About The Mayor's Thames Festival:
The Mayor's Thames Festival is a spectacular, free, outdoor celebration for London. It is London's biggest family-friendly festival featuring arts events, theater, circus and fantastic fireworks.
Launched in 1997 with an amazing high wire walk across the Thames, the festival has grown to become the capital's largest free, open-air arts festival.
Thames Festival commissions high-profile, cutting-edge arts events for unique environments on and around the river. It also showcases the best in street arts, with pyrotechnics (that's 'fireworks' to you and me), illuminations, art installations, river events, street theater, massed choirs, circus, and music. Tens of thousands dance in the streets at the festival's climactic event, a spectacular Night Carnival that's a vivid mixture of masquerade, dance, music, and fantastic costumes.
When:
An annual September event.
2009 Dates:
12-13 September 2009
(2007 was the 10th anniversary.)
(2007 was the 10th anniversary.)
Where:
On the South Bank between Westminster Bridge and Tower Bridge on the River Thames, on the river banks, and on the adjacent riverside walkways and public open spaces.
Tickets:
No ticket required. It's all free!
Times:
12 noon to 10pm
- The Thames Festival River Pageant is on Saturday 1-30-3.30pm.
- 7-10pm on Saturday and Sunday there's a Fire Garden (installation) outside Tate Modern.
- Sunday, 7.15-9.30pm, is the night procession along Victoria Embankment, traveling east, over Blackfriars Bridge and west along Upper Ground, finishing behind the National Theatre.
- The final is fireworks between Waterloo & Blackfriars Bridges on Sunday at 9.45pm.
Nearest Tube Stations:
- Blackfriars
- Waterloo
- Southwark
- Embankment
Last updated: April 2009
