Summer Festival Was "Wonderful Success"

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Organisers celebrate highlights of Lyric Square events

 

HammersmithLondon, organisers of the Summer Festival in Lyric Square have thanked local people for supporting the event as they celebrate its outstandind success.

Live sports, opera and and interactive theatre brought thousands of people into Hammersmith town centre this summer for London’s biggest free festival, now in its fifth year.  

With each year the festival has grown considerably as business improvement district HammersmithLondon has worked to deliver a vibrant and culturally diverse series of events.

The festival got underway in May with the month long Theatre in the Square season as the BID teamed up with the Lyric Hammersmith to provide free performances during lunch hours and also, for the first year, after work.

Audiences who has asked for the option of evening performances filled the square for the extra performances, which included breakneck speed comedy, experimental performances and an ethereal dance piece.

For the opening weekend of the Shubbak Festival 2013. which runs from June 22 to July 6, there was a two day celebration of Arabic culture and tradition called Hafla on the Square.

Bands and DJs, including the incredibly popular DJ Funky Pharaoh, performed Arab and fusion music, short films were screened and there were plenty of fun family activities such as Shemagh making, storytelling and calligraphy. This multi-cultural event was a great success and helped to really promote Arabic culture in today’s western society and got the city wide Shubbak festival off to a flying start.

Businesses, especially the local pubs, reported a massive increase in footfall and sales during this year’s Wimbledon fortnight, as more than 1,000 people flocked to Hammersmith to watch Andy Murray make sporting history.

The Picnic in the Square and live streaming events from the Royal Opera House were also very well attended, with hundrds enjoying productions of La Rondine and Tosca on the big screen.

The events also gave a boost to many local businesses. Festival sponsors Better Gym reported a big increase in sales, up by 14%, and outdoor hairdressing demonstrations from Headmasters led to scores of advance bookings.

Development Director for HammersmithLondon, Patricia Bench, says: " The 2013 HammersmithLondon Summer Festival has been a wonderful success as not only has it driven up footfall and trade but it has promoted Hammersmith for the culturally diverse and vibrant destination that it is.

" It’s such a joy to see workers, residents and visitors enjoying the town, whether that be watching a seaside romp during our Theatre in the Square season, unwinding on the deckchairs or enjoying the world class delights from our cultural partners The Royal Opera House during our two live streaming events.

" We’ve seen the festival grow so much over the past five years and I’m proud that we’re able to deliver a varied mix of events that people from all walks of life can enjoy.

" The highlight for me is going to have to be the moment 1,000 people roared to life when Andy Murray won Wimbledon. An utterly amazing moment, that no one who attended will forget."

July 25, 2013