Camden Summer Programme 2017 Your guide to the best free and low-cost things to do in Camden this summer
There’s something for everyone Activities for young people
Walks
Family fun
Green Gym
Community events
Sports and physical activity
Exhibitions and performances
Follow us on social media and tag your Camden summer posts #camdensummer
@camdentalking
LBCamden
Visit lovecamden.org for even more things to do, this summer and beyond
The Camden Summer Programme is back, brighter than ever. Bursting with events and activities whatever your age, budget or interests, we’re here to bring some colour to your summer. Community events are one of the ways we come together in Camden to celebrate our different backgrounds, and our Summer Programme aims to offer something for everyone. So get together with your friends and neighbours to celebrate Camden this summer. Find some local fun, try something new and make new friends in the process.
Camden Kala Our annual arts programme this year celebrates Indian culture, shining a spotlight on India’s vibrant heritage within Camden and beyond. Camden Kala will feature dance, music, exhibitions, family workshops, walking tours, film screenings and much more.
Camden Kala is inspired by the UK / India Year of 2017, which aims to celebrate cultural ties between the two countries.
Events will take place in public spaces and with our partner organisations, including Central St Martins, Dishoom, The British Library, Akademi and The Place.
Look for the Camden Kala stamp in the event listings.
All activities are free unless otherwise stated. Some events require pre-booking as indicated.
For even more things to do and the most up-to-date details 2 | Camden | Summer Programme 2017
visit lovecamden.org
Activities for young people We have plenty to keep young people busy this summer, whether it’s learning a new skill, taking to the stage or getting active.
The magic of stories Join storyteller Mara Menzies to discover the magic and mysteries of African stories. Ages 5 to 11 Saturday 1 July 10.30am to 12pm and 1 to 2.30pm The British Library 96 Euston Road NW1 2DB bl.uk/events 019 3754 6546
Exploring Egyptian mummies Collect evidence like a scientist to uncover the secrets of the ancient Egyptians. Ages 5+ Sunday 16 July, 11am to 4pm British Museum Great Russell Street WC1B 3DG britishmuseum.org 020 7323 8181
Summer Reading Challenge For a fun way to enjoy books, 4 to 11 year-olds can sign up to the challenge at local libraries. Read six books over the school holidays to complete the challenge. Energise and Get Wise While you’re at the library, sign up to ‘Energise and Get Wise’ to enjoy free swimming at Camden leisure centres. Log your activity via our online portal, ‘Race to Health’, and pick up new activity cards each time you swap a book. Launch event Saturday 15 July, 11am, at Kentish Town library. Both schemes run until the end of school holidays. camden.gov.uk/libraries
Did you know?
Drama summer school Two-week summer school for 8 to 12 year-olds. Booking essential 24 July to 7 August, 10am to 4pm St Pancras Community Centre 67 Plender Street NW1 0LB
Hetty’s shadow puppet theatre Create a shadow puppet theatre inspired by the book 'Hetty Feather.' Ages 5+ Tuesday 29 August, 10.30am to 12pm, 1 to 2.30pm and 3 to 4.30pm The Foundling Museum 40 Brunswick Square WC1N 1AZ foundlingmuseum.org.uk 020 7841 3600
Summer play schemes Arts, crafts, games, sport and day trips for 4 to 13 year-olds. Nine locations across the borough. Costs vary, concessions available. camden.gov.uk/play 020 7974 4444
pascal-theatre.com pascalworkshops@gmail.com 020 7383 0920 Singing and song-writing Interactive workshop for 6 to 16 year-olds. £5 per child, free for adults Booking essential Wednesday 16 August, 11am to 12.30pm Jewish Museum 129–131 Albert Street NW1 7NB jewishmuseum.org.uk admin@jewishmuseum.org.uk 020 7284 7384
Camden Summer University Free courses for Camden’s 13 to 19 year-olds. From jewellery making to journalism and fashion to film. Book early, courses fill up fast. camden.gov.uk/summeruniversity 020 7619 3903
There are 173 different languages spoken in Camden's schools.
Tag us in your Camden summer posts #camdensummer
@camdentalking
LBCamden
3
Family fun Summer is a great time to get the whole family together for a day out. With activities ranging from the creative to the sporty and everything in between, we have something for every child (and grown-up).
