A roundup of what’s on in the City this September.
Ibiza Anthems Brunch
On Saturday 14th September (12pm-5pm), international saxophone player Ellie Sax will launch an unforgettable new Ibiza Anthems Brunch featuring a dynamic live performance of Balearic beats hosted at The Folly by Drake & Morgan (nearest station: Bank/ Monument). Celebrated for her energetic performances and appearances at some of the world’s most exclusive clubs and festivals, hit the dance floor and get your party on! Brunch tickets are priced at £50pp and include entertainment as well as a two-course brunch, with entry at 12pm. Enjoy a sharing board starter on arrival followed by your choice of a brunch main such as fried chicken & malted waffle or a classic cheeseburger. Full menu here. There’s also drinks entry tickets available, with entry from 2pm, priced at £15pp. Get all your friends together and get ready for the ultimate summer brunch – Ibiza style!
Purchase tickets HERE.
1Rebel – RebelFest
A two-week fitness extravaganza filled with unmissable music, iconic guest performances, and high-energy workout sessions across all 10 1Rebel London studios from Monday 16th September to Sunday 29th September.
1Rebel is keeping the party going with 3 incredible headliners; Majestic, ALTEGO and Gospel Touch Choir alongside numerous themed sessions and electrifying live performances. Rebel Fest is set to transform your workout routine into a full-on festival experience!
Whiskey Show
Now in it’s 16th year, Whisky Show is the largest UK whisky festival with more 120 exhibitors, taking over Old Billingsgate from 6-8 September. Deep dive into the wonderful world of whisky with over 1000 drams and other spirits available to sample, masterclasses, Dream Drams, cocktails, stage demos and much more at the award-winning Whisky Show.
www.thewhiskyexchange.com
Princess Essex
13 September – 26 October
Globe Theatre
New play, Princess Essex runs from 13 September – 26 October, written by and starring Anne Odeke – an empowering comedy based on the incredible true story Princess Dinubolu, the first woman of colour to enter a beauty pageant in the UK. Set in 1908 Southend-on-Sea, Princess Dinubolu of Senegal enters a beauty contest at the iconic Kursaal, Europe’s biggest entertainment complex.
Haegue Yang: Leap Year
Hayward Gallery‘s next exhibition – Haegue Yang: Leap Year (9 October 2024 — 5 January 2025), which I’d love for City Matters to preview in some way. Known for her spellbinding, immersive and multi-sensory works, probing on ideas of cross-cultural pollination and modernism, this will be the Benesse Prize-winning artist’s first major exhibition in the UK. Leap Year consists of over 100 works from Haegue Yang’s career, born in Seoul, including three major new commissions and multiple movable, activated works creating an all-encompassing visual and sensory experience. Visitors enter the gallery through a curtain of stainless-steel bells, as part of Yang’s ongoing Sonic Sculptures (2013 – ) series, and be guided through Yang’s multifaceted career of over 20 years, comprising of installation, sculpture, collage, video and sound. She often transforms domestic items and industrial objects into distinctive pieces which reflect on folk traditions, political histories, and Yang’s practices in the spiritual, movement and personal. The exhibition concludes with a world premiere, large-scale Venetian blind installation inspired by the late Korean political dissident and composer Isang Yun, featuring ascending layers of blinds in varying formations + colours which visitors can move through, alongside breathing stage lights and a stunning musical score.
Cocktails in the City – September edition
The cream of London’s bartending crop is coming together one last time this summer to create a unique mini village of 20+ pop-up bars at the iconic Cocktails In The City. All the passion, skill and creativity of London’s hottest bartending scene will be on display, with each bar reimagined in pop-up form with its distinct personality, working with a different spirit to create elite and unique serves that give a glimpse of trends to expect for the coming season.
Singani 63 & Steven Soderbergh
The Whisky Exchange is thrilled to be hosting award-winning director Steven Soderbergh at the London Bridge store for an afternoon of talks and cocktails around his passion for the Latin American spirit, Singani. Steven Soderbergh is a writer, director, producer, cinematographer, and editor, as well as the founder and owner of Singani 63, a brand he founded after falling in love with the Bolivian national spirit in 2007.
The special event is £45 per ticket which includes a signed bottle of Steven’s Singani 63, a cocktail during the event as well as a further cocktail token that can be redeemed at the world-famous Swift Borough located just next door to the London Bridge store.
