This is London Magazine July Edition 2026 - Flipbook - Page 4
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NOTTING HILL CARNIVAL
Notting Hill Carnival returns to west
London on 30-31 August, celebrating
Caribbean culture with two days of music,
dance and spectacular parades. Familyfriendly festivities and the Children's
Parade take place on 30 August, followed
by the Adults' Parade on 31 August.
Featuring dazzling costumes, steel bands,
calypso, soca and delicious Caribbean
food, the carnival attracts millions of
visitors each year for one of London's
most colourful and vibrant annual events.
WICKED CELEBRATES 20 YEARS
IN LONDON
Wicked is celebrating 20 years of
defying gravity in the West End, and
there's never been a better time to see it.
This spellbinding prequel to The Wizard
of Oz tells the untold story of the witches
of Oz, Elphaba and Glinda, long before
Dorothy ever arrived in Munchkinland.
With its iconic score, breathtaking
staging and unforgettable performances,
Wicked remains one of the most beloved
musicals of the last two decades.
To mark the occasion, celebratory
performances will take place across the
anniversary weekend. The 'Pink'
performance at 14:30 on 26 September
will honour Glinda, with every ticket
holder receiving a Wicked20
commemorative programme and an
exclusive pink-themed gift bag. Later
that day, the 'Green' performance at
19:30 will celebrate Elphaba, with guests
receiving the commemorative
programme alongside a green-themed
gift bag. The celebrations continue at the
14:30 performance on 27 September,
when all audience members will receive
a Wicked20 commemorative programme
and a complimentary anniversary gift
bag to mark two decades of the show.
T H I S I S L O N D O N M A G A Z I N E • T H I S I S L O N D O N O N L I N E • w w w. t i l . c o m • @ t h i s i s l o n d o n m a g
Photo: Mark Senior
OBSERVE THE SOLAR ECLIPSE ON
12 AUGUST
On 12 August, visitors can look up to
the skies to witness a solar eclipse
visible across a large part of the British
Isles. In preparation for this unique
celestial event, Unistellar, the pioneer of
the world's most powerful and easy-touse smart home telescopes and AR
binoculars, has launched a dedicated
webpage featuring a map of the UK and
Europe that shows the eclipse's intensity
by region. It also features observation
tips and tutorials on how to record and
share this astronomical event.
The total eclipse will be visible in
parts of Spain and Iceland, though the
obscuration will also be visible in the
UK. The last eclipse of such intensity
occurred on 11 August 1999. This year,
the eclipse will begin around 18.15 BST
local time, with the maximum partial
eclipse visible about an hour later and
the spectacle ending shortly after 20.00
BST.
The Sun will be low on the horizon or
even already set in some regions.
Coverage will reach 91% in London and
Edinburgh, 93% in Cardiff and Belfast,
94% in Dublin, and 96% in Cork. To
enhance the viewing experience of this
spectacular event, Unistellar advises the
use of a solar filter with its telescopes. It
is always advisable never to look directly
at the Sun; certified eclipse glasses or
telescopes equipped with specific solar
filters are essential. The Unistellar solar
filter enables safe, high-contrast
observation, revealing details such as
sunspots. Unistellar smart telescopes
also allow you to fully experience this
rare event (which can also be witnessed
with the naked eye) while an automated
telescope enables you to record the
memory and additional details so that
they can be enjoyed and shared with
friends and family after the event.
