London’s Top 10 : Festivals and Events – Top 10 Sports Events

Notting Hill Carnival

This
three-day Caribbean festival is Europe’s largest carnival, with steel
bands and DJ’s playing all imaginable kinds of music, street food,
brilliant costumes and lively dancers. Children’s parades on Sunday,
grown-ups’ on Monday.

• Notting Hill W11

• Last Sat–Mon in Aug

Chelsea Flower Show

As
much a society outing as a horticultural event, this is the Royal
Horticultural Society’s prestigious annual show. Beautiful and
imaginative gardens are created especially for the event.

• Chelsea Royal Hospital SW1

• Mid-May

• Admission charge

Trooping the Colour

The
Queen celebrates her official birthday on Horse Guards Parade where
troops of the Household Division, in their famous red tunics and
bearskin hats, put on an immaculate display of marching and drilling
before escorting her to Buckingham Palace.

• Horse Guards Parade SW1

• Sat closest to 10 Jun

BBC Promenade Concerts

The most extensive concert series in the world. The famous last concert is relayed live to adjacent Hyde Park, when Land of Hope and Glory rocks the Royal Albert Hall to its foundations.

• Royal Albert Hall SW1

• Mid-Jul–mid-Sep

Royal Academy Summer Exhibition

Around
1,000 works are selected from the public and academicians for the art
world’s most eclectic summer show. Works sell for as little as £100.

• Piccadilly W1

• Jun–Aug

• Admission charge

Lord Mayor’s Show

Every
year, the City of London elects a Lord Mayor who processes through the
Square Mile in a gilded coach. Military bands, floats and city guildsmen
in traditional costume go from Guildhall to the Law Courts. Evening
fireworks.

City of London

• 2nd Sat in Nov

Guy Fawkes Night

Effigies
of Guy Fawkes, who attempted to blow up Parliament in 1605, are burned
on bonfires across the country, with accompanying firework
extravaganzas. Children make dummy Guys and ask for pennies to pay for
their little arsenals.

• 5 Nov

Chinese New Year

Chinatown
is taken over by dancing dragons breathing fire during this vibrant,
colourful festival. Food and craft stalls are authentically oriental.

• Soho W1

• Late Jan–early Feb

London Film Festival

Scores
of international films are shown in this three-week festival when
cinemas, including the National Film Theatre, reduce prices. A booth is
set up in Leicester Square to take bookings and distribute programmes.

• West End

• Nov

Great British Beer Festival

Organized
by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), this annual festival in a major
London exhibition hall is a chance to sample the best beers and ciders
produced in Britain.

• Earls Court SW5

• Aug

• Admission charge

Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championship

The world’s top grass-court championships.

• All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, Wimbledon

• Jun/Jul

London Marathon

26.2-mile (42-km) road race from Greenwich Park to The Mall.

• Apr

Friends Provident Trophy

The climax of the cricket season.

• Lord’s NW8

• Jun

Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race

The two universities’ annual rowing race covers some 6.5 km (4 miles) on the Thames.

• Putney to Mortlake

• Mar

The London International Horse Show

Family fun at this Christmas show.

• Olympia W8

• Dec

Varsity Match

The Oxford-Cambridge rugby union duel.

• Twickenham Rugby Ground

• Dec

Head of the River Race

A day-long event in which some 400 rowing boats struggle for supremacy.

• Mortlake to Putney

• Mar

Six Nations Rugby

Annual rugby union contest with England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales.

• Twickenham Rugby Ground

• Feb/Mar/Apr

Royal Ascot

All London Society goes to the races in top hats and other glamorous creations.

• Ascot, Berkshire

• Jun

Doggett’s Coat and Badge Wager

Guildsmen from the Company of Watermen compete in a single sculls race.

• London Bridge to Chelsea Bridge

• Jul