Indian rhythms Shows, workshops and fun surprises for 2 to 8 year-olds and their families, £3. Saturday 22 July, 11am, 1pm and 2pm The Place 17 Duke’s Road WC1H 9PY theplace.org.uk 020 7121 1100 Explore zoology Ever wondered how heavy an elephant's tusk is or how sharp a shark’s tooth is? Join hands-on family activities. Saturday 22 July, 1 to 4pm Grant Museum of Zoology Rockefeller Building UCL, 21 University Street WC1E 6DE ucl.ac.uk 020 7679 2000
Family day: plant power Discover the wonder of herbs and flowers. Sow your own health-giving herb seed to nurture at home. Sunday 16 July, 1 to 4pm Family day: bird garlands in the garden Celebrate the swallows, larks and doves in the poetry of Keats by making bird-feeder garlands to take home. Sunday 20 August, 1 to 4pm Keats House 10 Keats Grove NW3 2RR
Fun family photos Become a sailor on a galleon or a jockey on horseback. Use green screen technology to create a wild picture of your family. Ages 5+ and their families Saturday 19 August, 11am to 4pm British Museum Great Russell Street WC1B 3DG britishmuseum.org 020 7323 8181
keatshouse.org.uk keatshouse@cityoflondon.gov.uk 020 7332 3868
Project Paisley Family-friendly artist-led workshops. Help design a unique Paisley pattern for Camden. This project will explore expression through pattern, shape and colour. Wednesday 26 July, 12 to 3pm Swiss Cottage library Tuesday 1 August, 12 to 3pm Pirate Castle, 33 Oval Road NW1 7EA Sunday 6 August, 12 to 4pm Argent Sports and Wellness Day Granary Square N1C 4AA Wednesday 9 August, 1.30 to 4.30pm Queen’s Crescent library Thursday 10 August, 12 to 3pm Pancras Square library Tuesday 22 August, 12 to 3pm Kentish Town library lovecamden.org/camdenkala artsandtourism@camden.gov.uk 020 7974 1648
Under 5s There’s lots to keep the little ones happy too. Rhyme time Mix of songs, rhymes and movement with games, books and toys. 30-minute sessions. Ages 2 to pre-school See your local Camden library for dates and times camden.gov.uk/libraries 020 7974 4444
Stay and play Baby play (under ones), toddler time (under twos) and fun for all (under fives) sessions. See your local Camden Children's Centre for dates and times camden.gov.uk/surestart 020 7974 4444
4 | Camden | Summer Programme 2017
Little feet: animal explorers Explore the ancient Greek galleries and use digital devices to make new discoveries. Sunday 23 July, 11 to 11.30am, 12 to 12.30pm, 1 to 1.30pm, 2 to 2.30pm, 3 to 3.30pm British Museum Great Russell Street WC1B 3DG britishmuseum.org 020 7323 8181
Community events Spend the afternoon at a summer fun day, enjoy some music or find out how you can get more involved in your local community.
Reel local cinema club for over 60s Screening of 'The Graduate' plus short film, followed by tea and coffee, 50p. Thursday 6 July, 1.30 to 3.30pm Kingsgate Community Centre 107 Kingsgate Road NW6 2JH kove.org.uk melwillwright@gmail.com St Pancras community festival Fun for all ages with bouncy castle, bingo, sumo wrestling and more. Saturday 15 July, 11am to 3pm 67 Plender St, NQ1 0LB info@spca.org.uk 020 7380 1501
Jazz at the Kingsgate Live jazz music and lounge cafe. Monday 31 July and Monday 28 August, 8 to 10.30pm £9.50 on the door or £8 in advance Kingsgate Community Centre 107 Kingsgate Road NW6 2JH kingsgatecommunitycentre.org.uk info@kingsgatecc.org.uk 020 7328 9480
Camden Mela 2017 A festival celebrating cultural diversity through food, clothes, music and more. Sunday 16 July, 12 to 6pm Coram’s Fields 93 Guildford Street WC1N 1DN nasim.ali@kcbna.org.uk 07852 223 403
Volunteering in Camden Drop in to find the perfect volunteering role for you. Tuesday 15 August, 12 to 2pm Volunteer Centre Camden 2 Grafton Yard NW5 2ND
Camden Kala summer community fun days Activities including arts and crafts, yoga, boxing and face painting, as well as dance performances and refreshments. Singing at the farm taster session Give singing a go at this teacherled session and join regular sessions starting in September. All singing abilities welcome, £2 Wednesday 19 July, 7 to 9pm Kentish Town City Farm 1 Cressfield Close NW5 4BN ktcityfarm.org.uk
Wednesday 2 August, 1 to 5pm Peckwater Estate NW5 2UD Tuesday 15 August, 1 to 5pm Kilburn Grange Park NW6 2JL Wednesday 23 August, 1 to 5pm The Open Space Swiss Cottage NW3 5EL
volunteercentrecamden.org.uk info@volunteercentrecamden.org.uk 020 7424 9990 Alexandra Road Park festival End of summer festival with food, music and family fun. Saturday 2 September, from 1pm Alexandra Road Park Alexandra and Ainsworth Estate NW8 0SF camden.gov.uk/arp 020 7974 3480
lovecamden.org/camdenkala tp@camden.gov.uk
Look out for our teams offering free NHS Health Checks at events around the borough camden-islington.nhshealthchecks.com
Tag us in your Camden summer posts #camdensummer
@camdentalking
LBCamden
3 5
Sports and physical activity Whether it’s fresh air you’re looking for or you want to join a team of like-minded people, there’s so much choice in Camden to get you moving more.
