The Great Get Together SE1 is part of the UK’s annual celebration of everything that unites our communities, inspired by Jo Cox’s belief that we have more in common than that which divides us. The need to celebrate unity and reject division is as relevant now as it was when the first Great Get Together took place in 2017.
Festivities include an array of music, performances, and family activities.
Mint Street Music Festival is back, bringing a fantastic line-up of music and dance to Mint Street Park along with food stalls, art and craft activities and children’s entertainment.
The performers are fabulously diverse, including Kalima Project, Inder Paul Sandu, Somedays, Khyon, Divianne, She Said, Magnetic Charms, Henri Gaobi and Albert plus dance from London Hula ‘Ori and Warmis UK. For kids there’s Boppin’ Bunnies, Anansi stories and art and craft activities.
Join the celebration as Pride in Southwark marches to Mint Street Park for an afternoon of love, music and unity.
This community-led event champions inclusivity and joy, bringing together Southwark’s LGBTQIA+ community and allies for a Pride to remember.
THE PERFECT PAIRING: SEA CONTAINERS LONDON AND HOTEL CHOCOLAT JOIN FORCES TO CREATE THE ULTIMATE CHRISTMAS ESCAPE
Sea Containers London, the iconic Thames-side hotel, is excited to announce a partnership with luxury cacao grower and British chocolatier, Hotel Chocolat – bringing Britain’s favourite chocolate to London’s South Bank to create the ultimate Winter Escape.
The collaboration will see a ‘chocolate takeover’ of the hotel, capturing the nostalgia and enchantment of Christmas, making Sea Containers London a must-visit destination for chocolate lovers this festive season.
Guests to the hotel will be welcomed by a 14ft whimsical Christmas tree co-designed by Hotel Chocolat and Sea Containers London and are invited to sip on decadent drinking chocolates and cocktails in the riverside Den, get involved in chocolate workshops and even book a chocolate-themed Winter Escape room package.
CHRISTMAS TREE AND CHOCOLATE IN THE DEN
The centrepiece of this enchanting collaboration is the stunning 14ft Christmas tree – a true feast for the eyes. Amalgamating Sea Containers London’s unique design, evoking the style of a 1920s transatlantic cruise liner, with Hotel Chocolat’s Chocolate Imaginarium, the tree is adorned with velvet bows, sparkling cacao pods, and vintage-style luggage with copper touches inspired by the hotel’s iconic copper hull.
Heading out to enjoy the twinkling lights of London? Or staying in to unwind in the hotel’s riverside sanctuary? When ready, step into The Den and savour a velvety, cacao-rich Hotel Chocolat drinking chocolate, with a hot chocolate flavour for everyone, including this year’s seasonal exclusive, Mince Pie.
And for those wanting to get a little merry, sip on Hotel Chocolat’s satisfyingly smooth seasonal special, the elegant Velvet Martini, blended with Hotel Chocolat Velvetised Cream – and sink into the perfect winter moment after a day of adventure.
HOTEL CHOCOLAT WINTER ESCAPE
The collaboration will also see the introduction of the ultimate hotel room package for those with a sweet tooth – perfect for families and couples exploring London this festive season, the Hotel Chocolat Winter Escape is all about enchantment, relaxation, and seasonal charm. Settle into one of Sea Containers London’s impeccably designed rooms, where a curated festive collection from Hotel Chocolat awaits. Made with real, high-quality cocoa, each melt in the mouth bite – from classic comforts to seasonal delights – offers a taste of decadence.
Step aboard The Golden Hinde this December for a festive journey back in time with our “Twelve Days of Tudor Christmas” trail!
This family-friendly, self-guided experience reveals the fascinating origins of today’s Christmas traditions. From feasting and carolling to the history of mince pies and gift-giving, each stop along our Christmas trail shares a surprising Tudor custom that still resonates with our modern celebrations.
Perfect for all ages, this seasonal adventure will transport visitors to the sights, smells, sounds, and spirit of a Tudor Christmas.
Join 18 Blackfriars for a lively community gathering filled with complimentary food and activities for all ages!
There’s something for everyone to enjoy, from wildflowers to wellbeing. Don’t miss the opportunity to meet the 18 Black Friars team and connect with your neighbours as we celebrate our community.
The Great Get Together SE1 is part of the UK’s annual celebration of everything that unites our communities, inspired by Jo Cox’s belief that we have more in common than that which divides us. Festivities will include an array of music, performances, and children’s activities. This year the event will also form part of Pride in Southwark to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and heritage in the area.
