Please note that this event has already occured.
Key information
Date: Saturday 20 April 2019
Time: 12:00pm to 6:00pm
Venue: Trafalgar Square, Westminster, London, WC2N 5DN, GB
Cost: No tickets required
Join us for a feast of fun activities on Saturday 20 April as we celebrate all things English.
Trafalgar Square will turn red and white in honour of England’s national day and our patron saint St George. Here’s what you can expect…
The Main Stage will feature a mix of traditional and contemporary acts including The London Folk Youth Ensemble and West End Musical Choir. Our funky house band Signal will be playing classic English tunes from Queen to Adele. Get set to cheer and whoop as Greatest Dancer semi-finalists Frobacks perform some nifty dance moves! The Main Stage will be compered by TV Peronality Lydia Bright.
If you’re feeling hungry, head to our English Food Market for some mouth-watering fare. Tuck into Eat The Farm’s Dirty Cow Burger, Jolly Hog’s Proper Porky Sausage bap or a Cheesy Marmite chip sarnie from The Big Butty Bar. If you’ve got a sweet tooth, you could try a yummy vegan treat from Ms Cupcake or an award-winning scoop from The Ice Cream Cab Company. If milkshake’s more your thing, check out the Liquid Mobile Bar. Take a pew in our central banqueting area and enjoy your feast. Scroll down for a full list of caterers.
We’re putting England’s creativity at the heart of the event with a ‘Handmade in England’ artisan craft market. Treat yourself to some funky Ballonet Socks, some unique jewellery from Esoteric or an art deco style London picture from Red Faces Prints. You’ll find a full list of traders at the end.
If you’re up for a giggle, don’t miss The Poodle Club Comedy tent. There you’ll find London’s favourite grumpy old man, Arthur Smith, outspoken comic Shazia Mirza and legendary comedy magician, Paul Zenon. There’s also rising star, Archie Maddocks and the feisty, fiery Susan Murray. Each headliner will be joined by two up and coming comedians from the London comedy circuit. Your compere for the afternoon is the award-winning variety character Ada Campe.
Got kids? Then don’t miss the Family Zone. There’ll be vintage rides and a Knights Training Camp hosted by Emergency Exit Arts. Children can learn all about knights, have their faces painted and take on the Dragon’s Quest. They can also meet some baby dragons in the Dragon’s Nest. They don’t bite, we promise!
Come and hear the story of England’s patron saint in our Dance and Storytelling tent. Discover London’s hidden dragon’s in St George MythBusters with Hazel Baker from London Guided Walks. You can also meet, Dragon Expert, Julius Drake as he shares his adventures in Dragon Tales. If you’re in the mood to move, get your dancing shoes on as MPA Academy invite you to try Street Dance, Waltz, Morris and Jive. There’ll be workshops all day led by leading dancers and tutors from Frobacks, Prospects Fraternity, PDK and Thriller Live. Fans of Del Boy and co should head to the Only Fools and Horses Robin Reliant for a selfie. If you’d rather have a more exotic trip, step into Dr Who’s Tardis.
Plus, walkabout entertainers including St George himself, the delightful singing trio The Charlalas and of course London’s finest Pearly Kings and Queens.
Some interesting facts about St George
Find out 8 facts about St George you may not have heard of and read about England's patron saint's links to London.
Compere: Lydia Bright
12.05 - 12:35 The Rin Tins
12.45 - 13:05 London Youth Folk Ensemble
13.15 - 13.20 Frobacks
13.25 - 13.35 Speeches
13:40 - 14.10 West End Musical Choir
14.20 - 15.00 Signal
15.05 - 15.10 Frobacks
15.15 -15.30 Maddie Bowe (Busk in London)
15.40 - 15.55 Josh Gleaves (Busk in London)
16.00 - 16.15 Jazz Mino (Busk in London)
16.20 - 16.35 Lucy May Walker (Busk in London)
16.45 - 17.10 Rooftop Trio
17.15 - 17.20 Frobacks
17.25 - 18.00 Signal
Please note line up subject to change
Carcass
Eat the Farm
Harold’s Hog Roast
Ice Cream Cab Company
Jolly Hog
Liquid Mobile Bar
Ms Cupcake
Paddy’s Fish and Chips
Popina
Smoky Gaucho
The Big Butty Bar
The Cheeky Indian
Amora Naturals
Ballonet Socks
Cole of London
Crystal and Stone
Eco-Antique Teacup Candles
Estoric London
Leaping Lizards
Lizzy Chambers
Maj
Ply Coasters
Red Faces Prints
Samantha Warren
Simone Selaib-Salandini
WUKA
Arthur Smith & Friends
1.00 -1.40pm
Jen Ives
Rob Copland
Arthur Smith
Paul Zenon & Friends
2.00pm - 2.40pm
Nena Edwards
David Eagle
Paul Zenon
Susan Murray & Friends
3.00pm - 3.40pm
Zahra Barri
Joe Parsons
Susan Murray
Archie Maddocks & Friends
4.00pm - 4.40pm
Rosie Wilby
Nicole Harris
Archie Maddocks
Shazia Mirza & Friends
5.00pm - 5.40pm
Lucy Frederick
Mo Saffaf
Shazia Mirza
Havering
St George's Day Celebrations in Romford Market
- 11am to 3:30pm on Wednesday 24 April 2019
- Location: Romford Market, Romford RM1 3ER
Our St George's Day celebrations promise to be a flamin' good free event filled with fun for all the family, including medieval musicians, a cockney knees up, arts and crafts, face painting, an astounding animatronic dragon, and much more.
