London Diary of Events 2008/2009

2008

Hyde Park Towers hotel is a great place to stay, the location is excellent, especially if you are planning to visit any of these events. Next to the biggest park in London, Hyde park, the Hyde Park Towers hotel is superbly located in central London and is within easy reach of these events.

2nd July 2008 - 6th July 2008
 
Henley Regatta is set in a riverside village that has hardly changed in the last two centuries, bringing some serious competition to the water in one of the world's most physically challenging sports.
Henley Royal Regatta is one of the highlights of the British summer providing a relaxed yet
exclusive atmosphere in a charming location. The Fawley Meadows facility is situated on the
bank of the River Thames, perfect to view the day’s races. Keith Prowse is delighted to offer
official hospitality at Fawley Meadows making this the ideal opportunity for corporate and
social entertaining.

Crowds from all over the world flock to the banks of the River Thames to experience a day
of indulgence and relaxation in a quintessentially English atmosphere. Magnificent views of the
river, the world’s best rowers and unrivalled hospitality all combine to make Henley Royal Regatta a unique experience not to be missed.

Venue: Henley-on-Thames
Address: Oxfordshire, RG9 2LY
Phone: 01491 572 153
Date: 2nd July 2008 - 6th July 2008
Nearest Station: Henley-on-Thames Rail

4th July 2008 - 6th July 2008

For one weekend every summer Guilfest takes over Stoke Park as music fans set up camp. In spite of some pleasingly naff sponsors (Radio 2 and The Surrey Advertiser both hosted stages in 2007) and performers (Uriah Heep anyone?), they now also attract some brilliant musicians and DJs. This festival is most famous for its role in showcasing all the best of the past rather than the latest craze - though it's always very varied don't expect much ground-breaking stuff.

Venue: Stoke Park
Address: Guildford, Surrey, GU1 1HB
Phone: 0871 424 0050
Date: 4th July 2008 - 6th July 2008
Time: To be confirmed
Pricing: To be confirmed
Nearest Station: Guildford Rail

5th July 2008 - 13th July 2008
 
Dance is the fastest-growing artform in the capital, and the reason is visible everywhere you look. London is perhaps the most multi-cultural city in the world, and the traditional, popular, artistic and religious dances of dozens of cultures have made our city a paradise for anyone who loves to tap their toes, shake their bootie, or just stroke their chins (in the case of 'contemporary dance' fans). The scale of Big Dance is huge.
Big Dance celebrates the popularity and diversity of dance – and the enjoyment of people dancing. Working in partnership with the Mayor of London, the 2008 campaign will see an increase in the number of Big Dance events across the country through partnerships with local authorities, dance agencies, venues and schools. It will provide yet more opportunities to see, take part in and contribute to the biggest national celebration of dance yet. Whether a dance fan, a recent convert or just curious, Big Dance 2008 should have something for you!

Venue: Various
Phone: To be confirmed
Date: 5th July 2008 - 13th July 2008
Time: Various
Pricing: Free
Nearest Station: Various

5th July 2008 - 6th July 2008
 
Country music goddess and cosmetic surgery supremo Dolly Parton arrives in London as part of a rare UK tour. She is so big in the US that the singer-cum-songwriter-cum-actress has her fingers in just about every pie, with her own restaurant, theme park and even a literacy programme. But you don't manage four decades in the music business without a bag of talent and she'll wow the crowds with highlights from her broad repertoire. Hits like 'Nine to Five', 'Jolene' and 'I Will Always Love You' have survived the test of time nearly as well as Dolly's body.

Venue: The O2 Arena
Address: Greenwich, SE10 0AX
Phone: 0871 984 0002
Date: 5th July 2008 - 6th July 2008
Time: Doors 18:30
Pricing: £50-£75
Nearest Station: North Greenwich Tube

6th July 2008

Now in its seventh year this huge annual fundraiser has made the first Sunday in July all its own. Thousands of participants gather together at Hyde Park Corner to run the course which heads down Piccadilly and Pall Mall to Trafalgar Square, along the Embankment to the City, taking in St. Paul's and Tower Bridge, and finally back to Whitehall, looping around the London Eye on the way. The runners are joined by a bunch of celebrities and athletics champions.
The eighth annual ASICS British 10K London Run will once again take place through the heart of historic central London in summer 2008! The race starts at 9.35am on 6th July outside the legendary Hard Rock Cafe on Piccadilly. The route will take runners past central London's world famous historic and iconic landmarks.
Taking part will be olympic athletes and celebrities from stage and screen, as well as tens of thousands fun and recreational runners who will raise over a million pounds for the hundreds of participating charities and other causes.