For more information and ticket sales: An Afternoon with Steven Soderbergh & Singani63 (4th September 2024) : The Whisky Exchange
Sticks’n’Sushi
On 28th September, Islington’s Upper Street welcomes the arrival of Danish-Japanese restaurant Sticks’n’Sushi – bringing its unique combination of quality sushi and sticks from the grill to the heart of North London, for the first time. To celebrate, get 50% off all food during its soft launch – sign up here for dates: Sticks’n’Sushi | Sushi Restaurant London | Takeaway
The Comedy of Errors
The Comedy of Errors runs from 21 August – 27 October. The Summer 2023 hit returns, bringing with it the joy and chaos of Elizabethan London, transforming the Globe Theatre into a bustling dock – complete with ship masts and piers. Shakespeare’s wild comedy about rival cities, long-lost siblings and mistaken identities will be co-directed by Sean Holmes and Naeem Hayat (Burnt at the Stake, Globe).
21 August – 27 October
Globe Theatre
Swingers West End
This September, Swingers West End is set to elevate the excitement by introducing a new Carnival experience, seamlessly blending the nostalgia of the past with the exhilaration of today. Inspired by the grandeur of the Belle Époque period, the Swingers Carnival promises an immersive journey into a lively atmosphere of vintage décor, sparkling lights, and engaging carnival games. Guests can play carnival games such as Down the Clown, Skeeball, and Ring Toss. There’s a mix of individual games and multiplayer experiences to keep the competitive spirit alive. As you collect points, you can win fantastic prizes ranging from classic board games to Swingers merchandise and even iPads and PlayStations.
Amazon Pet Fest – Saturday 14th & Sunday 15th September, 2024
Amazon Pet Fest is a free celebration of the special bond between a pet and their family on September 14th and 15th at Haggerston Park, London, E2 8NH – powered by James Wellbeloved. With a wide range of activities, you can expect an agility park, a splash pool, dog yoga and talks focused on multiple pet types from industry specialists. This event aims to promote responsible pet ownership and promises a fun day that the entire family will enjoy. Discover a fantastic range of pet products available from your favourite brands, including Ring’s Indoor Cameras, that offer Live View and Two-Way Talk features to check in and speak with your pet when you pop out. Customers will also be able to discover the fantastic range of pet products available from Amazon Basics – everything from pet food and water bowls to toys and beds.
You can register for a free ticket to the live event here.
UBA Hoxton Hour
Emails off, cocktails on…summer sipping is here! Shoreditch’s hottest Pan-Asian spot UBA has launched a new happy hour in partnership with local spirit brand Hoxton Spirits where drinks are inspired by the vibrance of the local area –expect sips such as Hoxton Picante, Hoxton Spritz, UBA Colada and Mexican Forest. Head down to the UBA lobby bar within the Hart Hotel on weekdays from 5-8pm to enjoy £8 cocktails at Hoxton Hour. Not one to miss, run, don’t walk to this brand new happy Hoxton hour!
UBA bar (within the Hart Hotel Lobby) 61-67 Great Eastern Street EC2A 3HU
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Andaz Liverpool Street
London’s top parlour magician, Tony Middleton ‘Sonic’, has pioneered an immersive new, premium show combining magic and masonry, and he’s bringing this to the luxury setting at the five-star Andaz Liverpool Street, from September 2024 for a nine show residency. Inspired by the Victorian masters of deception and the Golden Age of Magic, Tony has built his reputation as one of London’s finest magicians with extensive critical acclaim and a string of accolades – he’s also a member of The Magic Circle where he was awarded ‘Stage Magician of the Year’.
Guests at ‘Magic at The Temple’ will experience a fun and fast-paced journey through magic’s history, witnessing a web of trickery and impossibility with sleight of hand, Victorian deception and mind-reading and ‘feats of the impossible’, all in the incredible atmospheric setting of the original hidden Masonic Temple, based within the Andaz Hotel. This original Grecian-style Masonic Temple is one of London’s most unique spaces, which dates back to 1912 and is considered one of the greatest masonic temples of its time – as the magnificent marble, zodiac gold ceiling, and original masonic thrones testify.
