MUST DO: May 2015

Next month's highlights across Herne Hill, Clapham North, Wandsworth, Deptford and Brockley

HERNE HILL: Sunday Market (and free film festival)

Herne Hill in the sunshine. Really, is there anywhere better?
Herne Hill in the sunshine. Really, is there anywhere better?

Now that the sun is out (sort of) we’re quite addicted to this most leisurely of south London weekly gatherings. Like a living, breathing weekend supplement, its roll call of good-humoured families, twentysomething hipsters and hungover party animals makes for fun weekend people-watching, too. And it’s useful: with 50 traders, you can pick up everything from artisan bread and quality meat to vintage clothes and jewellery. Start at Perks & White, where the queue for their (SE21-based) Volcano coffee snakes right back up to the station. Don’t forget the free film festival this month too, running 1st-31st May at four venues in the area. It kicks off with The Lady Killers screening in Station Square on 1st May, with the ace Grand Budapest Hotel at Brockwell Lido on the 9th. Full line-up here. Sunday Market, weekly, 10am-4pm, Railton Road SE24

WANDSWORTH: Fringe Festival 2015

Cleveland Watkiss at Wandsworth Fringe. Photo: PR
Cleveland Watkiss at Wandsworth Fringe. Photo: PR

This popular upcoming community arts fringe festival takes place from the 1st-17th May. Over 70 different events are springing up across the borough, ranging from pop-up performances, picnics and plays to comedy, cabaret, talks and tea parties. The festie will also have its very own ‘tweeters-in-residence’ throughout, who’ll be attending events and rehearsals, and interviewing artists. Follow poet Dan Simpson (@dansimpsonpoet) and writer and cabaret performer Marcus Reeves (@marcus_reeves) to stay in the WAF loop. For more details and tickets head here

CLAPHAM NORTH: an exotic new cocktail & dim sum haunt

Fu Manchu: is it a theme too far? Photo: SE
Fu Manchu: is it a theme too far? Photo: PR

H idden under Clapham North’s railway arches, Fu Manchu purports to be as “enigmatic as its moustachioed, villainous namesake” himself. Okaaaaay. Cocktails are are made using Chinese tea infusions and Asian spices, and are inspired by the rogue’s “shady associated and elaborate criminal plots”, with suitably quirky names like The Kiss Of Death and Manchu’s Mind Control. Food centres on dim sum, while interactive DJs and live music lead its late-night metamorphosis into a club. Soft launch 1st May. 15-16 Lendal Terrace SW4

BROCKLEY: Write Now – in its sixth year

Botticelli's Angels at Brockley Jack. Photo: Facebook
Botticelli’s Angels at Brockley Jack. Photo: Facebook

Ever been to the Jack Studio Theatre? No? Well, you can change all that with a visit to its annual playwriting festival, Write Now, which runs from 9th to 30th May. It’s dedicated to the south-east London region and is an essential part of the The Jack’s annual programme to support emerging playwrights and their work. Expect, therefore, acres of new writing, workshops, events and performances to engage and develop the talent of people who live in this area. For details on productions and ticket prices head here.

DEPTFORD: Heritage Festival

The arches:
The ramp. Photo: Cathedral Group

Fancy the chance to take a guided tour of a Grade II-listed, Victorian carriage ramp – London’s oldest railway structure – located at the heart of the Deptford Project? It’s currently being restored and renovated and will be fully open to the public by the end of the year, but as part of the annual Heritage Festival (which runs 1st to 4th May) there are three tours taking place on Friday 1st. It’s free but you need to book a place (info@thedeptfordproject.com). Also as part of the three-day event, which features seven music stages, a new music all dayer stretches the length of 3rd May at Number 3 – expect twelve bands and musicians. Free, more info. A full line-up for the Heritage Festival and more info on tickets is here.

Got an event coming up in south London? Tell us about it: info@belowtheriver.co.uk

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Specify Facebook App ID and Secret in the Super Socializer > Social Login section in the admin panel for Facebook Login to work