London Diary – documentary, bicycle and gourmet food festivals among top events in London this week

Greenwich and Docklands Fest

This annual 10-day fest is a celebration of the performing arts in all its guises – street theatre, puppetry, dance and much more. Last year’s show involved more than 200 performances and more than 80,000 audience members. This year is set to go one better. There’s the likes of the giant creepy crawlies of Insectes, with huge insects taking over Roman Road; Prometheus Awakes, an epic and eye-catching re-interpretation of the Greek myth; and Word On The Street, involving a ‘poetic tale of urban living’ and ‘biting political song’.

June 21-30. Various locations and times
Tube | Greenwich | festival.org/festival.com

New Resonances

This tech-embracing week-long event features three concerts and several media installations as the bridge between technology, presentation and viewer is challenged. There will be ‘wearable interactive instruments’, immersive 3D audio visual environments and a new, ‘surprising way of playing ping pong’. 

£12+ June 19-22. 7pm
Wilton’s Music Hall, E1 8JB
Tube | Tower Hill 
wiltons.org.uk

West End Stars’ Performance

Liven up your lunch hour with this one- off show, featuring some of the stars of the West End’s biggest success stories. Cast members from Wicked and Billy Elliot will belt out their favourite stage hits to kick off the West End Live event, which runs all day this Saturday and Sunday in Trafalgar Square.

Free | Wednesday. 12.30pm-1.30pm
Cardinal Place’s roof garden, SW1E 5JD
Tube | Victoria
cardinalplace.co.uk

Open City Docs Fest

More than 100 documentaries make up this cinematic festival, exploring life in all its shapes, from personal and intimate tales (Hermits, about one man’s search for solitude) to wider stories (A Spark from Tottenham, about last summer’s London riots). There’s music, talks and workshops, as well. 

£5+ | June 21-24 | Various times
University College London, WC1E 7JL 
Tube | Goodge Street
opencitylondon.com

BT Artbox Phone Boxes

London’s about to get a whole lot more colourful, with a smattering of old phone boxes appearing across the city. However, the boxes won’t be in the traditional red, instead each is designed by one of 80 artists and architects, including Zaha Hadid, Giles Deacon and Philip Treac. They’ll raise money for Childline and salute a British icon in this year of celebration. You’ll spot them, their call will be impossible to miss.

Free | June 18-July 16
Various locations
 btartbox.com

Samsung Bike Week

Fair-weather cyclists be warned – it’s national bike week, so get out on two wheels, and raise some money for charity (as well as getting some excercise). There’s a number of events, including Sunday’s Lambeth-touring  Bike The Borough ride. If you use the Samsung Hope Relay App they’ll donate £1 for every mile cycled, too.

Free | Until Sunday
Various locations
bikeweek.org

Taste of London

Fine dining gets an al fresco twist in this gourmet food market in which 40 of London’s top restaurants cater a four-day eating and drinking bash. Starter-sized dishes of global cuisine will be served at seven sessions of dining, so you can sample as much as you like (or can stomach!). Give your tastebuds a treat.

£24+ June 21-24.
Regent’s Park, NW1 4NR
Tube | Regent’s Park
tasefestivals.com/london