This Bank Holiday Weekend in London is pure gold with so many things to do with the kids we could hardly fit it all in!
Breakin’ Convention at Sadler’s Wells, Canalway Cavalcade, Screaming with Laughter (Parent and Baby Comedy) in Crouch End, Little Howard at the Udderbelly Festival, African Market at Spitalfields, Disco Kids and Baby Rave…
And the weather’s looking pretty good too. Have a great one!
FEATURED: HOT TICKET (COMING SOON)
Book now for the upcoming tour of Ga Ga Theatre’s Up and Down, a magical adaptation of the best-loved book by Oliver Jeffers about the continuing adventures of a boy and his penguin pal. Up and Down brings the story to life in vivid colour with cinema projections as part of the show. After playing to packed houses and rave reviews last year, the production hits London from May 20 at Hammersmith Riverside Studios, Phoenix Cinema East Finchley, Curzon Cinema Richmond and Curzon Cinema Chelsea. Find out more at www.gagatheatre.co.uk
Thu-Sun: Skitterbang Island at Little Angel Theatre (main pic), 14 Dagmar Passage, N1 2DN (Angel tube)
Opera and puppets? Take the kids along to Skitterbang Island, a strange corner of the world where the Skitterbang lives in a cave full of junk. Find out what happens to a little girl that gets washed up there in this delightful collaboration between Polka Theatre and Little Angel Theatre, filled with music and spectacle. For ages 3-8. 10.30am & 1pm (Wed-Thu), 1pm & 5pm (Fri); 11am & 2pm (Sat-Sun) :adult £12/child & concs. £10; Friday Fives £5 (Fri 5pm shows); baby-friendly performances on Suns at 11am, also Sat May 10th and Thu May 29th May, both at 11am. (until Jun 15)
Fri: Screaming with Laughter: Parent and Baby Comedy at Earl Haig Hall, Elder Avenue, N8 9TH (Hornsey tube)
Another baby friendly activity to pack into your schedule, as Screaming with Laughter comes to Crouch End. MC Lucy Porter and acts including Lloyd Griffith do stand-up for a grateful, sleep-deprived crowd. Suitable for parents/carers with babies under the age of 1. Doors 12pm, show 1-2.30pm with 20 min. interval, £8/babies FREE (May 2)
Sat: Little Howard and the Magic Pencil of Life and Death at Udderbelly Festival, Southbank Centre, SE1 8XX (Waterloo/Embankment tube)
The Udderbelly Festival is back showcasing the ever popular Little Howard in his doom-laden discovery of the pencil that drew him and the eraser that could wipe him out. To top it off Big Howard has had a real life baby, another threat to Little Howard’s future! Hilarity ensues for ages 6+. While you’re at the South Bank, pop into the Campo Viejo Streets of Spain fiesta of food and wine or tuck in for lunch at the Real Food Market. Show at 4.15pm, £10-£15 (until Jun 15)
Sat: May Day on the Docks at Museum of London Docklands, No 1 Warehouse, West India Quay, London E14 4AL (West India Quay DLR/Canary Wharf tube)
Celebrate the spring festival with an afternoon of family fun where you can hear spring stories, make paper bouquets, build a Jack in the Green for the May Day procession and more. 11-4pm, FREE (May 3)
Sat-Sun: Pick Me Up Art Fair: Children’s Choice Weekend at Somerset House, Strand, WC2R 1LA (Charing Cross tube)
The last weekend of the popular art fair brings family activities in the form of a day of reading and drawing with Rastamouse (Sat) and a Tiger’s Tea Party with artist Gareth Owen Lloyd. Plus more fun for grown-ups and the chance to pick up a bargain work by up and coming artists. Fair open 10am-6pm, family activities 11-5pm (Sat-Sun); activities free with Pick Me Up entry £10/£8 concs/festival pass £17 – spaces limited, arrive early! (May 3-4)
Sat-Mon: Breakin Convention at Sadler’s Wells, Rosebery Avenue, EC1R 4TN (Angel tube)
Poppers, lockers, krumpers, B-boys and fly girls converge at Sadler’s Wells for another year of hip hop culture at its finest. Hosted/curated by Jonzi D, the Breakin’ Convention features freestyle foyer sessions, DJs, workshops, live spray can art. Under 5s welcome! Daytime workshops for all stages from 10.30am (Sat-Sun, £10 only); a Hip Hop Retrospective talks and short films 1.30-3.30pm (Sun, £5/FREE for ticket holders); doors open from 4pm, live shows from 6pm (Sat-Sun) & 6.30pm (Mon). £15 (standing)-£20 (seated) (May 3-5)
