
London Pleasure Gardens – Opening Weekend!
The London Pleasure Gardens open this weekend, a fab riverside venue at Pontoon Dock which over the next couple of months will host amazing events such as the Paradise Gardens Festival, the BT River of Music (Africa Stage), and the Last Mile Festival.
Throw in a celebration of architecture and Europe’s largest Latin Festival, and we think you’re pretty much fixed for the summer. Check out our highlights below…
They Say:
The London Pleasure Gardens is a stunning waterfront location that hosts everything from world-class music artists and DJs to circus and promenade performances, film screenings, live art, community engagement projects and family activities.
Paradise Gardens Festival | 30th June & 1st July @ London Pleasure Gardens, Pontoon Dock | FREE
We read this:
Spectacular pyrotechnic theatre, live music & DJs, epic visual arts, pop-up performances, sideshows, the Silly Olympics, a village fete, a Ballroom, a vintage fun-fair, a craft market, cocktail bar and specialist food from around the world…
And we thought “Hello!”
We’re particularly excited about: The World Famous present Silo D, because we’re pyromaniacs at heart and we love a bit of a firework-spectacular; The Ballroom Tea Dance with London Swingdance Society; and Cabaret legend Ida Barr leading a Guinness World Record attempt for the largest ever Hokey Cokey!!! Get your name in the record books at 5pm on Saturday (Main Stage).
Check out the online programme here for all the other great things going on this weekend, including a handy map – we’ll definitely be there!
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BT River of Music – Africa Stage | 21st & 22nd July @ London Pleasure Gardens, Pontoon Dock | FREE(ish, there’s a £3 handling fee)
The Pleasure Gardens are hosting the Africa Stage of one of the more ambitious parts of the 2012 Festival. Stars of African music will join emerging new voices to create what promises to be a pretty amazing two days of live music. Featuring Staff Benda Bilili, King Sunny Ade, The Noisettes, Angelique Kidjo, Justin Adams and Baaba Maal amongst others.
Click here for more info, and click here to register for tickets.
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Last Mile Festival | 28th July until 12th August @ London Pleasure Gardens, Pontoon Dock | £TBC
If you like your Olympic sport with a bit of culture on the side, this is where to spend the games. There’ll be live sport on big screens, but plenty to distract you if you get bored in the middle of, say, the 50km Walk.
Cabaret: Tonight…At The Pleasure Gardens (Hugo Desmerais, Ida Barr, John Hegley, Feeding the Fish…), The Cuban Brothers, Jashgawronsky Brothers
Circus: Atempo Circ, Albadulake
Music: Groove Armada, The Beat, Horsemeat Disco, Artful Badger
Plus, the London premiere of the Muare-Voala Project (aerial performance, looks pretty spectacular), a spot of free-climbing from Les Lezards Bleus, and a few rounds of ChessBoxing.
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Also, watch out for the Carnaval del Pueblo and the London Festival of Architecture – and all the Pleasure Gardens events are listed here.
And finally, a video and some pictures:

I am Joint Editor at To Do List. I like: nice pubs, film marathons, not doing real marathons, bad comedy, plays/musicals with shorter second halves, and the Oxford comma.
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