Princess Anne to declare the bowels open.
If you've ever had the urge to meander through a giant gut, then turn your attention to Paternoster Square at the end of the month. From 22-27 September 2025, the Square will be enlivened by Inside Out, the UK's first gut health and microbiome Festival. It will have a very unusual centrepiece.
The Great Gut, as it's been dubbed, will be "...very large, snake around the Square, and have sound effects." It'll also be free to enter. Visitors can enjoy the novel experience while learning about gut health and speculating on where exactly, if this were a real gut, the poopy end would discharge.
The wider festival will be officially opened by the Princess Royal on 23 September. In a sentence we never envisaged writing, Her Royal Highness will be among the first to step inside the monstrous, quivering bowels.
The inflatable innards will be just one part of the festival, which will also feature a week-long programme of free talks and events. 20 medics, scientists, chefs and nutritionists will take to the stage to explain the science behind gut flora, and how we might encourage a healthy microbiome. Plenty to digest.
Inside Out: Microbiome and Gut Health Festival runs in Paternoster Square 22-27 September 2025 and is free to enter. The festival is funded by the City of London Corporation.
