FOCUS Favourites May 2019
In Old English, May was known as the Month Of Three Milkings – this was because cows could be milked three times a day. The two flowers of May are the hawthorn and the lily of the valley, the birthstone is the emerald.
In our selection of events for May we have tried to include more events outside London, in particular we looked at Manchester, Glasgow and Salisbury. Hope you will have the opportunity to visit some of the things we suggest, if you do enjoy it let us know, we would love to hear from you!
Children: Koinobori Flying Fish Workshop 4-5 May
Join the Koinobori Flying Fish Workshop at Cutty Sark in Greenwich and help to celebrate the Japanese festival of children‘s day by learning how to make a traditional carp kite inspired by Cutty Sark’s travels to Japan. According to a Chinese legend, a carp swam upstream to turn into a beautiful dragon. Strength, determination and courage helped him to reach his wildest dreams. The Flying Fish kites are flown in honour of all children, who the parents hope will grow up to be strong, successful and as determined as a carp. Take your children to this fun activity with free admission to the ship.
Theatre: Class
7 May - 1 June
The Bush Theatre has produced hundreds of groundbreaking premieres since its inception in 1972 and is famous for new plays. Iseult Golden and David Horan’s production of Class will receive its London premiere at the Bush Theatre on May 7th. The new Irish writing was first performed at the Dublin Theatre Festival in 2017 and is about a nine year old, who is struggling at school. The teacher, Mr McCafferty thinks that Jaden should see a psychologist. But Brian and Donna never liked school, never liked teachers. Class is a hugely entertaining confrontation over learning difficulties, love and entitlement.
until 19 May
The first UK solo exhibition by Emma Kunz (1892-1963) is shown at the Serpentine Gallery in the heart of the Royal Park of Kensington Gardens. Established in 1970, the Serpentine Gallery showcases emerging and established artists from around the world. Emma Kunz, a swiss telepathic healer and mystical artist, creates her geometric drawings by consulting a pendulum. The exhibition aims to introduce her enigmatic art to a wider audience and presents 65 of her mandala-like drawings to the public. The drawings, which were selected by the curator Melissa Blanchflower and the Greek artist Christodoulos Panayiotou, are kaleidoscopic, hypnotic and enigmatic.
15-18 May
London Museums open their doors for exciting evening events and spectacular night time displays. This annual festival takes part during three days in May and gives guests the opportunity to explore and observe art and architecture throughout the night. The viewers can watch numerous performances listen to live music in historical venues and explore new exhibitions. Don’t miss the best evening exhibitions at the Natural History Museum, Science Museum, Tate, V&A and more. Check out the official website for detailed information.
Not to be missed: Pint of Science
20th-22nd May
London, Glasgow, Manchester, Birmingham, Cambridge, Southampton and many more locations in the UK.
Pint of Science is a worldwide science festival that takes place 20-22 May and brings researchers to your local pub to present their scientific discoveries. The events are for the public, you don't need any prior scientific knowledge to enjoy them and they happen across the UK - with nearly 600 events in more than 40 UK cities.
17-19 May
The FINA/CNSG Diving World Series is a high-profile competition with internationally recognised divers. The London event will be the 2019 season finale in May which has already had taken place in Beijing (CHN), Sagamihara (JPN), Kazan (RUS) and Montreal (CAN). The exclusive event hosts Olympic, World and European champions from both Great Britain and across the world and will take place across 3 days in the iconic London Aquatics Centre at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
Musik: Ara Malikian
20 May
During his Royal Garage World Tour 2019 Ara Malikian, a Lebanese-born Spanish violinist of Armenian descent, will make his debut at the Royal Albert Hall in May. Ara Malikian is a multi-award winning musician and an in-demand soloist, who performed with a wide range of artists like Sting or the Lebanese singer Fairuz and the world's best symphony orchestras including Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, London Chamber Orchestra, Armenia Philharmonic and Orquesta de la Comunidad de Madrid. Performing arrangements of works from Bowie to Bach and Led Zeppelin to Paganini, Ara Malikianhe has assimilated the music of other cultures like those of the Middle East, Central Europe, Argentina and Spain.
Dance: Beats on Pointe
21 May until 16 June
Also shown at The Dancehouse Theatre, Manchester, June 22nd
Once again Masters of Choreography are performing at the Peacock Theatre in London. The worldwide sell out show 'Beats on Pointe‘ fuses electrifying street dance and classical ballet and is a spectacular night out for an audience of all ages. The dynamic modern story of two opposing dance worlds, produced by Masters of Choreography in Melbourne, features not only extremely exciting dancing, but also freestyle acts, singing, beatboxing, a great soundtrack and even a touch of comedy. Don’t miss your chance to see one of Australis’s hottest dance theatre production.
Festival: Feria de Londres
24-26 May
Feria de Londres is inspired by Andalusia's traditional Spring fairs and invites Londoners to tuck into everything from Tortilla de Patata to organic Gazpacho, sample moreish Andalusian cocktails and get stuck into a Jamón Ibérico masterclass. It is a celebration of Spanish cuisine and entertainment. Entertainers will be dresssed in their traditional costumes, Flamenco dancers will be giving dance performances and live bands will capture the essence of Spain through songful guitar, percussive cajon and rhythmic hand claps. Feria de Londres will also offer family-friendly activities like face painting, hair styling, arts and crafts. Enjoy the free weekend festival at the banks of the Thames.
