What To Do This Weekend: 12th-14th August
With the Rio Olympics now a week in, it’s no surprise that London is embracing Brazil whole-heartedly – mainly in the form of rum, cachaça and caipirinhas. This weekend is no different; Ben’s Canteen have launched a Rio-inspired brunch menu and Tooting is going all tropical with a pop-up rum shack. Free ribs (yes, free) from Bodeans Old Street on Friday lunch time will kick things off pretty nicely before a weekend of craft beer, street food, Italian celebrations and Wembley’s colourful Holi festival.
Bodean's
Free Bodean’s BBQ Ribs
Two words: Free. Ribs. At this point you probably don’t need us to tell you that they’re not just any ribs but Bodean’s oak-smoked pork ribs served with their signature fries and house sauce in a takeout box to enjoy at your leisure. Look out for the van as it pulls up on Westland Place (round the corner from Bodean’s Old Street) at midday on Friday and even though they are promising £2,000 worth of ribs, Londoners are a notoriously piggy lot – once they’re gone, they’re really gone.
Friday 12th August from midday
Where: Bodean’s van, Westland Place, Shoreditch, EC1V
Website: www.bodeansbbq.com
KERB Camden Market
London’s Best Street Food
Camden’s market credentials are well known but this weekend they will welcome a new kid to the block, or should we say kerb. KERB, the go-to food market in Paddington, King’s Cross and the Gherkin is promising the greatest line up yet at their new home in Camden; 35 traders open 7 days a week from 11am till late. The opening party this Friday will get things off with a bang – sample the mouth-wateringly great Fundi Pizza, Mother Clucker chicken and Luardos burritos.
From Friday 12th August
Where: Camden Lock Place, Camden, NW1 8AF
Website: www.kerbfood.com
London Craft Beer Festival
Craft Beer Festival
Beer fans worth their… pint will be at the London Craft Beer Festival this weekend, sampling the finest beers from more than 30 independent breweries. Taking place from Friday to Sunday, the festival, which is now in its fourth year, is a well deserved celebration of such a humble drink. Participating brewers include Fullers, Bermondsey’s The Kernel Brewery and Denmark’s Ebeltoft Gaardbryggeri, invited to serve their ‘Straight Outta Boston’ IPA. Food is prepared on site; hearty BBQ onglet steak, slow-cooked pulled brisket bun and big apple pork franks will soak up the hops.
Friday 12th – Sunday 14th August
Where: 29-32 The Oval, Kennington, E2 9DT
Website: www.londoncraftbeerfestival.co.uk
Ben's Canteen
Rio-inspired Brunch
You’d struggle to find a Clapham/Battersea/Earlsfield local who doesn’t count Ben’s Canteen as a favourite brunch spot – the Bloody Mary’s destroy any hangover. They have just announced a new Rio-inspired brunch so you can send your support to Team GB as you bite into a Pichana steak, papaya and coconut granola or sip the specially created cachaça cocktail.
Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday in August
Where: Various
Website: www.benscanteen.com
Spotlight Festival at Seven Dials
Music, Magicians and Prosecco
The West End’s Seven Dials is diverting the traffic for one day only this weekend to make way for an open-air festival of culture. Saturday’s programme of events includes crazy golf, magicians, free flower crowns and a prosecco garden. George Lamb will be compèring from the main stage in between performances by the cast of Motown the Musical and upcoming musicians. Neighbouring shops and restaurants are also getting involved with exclusive discounts and prizes throughout the day.
Saturday 13th August, 12-7pm
Where: Seven Dials, Covent Garden, WC2H 9HD
Website: www.sevendials.co.uk
Holi One
The Most Colourful Saturday
It’s one of those things you aways see after it’s happened and promise to plan so that next year you can participate – it’s that time again. The most colourful event you’ll ever take part in, Holi One is coming to Wembley Park on Saturday to celebrate culture through music, dance and endless clouds of colourful powder (which is made from rice flour and uses natural, non-toxic dyes so it’s safe for the environment). Wear white and prepare to get messy, the organisers do say the colour comes out after a spin in the washing machine but avoid your favourite top just in case.
Saturday 13th August, 12-10pm
Where: Wembley Park, Engineers Way, Wembley, HA9 0TU
Website: www.holione.com
The Castle
Rum Shack Pop-Up
The Castle in Tooting Broadway is well known for its huge outdoor area and this weekend it is set to be even better as they host the Don Papa rum shack. With a promise of ‘no hum drum rum’ you can enjoy classic rum cocktails including mojitos and cuba libres or try something different like a rum and ginger ale. Tooting has never been so tropical.
Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th August
Where: 38 Tooting High Street, Tooting Broadway, SW17 0RG
Website: www.castletooting.com
69 Colebrook Row
Italian Street Party
On Sunday, Italians will celebrate their national holiday, Ferragosto, but if you’ve just touched down from your Italian adventures, don’t worry – you can still celebrate. Islington cocktail bar, 69 Colebrook Row (aka The Bar With No Name) is hosting a charity street party complete with homemade limoncello, deck chairs and live music from the bar’s resident jazz quartet, all whilst raising money for local charity, Islington Giving. Food will be provided by local restaurants including Bellanger and, because no Italian party is complete without gelato, Poco Gelato are coming to the rescue with their organic milk ice cream.
Sunday 14th August from 2pm
Where: 69 Colebrook Row, Islington, N1 8AA
Website: www.69colebrookerow.com
Check out our guides to August pop-ups and how you can celebrate the Rio Olympics.
