Major London events
Here is Euronet London's selection of the finest large-scale events in the social and cultural calendar of London. While Euronet may not be organising a formal group to join these festivities, we strongly recommend the events and encourage you to use our Bulletin Boards to connect with other members for a joint outing.
13 July-8 September 2007 - The Proms Concerts
Hosted in the Royal Albert Hall, this massive festival of classical music features at least one Prom concert every evening. The famous Last Night of the Proms is the colourful conclusion to the season's programme – it is also broadcast live to a huge sing-along crowd in Hyde Park.
28 July 2007 - Royal Ascot
The world’s most famous race meeting, steeped in history dating back to 1711, attracting over 300,000 people there to enjoy first class flat racing, breathtaking fashion and glorious sunshine. Lady's Day, when the ladies wear the most unusual hats, is held on Thursday, 16 June.
Saturday, 4 August 2007 - Party in the Park
Around 100,000 people attended Europe's biggest one-day pop event in 2004. This party is held every year in London's Hyde Park in aid of The Prince of Wales's Charitable Trust. The past concert featured Beyonce, Craig David, Simply Red, Lenny Kravitz, Jamelia, Lionel Richie, Will Young, Blue, Avril Lavigne, Busted, McFly, Anastacia, Nelly Furtado, The Corrs, Lemar, Sugababes and Natasha Bedingfield. Beware: last year's tickets sold out in 5 hours.
2 – 19 August 2007- Trafalgar Square Festival
This year’s Trafalgar Square Festival takes inspiration from the Mayor's India Now season with three weeks of breathtaking outdoor dance, theatre and spectacle. The programme sets out to express London’s creative connections with India through new collaborations and pioneering outdoor commissions from London based and Indian companies.
7 - 11 August 2007- Great British Beer Festival
The Great British Beer Festival was held at Earls Court for the first time in 2006 and was the biggest festival so far with over 450 real ales and over 65,000 visitors. Also known as the Biggest Pub in the World, the festival played host to a wide range of beers and real lagers from the UK and around the world.
Monday, 27 August 2007 - Notting Hill Carnival
This festival originated in 1964 from the energies of African Caribbean immigrants, particularly from Trinidad and from people living in Notting Hill. Experience the rhythm of calypso music, the beauty of hundreds of lavish costumes and the energy of carnival, Caribbean-style.
August-September 2007 - Buckingham Palace opening
Each summer, when The Queen makes her annual visit to Scotland, she opens Buckingham Palace to the public. The 19 opulent State Rooms make up roughly a third of the palace and are used in the rest of the year by the Royal Family for State, ceremonial and official occasions.
1 - 2 September 2007 - Tournament at the Tower
Cheer or jeer as you watch a re-enactment of a medieval tournament.Knights on horseback will compete for the prime positions in lance, clubbing and tilting events to the delight of the spectators.We take you back to 1467, when the Queen’s brother, dashing Anthony Lord Scales, takes on Anthony, the Bastard of Burgundy in a clash of skill and Chivalry.
15 & 16 September 2007 - The Mayor's Thames Festival
The Mayor's Thames Festival is a major free public event on and around the South Bank, designed to bring Londoners together in a safe, family-orientated environment, culminating in its beautiful riverside Lantern Procession.
15 & 16 September 2007 - London Open House
This is an annual weekend event, when 500-600 architecturally or culturally significant London buildings open up for public access – London as a living architectural exhibition.
mid-September (tbc) 2007 - Chinatown Festival, Chinatown
This is the Moon Festival, one of the most important cultural events in the Chinese calendar. The streets of Chinatown sell arts, crafts and food delicacies whilst entertainment is provided in the form of Chinese music and a lion dances.
Until 30th September 2007- Covent Garden Festival of Street Theatre

Covent Garden Week during which more than 450,000 people flocke to Covent Garden to witness an action packed line-up of activities and shows.
Friday, 5 November 2007 - Guy Fawkes Night
On the night of November 5th, throughout Britain, bonfires are set alight, effigies are burned and fireworks are set off. The people do this to commemorate their country's most notorious traitor, Guy Fawkes.
Saturday, 10 November 2007 - Lord Mayor's Show
With 5,500 participants, 2,000 military personnel, 200 horses, 220 motor vehicles, 65 floats, 20 marching bands, 22 carriages and the glorious State Coach, the procession is the largest parade of its kind in the world, attended by half a million people.
Friday 16 to Sunday 25 Nov 2007 - London Jazz Festival
This is a uniquely international event with an immense spread of music performed live by an outstanding line-up of jazz musicians at venues ranging from the largest concert halls to the smallest clubs.
