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At a rather unusual yearly event, clowns from all corners of London gather under a single roof to commemorate compatriot Joseph Grimaldi, who is considered by many to be the King of Clowns. Born in 1778, Grimaldi spent most of his years inducing fits of laughter until he was finally laid to rest in 1837. The commemoration is a local church service, held at the Holy Trinity Church in Dalston, East London on the 5th February. The event has been an annual tradition since 1946 and attracts some sixty clowns in full attire; Grimaldi fans and clown enthusiasts fill every other inch of space in the church hall.

London is known for many things. The river Thames, London Bridge, bad food, even worse weather (well, that’s not entirely true) and a cauldron bubbling with different cultures and nationalities. If these things don’t somewhat interest you then there are other activities that you would enjoy, especially if you are a thrill seeking, adrenalin pumping individual. In this article we look at some of the extreme sports and activities to be enjoyed in and around London. Get your tough workwear ready and let the rush begin!

Let the Zorbing begin

Zorbing is one of the newer extreme sport pastimes to make the extreme sports list. Pod London is Europe’s premier zorbing destination and has an entire park dedicated to it. Sorry, I should start off with explaining what zorbing exactly is. Zorbing or to zorb is when an individual is placed in a large inflatable  ball with two layers of cushions and rolls down and bounces down a steep hill. Sound fun, I’m sure the head rush is insane. Check out http://www.zorbing.co.uk/ for your zorbing experience.

If you are a wedding coordinator or involved in the art of creating the perfect wedding, or are the blushing bride to be, you simply cannot miss the bridal extravaganza that is the National Wedding Show. Being London’s premier showcase for absolutely everything concerning weddings, the National Wedding Show 2012 promises a bigger and even better event at London Olympia this year, displaying everything from venues such as a party boat charter to delicate adornments for your gown.

For the first time in theatrical history, thirty seven international production companies from around the world will perform all of Shakespeare’s thirty seven plays in thirty seven languages. Aptly titled, Globe to Globe, the festival will run for six weeks during London’s spring at the Globe theatre. The massive project not only celebrates one of the greatest masters of the English language, but also the myriad of cultures and languages around the globe and in London. It’s one of the most ambitious projects of its kind, and can be referred to as a ‘cultural Olympiad’ ahead of London’s 2012 Olympic Games. Any interpreter London offers will be the first in queue for tickets to experience this incredible collaboration.
The task of selecting countries and companies took much consideration as the Globe to Globe 2012 project received immense enthusiasm from countries around the world. Selection was partly made on what languages are spoken in London, like Urdu, Yoruba and Polish. Even Shakespeare’s Love’s Labour’s Lost will be performed solely in British Sign Language (BSL), which is used by the deaf community, who must usually rely on a translation service London has to enjoy Shakespeare’s plays. However Globe to Globe also had the enormous task of sourcing the most varied and talented international companies, as in the Chicago Q Brothers who will perform Othello in Hip Hop. Countries like Georgia and Armenia, who have a long history of performing Shakespeare’s plays, also made the cut.

As one of the central hubs of the world, London is sure not to disappoint when it comes to New Years Eve festivities. However, with so many options available for the big countdown, deciding on what London New Years Eve party to go to can become quite a task. Below is a short list of New Years Eve ideas in London that appeal to different party flavours, from an extravagant themed party to a party boat charter.

Medieval banquet party at St Katherine’s Dock, Tower of London

If you feel the need for a dress up party this New Years, coupled with a New Years Eve dinner in London, then the Medieval Banquet should be on your short list. Hosted by King Henry the VIII and his court, this London New Years Eve Ball includes stunning entertainment by knights, jugglers, magicians and minstrels. A five course meal is provided that is accompanied by unlimited red wine and ale and champagne will be served at midnight to all the guests. Just ensure you dress up in medieval attire for this dinner theatre experience.

It’s just over a month until Christmas and if you don’t have all the details of your Christmas office party planned yet, it’s best you get on this one quickly. There are a few simple rules and tips that you can follow to ensure that your Christmas office party is a success, to guarantee everyone’s arrival and to make sure that everyone has a great and safe time.

The venue is one of the most important aspects of the office Christmas party and can either induce anticipation and excitement or notes of boredom. First of all, never hold the office Christmas party at the boss’s house. It will only serve to remind everyone how much larger his or her salary is compared to theirs. Furthermore, it’s likely that not everyone will be able to relax and enjoy themselves, and not worry about spilling chips and dips on the sofa. Office party venues set the tone for the entire the evening. If you want an active office party with a team building aspect to it, bowling or disc golf are activities that usually go down well, but make sure it’s something that everyone can do. Cruising on Thames river boats is always a fun idea for an office party in London, and really gets people in the celebratory mood.

Everyone wants to celebrate their birthdays with their friends and family and that may be enough for them. Some of us would like to enjoy a quite night at home, going out for an intimate dinner with our significant others or a small personal get together. There are some of us where our birthdays are grand affairs which we have waited all year for and we want to spoil ourselves and all of our friends to a magical night out at an amazing birthday venue London. For those of us that are on the more extravagant side, there is a magical place and one of the best birthday venues London awaiting you under the iconic St Paul’s cathedral, Club 10.

Hen, Stag or Hag Do’s are becoming a major part of any up and coming wedding, and are demanding almost as much attention and planning as the actual nuptials itself. There are now so many different varieties on offer, from Stag weekends away, to high Teas at the Waldorf, Treasure Hunts through Bath and Hen nights in London or quad biking and paintball. Here is one more interesting and slightly different idea for a Hen, Stag or Hag Do:
London Boat trips and River Party Boat companies are offering Hen and Stag River cruises through London. For the novel Stag do or to be part of the stag weekend you are invited to go on a 4 hour river cruise through London. Complete with Poker, a professional croupier and including a full fish and chip dinner, bubbly and bar on board, it’s an evening complete with great food, manly competition and great fun.

An absolutely fantastic activity for kids in London is a trip to The Princess Diana Memorial Playground in South Kensington. They often have fabulous evening events over the summer, lending itself a slightly bohemian air during a warm summer evening. Adults’ enjoying picnic hamper’s filled with wine and nibbles whilst the children go off exploring the gardens is safe and relaxing as all adults have to be accompanied by a child. Unaccompanied adults will be denied access.

The main feature is the huge wooden pirate ship centred in the middle of the playground. With its mast and ladders it is any child’s wonderland and will create hours of play. There is also a sensory trail, tepees’ to play hide and seek in, and a beautiful sandy beach surrounding the pirate ship. The bronze statue of Peter Pan in the gardens demands a visit, and will inspire a fabulous game of Pater Pan where the kids are Peter and the Lost Boys or Princess Tiger Lilly and the Indians, and the parents are the nasty Captain Hook and his mangy crew of pirates.

Alan Carr has become majorly success and is quickly on the way to become a household name. The Manchester-based stand up comedian is being heralded as one of Britain’s fastest rising comic talents; he has been leaving audiences breathless the length and breadth of the country for the last couple of years. Since winning the BBC New Comedy Award for Stand-up 2001 and City Life Best Newcomer of the Year, Alan Carr has risen to become one of the hottest young stand-up stars in Britain.