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London 2012 Festival line-up announced

27 Apr 2012 12:01 PM

The full programme for this summer’s London 2012 Festival has been announced yesterday.

More than 25,000 artists from all 204 competing Olympic nations will feature in performances and events between 21 June and 9 September.

Highlights will include BBC Radio 1’s Hackney Weekend, where 100,000 fans are set to watch acts such as Jessie J and Jay-Z, and the BT River of Music, a series of concerts featuring stars such as the Scissor Sisters.

Other events include:

  • Traction, a one-day festival curated by Radio 1 DJ Gilles Peterson;
  • BBC Comedy stars including Stephen Fry and Tim Minchin celebrating the UK’s comic talent with appearances around the country;
  • Stonehenge being transformed in a free fiery spectacular;
  • collaborations between fashion designers and artists;
  • more than 500 bandstands and outdoor performance spaces around the UK hosting music as part of Bandstand Marathon;
  • See No Evil, Europe’s biggest urban arts festival, popping up in Bristol;
  • public dance events for Big Dance 2012.

Stephen Fry said: “The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games will be an astonishing event and it’s only right that we use the opportunity to showcase our world-leading arts and culture when the eyes of the world are on us. The London 2012 Festival will give everyone the chance to have an Olympic experience.”

Culture Minister Ed Vaizey said: “The 2012 Games provides a unique chance to showcase Britain to the World. The London 2012 Festival highlights the enormous wealth of world-class culture that this country has to offer, providing opportunities for everyone, everywhere to get involved and be inspired.”

The full brochure for the festival will be distributed around the UK and is available to download from the London 2012 Festival website.

Further information