17 October- 1 November 2007 - London Film Festival
The Times BFI London Film Festival showcases the best new films from around the world, here in London.Presented by the BFI, the Festival celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2006. Originally conceived as a 'festival of festivals', screening a selection of strong titles from other European festivals, the first London Film Festival screened 15 films from an impressive array of directors, including Luchino Visconti, Akira Kurosawa and Andrzej Wajda.
7 February 2008- Chinese New Year
London is the home of the largest Chinese community in Europe. Each year there are Chinese New Year Celebrations in the area around Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square and Chinatown (Soho). Many thousands of people go to enjoy the free events throughout the afternoon.
Saturday, 2 March 2008- Oxford-Cambridge boat race
The boat race is one of the most popular events in the British sporting calendar, attracting a massive crowd of around 250,000 people to the banks of the River Thames between Putney and Mortlake.
14 March - 6 April 2008 - Ideal Home Show
This large exhibition focusses on interior decoration and design for the home and furniture for house and garden. This year's show theme will be 'Living by the water'.
Sunday, 13 April 2008 - London Marathon
Crowds of around half a million people line the 26.2 miles, offering shouts of encouragement. Pubs on the route link up with charities to provide their own entertainment. The festival atmosphere is added to by an array of bands and street entertainers.
25-29 April 2008 - The London Original Print Fair, Royal Academy of Arts
The London Original Print Fair, the longest-running specialist print fair in the world, will be celebrating twenty-two years at the Royal Academy of Arts. With eleven new exhibitors this year, the Fair is larger than ever and covers all periods of printmaking from the early woodcuts of Durer and his contemporaries to the graphic work of contemporary masters such as Hockney and Hirst.
May 2008 - London Doll's House Festival, Kensington Town Hall
More than 170 dolls house enthusiasts from around the world flock to this event. There are incredible items on sale, from working chandeliers to strung tennis rackets, and the display houses are truly astonishing.
Call: 020 7937 5464
21-24 June 2008 (tbc)- Greenwich + Docklands International Festival
This festival offers a wide range of extraordinary events across East London - best appreciated by a visit to the official website.
26th June 2008 (tbc)- The London Conference
This is an annual debate with the Mayor on issues of public interest in the city of London, ranging from transport, security and health, to housing, culture and the bid for the Olympics in 2012. Attended by 1100 London residents in 2003, access is free of charge.
June - July 2008 (tbc)- City of London Festival
Highlights include the world première of our specially commissioned opera, Bridgetower – A Fable of 1807, by jazz supremo Julian Joseph and writer Mike Phillips. It tells the story of a black violinist who studied with Haydn and gave the first performance of Beethoven’s Kreutzer Sonata with the composer at the piano. The Soweto Gospel Choir, following their triumph in the 2005 Festival, return to St Paul’s Cathedral, Sir Willard White performs his Tribute to Paul Robeson, in the Fishmongers’ Hall beside the River Thames, Heinrich Schiff performs all six of Bach’s Suites for solo cello, in the Georgian Great Hall of St Bart’s Hospital and St Bartholomew the Great in Historic West Smithfield and the LSO perform Berlioz’s epic Grande Messe des Morts in St Paul’s Cathedral.
Last weekend in June 2008 - Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships
Wimbledon is home to the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club who organise the world famous Wimbledon tennis tournament held in the last week of June and first week of July. The tennis complex in Church Road is also home to the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum. Here there is an impressive display of tennis material relating to the long history of the sport. On view are collections of tennis outfits, rackets, balls and other tennis memorabilia. Wimbledon championship trophies are also on display.
June through summer 2008 - Morris Dancing, Westminster Abbey
Pop to the gardens behind Westminster Abbey to see traditional English dancing taking place every Wednesday. Pre-dating Christianity, most Morris Dancing is performed in local villages. It is therefore unusual to have them performing in London.
Call: 020 7222 5152
June 2008 - Trooping the Colour
To celebrate Her Majesty The Queen's Birthday, there is a ceremony on Horse Guards Parade that takes place each year called Trooping the Colour. It consists of a colourful and historic military parade and march-past on Horse Guards Parade, which is in Whitehall.
Thursday, 10 July 2008 - Vintners’ Procession, Upper Thames Street
Members of the Worshipful Company of Vintners march in a procession through the City of London. At the front of the procession, two men in white smocks and top hats sweep the street with twig-brooms. This custom began in the days when London's streets were covered with dirt, and the vintners did not want to slip in the mess!
Call: 020 7236 1719
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