The Highgate Village Christmas Festival – a magical wonderland with giant snow globe containing dancers, main stage hosted by Alex Zane and mystery celebrity to switch on lights at 4pm.
In Pond Square Santa will bring some of his reindeer and elves to his grotto, and a magical fairy will be granting wishes. There will even be a dancing Christmas tree!
Also appearing Cinderella’s Carriage from BBC Strictly Come Dancing Christmas spectacular 2012 pulled by two beautiful white horses.
Mulled wine, hog roast, mince pies and hot chocolate. Don’t miss it!
Highgate Cemetery Bee-keeper, Ian Creer, will talk about honey bees in general and in particular, those resident in Highgate Cemetery.
Ian will cover the differences between honey bees and other bees native to the UK, our relationship with them (including their importance to agriculture and the environment) and the life-cycles and roles within the honey bee hive. He will also discuss the threats to honey bees, the causes and remedies, and compare honey bees in the countryside to those in the City; in particular, those in the cemetery, their forage and the type of honey they produce compared to honey from other sources.
Ian will be bringing along a demonstration hive.
Curious about Highgate, its origins, stories, green spaces and buildings? Come in and talk to people who have an interest in and passion for local history. There will be representatives and stalls from the Roman Kilns in Highgate Woods, Camden Tour Guides, HLSI, Lady Gould’s Charity, Highgate School Museum, Friends of Kenwood, Highgate Horticultural Society, Friends of Hornsey Church Tower, Friends of Highgate Library Shepherds Hill, Highgate Society and lots of information about Lauderdale House.
Lauderdale House experts Nick Peacey and Peter Barber OBE join forces with our Heritage Education Officer Maddy Gilliam to share new discoveries about our fascinating former residents.
Friends of the Highgate Roman Kiln – Michael Hammerson and Nick Peacey – will tell you about its remarkable discovery in 1969 in Highgate Woods, how it was lifted out of the ground and divided for safekeeping at Bruce Castle Museum and the hut in Highgate Woods; and their mission to reunite it in its original location. Find out also how local people have tried to recreate the way it worked.
Stay on after for refreshments before the next talk.
Former General Manager of Ham House where Lord Lauderdale made his home when he married its owner Elizabeth Tollemache 2nd Countess of Dysart after the death of his wife and he left Lauderdale House. She will talk about Lauderdale, Elizabeth and Ham House – and Lauderdale’s music.
Soundworlds of Lauderdale House from Tudor times to today, a programme specially created for the Lauderdale House Local History Weekend (24 and 25 February), featuring words and music by Henry VIII, Charles I, Purcell, Beaumarchais, Haydn, Verdi, Debussy and Zeigenmeyer.
Insieme – Italian for ‘together’ – share their love of music and words with you through skilful, imaginative and joyful performances.
‘we listen with rapture and watch with glee; a sensational two hours bursting with charm’ Fringe Opera
Insieme, chamber opera ensemble are a new creative residency for 2018 at Lauderdale House featuring 10 talented singers and musicians who combine strings, woodwind, piano, voice and the spoken word:
Johanna Byrne – Artistic Director
Clare Clements – Musical Director
Eleanor Hemmens – Soprano
Brian Parsons – Tenor
Joe Corbett – Baritone
Caoimhe de Paor – Recorders
Mona Kodama – Violin
Guillem Calvo – Violin
Juan Drown- Viola
Frederique Legrand – Cello
Clare Clements – Piano
Johanna Byrne – Spoken Word
In another little step back to the ethos of the London Novello Ensemble – which is the presentation of great music outside the formal constraints of the concert hall – Murray and Gavin present the two opposites of late 19th century romanticism along with music by Delius, Vitali and Sarasate, and a selection of popular tangos including Piazzolla’s famous ‘Libertango’
Gavin Davies studied the violin with Marta Eitler and at the Royal College of Music with Jaroslav Vanecek and Natasha Boyarsky. He combines a freelance orchestral career with ensembles such as the London Philharmonic and BBC Concert orchestras with regular chamber music and solo performances.
