Picnics, Pomp and Circumstance at Proms in the Park
As summer comes to a close, sadly so too do the outdoor concerts and festivals. The one I tend to feel draws a conclusion on the season is the final night of The Proms with Proms in The Park. So it is with a twinge of sadness, though much anticipation that I prepare to go to Hyde Park for that final outdoor sing-along of 2010 this Saturday.
The Proms in the Park may be only 15 years old but the traditions of celebrating classical (and sometimes kitsch) music and the multicultural background of Britain today are a lot older.
Terry Wogan is back presenting in the park in his own inimitable style (something much missed at the Eurovision song contest!) And joining him on the main stage for the event is an unusual mix of musical stars including opera legend Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, renowned soprano José Carreras, American singer Neil Sedaka and Queen guitarist Brian May.
Around 40,000 people are expected to pack a picnic and head to Hyde Park to join in the fun.
Warming the crowd up before the main event are ABBA tribute band Björn Again who always get a crowd going. You can’t help but move your feet when the joyful strains of ABBA are being belted out. The cast of West End musical The Jersey Boys will also be entertaining concert goers.
The Proms in the Park are also a last chance to indulge in a traditional English picnic.
Whether you like to make your own delicious picnic spread or prefer to sail through the aisles of M&S finding the perfect ingredients to pass off as your own, we love the Cath Kidston Cherry Picnic Hamper to pack all your goodies into (£85.00 from Cath Kidston). The Cath Kidston checked throw is the perfect blanket to perch yourself on (£30, Cath Kidston).
I also like to pack Steadystick wine glass holders and wine bottle holders too to ensure you don’t spill your drinks all over your picnic!
If you struggle to put together the perfect spread, John Lewis Foodhall at the Oxford Street store will help you to put together a great basket. Tracey Thomas, Foodhall Specialist at John Lewis Oxford Street, says, “The key to creating a perfect picnic is knowing how to put lots of snacks together which complement each other in taste and texture. Many of our customers are looking for an affordable, individually prepared picnic hamper which offers delicious, speciality produce.”
If all of this seems to much, just pick up the Inverawe Smokehouse Picnic hamper (£85 from House of Fraser). It is all ready to go so you can just run into the store and grab it – though call first to ensure that they have stock so you are not disappointed.
Tickets for the Proms in Hyde Park, London are £30 (under-3s free) and gates open at 4pm with entertainment on stage from 5.30pm. Get tickets for See Tickets by calling 0844 412 4630 or online at bbc.co.uk/proms (transaction fees vary, see website for details).
If you are not in London this you can enjoy outdoor celebrations and fireworks at parks in County Down, Dundee, Swansea and Salford. There are also BBC Big Screens around the country in Birmingham (Victoria Square), Bradford (Centenary Square), Bristol (Millennium Square), Cardiff (The Hayes), Derby (Market Place), Dover (Market Square), Edinburgh (Festival Square), Leeds (Millennium Square), Leicester (Humberstone Gate), Liverpool (Clayton Square), Manchester (Exchange Square), Middlesbrough (Centre Square), Norwich (Chapelfield Plain), Plymouth (Armada Way), Portsmouth (Guildhall Square), Swindon (Wharf Green), Waltham Forest (Walthamstow Town Square) and Woolwich (General Gordon Place).
Click for further information about Proms In The Park or information on the big screens.
