What To Do Over The Bank Holiday Weekend
Notting Hill Carnival
GET READY TO DANCE:
Notting Hill Carnival
Notting Hill Carnival returns for another year of music, dancing and epic street food. From Saturday to Monday, visitors can enjoy the parades, dance at various pop-ups from Ladbroke Grove to Kensal Road, and watch the annual steel band competition. Head to the main stages for performances over the weekend – don’t miss the legendary Calypso Tent – and try Caribbean street food from over 300 vendors, including pop-ups at Trini Corner which has the best selection. On Sunday 27th there’s the annual children’s parade followed by the all-day Sound Systems party with reggae, soca and samba music. If that wasn't enough, hair stylist and Notting Hill local Charlotte Mensah will open a pop-up braid bar at her salon on Portobello Road where you can get your hair done while enjoying an Equiano Rum cocktail.
Various sites
Visit NHCarnival.org
SEE AN EXHIBITION:
Brushstrokes to Brands at Museum of Brands
Notting Hill’s Museum of Brands has opened an exhibition of work by painter Steven Smith. The Lancashire-born artist works in oils and captures everyday places and objects. The exhibit includes still-life oil paintings of confectionery wrappers, nostalgia and mega-brands like Nestlé, Coca-Cola, Jack Daniel’s, Mars and Heinz. Don’t miss the museum’s main collection to see how other brands have evolved over the last 200 years. Tickets cost £9 for adults and £5 for kids.
111-117 Lancaster Road, Notting Hill, W11 1QT; until 25th November
Visit MuseumOfBrands.com
©mr.tripper
LET LOOSE:
Stereo Bank Holiday Party
Covent Garden’s newest bar Stereo is hosting a bank holiday weekend party on Saturday from 8pm until late. The bar and live music venue, run by hospitality brand Experimental Group, will welcome house and techno DJ Seth Troxler who’s played at Glastonbury, Tomorrowland and Roskilde, and held residencies at institutions like Ibiza’s DC10 and Output in NYC. The house band will warm up the stage before Seth takes to the decks. Guests can enjoy dinner beforehand or book a table for drinks. Tickets cost £25.
35 The Piazza, Covent Garden, WC2E 8BE
Visit RA.co
TRY NEW FLAVOURS:
Moth Pina Colada Bus
Canned cocktail brand Moth has created a Piña Colada Van – an old-school ice-cream van which has been turned into a 70s-inspired cocktail serving machine. The van will be stationed at Peckham Arches from Friday to Sunday this weekend. Order piña coladas while DJs spin tunes, then tuck into sourdough pizzas and street food from the venue’s kitchen. There’s even a pizza inspired by the cocktail and topped with chilli-pickled pineapple and prosciutto, as well as a sweet pizza with rum-braised pineapple, coconut ice-cream and mint. Next weekend (Friday 1st to Sunday 3rd September) the van will park beneath the Brighton i360 tower on the promenade.
Blenheim Grove, Peckham, SE15 4QN; Lower Kings Road, Brighton, BN1 2LN
Visit MothDrinks.com
MEET THE GIRLS:
Good Times at Alexandra Palace
On Sunday 27th August legendary DJ Norman Jay will host an all-day party at Alexandra Palace. Jay will bring his Carnival-famous Good Times Routemaster bus sound system to Ally Pally’s terrace for an open-air bank holiday party. He’ll be joined by a string of DJs dropping house, groove, jazz, disco, hip hop, and drum ’n’ bass tunes. Order craft beers and cocktails from the bar, and nab food from The Terrace like bao buns, burgers and fried chicken. Tickets cost £24.
Alexandra Palace Way, Alexandra Palace, N22 7AY
Visit AlexandraPalace.com
Norman Jay & Monster-Lloyd Winters
ENJOY BOTTOMLESS PIZZA:
The Gantry Hotel
This Saturday from 7pm to 9pm, The Gantry hotel in Stratford will serve cocktails and bottomless pizzas on its terrace. Guests can order margheritas or pizza with toppings like pepperoni, jalapeños, white truffle and mushrooms. Choose from Botanist Gin cocktails like ‘The Wild Garden’ with elderflower and apple or ‘Botanist Bubbles’ with Passoa, lemonade, fresh passionfruit and prosecco. Tickets cost £35pp.
40 Celebration Avenue, Stratford, E20 1DB
Visit TheGantryLondon.com
TRY A NEW WORKOUT:
House of Voga at Treehouse Hotel
On Saturday 26th August, fitness collective House of Voga will host a class as The Nest at Treehouse Hotel. The class will be a fusion of yoga and dance set to an up-tempo playlist. Suitable for all ages and fitness levels, it’s a unique cardio experience that will get your heart racing and help stretch the body. Stay for a complimentary hot drink or juice, or book brunch afterwards for Mexican-inspired dishes and cocktails.
14-15 Langham Place, Marylebone, W1B 2QS
Visit DesignMyNight.com
UPDATE YOUR WARDROBE:
Varley Store Opening
We love Varley’s contemporary womenswear, so we were pleased to hear the brand is opening its first store on the King's Road on Friday 25th August. Customers can shop the new collection which features elevated sweatshirts, jackets, jumpsuits and gym sets, as well as fleeces, puffer jackets and accessories like trainers, sports bags and caps. We’ve got our eye on the comfy running leggings and matching sports bras.
110-112 King's Road, Chelsea, SW3 4TX
Visit UK.Varley.com
TAKE THE KIDS:
Hampton Court Palace Food Festival
The famous Grade-I listed home of Henry VIII and his wives will keep kids entertained for hours. Less than an hour outside London, visitors can take a tour around the vast estate, including the beautiful gardens and historic maze, and learn about life at court in the 16th century. Over the next few weeks, there’s a medieval-inspired jousting tournament, a minibeast hunt and the Hampton Court Palace Food Festival (26th-28th August) with over 150 brands, pop-up food and drinks stalls, and live music. Kids can also play in the Magic Garden adventure playground filled with mythical beasts.
Hampton Court Way, East Molesey, KT8 9AU
Visit HRP.org.uk
ORDER ICE-CREAM:
Covent Garden Frozen Festival
Covent Garden’s Frozen Festival returns to the neighbourhood today. Over the next two weeks, visitors can try new and exclusive ice-cream and gelato flavours on the Piazza from over 30 restaurants, cafés and stalls like Bubble Bros, Crosstown, Ladurée and Anita Gelato. Look out for the Kocktail pop-up inspired by Wes Anderson's Asteroid City and offering frozen margaritas and negronis; matcha and charcoal ice-cream from Soft Serve Society at Seven Dials Market; and affogato at Chestnut Bakery.
Various sites; until 4th September
Visit CoventGarden.London
DISCLAIMER: We endeavour to always credit the correct original source of every image we use. If you think a credit may be incorrect, please contact us at info@sheerluxe.com.