London Underground? Pah, this summer it’s all about the London Wonderground.
Yep, to misquote The Jam, we’re going Wonderground (going Wonderground) this summer, as a new food and entertainment hub has just set up in West London. London Wonderground has headed to Earl’s Court with a mandate to provide street food, fairground thrills, and live music and comedy this summer, and it’s the spectacular summer playground we definitely need for 2021.
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London Wonderground is open now, and will be in residence at Empress Place in Earls Court all summer long to offer myriad delights to visitors. It comes to us from the Earls Court Development Company and the team behind Underbelly, which means two things: one, that the programme of music, comedy, and circus will be excellent, and two that their instantly-identifiable upside down purple cow tent has also found a home at London Wonderground. An amazing programme of live shows has been promised, including a “Best of the Edinburgh Festival” season later this year.
Aside from giant purple cows, London Wonderground is also home to a 1000-capacity big top for further entertainment, and vintage fairground rides for more summer thrills. Expect to encounter a mouthwatering array of street food vendors, sun-soaked al fresco bars, and a lineup of live music and DJ sets through the summer. Excitingly, the venue will also feature Earls Court City Beach, where you can kick back on the sand beneath parasols and pretend you’re in the Mediterranean.
All in all, London Wonderground is designed as a “staycation playground”, and we reckon you’ll get the requisite sun, fun, and sand on your visit here. It also continues a rich heritage as an event space for the area; the site has previously been used as a showground and home to the Great Ferris Wheel of 1895, along with the old Earls Court 2 Exhibition Hall in more recent years. The project was developed in consultation with the local community, who signalled their support for temporary theatres and food markets this summer, ahead of a planned future redevelopment of the site. Live events skills training schemes on-site will also be available to local young people, which is a nice touch.
London Wonderground is free to enter, and features a mix of paid and free events for punters to enjoy. It runs until September 26, and you can check out the full programme here. Now, I’m off to try and get “Going Wonderground” out of my head…
Find London Wonderground at Empress Place, Earls Court, SW6 1TT until September 26. Nearest station is West Brompton.