Ka-ching! We've got a bank holiday this month – how will you be spending it?
If you haven't decided what extra curricular cultural stuff you want to do this August, we've done the legwork for you.
For some dancing in the sunshine (don't forget your sunscreen), check out Notting Hill Carnival or Brighton Pride – with Britney Spears headlining. For festival lovers, we hope to see you at Wilderness, with Nile Rodgers & Chic and Bastille on the main stage, plus a panel by Refinery29 on digital activism.
Whatever you are in the mood for, we've chosen some of the movies, exhibitions and events in August to make the most of the final days of summer.
Click through to see what we'll be up to...
Italia 90, "Tourist Estate", released 10th August
My favourite scuzzy rock quartet are releasing their new single "Tourist Estate" with Box Records this month. Get yourself down to The Windmill in Brixton on 10th August to watch them tear it up – I defy you not to start chanting "Brutalism!" in hypnotic unison with the front man.
Making Thunder Roar: Emily Brontë, Brontë Parsonage Museum, until 1st January 2019
Boy do I love those Brontë sisters, what with their brooding characters, literary melodrama and evocation of the wild moors of Yorkshire. If you haven’t visited the family’s scenic parsonage in Haworth, make the pilgrimage for the host of events taking place for Emily Brontë’s bicentenary.
Boomtown Fair, 9th-12th August, Matterley Estate, Hampshire
A DJ pal informs me the Boomtown experience is as good as – if not (whisper it) better than – Glastonbury, so I’m off to see for myself. Gorillaz, Maribou State, Sleaford Mods, Nadine Shah and Hollie Cook are just a few of the acts playing across 16 stages in an immersive, futuristic metropolis rising out of the Hampshire countryside. There’s a handful of tickets left, if you’re quick.
Esi Edugyan, Washington Black, published 2nd August
An 11-year-old field slave, enlisted by an eccentric inventor to help him create the perfect flying machine, finds himself on an epic journey towards freedom… Recently longlisted for the Man Booker prize, Esi Edugyan’s third novel promises adventure, danger and a cast of unforgettable characters. That’s my holiday reading sorted, then.
The Dark Arts Fayre, Kolis, 5th August
After missing the longest eclipse of the century thanks to a very overcast evening, I need my witchy fix for the summer. You'll catch me and my coven (one friend who shares my alternative interests) at this wonderfully macabre fair, ogling crystals, tarot, incense and other creepy-cute delights.
Notting Hill Carnival, London, 26th-27th August
I'm an island girl who's only been to two carnivals in her life (both in Jamaica). My first English summer would be incomplete without attending Notting Hill Carnival – cover me in feathers and call me calypso. I'm beyond excited!
Brighton Pride, Brighton, 3rd-5th August
Brighton Pride is my favourite weekend of the year. In my opinion, it’s by far the best Pride celebration in the country, nay world, and for 2018 they have the one and only Britney Spears at the top of the billing. It’s Britney bitch!
Ariana Grande, Sweetener, released 17th August
God is a woman, and that woman is Ariana Grande. After making a comeback of epic proportions with her euphoric smash hit "No Tears Left To Cry", expectations are sky high for the 25-year-old singer’s fourth studio album.
Tina – The Tina Turner Musical, Aldwych Theatre, until 16th February 2019
I hate musicals but I love Tina Turner. It’s doubtful I’ll ever get to see hot legs herself live now (very jealous that my parents saw her in Dublin before she stopped touring) so I’m going to give this a go. I’ve heard from a friend (with very questionable taste) that it's amazing so it will either be "Proud Mary" all the way or drinking through the second act.
Heathers, re-released 10th August
Eh, I might be a little late to the party here but somehow I never got 'round to watching this first time when it came out in 1988 (I was probably busy running around with a cape on thinking I was SuperTed) but I’m very keen to catch the late '80s classic when it’s back in cinemas this time. Big hair, bad behaviour and BDE from stars Winona Ryder and Shannen Doherty.
Fun Home, Young Vic, until 1st September
Since this show swept the Tonys in 2015, it has garnered a cult following. A musical, yes, but inspired by Alison Bechdel 's 2006 graphic memoir, the show features Broadway’s first lesbian protagonist and deals with more complex issues than your average Broadway hit. I’m intrigued and excited to see what all the fuss is about.
Little Shop Of Horrors, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, until 15th September
While Fun Home ticks the cool, cult box, this one indulges my love of the more traditional musical. I love, love, love this film and to see the show in the magical setting that is the open air theatre in Regent’s Park is just a dream. Plus, I’m obsessed with plants at the moment (aren’t we all?). Add a singing plant to the mix and I am SOLD.
F*ckingLifeMate, Bread and Roses Theatre Clapham, until 4th August
This dark comedy follows Kirsty, a young woman trying to navigate being gay in a crime-ridden, intolerant estate in southeast London. Kirsty and her friends use humour to manoeuvre their way through teenage pregnancies and troubled family lives while trapped in the welfare system.
SW4, Clapham Common, 25th-26th August
Great festival, great location and a great lineup – plus you have Bank Holiday Monday to recover.
Omar Victor Diop LIBERTY / DIASPORA, Autograph, until 3rd November 2018
A Senegalese artist reinterprets defining moments of historical revolt and black struggle in Africa and the diaspora. The artist explores what unified and defined these fights for freedom and human rights. Key events include Alabama’s Selma, Nigeria’s Women's War in 1929 and more.
Heroines of the African Holocaust: African Women in War, St Ann's Library, Tottenham, 11th August
A great celebration of key African female figures whose stories were hidden from history. I'm looking forward to learning about their contribution to ending slavery, their journey and experiences.
Wilderness Festival, Cornbury Park, 2nd-5th August
I planned to go to only one camping festival this year, so I have picked wisely. This year's Wilderness lineup boasts disco kings Nile Rodgers & Chic, Justice and Groove Armada, so I'll definitely be throwing a few shapes. During the day, though, I'll be flooding my brain with lofty thoughts at the many talks and debates. I'm excited to hear Afua Hirsch talk about belonging and Brit(ish)ness, and to watch Refinery29's very own panel about digital activism. See you there!
Blood Orange, Negro Swan, released 24th August
It's been two years since Dev Hynes' last album, Freetown Sound(which I still listen to at least once a month) was released. So, imagine my shock when I spotted his Instagram post announcing the imminent release of Negro Swan last week. Excited doesn't quite cover it. It's due to delve into "[Hynes'] own and many types of black depression... black existence, and the ongoing anxieties of queer/people of colour". It looks set to be a powerful listen.
Salt Peanuts, Unit 31, Limehouse, bimonthly (date TBA)
Always up for a good mix of soul, jazz and old hip-hop in London, where it’s not too packed! Salt Peanuts is an amazing collective of musicians which hold a bimonthly gig in their gorgeous recently renovated warehouse in east London. A plus? They usually have upcoming female artists on the mic with a touch of soul, such as Ella Mae or hip-hop with Amy True, and a great female photographer called Karolina. Because women can do it all.
Julie, National Theatre, until 5th September and broadcast live on 6th September
I am usually a big fan of plays, but don’t really make time for them. I discovered Julie through a friend of a friend (who, full disclosure, is in the play). I won’t say much but Julie is newly single and throws a late night party at her place. The rest is pure pleasure and fun. The live broadcast, as well as talks and events with the cast, mean there's no reason not to get involved.
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