French street performance group, Générik Vapeur, invite you to join their travelling procession through the Square Mile on an imaginary journey to the Pacific Ocean to show you why plastic isn’t fantastic for the environment.
The group’s UK debut of Thank You For Having Us links up with the high-flying trapeze troupe, Gorilla Circus, in a show featuring breath-taking acrobatics and high-wire stunts to transform the City’s streets into an open air circus for all the family.
Kids will also love going on the adventure trail of the Big Fat Poo Bergers, courtesy of mischief-makers, Bureau of Silly Ideas, and inspired by ‘The Great Stink’ of 1858. The Bureau’s Bio Organism Substrate Industries will help them sniff out the Poo Bergers that are threatening the civil and ecological state of our sewers!
The events, which have been created to celebrate the 200th birthday of Sir Joseph Bazalgette, who designed London’s sewer network, are guaranteed to encourage curious children to find out more about his (fantastic) feat of engineering.
Prepare to suspend your disbelief when you visit ‘The London That Never Was’ at Guildhall Art Gallery, which reveals outlandish proposals for buildings in the capital, including a 300ft pyramid on the site of Trafalgar Square and an airport at Westminster.
These family-friendly and free events form part of Fantastic Feats: the building of London, an immersive, creative, and inclusive outdoor art, music and dance programme to celebrate architectural and engineering firsts in London.
See the season’s summer holiday family highlights, in date order below. Fantastic Feats runs till 1 December 2019. To view the full programme, click here or follow @visitthecity or #FantasticFeats
www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/fantasticfeats
Thank you for Having Us by Générik Vapeur and Gorilla Circus
French street performance group, Générik Vapeur and UK Grand Volant Flying Trapeze specialists Gorilla Circus will explore the impact of plastic on the environment, in a travelling procession through the Square Mile, taking visitors on an imaginary journey to the island of plastic waste in the Pacific Ocean. Sponsored by the Cheapside Business Alliance and in partnership with Thames Water and Thames Festival Trust (as part of the Totally Thames Festival).
When: 7 September
Where: Within the vicinity of Cheapside
How much: free
nonclassical in Sky Gardens
Working with a number of artists from across the new music scene, music promoter, record label and events producer nonclassical will bring the best new classical, experimental and electronic music to the City skyline, with a series of performances, and DJ sets. Taking place at London’s iconic sky garden at One Poultry.
When: 10 September
Where: One Poultry, London EC2R 8JR
How much: free
Bureau of Silly Idea’s Big Fat Poo Berger
To celebrate the 200th birthday of Sir Joseph Bazalgette, creator of London’s sewer network, Bureau of Silly Ideas will be exploring the senses with water, smells, pipes, and sewers, culminating in a ‘seweriffic’ spectacular running from 19-22 September. In partnership with Tideway and Thames Festival Trust (as part of the Totally Thames Festival). Sponsored by Thames Water.
When: 19 – 22 September
Where: Aldgate Square, Aldgate High Street, London EC3N 1AF
How much: free
The London that Never Was by London Metropolitan Archives
For the aspiring historians, this exhibition will present the plans and drawings of some of the most intriguing proposals for the City of London that never made it off the drawing board to the streets of the capital.
When: 6 September – 8 December
Where: Guildhall Art Gallery, Guildhall Yard, London EC2V 5AE
How much: free
Each of these events form part of the wider programme for Fantastic Feats: the building of London. Commissioned by the Corporation, Fantastic Feats celebrates London’s long-standing history of architectural and engineering firsts, with a six-month programme of mostly free and family-friendly events, including street theatre, dance performances, exhibitions, guided walking tours, and art installations from an exciting line-up of UK and international artists.
The City Corporation is leading the development of Culture Mile along with its core partners, the Barbican, Guildhall School of Music & Drama, London Symphony Orchestra, and Museum of London. Stretching from Farringdon to Moorgate, Culture Mile is a multi-million-pound investment which will create a new cultural and creative destination for London. This includes £192m funding from the City Corporation to support the Museum of London’s move to West Smithfield and £4.9m for a detailed business case and next stage development, fundraising, and design work for the proposed Centre for Music.