An aerial view of the City of London skyline, including the Leadenhall building, the Gherkin, 20 Fenchurch Street, 22 Bishopsgate and The Scalpel. Picture date: Friday July 9, 2021.
(Picture: PA Archive)The Square Mile will be transformed into an open air festival as part of the city’s bid to become a cultural destination to rival the south bank.
More than 100 performers will take to the streets on Saturday October 15 while visitors will be able to take part in a mass treasure hunt and enjoy fairgrounds set up in locations including Guildhall and the Museum of London.
The event will run from dawn to dusk and use street theatre to bring the City’s history to life.
Chris Hayward, Policy Chairman of the City of London Corporation, said: “We will open the Square Mile’s doors to everyone, revealing fascinating secrets and making magical moments happen for our visitors.
“Join us for large-scale street performances, carnivals, games, and more.
“Together we are putting the City of London on the map as a globally-renowned destination which is exciting, diverse, creative, and inclusive.”
The event is part of the city’s £2.5 million Destination City project which aims to power the Square Mile’s recovery from the pandemic.
As part of that, the City poached a top West End marketing boss to throw off its “nine to five” image and turn it into a leisure destination.
Luciana Magliocco joins the City of London Corporation in September in a new senior role. She is currently at business group New West End Company, where she was the marketing chief in charge of events such as the Oxford Christmas Lights switch-on.
The city is also working on promoting its Culture Mile stretching from the Barbican Centre to the Museum of London as it bids to bring more visitors to the area traditionally known for its financial might.
