A summer Sunday: Bikes, books and Brick Lane

Brick Lane farmers' market begins on Sunday. Pictures: London Farmers Markets

The annual Bike and Kite Festival at Blackheath and the start of Brick Lane farmer’s market on Sunday morning are among many events taking place in the ELL boroughs  this  weekend, where you can find almost anything to suit your tastes.  If you like music the Brockley Max Festival is for you, while Stoke Newington Literary Festival will satisfy all you bookworms and  Celebrate Hackney which will  showcase the diversity of the borough!  Or if you just want to join the nearest party, visit Ashwin Street on Sunday – just across from Dalston Station.   And don’t forget, you can catch the Free Range Art Festival at the Old Truman Brewery, Brick Lane, which will be featuring the work of Goldsmiths students, from until 26 July. 

The  Bike and Kite festival is being held for the 3rd time in Blackheath. This free family event invites amateurs and professionals to come and watch bike and kite shows, take part in competitions and learn tips and tricks in tutorials.

This Blackheath Festival was originally a kite rally, taking place for the first time in 1977. In 2008 the festival teamed up with cycling and this partnership continues.

The festival kicks off the upcoming National Bike Week.  As a part of the National Bike Week, Team Green Britain promotes a national celebration of cycling, demonstrating the social, health and environmental benefits of cycling with the slogan “Everyday Cycling for Everyone.”

This year mountain bike stunt team MAD will perform with their custom made bikes in Blackheath. Also featuring this year are teams from International Kite Fighting, coming to South East London especially to be part of the festival.

There will be a number of stalls in Blackheath selling bikes, kites, food and drinks and for the youngest members of the family there will be a special funfair. For more information visit the Bike and Kite website.

Brockley Max features a whole day of events at Hilly Fields this Saturday, 5 June with arts, music workshops and exhibitions, followed by an after party at Jam Circus in Brockley.

The Saturday’s bonanza includes the “Hacienda on the Hill” during which people can participate in workshops on Brazillian dance, as well as enjoying live bands, DJs and a craft market.

More information is available on the Brockley Max Facebook page and Twitter

For more cerebral events take the train to Dalston and then hop on a bus up to Stoke Newington Media School opposite Clissold Park.  Hackney Unites will be debating everything that matters from environmental issues to asylum and immigration, to the Arts in Hackney.  You can then end the evening at the newly refurbished Stoke Newington Town Hall with Jeremy Hardy and John Hegley who are headlining the Stokie Literary Festival from 7pm.

Goldsmiths students are taking part in The Free Range Festival opening at the Old Truman Brewery on Brick Lane until 26 July.

In its tenth year, Tamsin O’Hanlon’s “fresh and exciting” festival supports new creative talent, being the largest graduate art and design show in Europe.

It is an opportunity for the best in young British art to showcase their work to both the industry and art lovers alike.

Free Range director Tamsin O’Hanlon cites the benefits of the festival: “Free Range provides new graduates with their first real opportunity to engage with the general public, future client base, and potential employers, as well as making connections with each other, sparking relationships that can take them on new creative journeys.”

“We’re still in touch with many who came through Free Range and are now well established in their chosen fields”

The Free Range festival which runs from Friday June 4 to July 26 gives visitors the chance to meet with the talented new faces of the arts world, and ask them questions about their work.

Shows rotate weekly over the 8 week season and are curated by discipline including design, graphics, photography, art and interiors.

Until June 7 the exhibition will feature  work from Goldsmiths  as well as pieces from the Middlesex University art and design degree show.

Here at East London Lines we will definitely be popping down to see the work from our  fellow students at Goldsmiths, and suggest you do the same! You never know, you could be seeing pieces by Damien Hirst’s of the future! Here are some examples of their work:

From the top:Avril O’Neil, Max Kropitz, Rada Lewis and Matt West. Pictures: Idea Generation

Also at The Old Truman Brewery, The Vauxhall Art Car Boot Fair is taking place from 12-6pm.

Sir Peter Blake, artist Martin Creed and Kent’s Billy Childish are just three of the car booters attending the annual event now in its sixth year.

The Ashton and Hayward curated event will be complete with a wrestling ring to hold some old school grappling as well as a retrospective exhibition of past Car Boot Fairs, and thrilling secret auctions from some of UKs most talented artists.

If you are in Brick Lane for their show on Sunday morning, why not check out Brick Lane Farmers’ Market which begins this weekend and will be selling  fish, plants, herbs, meat and vegetables. The market, in Bacon Street, will open every Sunday between 10am and 2pm.

Vistors can expect to find both established farmers’ markets regulars and farms which are new to selling in London.

Arthur Betts joined the organization full time in 2007 after managing a few different farmers’ markets. He said:  “People can expect to find everything from fresh fish straight from day boats on the coast, to vegetables grown just outside London”.

“Free-range and organic meats from traditional local farms and freshly laid eggs, handmade breads and cakes from local bakers.”

Farmers’ markets have offered local food to people in London for a long time, but this is the first time there has been a farmers’ market in the Brick Lane area.

Mr Betts said “We think it will be a really great addition to the area. The area lacks somewhere to get hold of fresh local foods direct from the producer – no longer”.

Farmers’ markets enable farmers to sell their products to the public without any middlemen or wholesalers. Customers have the opportunity to come in direct contact with the food producers.

London Farmers’ Markets estimate that at least 50% of their farmers would not be in business if the London markets had not opened.

For eating and drinking before during and after these events check out our listings which are all organised for your convenience, around each East LondonLine Station.

If you know of any events, concerts, festivals, happenings of all kinds, we should attend, email us at news@eastlondonlines.co.uk, and maybe we will see you there!

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