London's so-called 'summer like no other' reaches a final, exultant huzzah this weekend with The Mayor's Thames Festival.
The anual riverine celebrations draw in all of the cultural centres along the South Bank with dozens of events and exhibitions to stumble across. Here are a few of the many highlights:
- All day Sat/Sun: All the Korean art and cuisine you can possibly lust for, in front of Tate Modern.
- All day Sat/Sun: Pop into the National Theatre anytime to watch inventive dance groups as part of the Watch This Space Festival.
- 12-4pm Sat/Sun: Use metal detectors to uncover a buried sound installation on the foreshore near the National Theatre.
- 8pm/9pm, Sat/Sun: XX Scharnhorst is a theatrical and musical performance reflecting on HMS Belfast's past.
- 12-10pm Sat: Columbian acrobatics in the Scoop at More London.
- 11am-4pm Sat: See pots made from Thames clay, perching on fires made from Thames driftwood, near the Globe.
- 12pm/2.30pm Sat: Take a trip on the wooden sailing barge Lady Daphne. Some tickets still available, and a handful on the day. Additional times on Sunday.
- 8.45pm Sat: Artist Richard Wilson has put together a musical performance using ship horns. Could be brilliant, could make your ears bleed. Find out between London and Tower Bridges.
- 1-5pm Sun: Watch lightermen and newcomers race barges down the Thames between Tower and Westminster bridges.
- 7.15pm Sun: Catch the Festival carnival on and around Blackfriars Bridge, with over 1,500 performers.
- 10.30pm Sun: After the carnival, stick around for the fireworks finale between Blackfriars and Waterloo bridges. A second, shorter display will also take place near Tower Bridge at the same time, to mark the end of the Paralympics.
Check out the full schedule here.
Image by Ray Wise via the Thames Festival website.
