A local eye on the city’s music, arts & design schedule to help you ensure that summer goes out with a bang.

 

Notting Hill Carnival

Fee – Free//Notting Hill 27-28th August

This time of the year, take a walk down a North London neighbourhood, and you might just catch the twinkle of a steel drum as you pass the streets’ house fronts, community centres and recording spaces. Chances are, you’ve caught a sample of one of the many steel-pan groups that flood the streets of Notting Hill this time of the year. With a life spanning over half a century, the carnival is testament to the West-Indian and Caribbean presence in the city. Via floats and pop-up stages, ambassadors for every club and sound-system will arrive to showcase a taste of the London’s vast array of genres including, but not limited to reggae, dub and garage. Accompanied by an array of spectacularly dressed dancers and performers, these parades are the biggest date of the year for many of the city’s community projects. Amongst the music, from the front porches of locals to esteemed franchises, food-stalls offer a full menu of vibrant Central American, West Indian and Caribbean dishes. Taking place over the whole weekend, the Notting Hill Carnival is known for a faster pace on the Monday, so catch the Sunday for a family-oriented atmosphere.

 

Shuffle Film Festival

Fee – Free//Mile End London 26-27th August.

Shuffle is a catalogue of cultural bombshells. Featuring both modern cuts and cult classics, this year’s line-up gestures to iconic moments in the history both of London’s and the wider world’s culture. Get inside the hearts and minds of the city-dwellers as flicks – new and old project vivid expressions of its artistic, social and political direction. The festival also features work from beyond the film world, including a host of events from the world of music, theatre, comedy and literature. This festival breeds new international talent, so no matter your experience you’re sure to encounter something unexpected. Beyond the bounds of the traditional creative arts, karaoke, free messy play and kick-about football keep all the members of the family entertained. Elsewhere, free exhibitions and screenings feature a host of vibrant and universal topics from photography to science.

 

London Design Festival

Fee – Free//Citywide 16-24 Sept.

With the beginning of the London Design festival, the city is submerged with events related to all things design. Celebrating itself as the design capital of the world, the city’s most iconic buildings feature homages not only to the most influential contemporary designers of the age, but to the industry’s historical milestones. Discover how today’s most iconic music shows are conceived and get inside the mind of commercial designers in interactive sessions; from the big picture to the minute detail, the festival caters to every perspective. Elsewhere, the world’s most seminal designers gather at the Global Design Forum, reflecting progressive ideas with the everyday city. From the home interior to billion pound ventures, thinkers present their vision for a practice in communication with the changing priorities of the modern city. The festival includes free workshops, installations, exhibitions and trade shows, and content, which span multiple art forms including fashion, music and art. Crack open the classic landmarks of the city and delve into the conception of its iconic architecture as pop-up discussions, open houses and conceptual art pieces turn the city inside out, for your pleasure.

 

Written by: Alex Glendinning