Sydenham is the place to be this summer for arts festival fun - there's something happening almost every day from 6th June until 11th September, which is a phenomenal achievement before you even look at what those events are.
However, we'd be pretty bloody remiss if we didn't do that, so here we go with a choice selection: for theatre there's marital strife (and a Jamaican three-course meal for the audience) in The Colour of Deception, The Search for Love among isolated city-dwellers and an open-air performance of The Three Musketeers. Bookworms can hear about Gandhi or local writers, or just have fun at a book group party.
Music lovers must be licking their lips at the options: folk and bluegrass? Riotous balalaika? Cabaret Français? Barbershop? Arias or unsigned bands? And if you think you could do better than the lot of them there's always Sydenham's Got Talent. (Oh yes.)
There's time for crafting, exhibitions and open studios, comedy, open air cinema and lots of things to do with all the family. But the one thing we absolutely insist you head into SE26 for is the pavement beach on 7th August - who needs Paris Plage when the front of the Kirkdale Bookshop will be transformed into a sandy paradise?
Sydenham Arts Festival runs 6th June - 11th September at venues all over Sydenham. Have a browse of their website for more detail on what's going on.
