Seven Dials Spotlight Festival

Covent Garden’s star shaped intersection of streets hosts a free pop up festival to celebrate the best of theatre, music, comedy, fashion and food.

The seven-pronged heart of London's West End will be transformed into a vibrant street party for one summer Saturday. An electric selection of activities and entertainment will takeover the streets and seep into the array of boutiques, bars and eateries.

The dial itself will become a performance space, as for the first time ever a stage is constructed around the iconic monument. Here you’ll find a steady stream of live entertainment, including snippets from stage shows such as Our World at War by Tristan Bates theatre, comedy sketches, live music from London Brass All-Stars and dance recitals from Pineapple Studios. You can chill on the temporary lawn around the dial, or kick back in one of the many deck chairs.

Other curious offerings dotted about the streets of seven dials include Emergency Poet, which offers first aid with an ode, live drawing by the artists from London Graphic and Sol Cinema (the smallest solar-powered movie theatre in the world).

For those with an eye for a bargain, a selection of the boutiques in and around the area will be offering exclusive discounts as part of the festival. Many will also have complimentary drinks to add a little more luxury to your retail therapy. For glamour pusses, there’re free trials from Keihls, and complimentary makeovers at Shu Uemura. For the daring, there's body painting outside stage make up store Screen Face.

As you peruse all the entertainment on offer you can also sample delicious street food at pop up stalls from Big Apple Hot Dogs, Cross Town Donuts, an al fresco bar from the cocktail experts at Earlham Street Clubhouse. And to top it off the foodie shops such as Hotel Chocolat’s Roast & Conch and La Bottega will be putting on a special spread for the occasion, with plenty of free samples to whet your appetite.