Redbridge
Meet the Goblin Queen and Dragon at Ken Aston Square
- 11am to 11.30am, 1pm to 1.30pm and 3pm to 3.30pm on Saturday 20th April
- Location: Ken Aston Square, Barkingside High Street next to Fullwell Cross library leisure centre
It's your once in a life time chance for an extraordinary encounter with a goblin queen and her huge and ancient dragon! Let go of reality and enter the world of fairy tale and myth as you become involved in goblin mischief and are entranced by the enchanting, smoke breathing, true to life puppet dragon.
The mystical duo are on a mission to discover why the dragon's eggs are no longer hatching. The goblin queen may tether her beast to you as she makes her investigations, or you may be chosen to actually sit on and incubate one of the dragon's eggs! Oh and in case you are wondering the Dragon is called KIRINYA!
Arts and Crafts at Redbridge Libraries
Saturday 20 April
Celebrate St. George's Day by making your very own paper Dragon. The more fiery and fearsome the better!
Free, book in advance at the relevant library including:
Kieth Axon Library - 10.30am to Midday
Gants Hill Library - 2pm to 3pm
Goodmayes Library - 10.30am-Midday
Seven Kings Library - 10.30am to Midday
Wanstead Library - 11am to Midday
Fullwell Cross Library
Crafts 11am to midday and 2pm to 3pm
Face painting (£1.75) 11am to 3pm
St. George's Day (children's library) 11am to 3pm
Redbridge Central Library
Crafts 11am to 3pm
Face painting (£1.75) 11am to 12.30pm and 1.30pm to 3pm
St. George's Trail (children's library) 11am to 3pm
Tuesday 23 April
Create your shield and design your own 'Coat of Arms'
Free, book in advance at the relevant library:
Hainault Library - 4.30pm to 5.30pm
Woodford Green Library - 4.30pm to 5.30pm
South Woodford Library & Gym - 4pm to 5pm
Dragon Riding Princess at Ilford Town Centre
Come and say hello to our fabulous Dragon Riding Princess with her Knight in Shining Armour - Straight out of a fairy tale these larger than life characters will be roaming the town centre during the day with their inquisitive dragon but there’s no need to be afraid, the dragon is very friendly.
- Time: 11am to 11.30am, 1pm to 1.30pm and 3pm to 3.30pm
- Location: Ilford Town Centre, Community pitch (just in front of Sainsbury’s)
Camden
Saturday 27 April
Castellers of London St. George’s Day performance will be at Camden Market (The Stables Market)
- Time: 12.00 – 16.00
- Location: 407 Chalk Farm Rd, Camden Town, London NW1 8AH
Greenwich
Friday 26 April
St George's Day Ceilidh
A fantastic night of live music and dance
- Time: Doors open at 7pm and music starts at 7.30pm
- Location: Shrewsbury House, Bushmoor Crescent, SE18 3EG
Accessible facilities at Trafalgar Square
- There is a wheelchair accessible lift on the north-west corner of Trafalgar Square.
Event stewards will be available to assist wheelchair users travelling between upper (north terrace) and lower terrace levels of Trafalgar Square. NB: This lift is currently out of order but we hope to have it rectified soon. - Wheelchair accessible public toilets are available on the lower terrace of Trafalgar Square. This is on the west side of the square to the left of the central staircase. These are open daily from 8am to 8pm. On event days the toilets are available free of charge.
- Trafalgar Square’s cafe is wheelchair accessible, and has a low-level counter and induction loop. Free drinking water is available upon request in the cafe.
Accessible transport
You can plan your journey with TfL’s Journey Planner.
National Rail
- The nearest railway station is Charing Cross. It is 325 metres away, approximately three minutes’ walk. Charing Cross rail station offers step-free access and a step-free route to Trafalgar Square.
Tube
- The nearest Underground station with step-free access from platform to street level is Westminster. This is served by the Jubilee, District and Circle lines. Outside Westminster station buses 12, 24, 88 or 453 have low-floor buses which call at a stop within 150m of Trafalgar Square.
- Charing Cross Underground station is served by the Northern and Bakerloo lines. It is the closest Tube station. However, it does not have step-free access.
- Visit the TfL website for accessible Tube maps.
Bus
- Routes 3, 6, 9, 11, 12, 13, 15, 23, 24, 53, 77A, 88, 91, 139, 159, 176 and 453.
- All these routes lead to Trafalgar Square. However, 9 and 15 are heritage buses and do not have a low-floor.
- Visit the TfL website for more information on buses.
Dial-a-ride
Find out about registering and pre-booking Dial-a-ride services.
Accessible parking
The nearest Blue Badge parking spaces to Trafalgar Square are:
- St Martin’s Street – five spaces - 321 metres from Trafalgar Square
- Outside Canada House – one space - 33 metres from Trafalgar Square
- Suffolk Street – one space - 644 metres from Trafalgar Square
- Spring Gardens – one space - 321 metres from Trafalgar Square
To find other blue badge parking bays nearby, use the postcode WC2N 5DN and search the City of Westminster’s website.
To see where the bays are, click the ‘View results on a map’ button on the search results page.
- All staff and stewards will be briefed on disability awareness.
- The wheelchair accessible viewing area will be on the North Terrace, at the top of the central staircase. Some seating will be available for companions in the wheelchair viewing area, and for those less able to stand. An area with hearing loop will be available.
- BSL signers will be on the stage to interpret the spoken word content.
- On the north-west corner of Trafalgar Square (on the upper terrace) a Mobiloo wheelchair accessible portable toilet will be provided.
- The mobile toilet has a hoist and changing table. Mobiloo users needing to use the hoist must bring their own sling with them. This is for your own safety and convenience – and to prevent any cross-contamination between different users. Further details on the Mobiloo website. https://www.mobiloo.org.uk/