Kids for a quid £1 swimming for members under 16 at public swimming sessions. Monday to Saturday during school holidays Oasis, Kentish Town, Pancras Square and Swiss Cottage leisure centres
Swiss Cottage climbing Pebbles Ages 4 to 7 Monday to Friday 11.15am to 12.15pm, 4.15 to 5.15pm Saturday and Sunday 9.15 to 10.15am, 11.15am to 12.15pm
better.org.uk/camden
Junior Rock Club Ages 7 to 18 Monday to Friday 12.30 to 2pm, 5.30 to 7pm Saturday 10.45am to 12.15pm Sunday 9.15 to 10.45am, 10.45am to 12.15pm Booking required, prices vary
Outdoor gyms Take your workout outside by trying one of our nine free outdoor gyms. Drop in any time or find sessions on our website.
swisscottageclimbing@gll.org 020 7974 1351
camden.gov.uk/outdoorgyms 020 7974 4444
Drop-in sports sessions Sessions including table tennis, basketball and football. Ages 8 to 16 Kilburn Grange Park, Maygrove Peace Park, Rowley Way, Cumberland Market active@camden.gov.uk 020 7974 6595
Courses and camps Improve your skills at one of our short courses and camps across the borough. Swiss Cottage Sports Centre Multi-sport camps Gymnastics short courses Swim school crash courses Prices vary, concessions available Adelaide Road NW3 3NF betterlessons.org.uk 020 7974 2012 Kentish Town Sports Centre Rookie lifeguard training Swim school crash courses Prices vary, concessions available Grafton Road NW5 3DU betterlessons.org.uk 020 7974 7000 Talacre Community Sports Centre Mini-camps Including trampolining and ballet 90-minute sessions. Ages 4 to 7 Week-long sports camps Including Bend, Bop and Bounce, and Multi-sports. Ages 8 to 14 6 | Camden | Summer Programme 2017
Prices vary, concessions available Dalby Street NW5 3AF sportsdevelopment@camden.gov.uk 020 7974 8754 Activator workshops: three-day courses for ages 14 to 19 Improve your skills in a sport you love and learn to inspire others to play. Booking essential Tennis Monday 14 August, 2 to 4pm Wednesday 16 August, 2 to 4pm Friday 18 August, 2 to 5pm Kilburn Grange Park Tennis Courts Palmerston Road NW6 2JL Women’s football Monday 7 August, 1 to 3.30pm Tuesday 8 August, 1 to 3.30pm Wednesday 9 August, 1 to 4pm Cantelowes Park astro-turf football pitch, Camden Road NW1 9HG camden.gov.uk/summeruniversity 020 7619 3903
Active for all We offer activities for people of all ages with a disability, including gym and fitness, adapted cycling and a weekend multi-sport hub club for over 14s. Our Camden Leisure Centre Accessibility Guide provides information about each leisure centre. camden.gov.uk/disabilitysport 020 7974 8753
Walks Explore Camden by foot and find corners of the borough you didn’t know existed, along with some fascinating history.
