Soak up the florals in Belgravia

Everyone’s favourite flower festival has returned this week, offering eight days packed full of florals, colour and giant animalistic installations. 

This year’s theme ‘Into the Wild’ sees Belgravia in Bloom partner with London Wildlife Trust to celebrate all creatures great and small. Nodding to the Coronation, it commemorates the ‘Kings’ and ‘Queens’ of the jungle using biodiversity-boosting plants and flowers in the installations. Expect everything from pandas and peacocks to tigers, monkeys and snakes, all recreated as floral figures. 

Running until bank holiday Monday, there’s plenty to get involved with, from botanical-themed food and drink menus to workshops, events and offers across the neighbourhood’s shops and restaurants. Highlights include The Biscuiteers’ floral-themed icing masterclasses; Peggy Porschen’s underwater utopia; wilderness-themed workshops with MasterPeace; and complimentary samples at luxury perfumery Les senteurs.

When: Running until 29.05.2023
Where: Across Belgravia 
Website: www.belgravialdn.com

Take a visit to the Photographers’ Gallery’s new exhibition

For the budding photographers out there, venture over to The Photographers’ Gallery’s latest exhibition showcasing work from acclaimed Lebanese photo artist and filmmaker, Fouad Elkoury. 

On display until July, Elkoury’s photographic collection explores the turbulent past of the Middle East, as well as documenting the daily life at present. The work captures the chaos of conflict and devastation, as well as moments of joy, resilience and mundanity of daily life. 

When: Running until 09.07.2023
Where: The Photographers’ Gallery, 16-18 Ramillies Street, W1F 7LW 
Website: www.thephotographersgallery.org.uk

Dance it up at London’s first festival of the season

Festival is finally upon us and this weekend sees London’s first weekender of the season arrive. Taking over Brockwell Park once again will be Wide Awake London. 

Offering up something a little different, Wide Awake is an independent festival offering you the chance to discover a mix of bigger up-and-coming names and indie artists. 

This year’s line-up includes Caroline Polachek, Alex G, Osees, Oneohtrix Point Never, Daniel Avery and Shygirl.

When: 27.05.2023
Where: Brockwell Park
Website: www.wideawakelondon.co.uk

Party it up at Ally Pally’s 150th birthday party

Mark history this weekend and head to Ally Pally to celebrate the venue’s historic past. Celebrating its epic 150th anniversary, this Saturday’s birthday bash is going all out. 

Expect a series of live music, DJs, tours, talks, family entertainment and excitement across the Park and Palace. 

Running all day, entry is free with a number of paid-for activities available to book online.

When: 27.05.2023
Where: Alexandra Palace, Alexandra Palace Way, N22 7AY 
Website: www.alexandrapalace.com

Try out this Italian foodie takeover

Can’t make it to Rome this bank holiday? Eataly will be bringing the Italian city to London thanks to its trattoria residence. Awarded a prestigious Michelin Bib Gourmand, this is the first time L’Oste Della Bon’Ora will be coming to London. 

Taking over Eataly’s Terra restaurant on Thursday 25th and Friday 26th offering a special limited-edition menu, featuring the likes of crema di zucchine romanesche con pancetta e porcorino (Romanesque zucchini cream with crispy pancetta and pecorino cheese); tonnarello cacio e pepe (fresh long pasta with cacio cheese and black cracked pepper); and saltimabocca di vitello alla romana con salvia (Roman-style veal cutlets wrapped in crispy prosciutto and fragrant sage leaves). 

On Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th, the team will be moving over to Pizza e Pasta for an alternative limited-run menu, featuring traditional Roman-style dishes so good you won’t find anywhere else in the city.

When: 25.05.2023 – 28.05.2023 
Where: Eataly, 135 Bishopsgate, EC2M 3YD 
Website: www.eataly.co.uk 

Book in for this boozy bottomless party

If you love all things bottomless, you’ll want to book yourself in for Bounce’s mega bank holiday party. Taking over the Old Street site on Sunday 28th, DJ Sam Savage will be playing a live DJ set all afternoon long. 

From 3-5pm, the ping pong venue will be offering exclusively bottomless to ticket holders only. Think bottomless prosecco, bottomless beer, bottomless espresso martinis, porn star martinis and purple rain and bottomless pizza.

There’ll also be free-play ping pong and tournaments to jump into too. What more could you want?

When: 28.05.2023
Where: Bounce, 241 Old Street, EC1V 9EY 
Book here

Try Chelsea Flower Show-inspired menus

It’s floral season and how better to celebrate than spending your weekend tucking into Chelsea Flower Show-inspired menus. 

This week the capital is bursting at the seams with limited-edition specials, from floral-inspired set menus to colourful cocktails and installations, all inspired by this year’s ‘Flowers On Film’ theme. We’ve put together a list of our favourites below…

8 Chelsea Flower Show-Inspired Menus To Try

Dive into dishes at this foodie festival

One of the UK’s most popular food festivals, The Big Feastival has been a smash hit since Alex James launched it back in 2011.

Hosted on the rock star’s Cotswolds farm, this year’s musical line-up includes Sigrid, Tom Grennan and Blossoms. Foodies can get their chops around dishes and demonstrations from the likes of Asma Akan, Nathan Outlaw, Ching He Huang, Becky Excell, Big Zuu, Max La Mamma, Lizzie Ackr and Lisa Goodwin-Allen.

When: 25.05.2023 – 27.05.2023
Where: Alex James’ Farm, Kingham, Oxfordshire, OX7 6UJ 
Website: www.thebigfeastival.com

Soak up Tate St Ives’ newest exhibit

Venturing over to Cornwall for the half term hols? On your sunny vacation, take a trip to Tate St Ives to soak up the major exhibition charting the artists of Casablanca Art School. It’s the first exhibition in the UK to explore the period of rebirth following Morocco’s independence during the 1960s and 1970s. 

Following works by 21 artists, this exhibition brings together everything from abstract paintings and urban murals to typography, graphics and interior design.

For more art outside of London, check out these exhibitions across the UK. 

When: 27.05.2023 – 14.01.2024
Where: Tate St Ives, Porthmeor Beach, St Ives, Cornwall, TR26 1TG 
Website: www.tate.org.uk

Let the kids imagination run wild at this international children’s festival

Admittedly if you’re travelling out of London for this one it’s a little far but well worth the visit if you have the time and opportunity this half-term break. Edinburgh International Children’s Festival returns this weekend, complete with an exciting line-up of family-friendly adventures.

Running all through the half term, this week-long celebration is filled with theatre performances, comedy and touching stories that hope to inspire and entertain.  

When: 27.05.2023 – 04.06.2023
Where: Across Edinburgh 
Website: www.imaginate.org.uk