Fun, free festivals this weekend!

Not one free, fun-filled, community festival this Sunday 17th July, but TWO!

Head down to Earl's Court for the climax of their month long arts and community festival - the Street Fair!

There will be music, arts, games, dancing and a Cabbages and Frocks Market offering delicious organic Continental and British goodies alongside fashion.

Wedge Card will be joining in all the fun and we have organised some very special one-off competitions. Audience members will be able to participate in fun challenges for the chance to win a fantastic prize, challenges include pizza base spinning, makeover challenge, drinking a yard of ale and even waxing - ouch!

Where: Hogarth and Kenway Roads, SW5 - MAP

When: Sunday 17th July - 12noon - 20.00

Join in the community celebrations at Golborne Road Festival.

Enjoy a host of live music, international food, stalls including arts and crafts. There will be plenty to entertain the kids too, including an adventure playground, Hamido the Morrocan clown and magician, face painting and a fire engine - always a favourite!

Wedge Card are not missing out on all the fun, we will be there and have a very special lucky dip with exclusive festival offers such as a free pedicure, a free blow-dry or a tasty 50% off a mezze plate!

Where: Golborne Road, W10 - MAP

When: Sunday 17th July - 12noon - 18.00

See you there!

Five FREE things to do this weekend

If you are wondering what to do with yourself or your family this weekend, here are five great events taking place in the capital, and the best thing is - they are all FREE!

FAMILY
Kensington Palace Party
Saturday 9th July & Sunday 10th July. 12.00-18.00
Dance, music, fashion, arts, crafts, storytelling in the grounds of Kensington Palace.
Kensington Palace, The Broadwalk, Kensington Gardens, W8 4PX

ART & DESIGN
Free Range 2011
Until Sunday 24th July. 10.00-19.00
View work by art, design, fashion and photography graduates from colleges in London and the rest of the UK.
Old Truman Brewery, 91 Brick Lane, E1 6QL

FASHION & CRAFTS
We Make London Summer Boutique
Until Saturday 9th July. 10.00-till late
A pop-up boutique with fashion, accessories, homewares and craft by around 60 designers.
Oak Studio, 8 Perrins Court, NW3 1QS

ART
East Finchley Open: Artists’ Open House
Saturday 9th July & Sunday 10th July. 11.00-18.00
Visit local artists’ in their homes and admire or purchase their work.

FAMILY
Strawberry Fayre at Spitalfields City Farm
Sunday 10th July. 12.00-17.00
Picnic day including strawberry forage, cookery demonstrations, music, poetry and a cricket match.
Buxton Street, E1 5AR

Have a great weekend!

Wedge

Save St Helen’s Gardens (W10)

We had a fantastic time on Saturday at St Helen’s Festival! Wedge and the local community came together and organised a wonderful, fun-filled day. We had stalls selling everything from cakes to bric-a-brac and activities such as hair braiding, origami and massage. Delicious food came courtesy of St Helens Food Store and the bakery. Pets in the City ran the dog show, which was brilliant and there were also games, pony rides, a fire engine…the list goes on. There was even a celebrity appearance from Ben Fogle, who is a nearby resident!

The community of St Helen’s are wonderful, and really care about their shops. As highlighted in this recent Evening Standard article, this parade of shops is under threat. Increased rents have forced many of the shops to close which is having an effect on the remaining ones. With less passing trade, these shops are suffering and many are worried the same ill fate will happen to them.

This is a shame, especially when the residents such as these are so keen to shop locally and give something back to their community. Our ‘Dream Corner’ on Saturday was hugely popular. Set up in an empty shop, previously Orlando Hamilton florists, we asked the residents to say what they would like the shop to be. Offerings flooded in with ideas ranging from a butcher, to a wine bar, a restaurant or even a pop up shop or gallery. These residents are desperate to see this parade of shops rejuvenated and so are we. Remember our motto: EVERY LITTLE SHOP HELPS.

Here are a few pictures of the festival!

Get creative in East London!

CREATE11 launched today!

This fantastic annual east London arts and cultural festival will run for four weeks until 25^th July. The programme includes over 200 events such as outdoor screenings, nocturnal walks, rooftop farming, underground readings, secret parties, hidden dining, live music, art exhibitions and talks. These events showcase the huge home-grown talent of east London, plus many of these events are free, so everyone can get involved and enjoy the festival. For full listings, visit the website.

Wedge Card have partnered with CREATE11 to offer special and exclusive discounts during the festival period, from shops across the six Olympic boroughs. So, whilst you’re out enjoying the artistic and cultural delights of the festival, you can be saving a bundle too!

These special offers will be published in the one million copies of the CREATE11 newspapers distributed throughout the festival. PLUS even more special offers will feature in the special CREATE11 supplement in the London edition of The Big Issue (Monday 27^th June – 3^rd July 2011), so be sure to grab a copy!

Local shops can rejuvenate and regenerate an otherwise forgotten area, and alongside fantastic cultural programmes such as CREATE11, these hidden gems can be rediscovered and embraced.

Festival fever! The place to be this Saturday 25th June...

Stuck for something fun to do this weekend? Fear not, we have the perfect solution for the whole family.

On Saturday 25^th June, noon – 6pm, head down St Helen’s, North Kensington, W10 (map) for a fun filled festival in celebration of the fantastic local shops St Helen’s has to offer.

The festival attractions include:

· Huge BBQ of delicious treats and a tasty summer punch

· Children’s fancy dress competition ‘What I want to be when I grow up’- 1pm, with awards ceremony at 2pm

· Dog show – 2.30pm, with awards ceremony at 4pm

· Cat show (photographs)

· Games

· Face painting

· Bouncy castle

· Stalls including; beauty, toys, cakes, plants and flowers, origami

· Photo booth

· Pony rides

· Fire engine

· History centre

· Dream corner

· Local celebrities

· And so much more...but you will just have to come along to find out...see you there!

For more info about the event, call 020 8962 0700 or email katherine@wedgecard.co.uk

Incredible competition! Design your own sexy, London Big Issue/Wedge pants AND win a year’s supply of pants AND the chance to win a trip to India!

The Big Issue and Wedge Card have teamed up with Pants to Poverty to launch a liberating design competition.

The lucky winner will have their design made up into a limited edition range of pants, which will be sold online and feature in The Big Issue. The winner will also win a year’s free undies.. and it gets even better.. everyone voting or designing will be entered into a prize draw to win a trip to India to meet the farmers for some pant love (not lust!)

It’s so simple you’ve just got to get involved, all the information can be found on www.facebook.com/pantstopoverty
1. Complete your designs using the template provided.
2. Upload your image to the pants fan page (before 13th August 2011).
3. The design with the most ‘likes’ wins! Simple!

So, its time to get your creative juices flowing and start designing for the chance to win this amazing prize. Good luck!

Treat your old man...

Father's Day is fast approaching (it's this Sunday, 19th June if you had forgotten!)

So, if you are having a last minute panic and racking your brains for what to give your Dad, here are a few fail safe present ideas (and with these discounts, it wont break the bank either...bonus).

1. CD or vinyl from Sounds (W11) - 10% off all items

2. DVD from Video City (W11) - 10% off

3. Chocolate from Rococo (W1) - 10% off

4. Book from London Review Bookshop (WC1A) - 10% off books

5. Cheese from La Fromagerie (W1U)- 10% off cheese products

Don't forget to get a card too! Save 10% at South Bank Cards (SE1) who have a great selection.