Forthcoming Events

Games Day 2008 –On all Saturday afternoons in June there will be games activities taking place focused on the stage area of the square using a simple format of tables and chairs under the canopy.

On 7th, 14th & 21st Universal Board Games will facilitate board games from all over the world (Backgammon, Carrom, Nine Men's Morris to name but a few...). In addition, on the 7th & 21st there will be Ping-Pong (a 'round-the-table' version from the Young Offender's Institute), on the 14th basketball coaching by HCD's Cory Defoe, and on the 28th there will be a chess event run by local instructor and previous games day participant Malena Griffiths. These sessions will take place from 2–5 pm.

The idea with these events is that they are open to the whole community and are particularly designed to encourage intergenerational play and learning.

Big Dance 2008 (5th - 13th July) - Gillett Square has been allocated as one of the venues for this event, which takes place across the city to boost the profile of dance both as an art and a healthy living choice. It previously took place in 2006 and is planned to continue as a biannual activity. Previously it culminated in a dance spectacle with thousands of performers in Trafalgar Square.

The programme for Gillett Square has now been confirmed as follows:
Saturday 5th July
2 - 4pm African styles fusion with Dancemaster Ngozi and international percussionist Aaron Tanice (open to all levels and abilities).
4.30 - 6.30pm Turkish and Kurdish traditional dance with artists from the Refugee Arts Project (no previous experience necessary).
Sunday 6th July
RUMBA WORKSHOPS
Bombo Productions and Cubacheche presents - a day of Afro-Cuban drum and dance
11am - 12pm Beginners dance workshop in the Vortex
1 - 2.30pm Rumba dance for those with some expereince in Gillett Square
3.15 - 5pm Performance with Los Rumberitos De Londres
www.visitlondon.com/bigdance
For a copy of our Big Dance leaflet please click here (220K PDF)

Groundwork East London ‘Cool Climate’ event (12th July): public presentation of year-long environmentalism project featuring three local schools.

London Festival of Architecture (17-20 July): as part of their ‘Fresh’ theme looking at urban food production and gardening, culminating in:

London Food Link logoDelicious Dalston (Sunday 20th July 12.30pm - 8.30pm)- 'Delicious Dalston' will be a one-day music and food affair, with a programme from the Vortex Jazz Club and a range of stalls selling sustainable produce. Growing Communities' 'Maisie the milkfloat' will be visiting Gillett Square with a range of organic vegetables and fruit with Hackney-grown produce and there will be stalls selling diverse African and Caribbean fresh foods and juices.  The project has been supported by London Food Link LDA logoand a small grant from the London Development Agency. The event aims to help meet the objectives of the London Food Strategy, creating more sustainable food systems for London.

Sunday Sept 28th:
To celebrate the start of the UK's Cultural Olympiad the Vortex Outdoors will be presenting an Open Rehearsal event in collaboration with musicians Lifeforce/Brazenbunch. An open air music festival on Gillett Square for Dalston.
More details soon...