Bankside Open Spaces Trust invites you to our BIG Easter HUNT!
Monday 25 March, 3.30pm-5pm, Red Cross Garden, SE1 1HA, with prizes handed out at Marlborough Sports Garden
Take part in our Easter Easter Hunt by searching for hidden clues at Red Cross Garden – once you’ve solved the Easter Bunny’s mystery, you can swap your answer sheet for a treat in Marlborough Sports Garden.
Celebrate the start of the Easter holidays with a fun, free event – see you there for an eggstremely good time! We’ll meet you in Red Cross Garden – explore the garden and find the clues before hopping over to Marlborough Sports Garden for treats and play.
The Frost Fair is returning for its second year. Join us from 26-28 January on Sumner Street, as we celebrate one of the most extraordinary events in London’s history. From circa 1605 to 1814, the surface of the River Thames froze over 24 times, bringing all trade on the water to a standstill. So the people of Bankside took to the ice, creating ‘Frost Fairs’, with a sensational cornucopia of markets, amusement, food, drink, games, pubs, shops, entertainment and general revelry!
Come together and celebrate the long weekend with the Lord Clyde, with a right royal line up of local events to make this Coronation unforgettable! Raise a glass to Charles III – and to Bankside.
Dust off your dancing shoes, prepare to try a new sport or craft, give your prize-winning pooch a brush and be part of Bankside Open Spaces Festival – Bankside’s biggest FREE community celebration and street party!
On Saturday 10 June, Bankside Open Spaces Trust will be welcoming performers young and old, community groups, artists, sports coaches, musicians, singers, dancers, and pampered pooches of all sizes to the festival and they’d love you to join us too!
Line-up: Rob Corcoran, Ragtop Down, Sister Cookie, Ese & Vooduu People, Cosimo Matassa Project, The Brothers Ignatius, Brixton Chamber Orchestra and London International Gospel Choir. Plus, DJ sets from Rump Records, King Crowney, MGroove, Dales Hayes, Angie B and Brothers In House
From its Latina opening to a dance after party, the free and unticketed Bankside Open Spaces Festival will fill Bankside’s Union Street, Redcross Way and three small parks on Saturday 10 June with genre-busting music.
With four music and performance stages, the festival will have a vibe to suit all tastes and all ages.
Looking to dance in the street? Check out Alma Casa/EXT Radio’s DJ Stage down Redcross Way with six sets, live sax and drums, firedancers, bubble artists and two MCs all putting on a show from a huge glitterball.
Seeking a musical journey from roots to rock & roll or rocksteady via funk, rhythm ‘n’ blues and ska? The Main Stage is for you, opening with four Latina dance groups before segueing into six varied sets featuring the likes of Art Terry and the Black Bohemians, Ese & and The Voodoo people, Sister Cookie and returning headliners, Cosimo Matassa Project and The Brothers Ignatius. The Main Stage is a festival in its own right, and with street food and bars nearby, there’s no need to move, unless…
Hoping for a bit of chill? Why not bumble over to Red Cross Garden, take a seat among the verdant planting and enjoy a bit of alt-folk, Americana, delta blues or indie pop from a line-up of six London artists, interspersed with spoken word performances. Headliner Rob Corcoran returns to this bandstand stage – a favourite on the UK folk circuit. You can even enjoy the dog show, meet some bees, learn about early surgery from the Old Operating Theatre, grab a free massage or tackle a spot of yoga while you’re there.
And for the active and community minded, head over to Marlborough Sports Garden’s Community Stage for a mix of community choirs and performers, plus free dance workshops – surely this is the only festival where you can learn an Irish jig, salsa and tango all in one day? There’s a chance to kick back, too, with sets from the London International Gospel Choir and Brixton Chamber Orchestra in-between activities.
Across the festival, local craft stalls and free activities and workshops will keep all ages busy and entertained. There’s a beach, free sports coaching and plenty of craft for the kids, plant stalls and a BIG plant giveaway for the green fingered, art workshops for the busy, bars for the thirsty, street food for the foodies and a dog show for the barky! (The Little Dorrit Dog Show returns for its 7th year with pampered pooches judged by festival favourite and BBC Radio London’s dog expert Anna Webb).
Keep an eye on Bankside Open Spaces Trust’s social media channels for updates:
There’s loads to see and do all across Bankside – find out more here.
