Happy St George's Day!

Today is Saint George's Day, an annual event that takes place on 23rd April to celebrate the patron saint of England.

These are some of the events happening today to celebrate St George's Day:

Celebrate St Georges Day at Trafalgar Square with a fresh and varied selection of English music. 12.30pm - 6pm FREE
St George's Day Concert, Trafalgar Square

Head to the V&A for a range of free events for St Georges Day at the Museum of Childhood.

Free afternoon talk (at 4 pm) at the National Gallery about the famous painting of St George and the Dragon (which is permanently housed at the National Gallery) by Paolo Uccello and the legend of the patron saint of England.

and some more events around England
England: the best St George's Day events, 2011 (via the Telegraph)

Classic English recipes, from traditional puds to brilliant bangers and mash, to help you celebrate St George's Day. (via BBCgoodfood.com)

Top Ten Patriotic Pubs For St George’s Day (via Londonist)

To all my English readers: enjoy celebrating England's national day!

Happy St George's Day!

Edited to add: I was puzzling over why the special Google Doodle to honour St George's Day has suddenly disappeared (it was there at 1:00 am this morning) and mentioned this on twitter. One of my followers provided this surprising information:

"this year it isn't st Georges day til 2 May cos it clashes with Easter" and she kindly provided a link about it: http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/saints/george_1.shtml
Saint George's Day is April 23. In 2011 because this day falls on Holy Saturday, it will move to May 2.

I'm shocked! It's not as if today's event clashes with Easter Sunday. How many people even know about "Holy Saturday"? I think moving England's national day to a different date is totally ridiculous! Furthermore, that decision doesn't seem to have reached most of England (thankfully!) since there are still plenty of events happening across England to celebrate today. Quite right too!

What do you think about this decision to move the date for St George's Day to May 2nd?

Royal Wedding Procession Route in 3D via GoogleEarth

This is very cool!

Via GoogleEarthweb:

Royal Wedding Procession Route in 3D
To celebrate the royal wedding of Prince William of Wales and Catherine Middleton on April 29, 2011, we have launched 3D buildings and trees for central London. This tour will show you Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, and many other famous places along the route the couple will take to and from their wedding.

2012 London Olympics: 500 day countdown. Tickets on sale today!

Tickets for the 2012 London Olympics go on sale today!

2012 London Olympics ticket sales going 'very well'
People have until 26 April to apply for some of the 6.6 million tickets which went on sale 500 days before the event.

A bit of bad luck with the countdown clock - it stopped!:
London 2012 countdown clock stops in Trafalgar Square

Many of the Olympic events will be pricey so this list is useful:
What to see at the London 2012 Olympic Games for £20

[links via BBC News]

London 2012 Olympics

International Women’s Day 2011

International Women’s Day (IWD) takes place on March 8, every year. This year is special because the event is celebrating its 100th birthday.

You may have noticed that Google created an International Women's Day Doodle today. When you click on the image, it shows a page about how women can celebrate by attending a bridge event, or by checking in virtually:




Another interesting video was made by We Are Equals to mark International Women's Day. EQUALS is a partnership of leading charities brought together by Annie Lennox to celebrate the centenary of International Women's Day.

The thought-provoking video stars the James Bond actor, Daniel Craig:




Related blog posts:
100th anniversary of International Women’s Day
British mothers still not equal to British fathers!

100th anniversary of International Women’s Day

The Journey of Women's Rights: 1911-2011

Happy New Year! London Fireworks 2011

London Fireworks on New Year's Day 2011 - New Year Live - BBC One



Happy New Year!

Internet Week Europe: London 8-12 November 2010

It's the very first Internet Week Europe this week: 8-12 November 2010

This five-day festival has been set up to celebrate the very best of Europe's digital industry, with events hosted by The BBC, Yahoo!, Creative Review, Google, Lonely Planet, Channel 4 and more.

Read more about it: http://www.internetweekeurope.com/
Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/internetweekeu
Also, worth noting, Skype is offering free WiFi at Skype Access-enabled hotspots in the UK this week!

The Affordable Art Fair (21-24 October)

The Affordable Art Fair started yesterday in Battersea Park, London. This fun event continues today and throughout the weekend. The contemporary art is exhibited amongst the 120 galleries. There are also plenty of other arty activities - free workshops or demonstrations, and a series of informal talks about collecting art.

Opening times:
Friday 22 October 11.00am – 6.00pm
Saturday 23 October 11.00am – 6.00pm
Sunday 24 October 11.00am – 6.00pm

The Affordable Art Fair

First direct has created a short video with Affordable Art Fair founder, Will Ramsay and showcasing artist Natasha Kumar:

British Food Fortnight 18 Sept - 3 Oct

The ninth British Food Fortnight starts today, 18 September, and continues until 3 October.