Nature wanders Walks taking a fresh look at what nature means today. Booking essential Saturday 1 July and Wednesdays 5, 12 and 19 July 3 to 4.30pm Wellcome Collection 183 Euston Road NW1 2BE wellcomecollection.org info@wellcomecollection.org 020 7611 2222 Musical Camden Walking tour of Camden’s musical heritage. Includes free entry to the museum and its Amy Winehouse exhibition. Sunday 9 July, 11am to 1pm, £15 Jewish Museum 129–131 Albert Street NW1 7NB jewishmuseum.org.uk admin@jewishmuseum.org.uk 020 7284 7384
Leisurely walk If you have a health problem but want to get out more, join this weekly one-hour walk around Hampstead Heath. Walk at your own pace and meet new people. Meet at Parliament Hill Cafe, Highgate Road NW5 1QR Every Monday, 9.50am for a 10am start
Discovering India in Bloomsbury Discover the people and places that reflect the presence of India in early 20th century Bloomsbury. Booking essential Thursday 20 July, 11am Saturday 29 July, 11am Saturday 6 August, 11am Thursday 17 August, 6.30pm Meet at Russell Square tube station Bernard Street WC1N 1JL
walkingforhealth.org.uk active.health@camden.gov.uk 020 7974 3181
lovecamden.org/kala-walks artsandtourism@camden.gov.uk 020 7974 1648
Green Gym Get fit while making a difference at one of these fun and free outdoor sessions. Wildflower meadow and orchard Friday 14 July, 10.45am to 2pm West Hampstead Green Gym Minster Road Nature Reserve NW2 3SE tcv.org.uk/camden gg-westhampstead@tcv.org.uk 07900 678 991
Food growing and looking after raised garden beds Saturday 5 August, 10.30am to 1.30pm Oasis Green Gym Oasis Sports Centre 32 Endell Street WC2H 9AG oasisgreengymgardening oasisgreengym@gmail.com
Wild flower management Tuesday 1 August, 10.45 to 2pm Camden Green Gym Hampstead Cemetery Fortune Green Road NW6 1DR tcv.org.uk/camden gg-camden@tcv.org.uk 07768 710 359
Woodland conservation Sunday 13 August, 11am to 2pm Belsize and Adelaide Green Gym Belsize Sensory Garden Belsize Park NW3 2AL belsizeadelaidegg@gmail.com
Tag us in your Camden summer posts #camdensummer
Pond conservation Tuesday 15 August, 10.45am to 2pm Camden Green Gym Waterlow Park N19 5JF tcv.org.uk/camden gg-camden@tcv.org.uk 07768 710 359
@camdentalking
LBCamden
7
Exhibitions and performances Enjoy some culture at one of Camden’s many galleries and museums.
Open Open 2017 Amateur and professional artists are invited to hang their art in this community exhibition. Submit work on Saturday 8, 15 and 22 July from 12 to 4pm Exhibition 29 July to 8 September Swiss Cottage library 88 Avenue Road NW3 3HA lovecamden.org 020 7974 8086 Afternoon poems: la bella Italia An afternoon of poetry inspired by Italy over the centuries. Booking recommended Sunday 9 July, 2 to 3pm Keats House 10 Keats Grove NW3 2RR keatshouse.org.uk 020 7332 3868
Retracing Ribeiro Exhibition exploring the life and works of Camden-based Indian artist, Lancelot Ribeiro. Includes watercolours, sculptures and writings. Until 28 July Holborn Local Studies and Archives Centre 32-38 Theobalds Road WC1X 8PA Mondays and Tuesdays 10am to 6pm, Thursdays 10am to 7pm, alternative Saturdays 11am to 5pm camden.gov.uk/localstudies 020 7974 6342
Spotlight: illuminating stories from across UCL culture Exhibits from University College London’s four public museums. Until 13 September, 9am to 7pm The Octagon Gallery Wilkins Building, UCL Gower Street WC1E 6BT ucl.ac.uk 020 7679 2000
Sunday concert: Handel-inspired works by Beethoven and Halvorsen Sunday 20 August, 3pm The Foundling Museum 40 Brunswick Square WC1N 1AZ
Quentin Blake: the life of birds A rare chance to see a selection of original drawings of birds from Blake’s personal archive. Children £4, Concessions £5, Adults £7.50, Family ticket £18 (two adults with up to three children). Admission covers all exhibitions. Until 1 October, Tuesdays to Sundays, 10am to 6pm House of Illustration 2 Granary Square N1C 4BH
foundlingmuseum.org.uk 020 7841 3600
houseofillustration.org.uk 020 3696 2020
Sunday concert: 18th and early 19th-century cello music Sunday 6 August, 3pm
Your chance to win £30 How many different languages are spoken in Camden schools according to the school census 2016-2017?
Two winning entrants will each receive £30 worth of Love2shop vouchers. Vouchers can be used in more than 20,000 shops, restaurants and attractions.
To enter the prize draw, send an email to summer@camden.gov.uk with your answer. Alternatively, post your answer along with your contact details to: Summer competition, Camden Council, Camden Town Hall, Judd Street WC1H 9JE.
Hint: you may find the answer somewhere in the pages of this Summer Programme booklet… Closing date: 31 August 2017
Tag us in your Camden summer posts #camdensummer
@camdentalking
LBCamden