Hidden gems: Hidden London
until September 2019
The London Transport Museum offers tours and events between April and September to explore London’s abandoned tube stations and secret sides across London. These private tours happen very rarely and give you the opportunity to find out more about the history, the myths and the memories of times gone by. Get an intimate peek into one of London’s most intriguing hidden places and discover deep level shelters, labyrinths of dark and dusty passageways or narrow tunnels. A member of the Hidden London team will welcome you and give you a short introduction. Visit the London Transport Museum website for more details and don’t miss the chance to see the London underground in a different light.
Book in advance: British Summer Time 5-14 July
This is the seventh year of Barclycard presents British Summer Time at Hyde Park. The popular Indie, Rock and Pop event presents the most famous music icons of the world. This year music lovers will be able to enjoy performances by Celine Dion, Stevie Wonder with special guest Lionel Richie, Barbara Streisand, Bob Dylan and Neil Young. Sharing the stage with Florence + The Machine are The National from Ohio. With none other than Robbie Williams closing the festival on the last day. The event attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. Tickets are selling fast. Have a look at the line-up and book your tickets now.
Day Trip: Windsor
Windsor, a town rich in history and the royals, is located just 30 miles west of London. Take a train for half an hour to open up endless possibilities in the countryside of Berkshire. Many will know Windsor from hearing it in relation to the Royal Family. Located in the town is Windsor Castle, the oldest occupied palace in Europe, and an official residence of the Queen. You can do walking tours and even see St. George’s chapel, where Prince Harry married Meghan! One can also view the state rooms and apartments, the castle treasures as well as the changing of the guard. If this gets boring, Henley-on-Thames is right nearby, which is known to be the capital of rowing in England. If you go during summer you may even be able to catch the summer Royal Regatta, but it is nonetheless beautiful the whole year round. Other attractions nearby include LEGOLAND, if you want to split a day of culture with fun for the young ones. Going to Windsor guarantees a great day out for everyone, where the whole family can find something fun to do!
Manchester
17th May
Mugenkyo Taiko Drummers are the UK’s first and only professional touring taiko group. They present taiko in a modern and theatrical style – with precise choreography, dramatic lighting, and a variety of costumes ranging from the post-apocalyptic industrial to gorgeous earthy silks. The concert is extremely musically varied; powerful rhythms, huge taiko drums, delicate shinobue bamboo flute, expressive percussion, and dance. This show is their latest captivating performance of sharp synchronisation, mysterious masked choreography and sumptuous soundscapes, all wrapped up in a breath-taking display of high energy and powerful rhythms on huge taiko drums.
1st-31st May
The fourth Greater Manchester Walking Festival takes place this May with 350 free guided walks across the region. Whether you stroll, wander, roam, amble or stride, or maybe shuffle, mooch, explore, step or push, this year’s festival promises to be the biggest and best yet and there’s hopefully something for everyone to enjoy, however you choose. All the walks are free to join, cater for all ages and abilities and are guided by experienced walk leaders. The online search tool enables you to search for a walk by date, borough or level of difficulty. A great way to discover Manchester and the region.
Glasgow
17th-19th May
Showcasing creative talent from across Scotland and the UK with a superb range of contemporary original and affordable art presented by award winning galleries and artists. A wonderful selection of contemporary art available from £50 – £30,000 Includes leading and award winning artists from across the UK and Europe. Household and celebrity names plus local artists and creatives from Glasgow School of Art. Superb range of original work for under £1000. Choose from paintings, prints, photography, sculpture, ceramics and designer furniture.
26th May
The Games are centered on competitions in piping and drumming, dancing, and Scottish heavy athletics, and also include entertainment and exhibits related to other aspects of Scottish and Gaelic culture.
The village of Carmunnock, meaning “the church in the hill”, is situated between two of Scotland’s largest towns – Glasgow to the north and East Kilbride to the south-east. Other attractions include stalls selling refreshments and food, bar area with live music by local musicians, local businesses selling a wide range of gifts and goods, traditional Scottish bagpipes and dancers, fabulous tribal sounds, not to mention lots of entertainment for the kids including bouncy castles, fun rides, races, tattoos, face painting, caricatures, sweets & cakes, ice-creams and jewellery. It really is a great event. Only £7 for adults and £4 for children.
Salisbury
27th May
In celebration of the five rivers that pass through Salisbury – the Avon, Nadder, Ebble, Wylye and Bourne – comes the ‘Five Rivers Festival’. The first river event is a gentle float down the River Avon. Using their own inflatables families can travel down the river together while being cheered on by onlookers along the Avon Valley board walk. For those who fancy trying something different, there will also be a bubble football competition taking place all day. The second river event is a River Race down from New Bridge. The race is open to individuals and teams and will run for about 100 metres from the Sea Cadet’s building to the side of Churchill Gardens. There will be hot and cold refreshments at each venue as well as additional entertainment for children.