Murray Hipkin is a fulltime member of the music staff at English National Opera, where he has conducted The Mikado, The Gondoliers, The Pirates of Penzance, Kismet, Carousel, Chess and Man of la Mancha. He is musical director of the Pink Singers and the North London Chorus and he recently finished filming Anyone Can Sing for ENO/Sky Arts in the role of music supervisor and accompanist.
Programme to include:
Brahms – Sonata No. 1 in G
Liszt – Romance
Delius – Sonata No. 3
Vitali – Chaconne
Sarasate – Zigeunerweisen
Tangos by Albeniz, Gade, and Piazzolla
Advanced booking is advised as we will be limiting capacity in order to ensure socially distanced seating is available for those who require it. In accordance with normal practice, we respectfully ask that you do a lateral flow test – available free from www.gov.uk/order-coronavirus-lateral-flow-tests.com in the 48 hours prior to the concert – but please do get in touch for a full refund if you get a positive result!
This page is for the performance at Pond Square Chapel, Highgate on 9th December.
To buy tickets for the performance at St Paul’s Lorrimore Square, Kennington on 6th December, please click on this link: Brahms and Liszt in Kennington 6 December
Discover fascinating stories from Highgate’s past, and the diverse history of the communities that make up North London.
Come and chat to over 20 people who are interested in and knowledgeable about the history of our local area, including representatives from local museums, historic houses and local history societies at this FREE fair! Alongside Jacksons Lane, we will also be hosting a ‘memory stall’ this year, and collecting photos from the community that show the venues or Waterlow Park. Have any images from the past that you’d like to share? Bring them along!
Confirmed attendees for this year’s Heritage fair include:
The Arts Society Hampstead Heath
Camden History Society
Camden Tour Guides Association
Channing School
The Coleridge Trust
Friends of Kenwood
Highgate Cemetery
The Highgate Literary & Scientific Institution Archive
The Highgate Roman Kiln Project
Highgate School Museum & Archive
The Highgate Society
Hornsey Historical Society
Jacksons Lane
Kenwood House
Lady Gould’s Charity
Lauderdale House
North London U3A
Memories Stall
Pink Plaques Project
Join us to discover the history of three local venues: Lauderdale House, Jacksons Lane and Upstairs at the Gatehouse.
Speakers from three of Highgate’s key entertainment venues join us for a special Heritage Weekend talk! With each building facing uncertain futures at one stage or another, this talk will provide a fascinating insight into the transformations and challenges involved in converting each into the venues we know today.
We will hear from Nick Peacey, one of the driving forces behind Lauderdale House’s conversion to an Arts and Cultural Centre, alongside John Plews – long time manager of the award-winning Upstairs at the Gatehouse theatre. Finally, we will be hearing from the team at Jacksons Lane and their amazing journey from derelict church to thriving community venue!
Highgate has more than its fair share of locations if you’re looking for a pint, a bite to eat…or a historic ceremony involving antlers!
Originally a village outside of London, Highgate has long been a welcoming spot for travellers and visitors alike. Join us for this fascinating talk as we discover the history of some of its more interesting watering holes!
Hear from an expert on the history of the local pubs and hostelries and open your eyes to some of the more bizarre rituals such as the ‘Swearing of the Horns’. You’ll find out all about St Joseph’s Parish Centre, which has hosted everything from boxing matches to beauty contests and is still the cheapest pint in Highgate! And we chat to Kate Fugallo who ran the Lauderdale café with her husband Salvatore, from 1985 to 2014, helping take the organisation from one century into another! As she says, ‘we didn’t realise when we pitched up in 1985 it would turn out to be a major part of our lives and of our childrens’.
Take a step back in time at Lauderdale House’s annual Heritage Weekend. On Sunday 25 February we’re hosting a special Heritage Family Fun Day for children and families to explore the history of the house and the area.
Drop in for all kinds of fun and free activities between 11am and 4pm – activities are free and you don’t need to book in advance!
Discover the stories of the Victorian children who lived in the house on our interactive touchscreens.
Explore the House with our family trail (there will be a chocolate prize for the first 50 children to complete it!).
From 11.30am to 3.30pm, a craft session making Tudor ruffs and masks for a masquerade ball!
No unaccompanied children – bring your parent and carer so they can join in too!