Twelve Weeks of Fun and Festivities for London 2012

The Watch This Space Festival took over Theatre Square down at London’s South Bank this weekend as the London 2012 Festival came to a close. The festival, which spanned 12 weeks of nationwide celebrations, was host to a multitude of acts, from sword swallowers to storytelling and all things in between. The National Theatre itself went ‘Inside Out’, bringing the calibre of performances you can usually see inside the building out onto the riverside spaces for all to enjoy for free.

Determined not to miss a thing, I spent most of the weekend perched on a step in the sun, strategically not too far from either the bar or the bathroom. Dancers, jugglers, acrobats, musicians and poets were amongst many more acts to keep the crowds cheering as the rain respectfully stayed away. The final evening culminated with The Stockholm Syndrome 2.1, a circus style fire display by The Burnt Out Punks, a self proclaimed group of overage rockers from Sweden. Hoop La La, a UK based acrobatic performance group incorporating hoops into all that they do, was amongst the highlights showing off their hooping skills and amazing gymnastic ability.

Accompanying the performances this weekend was a selection of food stalls offering a massive array of cuisines from around the world. The machete wielding coconut vendor was one not to be missed as was the impressive selection of vegan baked goods from Ruby Tuesdays of London. Alongside the edible treats on offer there was also a range of information services, keeping people up to date on the new East London Village, worldwide language and translation services and Davidstow’s new mature cheddar cheese (of which free samples kept me and many others fed throughout the weekend).

Although the 9th of September was the last official day of the London 2012 Festival, the acts themselves can always be caught doing their thing in various places around the world. With many more festivals yet to come before the official end of summer, you’ve still got plenty more chances to catch them this year. As per usual with festivals held at the South Bank it was a relaxed and happy atmosphere that was without any serious problems. If you’re new to London and haven’t been down to check it out then add it to your to-do list for next weekend!