Fitzrovia Festival 2021

Hand-drawn map of Fitzrovia.
Map concept and design by Jack Fawdry Tatham. http://cargocollective.com/jnftatham

Fitzrovia Festival is a non-commerical celebration of the life and history of the neighbourhood. It is a series of small events commemerating the people and places of the neighbourhood, its history, and changing times. Festival has been held since 1973 when the community activists declared: “The People Live Here!”

We’ll be holding a series of events in 2021 celebrating the life and times of the neighbourhood when it is safe to do so.

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We are planning Fitzrovia Festival 2018

Hand-drawn map of Fitzrovia.

Map concept and design by Jack Fawdry Tatham. http://cargocollective.com/jnftatham

Another year and another Festival to plan. We are discussing ideas for guided walks, exhibitions, talks, and some horticulture… Capper’s Farm, boundary lines, strange preachers, musical history, and what in gawd’s name is happening to modern Fitzrovia!

Come and find out all about the past, present and future of this fascinating inner London neighbourhood. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook. And if you are really keen on all things Fitzrovian, subscribe to the Fitzrovia News email newsletter.

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Fitzrovia Festival 19-25 June 2017

Street scene in Fitzrovia, London, 1970s or 1980s.

We’ll be celebrating the life and history of the neighbourhood with a series of non-commercial events including exhibitions, literature, and guided walks, from Monday 19 to Sunday 25 June 2017

If you are interested in the past, present, and future of this fascinating inner London district, then follow us on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news on Festival 2017.

Events listing:

  • 7pm Monday 19 June: guided walk — The Curse of Crossrail and Property Developers: all about a fast-changing Fitzrovia.
  • 7pm Tuesday 20 June: guided walk — Sustainable Transport. From Warren Street to Oxford Street the good and the bad of traffic management.
  • 6.30pm Thursday 22 June: Collaboration Works. A literature event: Georgina Ferry introduces Neural Architects and Stephen Oram launches his new collection, Eating Robots and Other Stories. Free: register here.
  • 6pm to 8pm Friday 23 June: exhibition and browse and buy book stall.
  • 10am to 12noon and 2pm to 4pm Saturday 24 June: exhibition and browse and buy book stall.
  • 12 noon Saturday 24 June: guided walk — Fitzrovia and the music industry.
  • 10am to 4pm, Sunday 25 June: exhibition and browse and buy book stall. (Sorry, we’ve had to cancel this event)

All events are free and are held at Fitzrovia Neighbourhood Centre, 39 Tottenham Street, W1T 4RX (except Thursday’s which is at the Sainsbury Wellcome Centre, Howland Street).

You can also sign up to the Fitzrovia News email newsletter which is produced for residents with news, features and the latest planning, licensing and other public consultations, as well as news about Fitzrovia Festival.

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Derwent Dystopia 2: guided walk, 12 noon Saturday 25 June 2016

derwent-dystopia-mapIf you thought things could not get any worse with the destruction of Fitzrovia, this guided walk will make you think again.

This 90-minute trek around the neighbourhood will tell the story of the past, present, and future of the neighbourhood.

Last year it was Crossrail, this year it is Crossrail 2. Hence Derwent Dystopia 2. This walk will look at how the buildings, residential community and whole neighbourhood is changing.

Find out about property developer Derwent London, dodgy councils, parasites, public relations companies and even a few who should know better.

Discover why not enough affordable housing and public open space is being delivered, and why there is a business improvement district in this the strangest of London barrios.

Meet at 11.45am at Fitzrovia Neighbourhood Centre, 39 Tottenham Street, London W1T 4RX. Walk starts at 12 noon. Free event. Led by Fitzrovia News editors.

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Pubs and Literature: guided walk, 6.30pm Thursday 23 June 2016

Hand-drawn map of Fitzrovia.

Map concept and design by Jack Fawdry Tatham. cargocollective.com/jnftatham

Author and Fitzrovia News editor Mike Pentelow will lead a guided walk around Fitzrovia’s pubs and talk about the neighbourhood’s literary connections.

The walk will be based on the book Characters of Fitzrovia written by Mike Pentelow and Spare Rib founder Marsha Rowe. The walk will visit several of Fitzrovia’s famous pubs where you can discover more about the many writers and their hangers-on who used to gather there.

Meet at Fitzrovia Neighbourhood Centre, 39 Tottenham Street, London W1T 4RX at 6.15pm for a 6.30pm depart. Free event.

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Researching the Shakespeare Hut: exhibition, 5pm to 7pm on Wednesday 22 June 2016 at Fitzrovia Neighbourhood Centre

Buildings on corner of streets.

YMCA Shakespeare Hut, corner of Gower Street and Keppel Street in 1918. Photo: George P Lewis © IWM (Q 28740).

An exhibition about the little known story about the YMCA Shakespeare Hut, a building opened on the side of the current London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in 1916 to house and entertain troops on leave during WWI.  Continue reading

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Paddy of Radio 4 Writers Tour: guided walk, 12 noon Sunday 19 June 2016

Hand-drawn map of Fitzrovia.

A literary tour of fiction, politics, philosophy and poetry. Map concept and design by Jack Fawdry Tatham.

Over the years Fitzrovia has attracted many influential writers. From the birth of feminism to wild bohemian orgies Fitzrovia has seen it all.  Continue reading

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Authors and Readers: panel discussion, 7pm Monday 20 June 2016 at Sainsbury Wellcome Centre

Fitzrovia News presents a Fitzrovia Festival event

A panel of writers from a range of disciplines give their views on the way things are changing and what might be in the future. These are not industry gurus predicting the future, rather they are practitioners sharing their personal perspective of what they see as the ups and downs ahead for their craft. For example, these might be technological, cultural, economical or political changes. They invite you to come along and listen, ask questions and then share a glass with them afterwards.  Continue reading

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Punk rock, racism and anti-racism: guided walk, 12 noon Saturday 18 June 2016

Embed from Getty Images

From concert venues to recording and TV studios Fitzrovia has many connections with punk rock, the cultural phenomenon that changed music and fashion forever.

The Clash recorded here, the Sex Pistols played live and made videos here and for a short time their manager Malcolm McLaren lived here.

This 60-minute guided walk will visit buildings and places which have a connection with not only punk rock but also Rock Against Racism.

Punk rock, racism and anti-racism: guided walk, 12 noon Saturday 18 June 2016. Meet at Fitzrovia Neighbourhood Centre, 39 Tottenham Street, London W1T 4RX. Free event.

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Photos and books about the neighbourhood: 10am to 4pm Saturday 18 June 2016

Hand-drawn map of Fitzrovia.

Map concept and design by Jack Fawdry Tatham.

An exhibition of old photographs and a browse and buy stall of books about the neighbourhood. We have an archive of photographs going back to the 1970s. We have books by local authors including publications by the Fitzrovia Neighbourhood Association, E Beresford Chancellor’s London’s Old Latin Quarter published in 1930, Nick Bailey’s street-by-street history of Fitzrovia published in 1981, and London Recruits: The Secret War Against Apartheid published in 2012. There are many books written about the district and we have a small library of books for reference and lots of information about life in Fitzrovia.

Photos and books about the neighbourhood: 10am to 4pm Saturday 18 June 2016, Fitzrovia Neighbourhood Centre, 39 Tottenham Street, London W1T 4RX. Free event.

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