Sat-Mon: May Family Fun Weekend & Pirate Party in Greenwich at Cutty Sark, King William Walk, Greenwich SE10 9HT and National Maritime Museum, Romney Rd, G’wich SE10 9NF (Greenwich rail/DLR)
Shake up a storm and create your own adventures all weekend at Cutty Sark. On Monday there’s a swashbuckling good time at the Pirate Party filled with storytelling, activities and prizes for best costumes. 11am-4pm, Cutty Sark entry adult £13.50/child age 3+ £7; Pirate Party £15 per person/under 3s FREE (May 3-5)
Sat-Mon: Canalway Cavalcade, Little Venice, Paddington, W9 (Warwick Ave tube)
Every year London’s waterways are transformed for this celebration that features loads of family activities including kayaking and boating classes, Morris Dancers, Puppet Theatre Barge shows, floating classroom. For all ages there’s live music throughout, real ale bar, entertainments marquee and the highlight of a spectacular illuminated procession of boats along the canal (9pm, Sun). 10am-6pm (Sat-Sun), 10am-5pm (Mon), FREE (May 3-5)
Sun: Disco Kids Spacetacular at The Albany, Douglas Way, Deptford, SE8 4AG (Deptford/New Cross overground)
‘May the Fourth be with you’ is the tagline for this ‘intergalactic’ boogie adventure, calling all space explorers and dance floor stars ages 7 and under. DJ Jean Genie and C-12 Dance will be keeping it nice, and the party’s threatening to spill out into the garden! 2-5pm, £6/family £20 (May 4)
Sun: StreetFest at Forman’s Fish Island, Hackney Wick, E3 2NT (Hackney Wick overground)
The UK’s biggest festival of urban culture is back with a boom bap, with an exciting mix of graffiti talent, underground music, skateboarder and BMX showcases, beatboxing battles, fashion and more. Ms Dynamite headlines, Nailfest Collective is on the mani-pedis, there are creative workshops for all ages and abilities, and make sure you don’t miss the street food! 1-11pm, £18 (May 4)
Mon: African Market Bank Holiday Festival at Old Spitalfields Market, 16 Horner Square, E1 6EW (Liverpool St tube)
Immerse yourself in food, fashion and family fun with an African flavour at this brilliant sounding day out hosted by Open the Gate. There will be kids activities, face painting, drumming workshops, West African storytelling, live bands, DJs, catwalk shows and tons of tons of stalls selling African clothing, arts, crafts, natural hair products and of course FOOD. 11am-5pm, FREE entry (May 5)
Mon: Breakin Convention Park Jam 2014 at Spa Fields Park, Northampton Rd, EC1R 0DF (Angel tube)
Back for the second year running, Jonzi D brings hip hop beats, culture and flavour to Spa Fields for a free family day filled with music, DJs, live graffiti, b-boying, street stalls and more. Jeru the Damaja on the mic! 12.30-4.30pm, FREE (May 5)
Mon: Baby Rave May Day Summer Send Off at Pirate Castle, Oval Rd, NW1 7EA (Camden Rd overground/Camden Town tube)
Get down with the newest wave of groove babies at this monthly lock-side shindig for families with children as young as 6 months. Let all your hair down for the last party of the season! 3.30-5pm, adult £6 or £7 with free drink/child £4 or £5/non-walkers FREE (May 5)
We also like
Show off your pooch at The Great Hampstead Bark Off on Hampstead Heath (Sat, 10.30am, £5 per entry); dip in for Pond Weekend at London Wetland Centre in Barnes (Sat-Mon); there’s a Funfair at Ally Pally (Sat-Mon, 12-7pm, child £1 entry); Wandsworth Arts Festival; celebrate Vaisakhi Festival in Trafalgar Square (Sun, 12-6pm, FREE); or Sing Along with Disney’s Aladdin at Prince Charles Cinema, Leicester Square (Sun, 4pm, £13.50)
May Family Events Calendar coming soon!
Honest Mum
Ooh so much fun to be had-pirate party sound like fun! Have a fab long weekend gorgeous x