Preview: The Mayor's Thames Festival 2012

By Sponsor Last edited 139 months ago
Preview: The Mayor's Thames Festival 2012

This post is produced in association with the Mayor’s Thames Festival.


London's annual free end-of-summer festival takes place on the closing weekend of the London 2012 Games topping off a summer like no other with celebratory events from the London Eye to St Katharine Docks.

There's a huge array of free activities, entertainment and spectacle across the weekend of 8-9 September. Here's just a flavour of what's on offer:

Take in a dramatic choral performance aboard HMS Belfast, cheer on barge-driving races, witness an extraordinary performance using ships’ horns with Lower Reach Sounding between Tower Bridge and London Bridge.

Get excited about the next hosts of the summer Olympic Games with an Homage to Rio near the OXO Tower including a massive Rio-style float, carnival performances and Brazilian DJ vibes. Listen to One Thousand Pans played in Jubilee Gardens and watch the amazing Circolombia perform at More London near Tower Bridge.

Fire clay pots on the Bankside foreshore, take an archaeological walk and handle objects found in the mud of the Thames. Try interactive audio installation Lost & Sound, wielding a specially adapted metal detector and help clean up the river with Thames 21.

Hone your photography skills with free Thames Lens masterclasses, join a traditional Korean wedding celebration and watch non-stop street theatre, circus and cabaret performance outside the National Theatre.

Explore the Blue Ribbon Village river and environmental zone, the Rivers of the World outdoor exhibition and watch a folk dance performance from the Tohoku (northern) region of Japan, an area that was devastated by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

The Night Carnival on Sunday evening is an annual highlight. Follow the extraordinary illuminated parade of 1,500 dancers, drummers, lantern-carriers and costumed masqueraders featuring music, dance and carnival from Blackfriars Bridge to Victoria Embankment or find yourself a prime viewing position for the Fireworks Finale between Blackfriars and Waterloo Bridges from 10.30pm.

The Mayor's Thames Festival takes place on Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 September. Check the website for the full programme and event timings: thamesfestival.org

Last Updated 22 August 2012