What’s on in London – June 2016

Fork to Fork is a charity event that gives celebrity chefs a chance to give back to the community while at the same time encouraging families to eat seasonally. A result of the vision of Masterchef winner Thomasina Miers and Laura Harper-Hinton the festival aims to raise money for the Open Air Classroom charity project in NW6.Taking place on the grounds of Ark Primary School, Fork to Fork is a great way to spend a lazy afternoon shopping for produce and tasting new flavours. There will be fresh food stalls run by a collection of top restaurants, including The Ledbury, Wahaca and Caravan. Live music and children’s attractions will give the afternoon a distinct “festival” vibe.

In the days before electronic communications, the British Army relied on flags to send signals and instructions to its troops. These “colours” were regularly paraded so that soldiers could familiarise themselves with them and this activity has evolved into the modern spectacle of Trooping the Colour. The Queen, as Commander-in-Chief, takes an active part in the parade and it has been incorporated into her official birthday celebrations.Starting from Buckingham Palace, representatives of the Guards regiments move in formation down The Mall and back before being inspected by The Queen. The Royal Family then assemble on the balcony of Buckingham Palace for an RAF aerial display. Anyone wishing to attend the celebration should be aware that proceedings commence at 11 am sharp and Her Majesty is a stickler for timekeeping (allegedly).

Even though the Tate Modern museum occupies a huge space in what was once a riverside power station, it was always going to need more room. That’s because modern artworks are incorporating more performance elements and need more support infrastructure than ever before. Tate Modern has experimented with underground storage tanks and now has a more permanent structure to help solve the problem.A ten storey asymmetrical tower, situated behind the Turbine Hall will rehouse many older works, leaving the main hall free to stage the massive installations that are becoming increasingly popular with the public. To celebrate the opening, there will be fresh hangings of modern masters including Picasso and Rothko.www.tate.org.uk

Based on the wild party nights of pre-war Berlin, Wonderground is a heady mix of alternative cabaret and mutated circus turns. It’s a great way for multi-talented performers to try something new as the audience are relaxed and without prior conception of what constitutes cabaret in the 21st Century.Hotel Black Cat is a prime example of what to expect. Slightly menacing, but with a strange beauty, it has been a perennial pioneer of the alternative cabaret scene. Singing gymnasts. Gothic ballerinas. Electronic burlesque – there are all manner of intriguing mashups taking place, south of the river, this summer.www.londonwonderground.co.uk

There’s nothing like fresh summer air for stimulating the taste buds and gastronauts of all persuasion will be heading to Regent’s Park for an event that just keeps on growing. This year sees a fresh new wave of culinary wunderkids making their mark in London and they’ll be sharing their skills, secrets and short cuts along with more established stars.The funky glasses and blond crop of Monica Galetti is as well-known on TV as Gordon’s scowl or Jamie’s enthusiasm. She is the current face of celebrity chefdom: cool, organised and incisive. Monica will spearhead the ever-popular demonstration events but there are a host of other activities for visitors to enjoy. Food and wine pairings, Taste of Turkey and a Bloody Mary masterclass (essential for the morning after!) are just some of the intriguing sections of this wonderfully eclectic festival.www.london.tastefestivals.com

Combining the controlled chaos of a school sports day with the vibrant rainbow effects of a Holi festival gathering, Color Run is staged over a fairly easy 5km course around Wembley Stadium and is bound to be one of the highlights of summer. Runners of all ages and abilities are invited to jog, dance or selfie their way along the route while being showered with brightly coloured powder.It’s a truly international event, as demonstrated by the improper spelling of ‘colour’ but Color Run focuses on raising money for several global and local charities. Starting out in pristine white running kit is essential as you’re bound to end the day looking like an explosion in a sweet factory. To get you to the finish line there will be a super line-up of DJs and MCs and an extra-large colour bombardment to send you on your merry way. www.thecolorun.co.uk

Eminent sculptor, Richard Wilson will be in charge of this year’s open submission exhibition which is the largest of its kind in the world. Most art events are themed and hand-picked by a panel of experts but the RA annually invite submissions from anyone and it is Wilson’s job to make a coherent show out of these disparate contributions.There will be a focus on couples who work together as Wilson and the RA seem keen to focus on the act of collaboration in art. Expect plenty of work from the bad boys of British sculpture, Jake and Dinosaur Chapman. There will be late showings on Friday and Saturday nights throughout the event’s duration.www.royalacademy.org.uk

This a weekend that is not only an opportunity to find a new patch of greenery but an insight to what various Londoners are doing to conserve them. Discovering a series of hidden flower beds is one thing; learning how to extract cloth dye from plants found by a busy high street is quite another.More than 200 garden spaces that are normally off limits to the public will be accessible over two days and the emphasis will be on conservation and education. Sadly, because of the EU referendum, the Downing Street gardens will remain closed – the Prime Minister might need somewhere to hide if things go wrong!

A decade ago, ballet traditionalists held their collective breath as the Royal Ballet took the bold step of appointing a contemporary artist as their chief choreographer. Since then Wayne McGregor has repaid their faith with a series of bold and exciting projects; each one more eagerly awaited than the other.Obsidian Tear will premiere at the Royal Opera House this summer and is based on the Native American legend that has the families of fallen warriors weeping tears of pure obsidian at their funerals. McGregor not only choreographs the action which is set to a minimalist Finnish composition but is also involved in the set design. This is unsurprising, given his keen interest in the interaction between science and dance.www.roh.org.uk

Formerly an alien concept, Father’s Day celebrations have filtered across from the States and are set to embarrass London dads as the family drags them away from the football in order to ‘treat them’. To be honest, any steakhouse will do as long as they have a wide-screen TV but should the man of the house insist on quality, there are a few eateries in London that will push the envelope.Hawksmoor, St John’s and Barbecoa are all City-based restaurants that celebrate meat in all its grilled, roasted and pan-fried glory. Hawksmoor serve the finest steaks in town while St John’s is famous for using every part of the animal. Barbecoa have five (count ’em) ways of barbecuing meat and will provide inspiration for the next time Dad decides to dust the cobwebs off the outdoor grill equipment.
www.thehawksmoor.com | www.stjohnrestaurant.com | www.barbecoa.com