Following the 10 years of success with The Magic Hour, Tony opens the door to a hidden world of illusion, where he shows guests just how deep the rabbit hole goes and they will leave feeling both amazed and stunned. The launch event will take place on Saturday 4th September, 7pm – 10pm (show start time 8pm). The following shows take place at the same time on consecutive Saturdays (with the exception of 21st September).
Tickets from £50.00 – £120.00.
Green Rooms at Old Spitalfields Market
Get ready to immerse yourself in a botanical paradise with a free pop-up houseplant market, as Green Rooms returns to Old Spitalfields Market on Sunday, 22nd September.
The market is set to transform into a plant-lover’s haven, featuring some of the UK’s finest traders of houseplants and accessories. From trendy succulents to statement-making greenery, Green Rooms’ array of flora and fauna will breathe new life into any space. Whether you’re a seasoned plant parent or new to the world of indoor greenery, Green Rooms at Old Spitalfields Market is your ultimate destination for discovering the perfect addition to your collection. Gather your plant-loving pals for a day dedicated to all things green – shop top indie businesses, receive expert plant advice (like finding the best low-maintenance plants for a small apartment!), and enjoy delicious food and drink amidst the stunning surroundings of Old Spitalfields Market.
https://oldspitalfieldsmarket.
Chipotle
Holy Guacamole! Chipotle is giving away free guac to all customers across its sites in September when downloading their new app! Guests who download the Chipotle UK app will receive a code redeemable for one free regular topping or side of guacamole when they purchase a main meal. Customers can choose a selection of burrito bowls, tacos, quesadillas, and salads made with real and fresh ingredients.
What’s more, to celebrate the opening of Chipotle’s 20th restaurant this month, guests can also claim one free main meal in the new London site. Go grab those deals whilst they’re hot this month!
Hutong
Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations have been announced at Hutong, the sophisticated Chinese restaurant found in the iconic Shard.
The Mid-Autumn Festival, Zhongqiu Jie in Chinese, also known as the Mooncake or Moon Festival is usually celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th month of the Chinese calendar. This year, this falls on September 17th.
The festival remains significant due to the full moon but is now more focused on family unity, wishes for health and happiness with celebrations including family dinners, moon worship, lighting lanterns, and enjoying those delicious mooncakes.
Hutong have created a special Mid-Autumn sharing menu, available from 12th – 25th September to celebrate while allowing guests to be closer to the moon than usual, all the way up on the 33rd floor.
An enticing menu for £90 per person, inspired by the rich tapestry of Northern Chinese cuisine, and taking guests on a journey through the flavours and traditions of Northern China, while gazing at the jaw dropping London skyline.
Guests are greeted with a Chinese Spritz cocktail made with Tarsier Pink Gin, Mandarin, Cranberry, Lemon, Peach, topped off with fragrant Jasmine Soda.
Starters are traditional Deep fried eel puffs with tobiko, and Chilled thinly cut marinated beer shank with chilli and coriander. For mains guests can indulge in Pan- seared sea bass with pickled sweet and spicy sauce,
Steamed pork ribs wrapped in glutinous rice, Wok-tossed green chilli pepper, and Stir fried egg noodles with bean sprouts. Dessert includes, of course, a special Moon Cake to signify the occasion.
For those wanting to experience an elevated dinner in the sky, Hutong is the place to celebrate this Mid-Autumn Festival.
2024 British Street Food Awards
The grand final of the 2024 British Street Food Awards, part of the biggest street food competition in the world, is returning to London this September.
A selection of the best street food traders in the country will be trying to win silverware with their one ‘killer’ dish.
After a summer of heats, 12 finalists from all over the UK will be parking up in Hackney Bridge and cooking to be crowned Britain’s BEST on Friday 13th, Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th September.
Tickets are free, and guarantee punters entry, one vote, and unlimited vibes. This year’s guest judging panel that includes Hackney’s Michelin-starred Andy Beynon.
Finalists this year include Planet G, the Italian plant-based chef settled in Edinburgh who has created a vegan haggis as a tribute to her new homeland; Pasta A Mano, the pop-up ‘pastaria’ from Wales who mix and make the pasta onsite using local cockles and organic Pembrokeshire heirloom tomatoes in their linguini vongole; Chicken George, wing legends who have won big at Wing Fest and Wing Jam want to complete the Holy Trinity with a British Street Food Award.
https://britishstreetfood.co.uk/awards-2024/
The Ned
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