Whether you're in the mood for extinct creatures, a flavour of Spain, comedy, Lego or blinkin' big cockroaches… we take a look through the best London events that the whole family will enjoy this half term…
A Taste of Spain Where: Regent Street When: Sunday the 5th Jun 2011 Supported by the Spanish Tourist Office, the Regent Street Association and Evening Standard, the free festival will welcome many of the Spanish regions who will add colour and flair to the capital. With giant paellas from Valencia, dancing horses from Menorca, drummers from the Tamborrada de San Sebastian and a range of interactive sports challenges and events, visitors will be whisked away for a day to Spain's sunnier shores.
Giant Edible Gingerbread House Where:The Brunswick Shopping Centre When: Friday the 3rd Jun 2011 to Sunday the 5th Jun 2011 Never has the phrase ‘eat yourself out of house and home’ been more appropriate. From 3-5 June 2011 children can follow a bread-crumb trail deep into The BRUNSWICK to discover a giant edible gingerbread house – a destination for storytelling, fun and wonderment.
Extinct Where: Hunterian Museum When: until Saturday the 23rd Jul 2011 The museum’s stored collections include specimens and images of extinct and endangered animals. This temporary exhibition will display the remains of prehistoric giants, such as the impressive woolly mammoth, and the immense Megalodon shark, alongside creatures lost only a few decades ago, including the Tasmanian tiger and the majestic Quagga.
E4 Udderbelly Where: Southbank Centre When: until Saturday the 2nd Jul 2011 s it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's a big upside-down purple cow – and it's landing back at Southbank Centre for its longest season ever! E4 Udderbelly Festival at Southbank Centre is back, squeezing an eye-watering amount of affordable comedy, cabaret and theatre into 12 weeks.
Build a big idea with LEGO Where: Science Museum When: until Thursday the 2nd Jun 2011 Let your imagination soar to new heights by helping build a giant invention inspired LEGO display - we’re offering visitors the chance to build a variety of inventions out of LEGO bricks.
Belgo Lobsterfest Where: across all five Belgos When: Wednesday the 1st Jun 2011 to Thursday the 30th Jun 2011 June will see the return of Belgo’s now legendary annual LobsterFest, which will run at all five restaurants throughout the month. Belgo is set for its biggest crustacean celebration to date and is sourcing prime lobster from waters off Nova Scotia, Canada
Festival of Britain Where: Southbank Centre When: until Sunday the 4th Sep 2011 Head along to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Festival of Britain at Southbank Centre with MasterCard, with a four-month festival of British culture and creativity. Visitors can go on a seaside holiday down by the river where a 70-metre urban beach and 14 artist-commissioned beach huts transform Queen’s Walk; take a stroll or relax at the bar/café in a new garden on the rooftop of the Queen Elizabeth Hall, created in partnership with the Eden Project; visit the British countryside and its wildlife, including a giant straw fox; enjoy traditional vintage funfair rides, including Austin cars and a helter skelter; and cool off in Jeppe Hein’s popular Appearing Rooms fountain.
Doctor Who Experience Where: Olympia, Kensington When: until Wednesday the 30th Nov 2011 The Doctor Who Experience invites you to step through a crack in time to become the Doctor's companion on an adventure allowing you to join the Doctor on a journey through time and space, encountering some of the best-loved and scariest monsters from the hit international television series
Dinosaurs Unleashed at The 02 Where: The O2, Meridian Gardens When: until Saturday the 31st Dec 2011 Grab your chance to get up close and personal with some of the largest and most fearsome creatures the Earth has ever seen. Dinosaurs Unleashed is the UK’s largest animatronic dinosaur adventure that gives you a unique chance to experience some of the most iconic and awe-inspiring creatures.
A Cockroach Tour of the Science Museum Where: Science Museum When: until Saturday the 31st Dec 2011 Visitors to the Science Museum will be able to dress up in realistic cockroach costumes to begin a journey through the Museum, exploring the impact on the climate of scientific and technological developments from the perspective of one of the oldest, most resilient life forms on the planet.
To see the full list of events taking place in the capital this bank holiday weekend, click here:
