Celebrating culture, history and diversity in Kingston
Celebrating culture, history and diversity in Kingston
It’s set to be an historic summer of culture in south west London as Kingston marks a special anniversary year with Kingston 2025, opening on the 3 May and created with the borough’s communities – get set for a hugely diverse cultural festival.
Kingston 2025 is a major six-month celebration packed with family-friendly events that will put the borough’s rich culture and heritage centre stage. The programme is an exciting blend of large and small scale public events, exhibitions, talks, tours and outdoor performances with something for everyone to enjoy. It will showcase the best local talent, a true celebration of Kingston’s communities.
A ROYAL CONNECTION
The festival marks the 1100th anniversary of the crowning in Kingston of King Athelstan, the first King of a united England. Through a vibrant mix of music, theatre, art and community events it celebrates the borough’s heritage, by capturing a new, diverse story about Kingston today and our hopes and ambitions for the future.
The big launch is Saturday 3 May in Kingston’s Ancient Market Place. Expect an enjoyable and irreverent mix of street theatre, music and dance, with professional and community performers joining forces to tell an historic tale with an unmistakably contemporary Kingston flavour.
The following six-month programme is packed with highlights. A brand new schools’ music composition, Bridging Kingston – A Musical Odyssey, will premiere at the Rose Theatre on 28 June, performed by 150 local primary school children. In July, visit Athel’s Town Saxon encampment and re-enactment that will bring to life the sights, sounds and smells of early mediaeval life to Canbury Gardens on 26 and 27 July – and keep your eyes peeled for a Saxon warrior parade over Kingston Bridge.
THE PARTY CONTINUES
In September there’s a bumper weekend of fun. On Saturday 6, the River Cultures Festival will celebrate the river and all those who have lived and worked on it over the last millennia. Get ready to rewind the clock with a spectacular flotilla of boats ranging from modern day cruisers to Saxons in the year 925. And on Sunday 7 September it’s the return of Kingston Carnival, a fantastic day filled with colourful performances, delicious Afro-Caribbean food and the best ingredient of all – great music! And there’s so much more in between – Mini Day, Fuse International, Kingston International Film Festival, Kingston Glamour exhibition, Saxon drumming workshops, Kingston Mural Festival…
YOUR KINGSTON 2025
As well as enjoying events throughout the summer, there are opportunities to be part of Kingston 2025 through volunteering, holding your own Kingston 2025 themed event or even taking part in capturing contemporary stories through the community heritage research project.
HELP BEHIND THE SCENES:
Volunteers will help everything run smoothly, roles cover everything from crowd stewarding to guiding people with visual impairments to get the most from the events, so there is something to suit all interests and the time you want to give.
CELEBRATIONS ON YOUR DOORSTEP:
Ideas such as a street party, a book group, or a coffee morning could all get friends and neighbours together to celebrate.
MAKE YOUR MARK ON HISTORY:
Your own experiences and perspective on Kingston’s past, present and future could become part of Kingston’s heritage archive. If you are a people person who loves a good story you could even become a community researcher and help others capture their history too.
