It’s September!

So August has come and gone and with it my first year of blogging. At 3750 odd views in that year, I’m not much of a player in the blogosphere but that’s about 3700 more views than I would have expected so I am well pleased.

A year ago, I kicked things off by posting about my local street party, the Notting Hill Carnival and we have just seen this years event pass without major incident. August in London was a strange month, starting with riots on the streets and ending with Europe’s largest street event. Numbers at Carnival were certainly down this year, probably due to the combination of a dull weekend and the nagging suspicion that something unpleasant may just happen. With the exception of one serious assault and a lower than usual number of arrests for minor offences, all went well and the changes in timing, brought about by the earlier disturbances, meant that peace (and quiet)  settled over the area fairly soon after the sun went down.

For anyone who missed the Notting Hill Carnival, for whatever reason, but still like a parade, then consider going to the final evening of the Thames Festival. Less crowded than Notting Hill and taking place after dark it has a completely different, but no less enjoyable, atmosphere. As an added bonus, the Festival ends with a fantastic firework display, over the river, between Waterloo and  Blackfriars Bridges.

The Night Carnival and firework display  are just the culmination of a whole weekend of events taking place between Westminster in the west and The St Katharine Docks in the east. Look out especially for the Feast on the Bridge on Saturday. Southwark Bridge will be closed to traffic and transformed into a large, al fresco, dining area. Plenty of good food and entertainment and a lot of fun…………..even for kids as old as me!

The Festival Market runs for the whole of the weekend and whilst you are there seek out Amelia Parker, whose stall will be in front of the Royal Festival Hall. Her clay pipe jewellery is not only beautiful and unique but are probably the only truly Thames related items that you will find in the entire market. OK, this is a blatant plug for a friend, but do take a look, I'm confident that you will be impressed!

 Finally, if you missed both the Notting Hill Carnival and the Thames Festival, there is the chance to see a different kind of parade and another firework display on Saturday 12^th November. With nearly 800 years of history behind it, the annual Lord Mayors Show is a visual, though usually somewhat chilly, treat.

I Love Fireworks

Last night I went to see the firework display in Battersea Park. I have to admit that I still have a childlike love of fireworks. I can’t really see the point of a back garden display, unless of course you have a garden the size of Alexandra Park. I suppose that kids like to see these things in a familiar environment but there really is nothing to compare with a good organised display.

At the end of September, the closing act of the Thames Festival was an after dark carnival parade finished off with fireworks over the Thames (a brilliant event, well worth putting in your diary). Displays over water are, I think, particularly effective, you not only get the air bursts but you also get the reflections on the water surface. On our river, you can also throw in the way that the familiar buildings are lit on either bank, to me that make things pretty well perfect.

The other thing about organised displays is that they are amazing value for money). I don’t know what a box of Standard or Pains fireworks costs these days, but what ever it is you really don’t get many bangs for your bucks. Many organised displays are free, and usually with some sort of charity collection associated with them, but even if you have to pay they represent a good a return for your cash. The Battersea display had an adult entry price of £6.00 and the display lasted 20 minutes. Even with my rudimentary grasp of maths I have been able to work that out as 30p per minute. Who can complain about that?

It was a very fine display orchestrated by Pains, accompanied by good music, a very warming bonfire and in an excellent location. A splendid time was had by all!

Sadly, some excellent displays have dropped off of the calendar over the last few years. One of my lost favourites being Primrose Hill, a fantastic location. With the backdrop of our favourite city, to my mind it couldn’t be beaten. Inevitably, some more displays have been cancelled this year due to the current economic situation and this may become more of a problem as time goes on.

 Apologies for the sound quality!

On the 13^th November, the Lord Mayors Show takes place in the City of London. This will also be rounded off by a free firework display, launched from barges on the Thames between Blackfriars Bridge and Waterloo Bridge (the same location as used for the Thames Festival)

Guess where I will be next Saturday?

http://www.lordmayorsshow.org/media/releases/number-crunching 

 ............and then, end the day with a bang, always sound advice in my experience!

http://www.lordmayorsshow.org/visitors/fireworks