Hundreds of shops, pubs, restaurants, councils, schools and hospitals take part each year, by promoting British food in their menus.

The National Trust is celebrating British Food Fortnight with the best of home grown produce through various events (fruit and vegetable workshops, cookery masterclasses and food fayres plus many more) across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Ten things you may not know about British food

Want to buy British - a new website designed to help you buy British food and drink.

Where to eat British - To find pubs, restaurants and cafes serving British food


To find out more about British Food Fortnight, including how you can take part, visit lovebritishfood.co.uk

The Blitz: 70th Anniversary

The famous Blitz on Britain from German airplanes carrying out bombing raids over Britain began 70 years today.

A memorial service was held today at St Paul's Cathedral.

Found in attic: Rare footage of London in the Blitz:



The London Blitz (Britain at War) 1941 (1946)

World Cup 2010 Football Song - There May Be Glory

The Dulwich Ukulele Club have pulled out all the stops to produce The Football Anthem for the World Cup 2010.



Brilliant!

70th Anniversary of Dunkirk - "Operation Dynamo"

Today is the 70th Anniversary of Dunkirk - On this day 1940: Dunkirk evacuation begins.

From the BBC Archives: WWII: Dunkirk Evacuation - How the 'little ships' helped rescue the Allied troops

The Association of Dunkirk Little Ships:
70th Anniversary Commemorative Return to Dunkirk

Hear stories from veterans who were there via the Imperial War Museum's YouTube channel

Codenamed Operation Dynamo, a flotilla of 900 naval and civilian craft – the latter were called “the little ships” – were sent across the English channel to rescue an entire army, the defeated British Expeditionary Force.

338,000 troops were rescued from the beaches between May 27 and June 4, 1940.

Prime Minister, Winston Churchill oversaw the incredible plan to rescue the British (and French) soldiers from the beaches of France via hundreds of seaworthy boats.

Events to mark the the 70th anniversary are being held around the country as well as in France and Belgium.

Fleet marks Dunkirk anniversary (via BBC News)

Ramsgate’s Dynamo Day 2010 - The 70th Anniversary of the Dunkirk Little Ships

Happy St George's Day!

St George is the patron saint of England.

Today, April 23rd, is England's national day: 

St George's Day!

Celebrations to mark St George's Day will take place across England today and over the weekend.

St George's Day 2010, Activities, Celebrations, Ideas  (via Enjoy England)

London St. George's Day 2010

St. George's Day gets Google Doodle  (link via metro.co.uk)

Facts about St. George's Day, England's national day  (link via Woodlands Junior School)

Urgup in Turkey seeks English twin on St George's Day  (link via BBC News)

Pageant of St George returns to London after 425 years  (link via BBC News)

Download a free copy of The Ricky Gervais Guide to The English to mark St George's Day
(link via guardian.co.uk)

St George's Day Crafts  (link via Activity Village)

Today is also William Shakespeare's birthday and it's appropriate to quote from his play, Henry V, with one of Shakespeare's most famous quotes:

 'Cry ‘God for Harry, England, and Saint George!'

and another famous quote is by Sir Winston Churchill:

"There is a forgotten, nay almost forbidden word,

which means more to me than any other. That word is ENGLAND."

Happy St George's Day!

Retro Tea Party: Covent Garden, London 25th June 2009

This event sounds like a lot of fun: Covent Garden Tea Party Giving you the chance to treat yourself to freshly brewed tea, Prosecco cocktails and cream cakes while listening to 1920's themed music, the Covent Garden tea party will be taking place on the East Piazza as part of the Covent Garden Real Food Market. Visitors to the Covent Garden tea party can indulge in some freshly brewed tea and cream topped cake for £5.00, or go for the Prosecco option for £8.00. A highlight of the event is bound to be the tea dance, which starts at 6.30pm and will feature the Lindy Hop, the Wlatz, and other retro dances. The Covent garden tea party runs from 5pm - 7pm, Thursday 25th June 2009. Tickets cost £5.00 - £8.00, and will be available on a first come, first served basis from 4pm on the day. (link via ViewLondon.co.uk) Isn't that a cool idea? I bet it will be very popular!

