike.
Docklands street tour (3pm)
Friday 17th July:
Sailortown exhibition (3pm)
20 stall farmers' market (11am - 4pm)
Notting Hill Carnival parade and barbecue from 12pm
Saturday 18th July:
Docklands street tour (3pm)
Sailortown exhibition, (2pm and 3.30pm)
Great British Dog Lover's day (11am - 4pm)
Throughout the week:
Global Village Dance
British Ales Festival
Beach party with outdoor cocktail bar
Street entertainers
British Cinema
Throughout the festival there'll also be cinema
screenings at the Cineworld. The Brit Film
Season includes Irvine Welsh's cult classic -
Trainspotting; London-based romcom - Notting
Hill; the hilarious Full Monty and revenge
thriller - Get Carter.
The West India Quay Festival takes place from
19th June - 19th July 2009. For more information click on the link below.
West India Quay Official Site