Celebrating 10 Years’ at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park this Summer
In 2012 London became the first city to host the modern Games three times, having previously been the site of the 1908 and 1948 Olympic Games - and what an exciting moment that was for England!
With the motto “Inspire a Generation”, the Olympic Games London 2012, filled the nation with enthusiasm and pride as we all tuned in to watch Team GB take home a record 185 medals – 63 gold, 60 silver and 62 bronze.
10 years later and London 2012 continues to touch lives and benefit the East London communities that live around the Olympic Park, with the area attracting six million visits a year, world class sport and entertainment events, thousands of new homes and two new business districts.
THE GREAT GET TOGETHER
On Friday 22 July Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan will join east Londoners in lighting an Anniversary Legacy Flame next to London Stadium to mark the tenth anniversary of the start of the Games, and then on the 23rd of July the Park’s largest ever free annual community event which will take over the south of the Park and Stadium Island.
The Great Get Together is the flagship community event at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and this year, as it marks the 10th Anniversary of the Games, it is set to be the biggest ever.
This free event will include incredible performances from your favourite artists, including ABBA Voyage, a revolutionary new concert that will see Agnetha, Björn, Benny and Anni-Frid perform digitally with a live 10-piece band, in the purpose-built arena on the Park.
The main-stage line-up will also showcase breakthrough acts and cutting-edge music brought to you by BBC Music Introducing, vibrant colour and rhythmic dance from the London School of Samba Parade, and rap lyrics and hip-hop moves from Breakin’ Convention.
As if that wasn’t enough, you will also find circus acts, street theatre and an acoustic area jam-packed with up-and-coming local singers, musicians and poets.
FILM, MUSIC, FAMILY AND MASSAOKE
Following the Great Get Together, the Park will host a smaller scale Festival Site over the course of the summer called ‘Celebrating 10 Years’ Festival. It will run from Sunday 24th July through to Monday 8th August, offering a mix of screen and stage entertainment in the north of the Park.
Included in the entertainment will be live-music, movies, mass karaoke and for some added nostalgia, footage of Team GB and Paralympics GB winning gold at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
As well as the big screen, there will be lots of fun activities including fitness workshops, table tennis, a giant treadmill, live performances from UK Skiffle-Pop band Thrill Collins and other great bands, plus live DJs.
Personally, we can not wait to get snapping some instagram-worthy moments, and we are particularly looking forward to the giant walk-in statue by disability rights activist Jason Wilsher-Mills. Then there’s Massaoke – which is essentially karaoke but for loads of people. The mind boggles!
As the celebrations coincide with the start of the Summer Holidays, kids will definitely be catered for, with garden games and other participatory activities, plus a family rave (with phat beats no less). Wonderstruck will be performing their crazy science show (they’re going to blow up a bowl of cereal). Bikeworks will be exhibiting a grupetto of unusual bikes – including one that makes smoothies! Even children's best loved gardener, Mr. Bloom from CBeebies will be appearing on stage with his band, playing songs for all the family to enjoy.
Date: Sunday 24 July – Tuesday 8 August, 2022
Open daily from 11am – 9pm
Where: Hopkins’ Field, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, east London, E20
Find out more: ‘CELEBRATING 10 YEARS’ - FESTIVAL SITE ON THE PARK | Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
The ‘Celebrating 10 years’ festival site is generously supported by Delancey, Lendlease and Mace; organisations who have been integral to the lasting legacy of London 2012 and have helped to inspire generations.
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