Summer of culture begins as Kingston 2025 festival opens
Crowds in Kingston were treated to a colourful spectacle of music, dance and street theatre on Saturday 3 May as the Royal Borough of Kingston launched its six-month festival of arts and culture.
The Kingston 2025 opening show delighted crowds, with everything from the energetic whirlwind of lindy hop and K-Pop to the foot stomping Ukrainian brass band Freedom Pulse. There were also performances from Tamil and Gujarati dance groups, Korean drummers, the Rose Youth Theatre, as well as Brazilian Capoeira and martial arts displays.
The main event was a showstopping performance that took audiences on a journey through a thousand years of Kingston history, with a distinctly contemporary twist. Beginning with the crowning of Saxon King Athelstan 1,100 years ago, right in the heart of the borough, nods to shrovetide football, market town trading, wartime Britain and some of the borough’s famous sons and daughters followed. The event struck an optimistic note for the future, underpinned by a strong sense of community and togetherness.
Leader of Kingston Council Cllr Andreas Kirsch said the event captured the spirit of Kingston:
“What an incredible way to kick off Kingston 2025, our summer of arts, culture and celebration! The performers, volunteers and everyone involved delivered a magical afternoon of music, theatre and dance that will live long in the memories of all who were there.
“Kingston 2025 takes the significant anniversary of the crowning of King Athelstan, first King of a united England, and uses it as a springboard for celebrating our past, our present and our hopes for the future. The diverse programme offers something for everyone - opportunities to enjoy, explore, try new things, and have fun. So if you live, work, study or are a visitor to the borough, we hope to see you at Kingston 2025.”
Alongside the busy programme of exhibitions, large scale events, public art installations, stage shows, workshops, talks and trails, a community research project will see residents recording contemporary and past histories for future generations, funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Moments for visitors not to miss include:
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Kingston Glamour - art, innovation and the suburbs, an exhibition rediscovering Kingston’s reputation for late night cabaret, race cars and fashion and how it led the way in architecture and modern interior design. (opens 16 May)
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Mini Day - celebrating the triumph of the Mini Cooper at the Monte Carlo Rally of ‘65 and wider stories of innovation and cutting edge design in Surbiton. (17 May)
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Kingston International Film Festival - 74 films screened across 4 venues. (6-8 June)
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Bridging Kingston: A Musical Odyssey - 150 children have been involved in co-creating this new musical to be performed at the Rose Theatre. (28 June)
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Athel’s Town: Saxon Encampment and Re-enactment - two days celebrating all things Saxon including a parade of warriors over Kingston bridge. (26-27 July)
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River Cultures Festival - a day packed with river and landbased activities including a colourful flotilla of boats, sailing competitions and family entertainment from Eagle Brewery Wharf to Canbury Gardens. Part of the Totally Thames Festival. (6 September)
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Kingston Carnival 25th anniversary - a joyous community celebration with a spectacular carnival parade, great music and delicious food. (7 September)
To find out more about what’s on across the summer download the programme of events or visit Kingston Heritage for the latest listings.
