We seriously can’t believe July is here already! While the weather has apparently got stuck in February, our minds are in full-on summer holiday mode. The lack of sunshine is not helping procrastination levels at work either. It’s all too tempting to spend hours researching plane tickets to sunnier shores. Thankfully, we live in London, so we don’t have to go too far for some seasonal fun. Having some of these events in your diary is sure to help cure your jet-setting itch. A little.
1. Friday Night at The Roof Gardens
If you’re fed up of being stuck at ground level and your eyes need to behold prettier sites than London’s pavements, then The Roof Gardens in Kensington is the perfect place to head this Friday (weather permitted). Set amidst 1.5 acres of stunning rooftop gardens 100 feet above the high street, The Roof Gardens bring an exotic and colourful, Eden-like oasis to the city. On Friday 1st July, entry is with £15 and includes a welcoming drink between 8 and 9pm. You can get your ticket here.
99 High Street Kensington, W8 5SA
2. Masquerade Ball at Andazy
For decades, the staff at Andaz London hotel on Liverpool Street were unaware of what was hiding right under their noses. It wasn’t until a recent renovation that they discovered a decadent Masonic Temple behind an inconspicuous wall. And what do you do when you discover the City’s only Freemasons’ lodge? Throw a party, naturally. On Saturday 2nd July, A Curious Invitation and the East End Film Festival are putting on a macabre night of cabaret, circus and outdoor cinema. There’ll be sword swallowers, acrobats, fire wielders, sitarists, films and tarot card readings. So don your finest mask. Tickets are £25 and can be bought here.
40 Liverpool Street, EC2M 7QN
3. Silent Disco on Sunborn Yacht
This one’s for the gaming geek in all of us – a retro gaming pop-up, Retrotainment, is taking place aboard the impressive 108-metre Sunborn Yacht, where you’ll be transported back to the golden era of Sega gaming. There’ll be Master Systems, Mega Drives, Saturns, Dreamcasts, chilled beverages, cool tunes, pixels, vectors, polygons, 80s style 3D gaming, CRT TVs, projector screens and an exclusive competition with great prizes. If you don’t know what any of the above are, then it’s still an opportunity to grab glorious riverside views over London and do a bit of silent disco dancing with it. Tickets are only £15. This one isn’t until 5th August, but it’s definitely one for gaming fans to put in their diary.
Royal Victoria Dock, Western Gateway, E16 1AL
4. Saturday Circus Show at Aeronaut
For a night of extravagant and unexpected entertainment in London, the Aeronaut in Acton are putting on a Saturday Circus Show. With its very own indoor Circus Big Top, you’ll sit gaping-mouthed as you watch aerial acrobatics and balancing acts. It’s a vibrant and fast-paced spectacular, with plenty of hooping, juggling, aerial swooping, cheeky dancers, magic and a couple of laughs thrown in along the way. The show’s on 2nd July. Tickets are only £12 and can be bought here, but make sure you arrive early to bag the good seats.
264 High St, Acton, W3 9BH
5. Electro Brunch at Gaucho
Feast upon an unlimited brunch menu at one of the UK’s finest Argentinian steak restaurants. There’s a mouth-wtering choice of dishes on the menu, including Argentine steak & eggs or a creamy eggs florentine. And, yes, you can order any item as many times as you’d like. There’s also a blend-your-own juice station, so you can wash your meal down with tasty, refreshing juice. The unlimited brunch is available at the Gaucho Smithfield branch for a very reasonable £45. The next brunch takes place on 2nd July (but it happens every Saturday). You can book your place here.
93A Charterhouse Street, EC1M 6HL