The Big Lunch: a street party throughout the UK on Sunday, July 19th

What is The Big Lunch? Basically, it's a party in your street, in everyone's street. On 19th July we're asking the people of Britain to stop what they're doing and sit down to lunch together. Why? Well for lots of reasons really but mainly to put a smile back on Britain's face. The Big Lunch - hints and tips on getting started I think it sounds like a cool idea - and a great way for everyone to get to know their neighbours and encourage community spirit. I will have to check with my neighbours and see if anything is being planned. To organise an event such as this one takes a lot of time and effort so I'm sure there will need to be a lot of meetings to work out the details. What do you think of the idea? Do you think your street will take part?

Happy Birthday Big Ben: the world's most famous clock is 150 today!

Big Ben marks 150th anniversary The clock tower in Parliament Square, Westminster, is being given a spring clean following a year of activities in recognition of the landmark. Technically Big Ben refers only to the clock's largest bell, but has become synonymous with the clock tower itself. The bell, cast in Whitechapel on 10 April 1858, was first rung in the Great Westminster Clock on 31 May 1859. (link via BBC News) Big Ben 1859 -2009 (official Home Page) UK Parliament - Big Ben (Clock Tower tour) and Google honoured Big Ben with a special google doodle: Google Doodle: Big Ben 150 years - UK Edited to add this information from the official site: Tours of the tower are free and open to UK residents who have requested a visit through their local MP. Children under the age of 11 are not permitted. Tours for overseas visitors are currently not permitted. Please note that it is not possible to queue on the day to tour the tower - advance bookings must be made through your MP.

250 Years of Kew Gardens!

Did you know Kew Gardens is celebrating its 250th anniversary this summer? I only discovered it is because I noticed the Google logo today shows the word 'Google' inside a greenhouse. Very clever. To celebrate the anniversary, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh are visiting the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew to mark the horticultural landmark's 250th anniversary.

Happy Birthday William Shakespeare!

Shakespeare Birthday Celebrations Marking the 445th anniversary of the Bard's birth Welcome to The Shakespeare Birthday Celebrations, a unique event that's been taking place in Stratford for over a century. This year everyone can look forward to a truly dazzling experience as 2009 sees the start of a three-year plan to develop the celebrations into a high profile, annual extravaganza ready for the World Shakespeare Festival in 2012. (link via shakespeare.org.uk) The Shakespeare Birthday Celebrations Stratford's streets will overflow with pageantry, music and theatre and over the birthday period you can enjoy a packed programme of special celebratory activities - great days out at Shakespeare's historic houses, poetry, literary and music festivals and amazing theatre. Celebrate Shakespeare's Birthday with a free event on Bankside, London Shakespeare's Birthday 2009 On Thursday 23 April, patriotically established as Shakespeare's birthday, there will be another free special event on Bankside before the Globe’s 2009 theatre season opens with Shakespeare’s most famous love-story, Romeo & Juliet.Time: 6.00pmTickets for Romeo & Juliet: £5-£33. (link via Shakespeare's Globe Theatre) Portrait of Shakespeare unveiled A portrait of William Shakespeare thought to be the only picture made of him during his lifetime has been unveiled in Warwickshire. The painting is on show at The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, Stratford-upon-Avon, to celebrate the playwright's birthday on 23 April. (link via BBC News) The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust

Happy St George's Day! (England's national day)

To all my English readers on this special day in England:

Happy St George's Day!

St George's Day events via Enjoy England Join the campaign to gain proper recognition for the Patron Saint of England by writing to your MP about establishing St. George's day as a public holiday in England. (link via St George's Day - A Site for England) It's nice to see that Google's homepage is honouring both St George's Day and Shakespeare's Birthday with a special Google doodle portraying a dragon and a knight. Well done, Google! About St George's Day - from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Let's celebrate England's heritage and traditions!

The Fourth Plinth project: One person. One hour. One & Other

Have you heard about the Fourth Plinth project? The famous sculptor, Antony Gormley (most well known for his iconic sculpture, The Angel of the North) invites you to help create a living monument. He is asking the people of the UK to occupy the empty Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square, London. Every hour, 24 hours a day, for 100 days without a break beginning on 6th July, a different person will make the Plinth their own - an uninterrupted succession of 2400 volunteers creating a unique portrait of the UK in the 21st century. I think it sounds like a very cool idea! Anyone aged 16 or over who lives in or is staying in the UK can participate. After you register, participants will be chosen at random. Everything you want to know about the project Edited to add this update: Housewife becomes the first woman on the fourth plinth - 6 July 2009 A housewife with two young children has become the first 'living sculpture' on Trafalgar Square's fourth plinth . Rachel Wardell , 35, from Lincolnshire, begun her stint at 9am after a short delay while an anti-tobacco protester was removed from the statue. (link via thelondonpaper)