Venue: Start - Hyde Park Corner | Finish - Whitehall
Date: 6th July 2008
Time: Race starts 9:35
Pricing: £29.50 (participants)
Nearest Station: Hyde Park Corner Tube ( circle line from Bayswater station, change for Piccadilly line at Gloucester Road, alight at Hyde Park Corner)

13th July 2008
 
Last year's Rise Festival in Finsbury Park was truly one of the most magical days of the summer, with 100,000 Londoners of all colours and creeds gathering to take a stand against racism. They tend to finalise the music line-up at the last minute, so keep checking nearer the time for details. Alongside big names, there is usually an entertaining mixture of credible London musicians and hilariously sketchy local acts.

Venue: Finsbury Park
Phone: To be confirmed
Date: 13th July 2008
Time: To be confirmed
Pricing: Free
Nearest Station: Finsbury Park Tube (central line from Queensway to Oxford Circus, then change for Victoria line and alight at Finsbury Park).

18th July 2008 - 13th September 2008

The most popular season of classical music in England goes from strength-to-strength each year. A varied but accessible programme regularly draws huge audiences, concluding on the last night with seas of Union Jack-waving Brits belting out their national anthem. The aim, for the past 100 years, has been to mix the popular and familiar with the surprising and innovative, so if you go to a concert to hear some favourite piece, you may leave having discovered a whole new composer.

Venue: Royal Albert Hall
Address: Kensington Gore, SW7 2AP
Phone: 020 7589 8212
Date: 18th July 2008 - 13th September 2008
Time: Various
Pricing: Seat prices vary. Standing tickets are available on the door for £5.
Nearest Station: South Kensington Tube (circle line from Bayswater station)

 

 

 

 

24th July 2008 - 26th October 2008
 
Think of Hadrian and one word automatically and instantly comes after it. Wall. The great Roman emperor who reigned from AD 117 to 138 most famously left his mark on this country in the shape of a stone division running the breadth of the UK, from Segedunum at Wallsend on the River Tyne to the shore of the Solway Firth. This special exhibition gives us an insight into the man who ruled over much of Europe, northern Africa and western Asia.
The Roman Emperor Hadrian (117 to 138AD) is best known for his passion for Greek culture, interest in architecture, his love for Antinous, and of course the eponymous wall he built between England and Scotland, then Caledonia. This exhibition, supported by BP, will look beyond this established image and offer new perspectives on his life and legacy, exploring the sharp contradictions of his personality and his role as a ruthless military commander.

Venue: British Museum, Reading Room
Address: Great Russell Street, WC1B 3DG
Phone: 020 7323 8000
Date: 24th July 2008 - 26th October 2008
Time: Sat to Wed 10:00 - 17:30, Thu & Fri 10:00 - 20:30
Pricing: TBC
Nearest Station: Holborn Tube ( central line from Queensway)

31st July 2008 - 29th September 2008

For two months in the summer visitors have the chance to look round Buckingham Palace and admire the interiors of the principle royal residence. Thousands have visited since the palace first opened its doors, to enjoy the astonishing luxury in which the British royals have immersed themselves for the past few centuries.
The State Rooms form the heart of the working palace and are lavishly furnished with some of the greatest treasures from the Royal Collection - paintings by Rembrandt, Rubens, Poussin and Canaletto; sculpture by Canova; exquisite examples of Sèvres porcelain; and some of the finest English and French furniture.
For the first time ever, visitors will be able to experience the spectacle of the Palace’s Ballroom set up for a State Banquet.  For centuries magnificent banquets have been an integral part of royal ceremonial and the traditional way to mark significant events.  Among the most important of these occasions is the State Banquet, held in honour of a visiting Head of State.  This is the occasion when Her Majesty and other members of the Royal Family entertain around 160 specially invited guests on the first evening of a State Visit.

Venue: Buckingham Palace
Address: Buckingham Palace Road, SW1A 1AA
Phone: 020 7766 7300
Date: 31st July 2008 - 29th September 2008
Time: 09:45-18:00. Timed tickets allow entry in fifteen-minute slots.
Pricing: Full Entry: £28.50 (Adults), £25 (NUS/OAPs), £16 (Under 17s), Free (Under 5s), £73 (Family) | State Rooms Only: £15.50 (Adults), £14 (NUS/OAPs), £8.75 (Under 17s), Free (Under 5s), £39.75 (Family)
Nearest Station: St James's Park Tube