The Bow Bells will ring on 10th June 2023 as the Museum of London Docklands marks its 20th anniversary with a street party celebrating the history, cultures and communities of the East End. Headlined by drag queen Vanity Milan, the late night event will include a mixture of food stalls, pop-up bars, live performances, talks, film screenings and a makers market celebrating the best of its local neighbourhood. The event is part of a year of programming for the anniversary celebrating and exploring east London.
Traditionally it was said that to be a true Cockney someone must be born within earshot of the Bow Bells, and on the 10th June the ceremonious ringing of St Mary-le-Bow’s church bells will mark the museum’s big day. Now commonly associated with the East End, Cockney is part of a melting pot of cultures and creativity that make east London such a vibrant place to live. Home to everything from grime music and the Columbia flower market to the iconic graffiti of Brick Lane, its long history as London’s gateway to the world has brought a unique buzz to the area, with its communities inspiring a tonne of cultural gems. Celebrated names range from David Beckham, Idris Elba and Bimini Bom Boulash to Tinchy Stryder, Gilbert & George and Lord Alan Sugar.
Parking up on the Docks for the museum’s street party, party pioneers Hackney Showroom will lead the evening’s entertainment with their outdoor stage, the Bobby Dazzler. They’ll be throwing a ‘Russell Harty’ (party) on the Quay with a line-up of live music and performances throughout the night.
Serving charisma and talent, Drag Race finalist and lip-sync assassin, the iconic drag queen Vanity Milan will make a star appearance at the event, hosting the museum’s East End pub quiz. Visitors can drop in to flex their London knowledge and raise a toast to mark twenty years since the museum’s doors opened. Having slayed on Ru Paul’s Drag Race UK and most recently Canada Vs The World, Vanity Milan is back in London and said “I’m back and ready to serve the Museum of London Docklands sugar spice and everything nice. Ooh, we’re gonna have a good o’time!”
In honour of east London’s creative thinkers, a unique makers market will showcase the best small businesses selling everything from handmade ceramics to jewellery and fine art. For those who are Hank Marvin (starving) – street food stalls and pop-up bars will be offering food & drink from the local area, including Jamaican patties and filled roti, rum cocktails and craft beer.
The museum’s galleries will stay open late with a range of curated talks, tours, and film screenings that bring new light to London’s history. From the origins of street parties to the iconic Notting Hill carnival, the event will take a deep dive into the festivities that bring Londoners together.
The big Docklands street party is part of a year-long 20th anniversary programme celebrating and exploring the history of London’s East End. Lunar New Year events kicked off the anniversary celebrations, a stone’s throw away from London’s original Chinatown in Limehouse. Co-curated with community partners – performances, storytelling, and workshops recognised Southeast Asian cultural heritage and its mark on modern day London. This was followed shortly after with Speak Cockney Day on the ‘fird of the fird’ (3rd March), exploring Cockney heritage, identity, life, and lingo, with rhyming slang workshops led by London’s Pearly Kings and Queens.
The wider programme will include a new free display Indo + Caribbean: The creation of a culture (19th May –19th November 2023), exploring the history of Indian indenture in the British Caribbean and Indo-Caribbean culture in London today. A Q&A and screening of the award-winning film Dal Puri Diaspora will be held at the museum, following the global journey of this famous Indian cuisine and the role of food in conserving culture.
Later in the year the museum will open its new major exhibition, Fashion City: How Jewish Londoners Shaped Global Style (13 October 2023-14 April 2024).The exhibition will uncover the contribution of Jewish Londoners to the global fashion industry, putting the museum’s extensive Fashion & Textile Collection front and centre for the first time in two decades, featuring objects from iconic designers known to have dressed high society and royalty including Otto Lucas, Mr Fish, Cecil Gee, Rahvis, and Madame Isobel. Representing all levels of the fashion industry at key moments throughout the twentieth century, the exhibition will allow visitors to step into the world of a 1960s Carnaby Street shopping boutique and a traditional tailoring workshop from the heart of London’s East End.
Other events throughout the year will include an evening to mark the 75th anniversary of Windrush, bringing together performances and readings to explore themes of migration, home and community. There will be a queer pub crawl, themed walks, and a scavenger hunt that will take visitors through key locations and museum objects, shining a light on lesser known stories of the docks. Later in the year, the museum will launch its first mudlarking festival and a series of supper clubs.
Douglas Gilmore, Managing Director of Museum of London Docklands said: “For our 20th anniversary, we look forward to welcoming new visitors and old friends to celebrate this corner of London we’re proud to call home. Through our events, we’ll be championing the culture, music and food of London’s vibrant East End and exploring important histories that have shaped the city we live in today. From dance workshops to film screenings, talks to displays, I hope people will find plenty to enjoy and much to take away from our programme.”
