London attracts visitors from corners of the planet and is among the most visited destinations in the world. This is with good reason too, owing to the multitude of attractions found all over the city, both medieval and modern, which make it one of the most attractive tourist spots. Apart from the attractions, the London social calendar is filled with annual events ranging from sports events to film festivals, musical shows to flower shows.
If you do plan a holiday next year in London one of the best places to stay in the heart of the city is the Paddington area. It is home to some of the best hotels, including attractions and a fine selection of restaurants near Paddington Station.
One of the best hotels to stay in the area is the Park Grand Paddington Court London, which offers the best of luxury and facilities at a budget-friendly price. Some of the top annual events to visit in London at different parts of the year are:
New Year Parade: As the name suggests it is a procession through London’s streets organised on the 01st of January every year. It began in 1987 as the Lord Mayor of Westminster’s Big Parade. It has a pre-defined route starting from the Ritz and ending at Parliament Square. It is among the largest parades of its kind and has millions of participants. There is no entrance fee although tickets have to be bought if anyone wants to have seat at the starting and ending point of the event. Over the years it has collected vast sums of money as charity for a number of charitable organisations.
The London Marathon: The city’s largest long-distance running event that is organised in spring. An athlete John Disley and Chris Basher an Olympic champion founded the marathon in 1981. The marathon has an amazing number of amateur and professional runners as participants. It has earned acclaim the world over with more than half a million visitors and tourists lining up along the marathon’s route to observe and cheer the participants. It begins at three starting points – the Blue Start at Shooter’s Hill Road, the Green Start at St. John’s Park and the Red Start at Greenwich Park. It encompasses more than 40 km and covers some of the most famous landmarks of London.
The Boat Race: One of the most keenly contested sporting rivalries between two of the most prestigious Universities in the world, Oxford and Cambridge. It happens in the first week of April, with rowers from The Cambridge University Boat Club and Oxford University Boat Club participating. The Oxford lads don dark blue clothing while the Cambridge rowers wear light blue. It is among the most famous races in the country’s sports calendar and attracts thousands of visitors from all over the world. The race takes place on the Thames River and covers a distance of almost 7 km beginning at Putney Bridge and ending near Chiswick Bridge. Along the route, it passes many prominent landmarks. There is a massive gathering of onlookers, who come from all parts of the world to see the boat race in the month of April.
London Book Fair: The event first began in 1971, and was organised by Lionel Leventhal with the grand title “The Specialist Publishers Exhibition for Librarians”. After its resounding success, it became an annual event and the title was shortened to the London Book Fair. It is primarily a publishing fair for books and attracts hordes of visitors every year who want to be part of this celebration of literary creativity. Every year it focuses on publishers from different countries and regions which includes China, Russia, South Korea, India, Turkey, the Middle East and South Africa.
Chelsea Flower Show: It is out of the most famous flower shows on the planet and held every year in the month of May. It attracts a large number of visitors from across the globe who visit the Royal Hospital Chelsea, where the show is hosted. It began in 1862 and was initially called the Royal Horticultural Society Great Spring Show. The event offers a platform to gardeners and professional horticulturists to showcase their gardening accomplishments. There are awards for several categories including for exhibits of flowers, vegetables and trees. It also draws a large crowd of nature lovers who come to watch the beautiful floral presentations and buy products on sale.
Trooping the Colour: One of the most well known ceremonial events the Trooping of the Colour is held on a Saturday in June. Held in Central London, it is a traditional British ceremony dating to the 17th century. The parade is also called the Queen’s Birthday Parade and is telecast live with a large international audience of millions across the world. It consists of two main events – the trooping of the colours a ceremony where the flags pass through the ranks of soldiers. The second event is the Queen’s salute when she inspects her troops. With over four hundred military musicians providing befitting martial tunes, it creates an atmosphere that is both captivating and awe-inspiring.
Carnival de Cuba: One of the most colourful and enjoyable events in the city is the festive Carnival de Cuba. It is organised every year in summer, mostly in June and is the biggest Cuban event in Europe. It is a lively celebration of Cuban arts and culture and includes music, food and drinks, dance and literature. There are a variety of activities for people of all age groups, including a kid’s face-painting competition. It reflects the cosmopolitan nature of London in its truest sense. If you are in London in the month of June, the Carnival De Cuba is an event not to be missed!
